Pinhole Visions interview: Robert Johnson and Great Picture Project

The following is a brief interview with Robert Johnson regarding "The Great Picture" project [blogged previously]. The Great Picture project is part of a larger, on-going project to document the closed El Toro Marine Corp Air Station. Project members include photographers Jerry Burchfield, Mark Chamberlain, Jacques Garnier, Rob Johnson, Douglas McCulloh, and Clayton Spada.

PV: How did the idea originate to turn a hangar at El Toro Air Station into a pinhole camera?

RJ: One of our group members (Clayton Spada) has been working/teaching in China. As part of some of the student’s projects there, they were experimenting with making large (roughly 8’X12′) pinhole images…

Read interview at Pinhole Visions

Help change NZ copyright law: commissioning rule under review

The following is taken in its entirety from the current GRINZ newsletter:

After 12 years of photographers working towards this with the government(s), Associate Commerce Minister Judith Tizard has announced that the Copyright Act (1994) is under review, specifically the Commissioning Rule as it relates to photography.

Even if you aren’t a full-time professional photographer currently, this may apply to you. Have you ever taken photos for a friend / workmate / colleague / employer / social group / club, for which they paid you, gave you something in return, or covered your costs? Then you may not actually own the copyright in those images – but you could, and you should, in future. Potentially (and I’m not a lawyer, so this is somewhat speculation), even if all you got in return was tea & coffee at the club meeting rooms, that could be considered payment – and that may be enough for it to be a commission. If you ever intend to become a photographer, do a little of it on the side, have friends or children who do, or might in future, you can help yourself and them now.

A discussion document, "The Commissioning Rule, Contracts and the Copyright Act 1994" prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development, considers two main issues: the provision of the Copyright Act 1994 that deals with commissioned works, known as the "commissioning rule"; and the interface between copyright and contract law. The discussion paper seeks PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS on this provision, and in particular, whether any changes or amendments are considered necessary.

Submissions close on 31 MAY 2006. You can download the discussion document here.

Emailed submissions are encouraged. They should be sent to copyrightact@med.govt.nz.

So What Can I Do?

The AIPA and NZIPP will be preparing comprehensive submissions seeking the removal of the "Commissioning Rule" (i.e. section 21(3) of the Copyright Act) so that the author of any commissioned work is the first owner of copyright.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! In order to help bring about the removal of the "Commissioning Rule", please take the following action ASAP.

Everyone can post the following letter to your local MP (or alter it to suit your needs, or draft your own – just send SOMETHING!). A full list of MPs can be found at www.ps.parliament.govt.nz/mps.htm – and feel free to cc: it to Judith Tizard and Helen Clark as well, if you like. My feeling is that the more noise we make, the better.

Dear (insert your MP’s name),

You may be aware that the Ministry of Economic Development is currently seeking consultation from concerned parties regarding its pending review of the Contracts and the Copyright Act, 1994.

As a professional photographer, my livelihood is directly affected by this Act. In particular, the current Commissioning Rule (Section 21(3) of the Act) has had an adverse effect on my ability to make a living.

The default position of the Law requires me to contract out of the Act in order to be protected by it. You must agree this is not a fair position to be in as it is both cumbersome and puts me at a disadvantage when negotiating with potential clients. Further, the language of the Act does not guarantee me payment for my work. A client only has to "agree to pay" in order to have full ownership of the copyright in my work. Even if they never pay, by law they still own the copyright.

Most importantly, the Commissioning Rule of the current Act is entirely out of step with international copyright conventions, to which New Zealand is a party, as well as with copyright laws of our major trading partners, making it more difficult for me to compete on the international arena.

Repealing the Commissioning Rule will put New Zealand photographers in the same position as regards copyright ownership as their colleagues in Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States and most other western countries. The present Act not only makes it much more difficult for New Zealand photographers to compete internationally but is also a source of embarrassment that a country and a government that place so much importance on the development of the creative industries and the protection of intellectual property should be so out of step with such a fundamental right.

Within the established framework of the discussion as outlined in the Government’s Discussion Paper: "The Commissioning Rule, Contracts and the Copyright Act 1994" the only viable option as far as I and my professional colleagues are concerned is OPTION 2: Repeal section 21(3) of the Act: "The author of any commissioned work is the first owner of copyright."

I will be keeping you informed as the Discussion Paper moves through the consultation process. I hope, this letter will allow you to familiarise yourself briefly with the basic points of how the Commissioning Rule affects the livelihoods of people like me as well as numerous architects, designers, illustrators, computer programmers, painters, draftsmen, cartographers, engravers, model makers, sculptors, and film makers. The Commissioning Rule must be repealed.

Yours sincerely,

(Insert your name and signature)

This may be our only chance to repeal the Commissioning Rule! So PLEASE, put aside a few minutes of your time to complete these tasks.

Thanks everyone –
R!

Via GRINZ

NJ lawmaker wants to criminalize photographing utitlties and airports

Chris says, "A lawmaker in New Jersey is pushing a bill that would make it a crime to photograph or videotape power plants, sewage facilities, etc."

The state Senate Law and Public Safety Committee is expected to discuss a bill today which would make it a crime—punishable by up to 18 months in jail—to photograph, videotape or otherwise record for an extended period of time a power generation, waste treatment, public sewage, water treatment, public water, nuclear or flammable liquid storage facility, as well as any airport in the state.

At the very least, it will allow law enforcement officials across the state to detain the individual or confiscate any recorded materials to further their investigation, according to state Sen. Fred Madden, D-4 of Turnersville, who is the bill’s sponsor.

Continue reading at NJ.com

Via Boing Boing

Have Photoshop skills? Help restore photos for Katrina families

Operation Photo Rescue are seeking volunteers to digitally restore family photographs damaged in hurricane Katrina. If you have retouching skills, why not lend a hand?

An email from the organisers reads:

I had hoped to begin distribution today (Wed 5/03), but to say that we have been swamped is an understatement. During the whole week that we intially spent in Pass Christian, MS, we gathered 500 photos from around 50 or so families.

On Monday here in Metairie, we collected that many in a single day. Yesterday, we collected from 43 families.

Today, we have collected from (best guess) 70 families. We still have nearly an hour to go and people are still coming in. This is by no means an accurate count, but my gut feeling has me thinking that we’ve already collected around 1,000 photos since Monday. We still have two days to go.

Anyway, that’s the quick update. Thanks to all who responded in readiness. We’ll start distributing soon, but with the way things are going we may have to wait until we close up shop here at the end of the week.

In the meantime, I’ll keep you all posted.

Dave Ellis
Operation Photo Rescue

Volunteer at Operation Photo Rescue

Via Digg

Issue 29 of mooncruise* is up

Cover of mooncruise issue 29, May 2006

The May 2006 issue (#29) of mooncruise*, an online magazine featuring photography and music by international artists, is now up and ready for viewing.

In this issue

PHOTOGRAPHY by: Alain ASTRUC, Aline Smithson, Kirill Arsenjev, Caroline Taylor, David Deveson, Eva Reppel, Holly Bynoe, Karl Blanchet, Kathryn Allen Hurni, Maho Murobuse, Michael Harp, Nicola Girardi, Robert J. Vizzini, and R.P. Madeira

MUSIC by: Au4

mooncruise.com (requires Flash 8)

US national parks to start charging photographers “location fees”

William Campbell writes on the National Press Photographers Association‘s Web site:

LIVINGSTON, MT (April 20, 2006) – The National Park Service, a branch of the U.S. Department of the Interior, has published new rules authorizing the NPS to begin collecting location fees for video, film, and commercial still photography projects. The new regulations appeared in the Federal Register (Vol. 71, Number 71) published April 13, 2006, and will take effect on May 15, 2006.

The new location fees start at $150 per day and—with monitors and other charges—could exceed $500 per day.

…This mention of still photography is the only other reference to non-video photography, but no further explanation is offered for how still photographers may be effected…

The bullshit continues at nppa.com

Via Plaid Jello Photography

f295 launch online pinhole photography gallery

Tom Persinger, administrator of the f295 Pinhole Photography and DIY Photography forums, writes:

f295 is pleased to present an online gallery of images from a few select members of the f295 community!

The gallery currently includes work from:

Eddie Aleo Jr.
Bruce Berrien
Joe Van Cleave
Daryl Duckworth
Nick Dvoracek
Chris Ellinger
Earl Johnson
Tom Persinger
Nick Shuval-Sergeev
Steven Taft
Ralph Young

Soon f295 will unveil a formal submission process for one to be considered to have their own space in the gallery.

The gallery may be found at f295.org/gallery

Reminder: Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day is only one week away!

Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day is only one week away! If you want to participate, make sure you’ve got a camera built or bought in time by April 30, 2006!

See pinholeday.org for more info on the event. If you’d like to convert an existing camera or build one from scratch, the f295 Pinhole Photography Forum is an excellent resource.

There’s a long list of events and workshops happening, check out the list to see if there’s one near you.