Photo and Video For Metalmeet

[Tom Lipton]

Hello MetalMeet group,

I have been working on a draft of a document that relates to the photo and video shot during MetalMeet.

Take a look at it and lets have a discussion about how everyone feels about it and what it means.

Here is the draft. Read it a couple of times before anyone flys off the handle.

Tom Lipton

MetalMeet Photo and Video guideline.


Hello group. We are getting pretty close to MetalMeet a very exciting metalworking event. If you have never been to one of these events I can assure you that you are in for an unforgettable experience.

The purpose of the MetalMeet event is for metalworkers and people interested in metalwork to get together and share time, skills and experiences so that our craft and hobby can grow. Sharing knowledge and the exchange of skills are the reasons for the creation of MetalMeet.

Many attendees will be taking pictures and shooting video footage. I’m sure that all of you have gone to an event and taken some pictures and then later seen pictures that someone else has taken of the same event. There are as many different perspectives as there are attendees at an unique event like MetalMeet. MetalMeet was created to spread and share the information and skills associated with our craft.

We are in a special time in history. Currently it has never been easier to share and disperse specialized information. With the digital age and the Internet we can share our skills and information with people all over the world with a few simple tools. As this information is absorbed by others and built on, the craft grows as a whole. Imagine if everyone had to figure out how to make their own steel. We would almost certainly still be in the stone age.

What we would all like to see happen at the MetalMeet event is as many people as possible taking pictures and shooting video footage. I know that its easy to forget while your working away on something you have never done before. This is when its most important to capture the moment.

If all of these pictures and footage were combined into a single collage of imagery the impact and depth of information will be enormous. I want to encourage everyone to submit copies of their pictures and video to be included in the collage. We are hoping that a volunteer will step forward to manage this undertaking and combine this information for long term preservation. This could turn into some kind of income stream for the volunteer and for MetalMeet.

Anyone that submits any pictures or video footage will automatically be included in the credits and receive a free copy of the completed collage. In return MetalMeet would like the option of using the completed collage as a fundraising tool for future events. Anyone submitting photos or video footage will be asked to sign a release to this effect. For their cooperation any person submitting will be paid the handsome sum of one dollar for their imagery.

If you don’t want to share your pictures that’s fine also. Our hope is that by including everyone’s information the sum is greater than any one of the parts.

Some guidelines for picture taking,

Shoot digital preferably and lots of them. At last years event I personally shot something like three hundred pictures. Keep your camera close by. If you have it close at hand you will use it more often.

If you shoot 35mm or other film your processor can usually give you a disk of digital scan in addition to the prints. So if you shoot regular film be sure to get a floppy disc or CD with the digital images. If you don’t have a camera get a couple of those disposable camera’s they sell. Get the ones that have a flash if you have a choice.

Try to add titles to your photos if you have the ability and time to edit them. You took them so you will be the most knowledgeable as to the exact subject matter.

All your pictures don’t have to be technical in nature. One of the fun things about these events is the camaraderie and just plain fun that goes on.

Get close to your subject. Panoramas are for the Grand canyon. Get up close and personal. Fill the frame with the subject.

Be steady. A tripod is best but is a hassle. If you can lean on something to steady your hand the pictures will come out much sharper and clearer.

Be sure to bring your charger and extra batteries.

Shooting Video.

Some of the same rules of thumb apply to video footage. Get close to your subject matter. Don’t rely on the zoom to pull in a subject.

If your shooting video a good rule of thumb is to shoot short segments less than 30 sec. If you want more footage pause and change perspectives or positions and then continue.

Narration from the photographer is fine and helpful. Name the person and describe what they are doing. If your not sure what their doing ask the subject for a quick explanation.

Avoid zooming in and out. If you want to zoom its better to pause and zoom, then resume recording. When you watch video with excessive zooming its like a bad carnival ride.

Remember this event is a group event and supposed to be fun. With a little cooperation and elbow grease we can do some amazing things.

See you all soon.

Tom Lipton

Sample Release.

This document gives Metalmeet all rights to use Still photos and Videotape and any other imagery submitted by,

__________________________________ During the Metalmeet 03 Event. Permission is granted to use the imagery in a commercial manner, including rights to use the submitters name and picture.

In exchange for these rights Metalmeet agrees to pay the above submitter the sum of $1 for these rights.

Signed_____________________________________ Date____________________

[jlrussell4]

Hi Tom,
I have a question. Or is questions? If one or all of us take pictures and assign them to MM, can we still post them to the gallery? Will it be o.k. to use them on the forum to show a technique or procedure? In other words do we give up all rights to our photos once they are assigned to MM?
At the first reading and first thoughts this doesn't seem like a bad idea to me. Maybe after I get some much needed sleep I will come up with other questions.
Jim

[Gene_Olson]

Tom
How about this?

Changes in Italics.

Edited Sample Release.

This document gives Metalmeet the nonexclusive right to use Still photos and Videotape and any other imagery or recordings submitted by,

__________________________________ During the Metalmeet 03 Event. Permission is granted to use the submitted material in a commercial manner, including rights to use the submitters name and picture.

In exchange for these rights Metalmeet agrees to pay the above submitter the sum of $1 for these rights and to give proper credit for such submission in any publication or distribution thereof.

Submitter retains copyright of the material and any other use is forbidden without the written consent of the undersigned. Third party requests for use of the material will be refered to the submitter.

Signed_____________________________________ Date____________________

Gene