On 5/6/12 1:54 PM, Caroline Becker wrote:
Can we please focus on the idea and facts instead of (in)appropriate tones ?

I think that trying a professional "Wiki Loves Women" before even trying to do it as a crownfounded, volunteer project is, as least, strange. It makes me sad, as a volunteer photographer, to be "forgotten" or taken for nothing.

Hi Caroline. I apologize if the idea (which has barely been fleshed out - it was just a bunch of folks tossing ideas around one day and that one came out and hasn't been touched since, even the title isn't anything official, I just was touching on the crowd sourced idea of say WLM) sounded like we'd be paying people to take photographs, that is not what I intended. I think having quality equipment and being able to support people with what they need financially to make these images happen would be great - whether it's purchasing or renting props, renting a studio space, supporting a chapter to acquire a camera or quality film equipment, etc.

I like to think that everyone, like Wiki Loves Monuments, who participates would be volunteers. I am also a volunteer photographer for Commons. I know what type of equipment (whether it's Photoshop or open source applications, decent cameras, film equipment, lighting, etc) that it takes to bring high quality content that is desperately needed for Commons. I think having high quality images taken by participants (whether professional or hobbyist) would make a really impressive impact on article quality! I also think it'd be able to serve as a cool way to encourage professional and hobbyist photographers to participate who might be more interested in taking images of people rather than things (not every photographer likes to take pictures of buildings!). Many photographers have no clue Commons exists, and this could be another interesting way of getting folks involved.

Again, this is nothing that I have solidified or set in stone or even thought about since it was discussed last year. I just think it'd be cool to see something that involves community (and not necessarily relies on WMF grants) within and outside Wikimedia to help fix some of the visual problems we have.

Love that project idea you just shared!

-Sarah



I'd like to know what can be done, what has already be tried, what worked and didn't work. If projects like http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sarahdarkmagic/prismatic-art-collection?ref=live has many backers from this list. In one word, to focus on projects and actions.


Caroline



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Sarah Stierch
Wikimedia Foundation Community Fellow
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