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President's Message New Technology Issues As photographers we talk about our vision and believe that it defines nature for the vast majority of the public. Too often we might think and talk as if our vision were a once and forever concept, permanent and stable, but to do so would be to cling to what is inherently elusive and constantly evolving when at its best. Shouldn't our creativity, the power behind our vision, grow, mature, mutate, and lead us to explore ever more of the world beyond, as well as the inner world of our daring? And by doing so, do we not increasingly value that special strand of creativity that is ours alone? The technology associated with our industry is ever evolving, but is the technology pushing, pulling, or partnering with us to help us communicate faster and more clearly to a wider audience? In doing so, is it adding value or devaluing our creative product? Silver film is yielding to digital imaging; packaged slides sent by mail are yielding to scans and CD ROMs; email has all but replaced snail mail; and everyone has a web page to showcase, advertise and sell images. What, then, is being bought and sold? Are images being purchased? In some cases - instances where the entire copyright is relinquished - the answer is "yes." In most cases, however, where money is exchanged for the use of an image for a certain purpose, it seems to be more a rental agreement for the fruits of our creativity. Selling for less, or selling out, seems to be squandering our creativity. I don't mean to imply that we should avoid donating images to further causes in which we believe. (We always retain the power to use our images as we wish.) I mean, instead, that we should value our work and protect the fruits of our creativity. As photographers, we communicate without words, without language barriers, and without political barriers. We can touch hearts and bring instant understanding. Our work has power and our work has value, but if we do not value it, no one else will. In the days before scans and the web, that was relatively easy. Image usage was more easily tracked. The Internet has changed all that, almost literally, overnight. Its global reach has multiplied the problem of unauthorized use of images exponentially. Under the guise of freedom of speech or communication, images posted on the web have, in many people's minds, become public property, to be downloaded and used without payment or attribution. Watermarks, imbedded signatures, and so forth, have become simple obstacles to overcome with ever more clever software often bought for that particular purpose. We do not want to hobble technological advances, but we need to recognize and protect our fundamental rights to our work product. That is all we have to sell. Breach of copyright laws, valuing and selling our work product, e-publishing, internet communications, and so on are like a many-headed hydra. These issues are central to our industry, and I take the challenges very, very seriously, as does NANPA's Board. We need to see the whole picture, meet the immediate challenges, and develop a strategy for understanding both the benefits and threats to our industry from new technologies. We must bring attitudes into synchrony with those technologies. We - all facets of our industry - need to work together; share knowledge; and protect and encourage each other's creativity. As an industry we will be stronger for it, and in the end, the public will be better served. Site Index Search Disclaimers Contact Us  North American Nature Photography Association 10200 West 44th Avenue, Suite 304 Wheat Ridge, CO 80033-2840, USA Phone: 303-422-8527 Fax: 303-422-8894 E-mail: info@nanpa.org © 2001 All Rights Reserved |
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