A Photography Rant

A couple of years ago, Humanities Magazine (a magazine for the National Endowment for the Humanities) contacted me about publishing my photo of the round barn at Shelburne Museum. They did not offer any payment except crediting me with my name on the photo. I granted permission if they would send me a few copies of the issue. They did, and I was thrilled.

Green Mountain Farm to School has often used my photographs in their calendars and annual reports. Each time they use a photo, they send me multiple copies of the publication. I am thrilled with the recognition and with the ability I have to help them in illustrating their good works.

In a Toyota 4Runner web advertisement, my photo was used without permission. It was called to my attention, but Toyota contacted me and paid me, and other photographers, $500 for each photo used.

BUT

Our Water, Not Broadwater asked for permission to use this photograph I took in New Haven Harbor in a brochure they were planning to publish. They were a non-profit organization that said they could not afford to pay me, and again I said yes they can use my photo if they give me credit and send me some of the brochures. Nothing has ever showed up in the mailbox from these people.

John and I did my annual sugarhouse visit in 2009 to Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock, Vermont. The farm owners saw the photos on Flickr and asked permission to use them in an upcoming cook book they were writing. I gave conditional permission: if they would give me a cookbook for each photo they used, and credit, I would give permission. I never heard a thing from them.

A librarian asked to use this photo from Westlook Cemetery in Glover for a commemorative publication they were planning for the bicentennial celebration for Runaway Pond. I gladly gave permission. No money expected. No response has been received.

I was asked by a northwestern state environmental agency to allow permission of my garden loosestrife photos for their invasive species page. I granted permission if they gave me credit and the final link. I never heard a thing from them.

The list of unresponsive organizations goes on. These are the ones that come quickly to mind.

My son-in-law, Aaron, the professional art and commercial photographer, has told me again and again to stop giving photos away, and I have (I will give photos to non-profits, though). I naively assumed that when I gave non-profits permission to use my photos for free in exchange for links or copies of the publication in which they would be printed, that I would be eagerly accommodated in appreciation of my generosity.

I don’t see why I should allow somebody to benefit monetarily or in any other way when they use my photos and I get nothing in return. Is it greed, laziness or inconsideration that motivates people to behave so carelessly with others?

Rant over.

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Blog Your Blessings: Extrinsic Motivators

The weather has been beautiful this weekend and I have been stuck inside studying (and moaning about it) — although I did get outside for some great photos yesterday morning; this photo is Sentinel Rock, a glacial erratic in Westmore. I took a class this summer (Teaching Mathematics to ADD/ADHD/LD Students, paid by my contract) and am now taking two six week workshops (Tools for Building Math Concepts and Algebraic Reasoning at the Math Forum, both paid for by the National Science Foundation). Instead of doing my homework during the rainy season in August, I am forced to do it now. I love doing the assignments — so why didn't I? 

This year we are required to write professional goals for ourselves at school. I am going to read Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics by Liping Ma and Fostering Algebraic Thinking by Mark Driscoll. I've had these books for ages and have not read them. Books such as these energize and enrich my teaching and I find them fascinating. So why didn't I read them? 

My final blessing is my camera — an intrinsic motivator. Over the years, the camera has become a comforting companion for me. Behind the view finder I find focus and purpose beyond my professional life. This week I was finally published in Humanities (September/October 2008, page 19) — the magazine of the National Endowment for the Humanities.  The photo is of the round barn at the Shelburne Museum that I took on a school field trip a year and a half ago. The photo is not in the online edition of the magazine, but the print edition has my name on it. I think I want to subscribe to this beautiful magazine out of thanks, but it costs $24 a year. I want to thank Maria Biernik at NEH for finding and using the photo.

My motivators — extrinsic and intrinsic — enrich my life.

My Sentinel Rock State Park Set on Flickr

My Shelburne Museum Set on Flickr

To read more blessings clickBlog Your Blessings
or Blog Your Blessings

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No More Students!

Fifth grade boys love frogs. This is the favorite photo of the boys from the field trip.

Almost no more students. I will have my college students, but that's fine (and they are just the best group). Only half a day left with the little ones. This is the week that all teachers dread: writing report cards, cajoling students to turn in late work, the long field trips, field days, assemblies and parties. I think I have had cake every day this week. Today we had cake and ice cream! I passed on the cake at the graduation tonight. I actually have had enough cake. Who would've thought that would happen?

The field trip was to Shelburne Museum near Burlington. A two and a half hour drive, four hours of walking, and a two and a half hour drive back. I got some good photos which are in my Flickr set. I actually have to return this summer to the museum in order to actually see what is there. Taking energetic fifth graders to this museum means you never see a thing. You follow, oversee, and chase. Once I was able to collapse on a bench when the kids found a carousel to ride on.

Even though I have to clean and pack up my classroom, I feel like a free woman. Report cards are all done! It's a miracle!

Driving to the graduation tonight, I nearly ran over a tiny chipmunk or red squirrel. As I looked in the rear view mirror to make sure there was no body in the road, I noticed that a large bird was swooping down on the escaping animal. I hope it survived the bird attack.

Farmers are making their first cut of hay for the season. It smells like heaven everywhere (except where it smells like manure because of the manure spreaders).

Coming up: 7 lazy days of professional development, a weekend or two in Rutland, my grandson coming for the summer, Circus Smirkus, swimming lessons, and reading books. And reading and reading and reading.

Life is so great!

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