bikes and things

I occasionally get emails from people wanting to use images I’ve posted to my Fickr account. I set all of my images with a Creative Commons license so that anyone can use them on blog, publications etc so long as they’re not for profit. I don’t see any problem with that as they’re mostly just for fun. Some of these emails are asking to use the images in books which publishers are putting together. I’ve donated a few mountainbike shots so far and usually they agree to send you a free copy of the book – I’ve never received any copies of these free books however.

The latest email came a few months ago though and I’m starting to think some of these people are out to take the piss really. The image in question is below – a picture of a tap which looks a bit like a face. The initial email asked to use the images, so I said “sure no problem”.

However with these muppets, the problem is that they haven’t actually chosen your image yet, they want you submit your image for consideration. Heres the email from the good people at Lark Books

So I’m GIVING you an image for FREE for you to make money out of and you want me to fill out all these forms on the off chance that I might get selected? Are you fucking shitting me? How about you choose the images you want to use and then make people fill out the forms and go through the hassle.

It really does take the piss. Needless to say I’m not quite as interested in licensing my images to people like this anymore no matter how crappy the image.

Edit: Gary just pointed me to two books on their site providing advice on running a successful photography business. How ironic!

I usually think I’m fairly clued up when it comes to web/IT stuff but sorting out the look of my portfolio site really wasn’t as easy as I thought. However after a lot of googling and a fair few trips to the support forums it’s finally how I want it! Unfortunately I started editing it at around 10pm… at 3am I went to bed. I just couldn’t let it rest!

Edit: Updated the image to on the top left and done a bit more house keeping.

This is such a beautiful idea it’s untrue. I was reminded of it by a post on Warrens’s site.

Looking Into The Past, a Flickr pool devoted to combining old photos of locations, buildings, and people with the present day scene. The ones with the most impact have the photographer holding an old photo in front of the camera lined up with features in the scene.

Summarised from laughingsquid.com

It’s incredible how little some places have changed really. There’s a gallery of some of the best images here. Elliot also noted that you can refine the search in the pool to just London. Not many there yet but hopefully people will take more soon.

Looking Into the Past: Willard Hotel, Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC, originally uploaded by jasonepowell

This is Roger Lean. He fixed* my Lomo LC-A for the very reasonable price of £40 including recorded postage back. I found out about him via Flickr and there’s lots of very happy people on out there who have had theirs repaired too.

*I use the word “fixed” when actually it was stripped right down and every part checked, lubed, tightened and all put together again, not just the bit that had gone wrong.

If you need your Lomo LC-A fixed then give him a call!

Roger Lean – Russian Camera Repairs
32 Ravenstone Road
Hornsey
London N8 0JT

0208 881 5208

roger lean, originally uploaded by the brownhorse

Emma has a friend, I’m also lucky enough to count her as a friend too. She’s resisted the web fads but now has an excellent new blog to pen her very smart thoughts too. Check it out.

Janey Mac

via YouTube – Charlie Brooker – How To Report The News.

An amazing set of images as usual from the Guardian. Really like the photography they collect for these kind of events.

The big freeze continues | UK news | guardian.co.uk.

Sexy snowman, originally uploaded by Andy*Matthews.

So I took this shot earlier in the year when the UK had it’s snowstorm. Each day it seems to get quite a few hits from Google and Yahoo with people looking for the term “Sexy Snowman”.

Strange what people look for!