I was out there for awhile with ROO but we were unable to talk with all of the accidents going on around us. It will be nice to say hi to both of yall next time we are at the same track
Yes. My comments are more in regard to the past than the future - and my point was that IMO it would have been a classy thing to do for photographers to buy an ad to help offset the cost of promoting their work. Whether the photography was being done as a hobby or as a business doesn't matter - the bandwidth is used either way. There are plenty of members here who also run racer oriented businesses and get significant exposure here, including Brian Van, Dave Arkle and others - and they've done right. I have no doubt that people notice that. That's all I have to say about the subject.
Then as I said, don't act like one. You started this thread to whine by your own admission. Whining is not becoming and is childish. You tried mid whine to promote your own pictures. That is also annoying and childish. I determine what is or is not breaking the rules. I enforce the rules as I can, I may have missed some over the past weeks due to other obligations - however it is not your job to try to call me out on it. That is a pissing match you will lose here. This board has become what it is because of the way I run it. I get quite a bit of satisfaction from that, it's a great community. If however, you do not like the community or the way I run things then by all means you do not have to post here, sell your pictures here, defend your boyfriend here or any of the other things you do. I'm not sure why people like you tend to forget that no one forced you to click on this website in the first place - you chose to do so just as you have chosen to continue to do so. It is an ever changing community and the void from your absence will be filled by someone else should you choose otherwise.
Mongo: The more I am thinking about this, the sooner I would like to get it started. (Pavel I am not trying to take your idea or step on toes here), but would it be possible to write a personal check to WERA, for the Fund, from the earnings I receive from my pictures? Starting with this last race in ATL. The way I see it, I can either buy a banner to promote only myself or I can donate to a cause that saves lives and one I am passionate about. Please let me know if this is something that I can do and who I would send it to so that it gets into the right hands (Mongo's I will assume). ~Jennifer
I didn't read every post in here... We had a "photographer issue" a few years ago. Photography at track days is really there for the pleasure of our customers (the riders) and to add to thier experience. We used to have a "free market" system of photographers... they could just show up and all take shots and we posted a link to the various sites. Well sometimes three would show up and then NONE would show up. Finally we figured that if we scheduled a single good photographer and allowed him or her to have exclusive access then the odds of them making some money (and being able to keep coming back and upgrading thier equipment to better serve the riders) and our customers getting good service went up by a large margin. So we contacted the pool of candidates and floated the offer. A couple wanted us to guarantee them a flat rate for showing up...... Ummm ya, ok. Let me get this straight.... we invest tons of money bringing the customers to you, give you exclusive access to a captive market and you want us to then pay you to come out and make money? So the list got shorter when we deleted those names. We then took the remaining canditates and evaluated them based on thier reliability, ability to interact with our customers and represent themslves and us professionally and finally the finished product, the pics. We let them work out coverage between themselves and it has gone pretty well. I realize that races like Cycle Jam have more riders and need greater coverage but maybe have two for bigger events and a single for smaller. Charge a vendor fee and donate it to AFF or ???. Is this a viable solution?
I think it would be nice to just have a thread that the photographers can post to that in ongoing... I was at the XX race XX time to XX time. Keep it simple and folks can get stuff if they want. Then we don't have the ongoing "sneaky" stuff. But I am sure Mongo has it all sorted.
STT - They do charge a vendor fee, most choose not to pay it. I have purchased banners to promote myself (it's the cost of business). I frequently donate to the Air Fence Fund on my own. I also feed people at the track and they bring me lots of beer
Vicky, it's obvious from this thread that you are nowhere near long-winded enough to be a photographer. I want 2 pages of long, babbling posts from you by days end or turn in your Brownie.
Can't seem to get it in your skull that I AM NOT IN THE BUSINESS! I took pictures over the years and keep them in my archives. A friend or two asks for them and I give them to them. If half the paddock wants me to give them shots, the answer is "No." Don't whine to me just because you can't say "No." You are taking money. I am not. Not even a single penny from Dean Adams for this shot that I gave him ten years ago. Mine aren't the best quality. Who cares? I just catch stuff that no one else is around to get.
Jennifer, you can donate any amount at any time you like. Evelyne will take the money and set it aside to buy air fence. If you want the tax deduction then donate it to the RRW Action Fund - http://actionfund.roadracingworld.com/
Snaaaaaaaaake Pliskin... I thought you were dead! How the hell are you Jack? BTW - Jack was one of the most pleasant photogs to work with, actually rides (quite well) and takes awsome pics all with no ego and great customer service.... Microsoft stole him away.... with an offer of meeeeeeelions of dollars!
And its because of that joker I bought a nikon D70. Thanks Jack. Thats all I need was another money pit hobby. But its soo much easier taking airshow pics with than my AE1 is. click, click, click, click vs click, wind, click, wind, click.. Only complaint is the lack of nikon dealers in this area. Sucks having to drive to Chicago or Milwaukee. You still in north prairie?
Support for a cause does not always come in the form of money. And many of us do more than just dish out money. You guys are a good bunch, and a fun group to hang around. Anybody is welcome to ask me to give money - if I have and I feel you are worthy, then I will give freely. If I can't give money, I may offer something else. If that doesn't suffice, then we part ways with no hard feelings, no? And I do "sponsor" some racers - they don't have a logo sticker on them but thru our friendships, I do promote them. The value of this is only to that person, but I started on this board when I took pictures of Scott Carpenter and built him a website - he doesn't pay me for pictures, because I WANT him to showcase his racing, and in hopes that his website will generate interest from sponsors and people who can more greatly contribute to help him, and roadracing further. And he represents WERA, AMA, roadracing...do good to one, and everybody gets something out of it, no matter how small the chunk. And i luv Vicky Sulpy - from a "business" stance, she is the old established. Everybody knows her, and will go to her for photography. So how does a newbie photog wanting to get into the action get known? Give yu freebie's to start so you sample our products, and you might start looking for us too. But one day, Vicky is going to retire because she no longer wants to sweat it out at T10, and prefers to sit back at home. So don't shoot down her competitors yet. You don't have to buy from us - we're there to give yu all a choice tho if you want to. So yes - ask me to pay a vendor fee if you want to, that is WERA decision. I do have a choice if I want to continue to take pictures for sale at the races, or just spectate. I still pay gate fees so it's not like I go in free to the races. And I do abide by WERA rules - it was just a clarification needed regarding the General BBS section. As for assumptions made that pavel and I are lousy at business because we admit we don't make money from WERA events - WERA racers are NOT worth it. Only the "top" names may generate interest from mags. That is - you're not my BIG PICTURE. And B4 yu all get offended by this statement - you guys are fun, and not really worth pursuing in a business plan. Only the "top" names may generate interest from mags, and the "top" names don't buy pictures of themselves. I would give you all free pictures EVERY race so yu can promote yourselves and roadracing, but I don't do that because I respect the other photogs' efforts, and what they want to do. Make good friends with me, I may do that quietly. Sorry Mongo for another long-winded post, but it is the last one from me in this thread. yay.... Jennifer: sorry didn't get a chance to talk at T7 - will get in touch soon! Vicky: great to smooze with ya as always! I liked the Cart-cruising part :up: just line up more Hunks next time, will yaa. You Guys keep yur Bikes upright and going fast - we photogs will always be out there somewhere. One day when Pavel becomes the Andy Warhol of photography, you will be paying HIM to go to races.
photochic rules! she came out to the kart track w/out a camera (just to hang n heal) got bored watching us crash so she started shooting with my camera! best pix I have. this is 1 I shot from T1.. I like to photo some, mainly fast bikes.. challanges your reflexes.. good stuff! try to get that shot. what ever happened to Andy Chadwell?
