Request for photographs

"Sandy Murray" <[email hidden]> wrote in news:407d23c8$1_2@mk-nntp-
2.news.uk.tiscali.com:

Quoted message said:

www.osprey-adventures.co.uk

Sandy,

I wish you well with the venture, and the website is looking
attractive and professional. But I'm puzzled. You are based
in the Highlands, you and your staff have 20 years
experience leading adventures in Scotland and around the
world, but you lack suitable photographs to digitise?

Some hereabouts might wonder if you're pulling a fast one to
get some traffic to your commercial site!

Whatever, using "stock" photographs is surely misleading and
possibly unconvincing? I run a commercial website myself,
displaying examples of my work (I'm not saying what that is
here!). I could have easily have borrowed or "forged" these
examples - but I kept it honest and my clients regularly
comment on the obvious authenticity of the site compared to
some of the competition. In your case, surely people will be
more attracted by pictures of people having fun on your
treks than by calendar views of Scotland. You have some
treks organised imminently so why not take some then?

Stuart

Hi Stuart and thanks for taking the time to comment. I have
indeed spent many years walking and climbing in Scotland and
elsewhere and most of the photos on the site were taken by
me. I totally agree that the site should contain photographs
of people and not calendar views and therin lies the
problem, I have many half-decent scenery shots but few with
'people having fun' or any people at all for that matter.
Additionally many of my shots were taken in ares that we are
not yet featuring., or in poor weather, poor lighting or a
host of other reasons why they are unsuitable. I have only
recently manged to buy a digital camera and certainly will
be taking along as a constant companion. As you suggest, my
aim is, in the not too distant future, to populate the site
with 'genuine' photos. Finally, I thought long and hard
about posting to this group. Not only do I appreciate that
many people may have suspicions about my motives, but I was
concerned about directing people to a site still under
construction. However I did hope that the lack of content,
coupled with the eventual crediting of photographers would
help illustrate the genuine nature of the request. I have
faith in human nature and reckon that most, again like
yourself, will give the benefit of the doubt and, if so
inclined, offer some positive help or advice. Many thanks
again for taking the time to contribute. Sandy

"Stuart Mann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Sandy Murray" <[email hidden]> wrote in

news:407d23c8$1_2@mk-nntp-

Quoted message said:

2.news.uk.tiscali.com:

Quoted message said:

www.osprey-adventures.co.uk

Sandy,

I wish you well with the venture, and the website is
looking attractive

and

Quoted message said:

professional. But I'm puzzled. You are based in the
Highlands, you and

your

Quoted message said:

staff have 20 years experience leading adventures in
Scotland and around

the

Quoted message said:

world, but you lack suitable photographs to digitise?

Some hereabouts might wonder if you're pulling a fast one
to get some traffic to your commercial site!

Whatever, using "stock" photographs is surely misleading
and possibly unconvincing? I run a commercial website
myself, displaying examples of my work (I'm not saying
what that is here!). I could have easily have

borrowed

Quoted message said:

or "forged" these examples - but I kept it honest and my
clients regularly comment on the obvious authenticity of
the site compared to some of the competition. In your
case, surely people will be more attracted by

pictures

Quoted message said:

of people having fun on your treks than by calendar views
of Scotland. You have some treks organised imminently so
why not take some then?

Stuart

"Sandy Murray" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Hi Stuart and thanks for taking the time to comment.

No problem. Your site shows that you are serious about
offering something very attractive and credible and I hope
you succeed beyond your expectations!

Quoted message said:

I have indeed spent many years walking and climbing in
Scotland and elsewhere and most of the photos on the site
were taken by me. I totally agree that the site should
contain photographs of people and not calendar views and
therin lies the problem, I have many half-decent scenery
shots but few with 'people having fun' or any people at
all for that matter.

I can relate to that. I hate pointing cameras at people so
my shots also lack smiling faces - and my scenery shots are
rarely as good as my memories of the situation. Additionally
many of my shots were taken in ares that we

Quoted message said:

are not yet featuring., or in poor weather, poor lighting
or a host of other reasons why they are unsuitable. I have
only recently manged to buy a digital camera and certainly
will be taking along as a constant companion. As you
suggest, my aim is, in the not too distant future, to
populate the site with 'genuine' photos. Finally, I
thought long and hard about posting to this group. Not
only do I appreciate that many people may have suspicions
about my motives,

Not really. Glad you didn't take offence at my gentle probe!

Quoted message said:

but I was concerned about directing people to a site still
under construction.

Well, there's some entertaining gobbledegook on a few pages
- as long as you remember to replace it before going live on
your .com address :-) Better than tedious "under
construction" signs! However I did hope that the lack of
content, coupled with

Quoted message said:

the eventual crediting of photographers would help
illustrate the genuine nature of the request. I have faith
in human nature and reckon that most, again like yourself,
will give the benefit of the doubt and, if so inclined,
offer some positive help or advice.

I hope you get some useful feedback, and maybe some
pictures.

Quoted message said:

Many thanks again for taking the time to contribute. Sandy

Stuart

In message <[email hidden]>, Sandy
Murray <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Finally, I thought long and hard about posting to this
group. Not only do I appreciate that many people may have
suspicions about my motives, but I was concerned about
directing people to a site still under construction.
However I did hope that the lack of content, coupled with
the eventual crediting of photographers would help
illustrate the genuine nature of the request. I have faith
in human nature and reckon that most, again like yourself,
will give the benefit of the doubt and, if so inclined,
offer some positive help or advice.

For myself, the tone of your original post inspired
confidence in your motives. The answer to your concerns must
be for you to stick around, tell us about progress with your
venture now and then, but also contribute to the group in an
'ordinary' capacity.

We have, or have had, a few contributors before with their
own walking related commercial ventures and far from feeling
that they are using us I feel the long term reaction is to
be quite proud that we've got them. Some people, for
example, think Chris Townsend is an equipment reviewer, but
actually he's just a member of this newsgroup and really
quite ordinary. I went into a shop about a year ago that was
quite sneering about him. "Don't talk about my friends like
that!" I felt like saying. But we've also got Graham Beech
who publishes the Sigma walking guides. He occasionally
talks about the business, but no one minds a bit - we know
he's one of us really.

--
Michael Farthing cyclades Software House