Santa Wants to Know, Who Deserves a new Voigtlander Bessa R3A.

NB23,

It's about giving. It is not a competition. Unfortunately, we all have to decide who to give it to. It will be difficult.
 
RFF Community Involvement, and another Vote for Stephanie

RFF Community Involvement, and another Vote for Stephanie

The problem with giving the camera to a school is that students trash cameras. Most cameras are victims of newbie mistakes. Others are victims to the student's "you owe me because I paid for it" attitude. Of course their can be exceptions, but I have seen students trash just about anything schools provide them, either because they don't know better, or because they just don't care. The other problem is that this giveaway is to benefit the RFF community, not a school.

When George and I planned this Xmas gift, the idea was to get the RFF community involved by playing Santa to a RFF member who could not afford to buy the camera themselves. I'm sure there many deserving candidates, but unfortunately only one Xmas camera.

It's easy to get a lot of volunteers by saying "raise your hand if you want a great free camera!" That is not what is going on here.

This Santa gift is designed for the RFF community effort to come together by attempting to decide who is the best overall choice for such a helping hand.


What real photographic difference will it really make? Who knows? All we can really do is help plant the seed and hope for the best.

I can't help thinking and hoping that the process itself will help make the RFF voters a little bit more wiser and community minded.

I don't know who the best choice is, the voting will decide that. However I agree that Stephanie Brim merits consideration. I enjoy her enthusiasm and often interesting point of view on imaginative photographic adventures -- all the time dealing with a very limited budget.

Stephen
 
This is a wonderful idea and a generous offer from Stephen/Jorge. Here's my suggestion: Stephen and Jorge form a committee of two and you guys decide who is the most deserving. Being Jorge's site, he probably has a better feel for this than anyone else and since Stephen is (I assume) donating the camera, he should have input.

Whatever you decide, I want to help. I'll donate my three free rolls of Kodak film (one roll was a 120 so it's of no use to the winner). Maybe others here will want to contribute as well.

Regards,

Charlie (not Seal)
 
Why not gather all the names as you are doing, then for the big raffle give away, make some sort of criteria to limit the choices for the members to decide...

For example:
1. A need for a camera
2. Have contributed to the community...must have over X amount of posts OR X amount of photos in the gallery

just a thought...
 
No offense, but Steph's rarely here, mods on another forum, and has plenty of cameras. I like the idea of Petr Dima, but haven't seen him around lately either. I'd just like it to go to a contributing member (under 25) in someplace other than the affluent West.....
But the idea of putting RF's in the hands of young, aspiring photographers in one of the war torn countries is very appealing to me. I realize this is too late for this year, but perhaps we, as a community, could manage a contributory program to do that next year.
 
dadsm3...........PetarDima's last post was pretty recent. I like where you're going with your idea though. My vote would goto him.

All said and done, I'm sure this camera will find it's way to a deserving RFF member. Thanks for making this possible (Jorge...........Stephen).
 
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dadsm3 said:
No offense, but Steph's rarely here, mods on another forum, and has plenty of cameras. I like the idea of Petr Dima, but haven't seen him around lately either. I'd just like it to go to a contributing member (under 25) in someplace other than the affluent West.....
But the idea of putting RF's in the hands of young, aspiring photographers in one of the war torn countries is very appealing to me. I realize this is too late for this year, but perhaps we, as a community, could manage a contributory program to do that next year.
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What a coincidence here; I was thinking today about suggesting to give this camera to a young Iraqi reporter/journalist someone in Iraq. It would be a gift from heaven. Maybe there is another camera that can be donated that way.

Raid
 
I have a Contax G2 and but can't take especially good pictures--too bad you guys aren't donating photographic skill! But seriously, thanks for your charity, great idea.
 
i totally agree with raid... instead of trying to figure out who amongst us all should get such a fine prize... maybe we should all put our minds to discovering an "up and comer" of sorts. a fledgling photojournalist etc.who might not have the resources. someone working on borrowed gear or what not. i know a fella here in london, ontrio who is a gifted artist, runs the local anual artist gig called LOLA, curates at local pub's and cafe's for young artists and does it all on a volunteer basis. he is a new and fairly gifted photographer shooting on a borrowed canon g3... he contributes to the artist community and really has no money (going to school full time and working in a restaurant).
now i'm not saying give it to him exactly, BUT someone like him. it could be like a rangefinder forum scholarship of sorts... could develop into something real cool.
anyhow, i really hope it goes to someone like that.
john
 
Instead of having people naming who they would want to give the camera to - why not have a thread where people that want to receive the gift can post 'why' they would want/need a free camera.
I'm sure there are a number of interesting stories out there that may 'flush' out someone who is really in need of it (rather than just picking a name out of the top posters which is what that other thread seems to be becoming).

So;
1) A thread where people that are interested in receiving the gift can state 'why' they need/want it. Maybe cap it at 20-30 people.

2) A poll/voting amongst all members of which person out of '1' above should win

Just a thought (and no, I don't want/need another camera personally). 🙂
 
dadsm3 said:
No offense, but Steph's rarely here, mods on another forum, and has plenty of cameras. I like the idea of Petr Dima, but haven't seen him around lately either. I'd just like it to go to a contributing member (under 25) in someplace other than the affluent West.....
But the idea of putting RF's in the hands of young, aspiring photographers in one of the war torn countries is very appealing to me. I realize this is too late for this year, but perhaps we, as a community, could manage a contributory program to do that next year.
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I second the sentiment.

Unfortunately, I don't think we as a group know of the name of somebody like that that we can vote for. Well, I don't.

Two names came to mind before I read your posting: Beniliam and lynn.

Beniliam already has a rangefinder and is certainly into rangefinder photography; he has never asked one material thing, as far as I know, from anybody on this forum. Yet I'm certain he's a struggling artist. I splurge on my gear, and I certainly am a struggling, a few times in the past year a starving one.

Lynn, as far as I know, doesn't own a rangefinder, "proper". She takes beautiful pictures. I'm sure this kind of camera will add a new dimension to her expression outlet.

I also thought of both of them because they are supportive, encourage people, and are throughout just good souls.

I do a lot of "talking" and pisses a lot of people off -- my New Year's resolution is to be as properly expressive as they both are, both in pictures, words, and silence.

Too bad there aren't two cameras up from Santa for us to vote for.
 
Jorge Torralba said:
What do you think of this?

Instead of a poll, I get all of the names submitted and draw 1 lucky winner out of a hat. I could video the event and put it up as a file for all to see. Just a thought.
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Jorge, I think you are the bravest man on the forum to put up another contest, especially in these terms, and then actually invite comments from the other members here, knowing that no matter what you end up doing, some people will end up being offended because you don't follow their suggestion!!! Kudos and thanks to you and Stephen, for your generosity and your good will. Listen to others' ideas, but in the end follow your heart and do this the way you feel will produce the best outcome.

And to all others - some great ideas flowing here, but in the end please respect Jorge and Stephen's decision as to how and where they bestow their gift.

Jorge, can I chip in some dollars towards film?
 
Gabriel M.A. said:
Lynn, as far as I know, doesn't own a rangefinder, "proper". She takes beautiful pictures. I'm sure this kind of camera will add a new dimension to her expression outlet.
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Gabriel:

Thank you - for the suggestion, and for the compliment. 🙂

But I am not without, not at all. I have several proper rangefinders - including a Canonet QL17 GIII and a number of Yashica Electro's (and something even nicer since the day before yesterday) - and use them with great pleasure. I just use the Nikon FE most, is all...

I do hope that this thoughtful gesture benefits someone who is truly needy, as many have succinctly said already.
 
ME!!! 😀

Bessa is way, way out of my budget and though i am new to this lovely community, i LOVE rangefinders. but i think there are many people out there who deserves it more than me 😉 . i don't think i am THAT talented/skillful! 😱

it's really kind and generous! :angel:
 
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