First Photo Published with Leica M8

The Frustrations and Pleasure of Getting Published in the Local Paper
 
Having had my first photo taken by my new Leica M8 published in my local paper I was of course pleased.  It is of my daughter, at a local green fair, learning to knit. 
 
As a supporter of Bovey Climate Action I am always pleased to give away photos to them to distribute to the local press.  It helps to get publicity for action on climate change and hopefully keep the issue in people’s minds.
 
It is obvious from looking at the Mid Devon Advertiser, the paper in question, that the reason the story is on the front page is because I supplied them with the classic local paper photo- ‘cute child at a fair engaged in relevant activity’ and I am really pleased that it made it to the front page- you just know a but is coming don’t you?  Yes you guessed it NO CREDIT – the photo is only credited to ‘contributed’ in spite of the press release sent out by BCA asking for me to be credited.
 
What is really irritating is that someone has actually bothered to write the word ‘contributed’ by the side of the photo and not bothered to find the name of the photographer which is written on the press release and embedded in the EXIF info in the photo.
 
In future I have decide that any photos sent out for use by local campaign groups for free will have my name on the photograph and I will state that if the photo is published without a credit I will be charging the paper.
 
Take a look at the Bovey Climate Action web site to see what we are up to.
 
The Leica M8 camera proved wonderful for just this sort of event, easy and quick to use and I find I work now almost entirely in aperture mode with the camera telling me in the viewfinder what shutter speed I am using. It is much quicker than the two red arrows when selecting both aperture and shutter speed.
 
September 2010