Africa Photographs - Giving something back
 

Over the last few months I have been in contact with Anna Tolan at the Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust, based in Zambia's Luangwa Valley, about helping to raise funds. (http://www.chipembele.org)

I have been looking for ways to give back to Africa, a payback for the great adventures it has given me over the last 7 years. I decided on selling fine art photographic prints, with all proceeds being donated to Chipembele.

Having worked in the Valley, read about their excellent work, it was an organisation I wanted to help.

Please help spread the word, or perhaps you need a photograph to make your home a little more Africa orientated ;)

Prints can be viewed and purchased at my website

http://russelljohnson.photoshelter.c...00jhZdhq4Bf5A/

I will be adding more images over the coming months, including a set of B&W images.

The easiest way to follow any developments would probably be via facebook fan pages

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/...2001969?v=wall

http://www.facebook.com/ChipembeleWildlife

If you would like to help in anyway, please contact me at [email protected]

Thanks

Russell

Well, we can all start buying pics from each other, but that would be no fun. Here's the thing I always wondered about; why does no one start a site that does this;
- you donate your nature pics to it (for free)
- the site displays all pics in a "web shop". Buyers are non-safari people, firms, etc
- The money is donated to no-BS no-overhead small wildlife projects that make a difference (like http://wildlifedirect.org)

I would gladly donate ALL my pics. And there's no end to the possibilities. They could make books and calendars and posters and cards etc etc. The contributors could even assemble these things themselves (they could have little competitions, or a voting system, etc).

I'm sure it would have a lively online community in no time. And the more "alive" & fun it gets, the more people would join. And the more people the more potential customers for eco-tourism. So; a win-win-win (wildlife projects, eco-tourists, and eco-lodges).

Damn, if only I had more time. :-(

B.regs,

J.

Very cool lbj2!

J - show us how! I'm sure there are a few of us who could spend the time. There is probably a service out there that already does this?

Or sell them to istockphoto and donate the proceeds?

Christabir,

There's NOTHING out there that does this. And believe me I've looked.

For a thing like that to kick off, you need some famous people to promote it. Wildlife conservation icons, photographers and the likes.

B.regs,

J.

PP, I think your idea is very interesting but agree that it would take a huge amount of time and dedication from someone committed to the cause. Even Wildlife Direct has struggled with its' donation to small causes. The systems needed to handled the various donations, the products, etc. etc. would be daunting to the most hard working and dedicated person.

Russell, good luck with your endeavours. It is a worthwhile cause you are supporting. I am interested in the statement "all proceeds" going to the trust. Is this every dollar you receive for the photographs or the margin after expenses have been covered. I ask this not to undermine your efforts, but because I have been involved with projects in the past where the "all proceeds" ended up being what was left after all other costs had been paid for. Didn't leave much for the charity, sadly. Good luck anyway. Perhaps it will raise the profile of Chipembele.

hmmmmm very interesting idea PP, I think this could already work with minor investment from the right people.
I might look into this from the website/logistics point of view, would be awesome if this could be pulled of with some fodorites ;)