Braving The Elements

To acknowledge winter and the solstice on 21st December, we are encouraging you to get out and about and engage with the elements! Whether it’s cosying up by a fire, going for a walk on some frosty earth, enjoying a bracing breeze or a walk by the seaside, we want to see your images of the world around you on Wikimedia Commons.

Wikimedia Commons would not exist without the vision of the global community of volunteers who share their experiences and images with the world. As our climate and environment evolves, adapts and changes, often in challenging ways, we’d love to share your experience of the world on Commons.

Here are some prompts for photos you could take for Commons:

-

Step outside! Within 10 minutes of your front door, what changes have you noticed over the past year? Can you record these with a photo? Urban, rural, small-town: we’ve all got a unique perspective to share! -

Go to the beach: although daylight may be limited, a bracing walk in the sea air can lift your mood and blow away the cobwebs. Can you see tide marks, evidence of flooding, local wildlife? -

Leave the Christmas decorations at home and take a walk in the woods: research shows that even 20 minutes in nature can help your mood and health (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg0yvdjgn5o). What photos can you take while you’re there? -

We are really interested in seeing images of where weather has impacted your local area: damage from storms, erosion, disruption. This can help us build an understanding of how our environments are changing. -

Finally, why not enjoy the full, ‘Cold Moon’ in the first week of December: this will be the third supermoon of the year and opportunities for images abounds!

Unsure of how to add your images to Commons? This tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S0bmk8Wp0c from OpenGLAM Switzerland is a really hand step-by-step guide.

Feeling confident? See if you can find a Wiki article that would benefit from your image! You can learn more about adding images to articles here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFWwyHteYFs, thanks to AfroCROWD https://afrocrowd.org.

Thank you to Lucy Hinnie for writing this month's Mini Wiki! If you have any questions about this month's edition, please email lucy.hinnie@wikimedia.org.uk

Without your input, Wikimedia projects wouldn’t exist. Thank you! To help us keep track of how Mini Wiki is being used, please use the #wmuk in your edit summary, where possible. We’d love to hear from you on your experience of using Mini Wiki. If you have an idea for a task you would like the UK community’s help with that is quick and simple, email rupal.karia@wikimedia.org.uk.