I'd like to thank Gary (and Eduardo) at PaintballPhotography.com for permission to use a version of a spectacular photo of the Champions field from the most recent World Cup--and I encourage you to check out the original.
While it's true I have, on occasion, been critical of paintball's vanity photo industry--and even a few of the so-called photographers--it's also true that there are a number of dedicated and talented individuals visually recording our sport and VFTD would like to help them. It's not much but if I can put together a dozen headers from a dozen active sources I will rotate them on a monthly basis and provide a sidebar link to the photographer's website to help publicize the talents of individual photographers. If interested drop me a line using the email link on the sidebar.
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ABOUT
About Baca:
Baca Loco is the forum name I first used at P8ntballer.com and kept when I starting writing for PGi magazine, the late, lamented Paintball Games International. At various times I did gun reviews, event reports, the occasional feature, How-To’s & a monthly column entitled, View from the Deadbox. At one time or another I’ve done most everything you can do in paintball other than own a field or run a tourney series. For the last several years I have coached a number of pro teams and generally made a nuisance of myself whenever possible.
About VIEW FROM THE DEADOX:
One purpose of this blog is to encourage a dialogue about competitive paintball and permitting commenter anonymity is intended to encourage the participation of those who actually know what they are talking about. The rest of you are also welcome, even encouraged, to comment as well. (I don't really need any encouragement.)
The other purpose of this blog is to provide a focus for my attention deficit disorder and hold boredom at bay.
About my views:
Brilliant, visionary and almost always correct. Get used to it. Oh, and I'm humble too. Feel free to disagree as long as you are prepared to be wrong.
Baca's email
VFTD Overview
Blog Rules
Baca Loco is the forum name I first used at P8ntballer.com and kept when I starting writing for PGi magazine, the late, lamented Paintball Games International. At various times I did gun reviews, event reports, the occasional feature, How-To’s & a monthly column entitled, View from the Deadbox. At one time or another I’ve done most everything you can do in paintball other than own a field or run a tourney series. For the last several years I have coached a number of pro teams and generally made a nuisance of myself whenever possible.
About VIEW FROM THE DEADOX:
One purpose of this blog is to encourage a dialogue about competitive paintball and permitting commenter anonymity is intended to encourage the participation of those who actually know what they are talking about. The rest of you are also welcome, even encouraged, to comment as well. (I don't really need any encouragement.)
The other purpose of this blog is to provide a focus for my attention deficit disorder and hold boredom at bay.
About my views:
Brilliant, visionary and almost always correct. Get used to it. Oh, and I'm humble too. Feel free to disagree as long as you are prepared to be wrong.
Baca's email
VFTD Overview
Blog Rules
FAQ
How is paintball like golf? Golf is played outdoors on nice, well kept grass or, if something goes horribly wrong, off in the woods. Same with paintball.
How is a paintball made? What am I, Wikipedia?
Who are your sponsors? Who hasn't been one of my sponsors? I won't be trying to promote current sponsors on this blog nor will I take shots at non-sponsors. I don't give gun, goggle or gear advice so it really doesn't matter.
What's your view on cheating? It's wrong and has no place in the game. That's why I don't play scenario or Big Games.
What's your favorite marker? The free one.
Where did that awesome photo come from in the blog header? It is the work of photographer extraordinaire, Brandon Showers or the vixen with a Nikon (or maybe a Canon) Meagan Foster.
What's your favorite team? Grow up.
Who started the Rec vs. Tourney war? Some will say that's just the way it's always been. Others claim it's natural for the sides to be at odds. I say, aren't we all brothers under the goggles? I'm not sure but ask yourself who benefits? Follow the money. Could it be a covert plot of the Military Simulation Industrial Complex? As long as the war rages on there will be a demand for more paint, more markers and Big Paintball will continue to count its profits instead of the cost. Give peace a chance. That's all that I'm saying.
How do I get sponsored? You don't.
Will you send me any free stuff if I tell you what a big fan I am? No.
Is agg dead yet? Yes, it's time to move on to some new uber hip trendiness that everyone can follow to demonstrate their individuality.
Is it true the inside of Ollie Lang's gearbag smells like roses? No, strawberries and cream.
You don't really know any Pro players, do you? Rats, you caught me out.
What makes your opinion so important? It's my blog, d'oh! And has already been noted I'm almost always correct. There's quite a lot to be said for being right.
How is a paintball made? What am I, Wikipedia?
Who are your sponsors? Who hasn't been one of my sponsors? I won't be trying to promote current sponsors on this blog nor will I take shots at non-sponsors. I don't give gun, goggle or gear advice so it really doesn't matter.
What's your view on cheating? It's wrong and has no place in the game. That's why I don't play scenario or Big Games.
What's your favorite marker? The free one.
Where did that awesome photo come from in the blog header? It is the work of photographer extraordinaire, Brandon Showers or the vixen with a Nikon (or maybe a Canon) Meagan Foster.
What's your favorite team? Grow up.
Who started the Rec vs. Tourney war? Some will say that's just the way it's always been. Others claim it's natural for the sides to be at odds. I say, aren't we all brothers under the goggles? I'm not sure but ask yourself who benefits? Follow the money. Could it be a covert plot of the Military Simulation Industrial Complex? As long as the war rages on there will be a demand for more paint, more markers and Big Paintball will continue to count its profits instead of the cost. Give peace a chance. That's all that I'm saying.
How do I get sponsored? You don't.
Will you send me any free stuff if I tell you what a big fan I am? No.
Is agg dead yet? Yes, it's time to move on to some new uber hip trendiness that everyone can follow to demonstrate their individuality.
Is it true the inside of Ollie Lang's gearbag smells like roses? No, strawberries and cream.
You don't really know any Pro players, do you? Rats, you caught me out.
What makes your opinion so important? It's my blog, d'oh! And has already been noted I'm almost always correct. There's quite a lot to be said for being right.
Blog Archive
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2013
(190)
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October
(21)
- Baca's Mailbag: The 2013 WC Layout
- And The Winner Is ..
- New Headers
- The Superstar Conundrum
- Mr. Curious Says
- For Future Reference When Making Predictions
- World Cup Wrap-up
- Believe
- Saturday World Cup Day 3
- Fantasy Paintball Update
- Fantasy Paintball Score
- Friday World Cup Day 2
- PSP World Cup Day 1
- Interview with John Robinson, CEO of KEE
- Get Your Game On
- PBA Presents Fantasy Paintball
- VFTD Slacker Repost: Robots vs. Ninjas
- On Competitive Excellence
- Mr. Curious Hears What? About Who?
- Unnatural Selection
- The Monday Poll in Review
-
▼
October
(21)
VFTD's Lost & Found
Posts
VFTD Translater
Deadbox Puppet Army
All Rights Reserved © 2008-14 VIEW FROM THE DEADBOX content may not be copied in part or in whole without written permission
16 comments:
"it's not much" - truer words were never said.
It's akin to a team saying, "let me use your product for free and I'll put your logo on my jersey and a link on my website".
Or if critics of that thought would say you're providing free and appreciated publicity to the photographer's other work, well you might ask photographers to accept that line from the NY Times or other big publications who can provide much more free publicity.
Instead of being a cheapskate just cough up the 50 bucks to purchase the rights to use the photo in that format. Then you won't perpetuate the "let me use the cream of your crop for a pittance* trade" form of compensation that so many think is acceptable.
*$50 is still quite frankly far too little for a decent photo as a masthead.
For the record "Anon" is Mr. Philip "Stretch" Baker of 1904 Photography and as you might gather he is rather annoyed at VFTD.
The issue at hand is a photo I saw already posted online of an X-Factor breakout I was interested in to celebrate the Cup win.
Since I had no intention of simply appropriating Mr. Baker's photo I sent him a use request. He returned a price and I closed the conversation by suggesting we valued the image in question rather differently. (After looking at his site and regular pricing of paintball-related topics.)
There are certainly other photos of X-Factor breakouts available--perhaps 100s--and there was nothing particularly noteworthy about Mr. Baker's.
He decided my suggestion wasn't of interest to him and I decided his suggestion wasn't of any interest to me. Frankly I don't see the problem but there you go.
What "Anonymous" seems to be forgetting is that Baca is looking for volunteers. That's quite a bit different than the assumption that heading a blog is some sort of "exposure" a photographer might want or need.
Man I hate photographers.
Actually, I'm not that guy. Never heard of him. Dunno anything about him.
I'd assume if you contact him you'd find out that's the case, but then your opinion of him would probably sour further as you resort to thinking he's just lying.
Believe what you will. You are using a photo that's one of the best I've ever seen in this industry and it's a shame to see its worth reduced to a mere trade, even if the photographer who took it is happy for the exposure.
All I'm saying is, that' photo is worth a lot more than a mere trade. And it would go a long way to simply paying for the photo you want to us.
Anon
What makes you think it's worth is reduced? The original is on the cover of the latest X3 magazine too. Has that also reduced it's value? You aren't the sharpest pencil in the drawer are you, Anon (I'm not that guy, never heard of him but I am somehow privy to an otherwise private conversation.)
Keep digging. :)
I think you're conspiracy theory mindset might have taken you a bridge to far. I enjoy your blog and like to read your take on a lot of issues even though I disagree quite a bit.
It's strange how the slightest bit of criticism in this industry gets people thinking there's some hidden motive to a comment.
Funny that you're so quick to dish it out to leagues, individuals, etc. but once a bit of criticism comes back your way you jump way over board rather than just being willing to disagree.
Now you're debating how a photo being used may or may not reduce it's value, which was never the point.
Backing up your ridiculous "outing" which just isn't true (I'd love to reveal my identity but now you're proving yourself to be like many in this industry remembering names and holding grudges), with a personal insult of my intelligence is just icing on the cake.
Why you'd feel the need to insult a nameless faceless person speaks volumes to the apparent sharpness of my words, because they must have at least given you a paper cut to be so worried about it.
All I'm saying is, it's pretty funny to see you solicit great photography in exchange for a bit of publicity.
It's worth something, it makes your blog look more valuable, so all I said was really why not just pay the guy.
Putting 50 bucks back into your "brand" isn't asking too much, and it's just funny to see someone unwilling to pay even the pittance most photographers want these days.
I really hope you're having some behind the scenes conversations concurrently with this other guy you have an agenda against. Hopefully, he'll come on here and post the email transcripts for a fun read through.
Here's how you know it's not me, if I were him I would have done so!
Okay Anon. You're not him, you're an aquaintance of his who he shared the contents of his email communication--for whatever reason--and you were sufficiently put out that you've posted 3 times in comments chiding me for not paying for an image I decided I didn't want. Hey, whatever floats your boat.
There's no hidden motive on anyone's part here and far from being put out by your so-called criticism I'm enjoying this immensely.
If you have a substantive argument to make, make it--if all you're going to do while hiding behind your anonymity is whine then go away.
Worried? About what?
And now you're making claims to "great photography"--where is it? Do I like the current image. Yes, I do but a simple reality remains in force whether you like it or not. A commodity's value isn't fixed and yet you keep yammering on behalf of "this other guy who isn't me" to just pay up.
I tell you what. Since you like Mr. Baker's photos so much why don't you start a blog and pay him what you both think his picture is worth.
Are you having fun yet?
PS--how am I supposed to hold a grudge if I don't know who you are? And even if I did what could I possibly do? Ban you from the blog? Oh, scary.
You do realize the little exposure you have to offer does absolutely nothing for Eduardo, Stretch, or whoever the photographer may be. That's like you coaching a team for free, but them telling people you helped out to give you exposure. That doesn't seem fair does it?
Photographers do what they do to make a living. You using Eduardo's photo for exposure doesn't put food on his table, tires on his car, or pay for plane ticket. And i promise you, no one is going to book him because "he took that one sick shot on VFTD."
I've paid for all the photos I have used from photographers, and expect to be paid for the ones I take. It's the way business works
Personally I thought you were just trying to help, Loco. I didn't know how much the photographers hate you!
For those that don't know Paul; He's a slim, athletic 25 year old with movie-star looks. Now go look at the pics of him online - see what these photographers are doing to him!!? I can't believe they have software that messes people picture up like that!
It's time to stop guys. Enough is enough.
Have to find it funny that as soon as someone bawks back at you, you assume it's me. I don't care about your blog enough to have even known about this post, let alone commented on it. The only reason I'm here, is someone pointed out that I got a mention in the blog and I assumed it was about how you don't want to pay for a good (like a photo) to use on your website. And go figure.... I was right. I'm ok with that. If you don't want to put money into your blog, don't. I didn't come to you asking to use my photo, you came to me. And your right, there are TONS of other X-Factor breakout pics that you could use. However, you asked to use mine. You mentioned that the photo was already on the internet, (which is a common reasoning for people to use photos without permission, although you did ask ahead of time, and that is greatly appreciated.) you are correct. I was shooting for Social paintball, who paid me for my photos, so they have all the right in the world to use my photo.
I'm sorry I'm not a dentist, this is my day job. I don't come to these events as a vacation from my daily life. Shooting events is my daily life. And I love it. Not bagging on Gary, Eduardo or any other photographers that use events as getaway from their daily life.
Either way, Thanks for the exposure on your blog. I didn't even have to give you a photo for that!
All I hear is wah photo, wah pay me. . Wah wah wah.. if you are playing the game for pics.. leave. Im Sick Of Hearing Photogs Say Heres A Pic Pay me. Thanks but no thanks.. I'd take a go pro to film my murders on the field than to have my photos be used as a bait. They know who they are. Always promoting pics and fu pay me attitudes..
and for the magazines that won't pay.. ok don't but at least give respect to the person who took hits to get the shot..
and once again to fame seekers.. your play makes you a legend on the field. Not a pic.. Play dammit and stop looking for the lens.
I was working as a photographer for a while, everyone wants to "trade" or ask for work for free. Have you ever tried to pay your bills or put food on the table with trade?
Jay R.
Why is that relevant? Nobody made you try your hand at photography and nobody is obligated to pay a price they are unwilling to pay for photos you or any other photog chose to shoot. Have any of you every considered the notion that you have trouble selling your photos because a) they aren't very good, b) there are dozens of other photogs you are competing against, c) you are overvaluing your product and few people are willing to meet that price.
Phil
If you think choosing not to pay for your photo is good exposure your very welcome. :)
You weren't going to pay for it anyway... You said you would give me exposure in trade... I didn't trade you a photo and still got a mention... seems good to me.
I wouldn't call the exposure you're getting here 'good' though phillip. A lot of industry people come here, and they may be less likely to deal with you as a result of reading your posts.
I am one of those.
If you had stayed away or been more 'grown up' in your responses I would not have been.
Crazy world huh?
Thanks for the post. i'll definitely comeback to read more of your nifty post. Kudos!
www.n8fan.net
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