1. If we don't do it, no one else will.

Many of Kickstarter projects have been really successful - they deserve it, there are some really great projects in there but when I look at them, they are all pretty safe, nice and accessible projects that any casual backer can get behind.

I don't think that the casual backers are going to get behind Billy Kidd's project simply because of the nature of the work he does. While I commend Kickstarter for being open-minded enough to host Billy Kidd's project, I would be very surprised if they were to push it onto their front page.

That leaves us, Billy Kidd's fans, to push this project over the line.

2. It's worth more than it costs.

Value in art is a very subjective thing and prone to the whims of the market but this is really a no-brainer for me. Billy Kidd is on the rise, getting one of his prints now, before this show, has to be a very good investment.

There is also the value of knowing that you made a contribution to a great project. I'm never going to sell my print so for me the value is personal.

3. It's secure and easy.

I have never backed a Kickstarter project before and there is always the question of how difficult the process will be. It took me less than 2 minutes to back Billy Kidd's project, the payment went through Amazon so you can be pretty assured of your security.

4. Billy Kidd is a nice guy.

I don't know Billy Kidd personally (I live on the other side of the world) but I have followed him on his site I was shot by Billy Kidd for a long time. He is generous in showing us his work but he also takes the time and effort to publicly respond to the questions and comments from the people who write to him.

If you are interested in his work or in photography in general, you will be well served in following him. If you can't afford one of the larger pledges, it's worth pledging a few dollars simply for the contribution he has already made to the photographic community.

5. We have to find our own way.

Things have changed in the last few years and the new generation of photographers have embraced the open web - Billy Kidd being one of them. They publish their own work on platforms like Tumblr and share their work freely.

We have to find a way of supporting the artists we love because the model that exists now sucks balls. Advertising is fucking bullshit, it is antithetical to artistic endeavor. I don't want to ever see another beautiful image flanked by some nasty gonzo shit. Even innocuous ads for car insurance or the like are bad because they rely on pageviews and tend to cater to the lowest common denominator.

We need to change.

I don't think Kickstarter is the whole answer but it is a good start - we as a community of people who love art need to find a direct way of giving artists our support.

We can start now with this project.

6. Heather Huey.

This is my first exposure to the work of Heather Huey. Her body cages are beautiful and their form adds another dimension to Billy Kidd's photographs. This is a great collaboration.

7. It's a beautiful project.

Besides all of my reasons for backing this project, the most important and most obvious is the project itself. It deserves our backing entirely on its own merits. And for that you should go check out the project yourself:

Heather Huey was shot by Billy Kidd. A love story.