[Leica] PAW 36: One more hooper

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Aaron Sandler said:
>> Also, I had some cheapo cards printed up
> with my name, email, and web address and if a parent asks me why I'm
taking
> pictures of their kid I explain the PAW concept, give them a card and tell
> them that if they email me I'll be glad to email a copy of their kid's
> photo.  Most people don't ever email, <<<<<<<<

Hi Aaron,
That's the best idea always. You hand out a card and tell them to e-mail and
you'll send a photo or two. In this fashion you've made a kind offer and if
they don't follow-up then it's their problem and not yours.  You are still
the good guy, you offered! :-)

Years ago while shooting travel bureau assignments for the Canadian
Government when an assignment would be a month or two on the road shooting
at the neat tourist spots of the country, we were always hitting up real
tourists to be in our pictures and if they did we'd send them copies.

As happened, some folks didn't send out the pictures as promised and the
Bureau staff were getting heat for not doing so.  So we began to get stern
lectures about making sure we collected names, addresses and description of
scene with colour of clothing. Quite frankly a big pain in the ass and cut
down our shooting time.

So I started to do exactly what you've done with cards. I'd give them a card
and ask they write and give a description of what and where the photo was
taken. In doing so they'd get photos. The assistant would explain we were on
the road for a couple of months and given how many thousands of pictures
we'd shoot we couldn't always remember who and where every location was.

So if the tourist didn't contact us, then it was their problem! And I was
off the hook for picture mailing responsibility. Besides most people loose
the card before they get home.  The card hand out sure beats collecting a
zillion pieces of paper and then loosing them yourself.

Good idea on your part.

ted





" <aaron.sandler@duke.edu>
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 12:01 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] PAW 36: One more hooper


> Doug Herr wrote:
> >Aaron Sandler <aaron.sandler@duke.edu> wrote:
> >
> > > It's been really fun having a little "project."  It's not something
I've
> > > tried much before, but I'm enjoying shooting the same scene over and
> > > over, week to week.
> >
> >IMHO the quality of the photos has improved each week... I think some of
> >these are quite good.  Has the feedback from the LUG influenced your
photos?
>
> Interesting question...I hadn't really thought about that.
>
> I think LUG feedback has provided a great deal in terms of encouragement
to
> go back and continue shooting.  A few people have been kind enough to
offer
> advice or suggestions, and their words always stick with me.  It would
> often be nice to get more such comments, but that's a lot to ask from a
> bunch of busy people with so many photos coming through each week.
Getting
> any response at all makes me feel like I'm on the right track.
>
> Any improvement is probably due mostly to me getting more comfortable
> shooting there.  Being a big tall guy, I'm often afraid to take pix of
> people I don't know (especially women or kids) for fear that I'll be
> perceived as some kind of creep or make someone uncomfortable.  Now that
> I've met some of the regulars and given them some prints, they're happy to
> see me and that spills over.  If someone I don't know makes eye contact, I
> ignore my inclination to look away and instead smile.  Easy to say, hard
to
> do (for me), but very effective. but it seems to put them at
> ease.  I've probably given out a dozen or so cards at the hooper events,
> and the 2 who have gotten in touch have been very grateful for the
> pix...makes me feel good and I know it'll be even easier for me to
> photograph them the next time.
>
> Best,
> Aaron
>
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