I love it when people–especially members of this community–take ideas and run with them. This one is no exception…
A couple months ago, I was approached by blog reader and founder of a company called Trade Secret Cards, Zeke Kamm. He had a business proposition: He’d come to Seattle, pick my brain about various different pictures in my portfolio and then he’d put together a pack of 22 glossy, high-end cards that illustrate “how to” re-create each picture. Soup to nuts. Diagrams, equipment used, what I was thinking, etc. He sells ’em and gives us cut.
We agreed to his proposal and for about $20 you can–starting today–buy these illustrative card packs here at www.tradesecretcards.com or at national photo retailers like Midwest Photo. Cool idea on Zeke’s part – 100% his thingie.
And, fwiw, what’s with our 10%? I’m giving it away. Here’s the fun twist. I’m putting 100% of our cut back into the photo community. Zeke has printed 5,000 sets of cards. They go for roughly $20 each. So if my math is correct, we’ll give every dime of $10,000 bucks back into photo community if Zeke sells all his cards.
How shall I put this money back into the community? You tell me. I’m all ears. Let’s not put the cart before the horse, of course, we’ve got to help Zeke sell these cards, but I’d love to get your ideas in the comments below about how you’d like to see the money spent back into the community. My 10% is actually your 10%.
Another card example and link to other cards after the jump. Click the ‘continue reading’ link below.
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And lastly, if you like the Trade Secrets concept, Zeke has also done a set with my good friend David over at the Strobist community. Buy those too, also available at the Trade Secret Card site.
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You should do a second trip to Seattle – like the one you're doing for "The Best Camera." A few of us in far away locations (like Hong Kong) will probably get your book a little too late to participate in your contest. Great idea, but a bit schedule-restricted 🙂
These look really awesome, Chase. Stocking stuffer for me maybe! =) I'll let my wife know. Good luck with it.
A thought for where to donate the money. How about something that encourages photography as an expressive art with under privileged kids?
Hi, Great idea! This might be a bit far away from you, but I teach a photography class at a youth project in South London, we get roughly 20-30 under privileged young people and we have been doing some exciting stuff with them, running competitions, getting them to photograph their environment and at the moment we are using lights and trying to shoot some commercial looking pictures about how they are perceived in the community. However the project has only managed to afford 2 dslrs (450d's) and I take my cameras and other equipment and people share and take turns borrowing them for a few days. We have tried to get some funding from Canon and Nikon, but haven't really had much luck, soooooo if you wanted to use any of that money to buy some cameras for these young people that would be amazing! Even a few more would make a massive difference. Thanks.
I think it'd be sweet to fund under privileged kids of some sort with some cameras, maybe nikon could hook it up and get some photographers to donate their time to teach some camera basics at a work shop just for the youth. Let them use creativity as an out let, then work towards getting a gallery of their work and do an auctions to raise money for their community (be it ymca, or something else constructive). It will give them a sense of importance, it will let them earn money rather than them be a charity case. it will raise awareness to whatever their needs will be, and it will strike an interest in education. AND it could give other photographers a chance to connect with the community and be teachers and mentors to those who need it. win win friggin' win!
I'm kind of w/ José with giving it to a student…but sort of in the same vein, I say it goes to a budding graduate to help start up their studio.