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11/19/2004 10:27:21 AM · #1 |
Hey ther boys and girls, I was wondering if anyone else was sent and email like this? If so do you know if it is ligit? Any comments welcome as well the letter is printed below.
Thanks,
Nick
"Hi Nick
I have been looking at your photographs on DPChallenge and some of them have really caught my eye. I find the one titled âalone no moreâ¦â to be have portrayed a very powerful subject in a creative and tasteful way. On a very different note, I feel compelled to mention your photo âIn search of treesâ¦but I found thisâ since it was only yesterday that I was discussing with another photographer how difficult it can be to take an âinterestingâ photograph of farm equipment â you seem to have pulled it off and made the farm equipment interesting with a unique kind of beauty.
I have to admit to an ulterior motive in emailing you though. I am currently in the process of recruiting a team of freelance photographers to help build a photo stock library which will hopefully be launched in January / February. I expect to sell photographs to Design Agencies and publishing companies and naturally, you will receive a commission of any photographs sold.
If you are interested in this proposal, then it would be useful if you could provide a contact number for me to call you on (and time zone) as I am better explaining things over the phone, however, if you would rather not give me your number at this stage, then it would be good if you can let me know of any immediate questions that spring to mind so I can be sure to cover any questions / concerns you may have in my next email.
Thank you for your time, I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Rachael Nijhoff"
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11/19/2004 10:34:25 AM · #2 |
| Good spelling, discusses an individual photo of yours and so is well researched, doesn't look like spam or anything unsavoury to me. |
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11/19/2004 10:36:04 AM · #3 |
Sounds like it could be legit. She's offering to answer questions and everything, at least.
I was trying to recall who had the weird email request about the wedding shoot a couple months ago. Something about being paid up front. Turned out to be a common 'scam'. |
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11/19/2004 10:39:57 AM · #4 |
I would be extremely careful...and bells and whistles should go off like a five alarm fire if they ask you for money upfront or a money-to-join-the-site fee.
Assuming you clear the first hurdle, check the fine print on who owns the images, ect. ect. ect.
Just my small change on the topic |
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11/19/2004 10:53:30 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by G4Ds:
... since it was only yesterday that I was discussing with another photographer how difficult it can be to take an "interesting" photograph of farm equipment ... |
Must have been a slow party. LOL
But seriously, Carlos (hardweybets) offers good advice. |
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11/19/2004 10:54:26 AM · #6 |
I did find out that she is registered with the site.
here she is |
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11/19/2004 11:12:28 AM · #7 |
A couple weeks ago, I received the following, which I felt flattering. It, too, is from another "non-participating" registered user. I replied that I would be more than glad to discuss it, but, alas, have not heard back...
As always, proceed with caution, follow your gut instincts.
"9 November 2004
Hello Skip,
My name is Amy K. Gearhard and I am writing regarding an incredible photograph of yours. I have a new nonprofit intervention center in Colorado for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. My partner and I have taken an innovative approach to tackling the world of autism. We take great pride in selecting the words, colors, and photographs to represent us that are fitting to our children and the work that we do.
Iâve found your photograph, "Celebrating Sunset, Jockeys Ridge", and would like to request your permission to use it both on our web site and on paper. Iâve spent more hours than I can even count sorting through pictures in order to find the âperfectâ one to represent each particular aspect of our program. I believe yours truly does. Your photograph would be utilized on our web site, and also printed in our book. This book is available to all families, professionals, and community members in Colorado that are involved in the field of autism. It contains nearly 100 pages of information and intervention options, complete with a carefully selected photograph to represent the content of the program it has been matched to.
We are a very small nonprofit organization. My business partner and I came together just over a year ago, and began providing service for five families, and have continued to grow slowly over the year. Because of our size, we operate on a very tight budget. Unfortunately, we do not have the flexibility to provide you with money for the use of your photograph, but in addition to crediting your work with your name, we are willing to provide an opportunity for advertisement to you in return. At your request, we will also provide additional contact information or links to other works that you have done. This information will be made available both on our web site for its visitors, as well as in our office for the families and professionals we see there.
We are looking to complete and make our web site live as quickly as possible. If you could get back to me at your earliest convenience, I would greatly appreciate it. If you are interested in working with us, please respond to this email with your mailing address and I will send a simple contract to you by mail. The contract says no more than you, the photographer, allow us, the nonprofit organization, to use your photograph.
Integrity is a quality we hold high, and precautions are something we taken often. We want to ensure that you are comfortable, and as excited as we are, to move forward. Please, if you have any questions, do not hesitate let me know. Thank you so much. We sincerely hope you will be willing to work with us.
Warm regards,
Amy K. Gearhard" |
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11/19/2004 11:15:03 AM · #8 |
| I got the same one that you did, Skip...back a couple months ago. I know of a couple of others who got that one as well. I haven't heard back from her either. |
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11/19/2004 11:22:38 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by laurielblack:
I got the same one that you did, Skip...back a couple months ago. I know of a couple of others who got that one as well. I haven't heard back from her either. |
the tough thing is, they sound so credible, and especially in this solicitation, you would want to help out. unfortunately, they don't give you enough information to completely connect the dots, and that's where the flags start going up for me. i mean, how hard would it be to say, "this is who i am, check me out, this is what i want, can you help me?" |
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11/19/2004 11:36:46 AM · #10 |
| I got the Amy Gearhard letter last week and haven't heard back, either. I checked her website, Creative Perspectives, and it seems like it's similar to what she's talking about. But why no follow up? |
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11/19/2004 12:23:55 PM · #11 |
I received the same PM and replied that I would be interested and have not yet heard back either.
Originally posted by skiprow:
A couple weeks ago, I received the following, which I felt flattering. It, too, is from another "non-participating" registered user. I replied that I would be more than glad to discuss it, but, alas, have not heard back...
As always, proceed with caution, follow your gut instincts.
"9 November 2004
Hello Skip,
My name is Amy K. Gearhard and I am writing regarding an incredible photograph of yours. I have a new nonprofit intervention center in Colorado for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. My partner and I have taken an innovative approach to tackling the world of autism. We take great pride in selecting the words, colors, and photographs to represent us that are fitting to our children and the work that we do.
Iâve found your photograph, "Celebrating Sunset, Jockeys Ridge", and would like to request your permission to use it both on our web site and on paper. Iâve spent more hours than I can even count sorting through pictures in order to find the âperfectâ one to represent each particular aspect of our program. I believe yours truly does. Your photograph would be utilized on our web site, and also printed in our book. This book is available to all families, professionals, and community members in Colorado that are involved in the field of autism. It contains nearly 100 pages of information and intervention options, complete with a carefully selected photograph to represent the content of the program it has been matched to.
We are a very small nonprofit organization. My business partner and I came together just over a year ago, and began providing service for five families, and have continued to grow slowly over the year. Because of our size, we operate on a very tight budget. Unfortunately, we do not have the flexibility to provide you with money for the use of your photograph, but in addition to crediting your work with your name, we are willing to provide an opportunity for advertisement to you in return. At your request, we will also provide additional contact information or links to other works that you have done. This information will be made available both on our web site for its visitors, as well as in our office for the families and professionals we see there.
We are looking to complete and make our web site live as quickly as possible. If you could get back to me at your earliest convenience, I would greatly appreciate it. If you are interested in working with us, please respond to this email with your mailing address and I will send a simple contract to you by mail. The contract says no more than you, the photographer, allow us, the nonprofit organization, to use your photograph.
Integrity is a quality we hold high, and precautions are something we taken often. We want to ensure that you are comfortable, and as excited as we are, to move forward. Please, if you have any questions, do not hesitate let me know. Thank you so much. We sincerely hope you will be willing to work with us.
Warm regards,
Amy K. Gearhard" |
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11/19/2004 01:28:03 PM · #12 |
If I read it right she is asking that you give her your telephone number but not offering her own telephone number to you. If it were legit why wouldn't she offer a number and ask you to contact her? Smells fishy to me.
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11/19/2004 01:38:43 PM · #13 |
| The website looks legit. There's a phone number there. Why not call it and ask for her? That would settle the issue for the most part. |
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11/19/2004 02:12:11 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by nshapiro:
The website looks legit. There's a phone number there. Why not call it and ask for her? That would settle the issue for the most part. |
i called earlier and brie answered the phone. amy is out until monday. they probably are legit, but they, like most small operations, are probably stretched thin, going in a lot of different directions at once. a good friend of mine has two autistic children, and i know the challenges. this may turn out to be the type of effort i'd like to support.
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11/19/2004 02:18:09 PM · #15 |
Are Rachel and Amy affiliated? One is running a charity benefiting autistic children while the other is starting a stock photography agency.
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11/19/2004 02:27:25 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by coolhar:
Are Rachel and Amy affiliated? One is running a charity benefiting autistic children while the other is starting a stock photography agency. |
i don't know. i have mixed feelings about this type of approach. if a participating member approached me with something that i might find useful, that's one thing. on the other hand, when i'm approached by someone who has not offered anything to the community, i'm a little more suspect...even if it is a good, legitimate cause... |
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11/19/2004 03:37:04 PM · #17 |
Good point skip. Both Rachel and Amy are registered but both are virtually unknown. They may have registered solely for the purpose of having access to our PM system.
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11/19/2004 04:28:33 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by coolhar:
Good point skip. Both Rachel and Amy are registered but both are virtually unknown. They may have registered solely for the purpose of having access to our PM system. |
that's some excellent deductive reasoning Sherlock!
;-) |
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