WFPA

Anyone out there a memberof WFPA (Wood Field Photographers Association)? Anyone have any info on WFPA they would like to share?

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To join, you apperently have to send in what you think is your best photograph. Why? What happens to it after you become a member?

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It looks like a worthwhile organization, but I'd like to get some input from current members and people who have decided not to become members.

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Thanks for your input.

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Regards,

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Jason.

I joined. They seem like nice enough people and want involvement, but

I am somewhat unsavvy with computers so I still cannot access all of

their offerings, can't figure out how to get involved, and haven't

been able to get help in figuring it out. I sent the photo, was

accepted as a member, and that's about it. If you figure it out and

can join effectively please let me know.

Dear Jason,

Although I am not yet a full member of the WFPA (World Field

Photographers Association) I soon will be. Just have to submit my

prints. I believe most questions of the organization can be answered

by browsing their web pages. The reason I most wish to join is for

the opportunity to be more involved with the community of large

format photographers and secondly I like the sound of their goals.

example from the web page-

 Promoting the use of Large format Cameras.

 Preserving the art of photography.

 Unveil the mystery of these cameras.

 Making these cameras & technique available to starters without any

experience..

 Connecting Large format workers through the web..

 Sharing ideas and experiences by electronic mail.

 Gaining friendships with people, also mesmerized by this almost

legendary format.

 Organise international meeting points.

 Organise seminars on these subjects.

 Intermediate & advise on equipment.( Cameras, lenses, tripods,

accessories)

 Linking to other sites related to our interests.

 Whatever need arises to reach our goal.

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Again, you can find this on their web pages. I am also intersted

because they seek lf photographers contributions, regardless of their

level of experience. I am not a professional and have just begun

working with an 8x10 and have been asked to contribute to their

newsletter on the web. I hope to do so soon. There seems to be an

opportunity to get involved with other photographers on the web in a

slightly different way than this page does. They also seek lf

photographers to create a book which will tout large format as a

continueing art form. I have never been published before so that

also excites me. So, if it sounds of some interest to you, check it

out and feel free to email them, they will be happy to answer your

questions.

Lastly, I do not see the WFPA web page as competing with this web

page, but rather they may compliment one another. This is a

wonderful web page, which I refer to very often, full of valuable

information and will continue to prosper because of the individuals

who run it and those who participate here. Well, that's more than my

two cents worth, didn't want to make it sound like an ad for them, so

please, nobody take offense.

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Sincerly,

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Saulius

<i>I am also intersted because they seek lf

photographers contributions, regardless of their level of

experience</i>

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How different is that from the LF homepage ? As mentioned on the

main page, all contributions are welcome. When published on the

LF page, they will be available to anybody, and seen by many.

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<i>

They also seek lf photographers to create a book which will tout

large format as a continueing art form. I have never been

published before so that also

excites me.

</i>

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The problem is not to get published. It is to have the value of

your work acknowledged, and in my opinion, that works best when the

publisher is reputable or thinks your work is worth paying for.

Becoming a member of WFPA may offer opportunities to exchange LF

information.

One has to be aware of potential conflict of interest, since the

founder or originator of WFPA is also involved in the sale/marketing

of photographic equipment ( to mention a few, the Weston Euromaster

selenium cell exposure meter, Wisner LF cameras).

Dear contributors,

the lat entry is a low blow (unintentional, perhaps) addressed to the

WFPA president, John D.

Since I joined the WFPA I've never heard from him or anybody else any

invitation to buy anything. I can, if I want, ask him for a quote on a

price and invariably I receive a quick information and a fair price.

I've never received any unrequested information on any photographic

product which John migh sell, infact, you have to dig pretty deep on

his site to find these things on sale.

Like many other people involved in large format photography, the

occasional sale of some materials can hardly be described as John's

main intent , but rather as a nice way to be involved also with this

aspect of large format photography making, maybe, the occasional quid

every now and again.

Yes this site is a little less than easy to navigate, it features many

things which may or may not be to the liking of some contributors to

this site.

Howeve, I do not feel that there is any competition between the two

sites! If you know the WFPA site you see that there are many

differences between these two and they might very well complement one

another rather than being alternative to each other.

I feel some hostility every time the WFPA is mentioned on this site and

believe me(I am a member of the WFPA but also a contributor to this

site) I cannot see why.

If you read the "Financial Times" nothing prevents you to read the

"Wall street Journal". It doesn't mean that you take sides, you just

read(or contribute) to both!

As in many cases writing on this pages I would like to invite all to

Love and Peace, live and let live.

Dear Q.-Tuan Luong,

When I made my comments to Jason about the WFPA I was simply trying

to answer his questions. I did not say nor try to imply that the LF

format page was in some way inferior to the WFPA page, or vice

versa. When I stated

"I am also interested because they seek lf photographers

contributions, regardless of their level of experience"

I was referring to their Newsletter called the Visor. Sorry if I

didn't make that clear. I assumed Jason had or will look over the

WFPA site and would have seen the Newsletter. Also I wanted to keep

my descriptions of the web site to a minimum as its best to visit and

take time to explore any web page for ones self to get a feel for

it. In the Visor any members can contribute and share information

in a slightly different way then on the LF page. For example, you

can write about your set up for a studio shot and share with others

how you did it. This could include images and diagrams, or you can

write an essay about your experience as a photo instructor and your

interactions with the students, or as I was asked to share my own

first steps (and stumbles) in 8x10, etc. That's why I said

"There seems to be an opportunity to get involved with other

photographers on the web (the WFPA page) in a slightly different way

than this page does."

Again, this statement is not meant to snub the LF page, just my way

of trying to let Jason know what the WFPA page seems to be about from

my perspective. You also quoted me

"They also seek lf photographers to create a book which will tout

large format as a continuing art form. I have never been published

before so that also excites me "

You say the problem is not getting published but being acknowledged

by a reputable editor. You seem to imply John D and the WFPA are not

reputable. If so, please share with me some facts as to why this is

so. You state receiving acknowledgement for ones work is best when

someone pays for it. I heartily disagree. There'd be a lot fewer

photographers out in the world if we all simply did it for profit.

(Although making money off it does help and sometimes it is the only

point of doing it) I find it most rewarding when a viewer interacts

with an image I made. They react to what I tried to express, what I

saw and felt, and the image clicks for them. After reading Johns'

idea and purpose for the book, I took it as an interesting way of

promoting LF photography and for the photographers' benefit, it could

be a bit of self-promotion. But for me it was the idea of LF

photographers on new years day, all around the globe taking

photographs and having all these images, all these view points, all

these techniques and ideas put into one book, as a wonderful way of

showing what an imaginative mind can do with a view camera. If you

and any others think it's simply a scam of some sort, then by all

means don't participate. For others out there such as I, who take

him for his word, I believe the project holds much promise.

I did not want to get into a little war of words, but when you quoted

me and made comments about my words it seemed like you took some of

what I said the wrong way. I hope this clarifies it a bit and please

don't take this as a personal attack on you or the LF page. For I

fully intend on continuing my visits and occasional participation to

the LF page as I have been doing.

When looking at the world as a whole, the "large format photography

club" is quite a small one and we in that tiny community ought to try

and make room for each other.

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-Happy photographing to all!

Uh. Who gets the profits from the book, if it ever gets published, and

if anyone buys it. James

Regarding the book project James makes a good point, which in

retrospect seems what Q.-Tuan Luong was also saying. I may have been

a bit hasty and overzealous in my previous comments. I do that now

and then. When I find out an answer to James' question I'll reply.

As far as web pages go, I still believe there can be more than one

informative site regarding LF photography, variety can be a good

thing. Best regards,

Saulius