Hi,
New poster here, but I’m calling on your help if thats not too rude for a newbie?
I’m a Graphic Designer that is producing a 248pp magazine for the Battle of Britain Historical Society – hopefully most of you know who they are? If not I can fill you in with the details.
Most of the articles refer to pilots of the Battle and I am restricted to old black and white images for the pilots and aircraft – mainly family members helping as well as cadging a few from the RAF Museum, Yorkshire Air Museum etc.
They are trying hard to expand their reader base to a ‘younger’ audience so as to keep interest in the Battle of Britain alive and to that end are doing a few more ‘general interest’ articles – one on the BBMF for instance – another on the unveiing of the Monument on the Thames.
I have been fortunate enough to visit the BBMF at Coningsby and get some nice pics of the planes in the hangar (they had finished their season when I went to interview Sq Ldr Pinner) and they have given me access to some of their superb in flight library.
But generally I am horribly short of colour images of Spits, Hurricanes and Blenheims of the period as well as any German/Italian aircraft.
Does anyone have any that they are prepared to allow me to use in the publication (ideally 6MP and above) to illustrate some articles. They don’t have to be BBMF aircraft, as long as they are true to that period (I know that doesn’t leave much scope).
Sadly, I can’t offer payment for them as its meant to be a fund raiser for the upkeep of the National Monument on The Thames as well as the upkeep of graves of the pilots that died in the battle, but I can give full credits and thanks in the editors comments for those that could help. I know its not much but its all I have to offer.
Thanks in advance and I hope my bare faced cheek doesn’t offend.
Regards
Andy
By: Andy Larkin - 20th October 2006 at 15:36
Its been held up til end of November due to a scheduling error with the printers… and the fact that I’m still laying out some articles.
Almost done, just a few more images to locate!
😡
By: 11group - 18th October 2006 at 20:37
BOBRV5
Hello
Does this mean the mag is not ready for printing yet ?
By: Snapper - 6th October 2006 at 20:32
I was too busy pissing up the side of the MOD while Rob was taking them – he’s SO slow. Mind you, we’d had a few by then.
Andy, wednesday and thursday I’m free all day if you fancy popping over, might be able to do a weekend, or next saturday. it’s a large hard-drive…
By: Snapper - 6th October 2006 at 20:01
Not at all Andy. I’ll have a root through and maybe bring a CD to the memorial mentioned elsewhere – unless you fancy coming out this way one night and having a sift through – I have enough to make your eyes pop in mono, and a fair selection in colour of modern shots. And I’m familiar with all your issues, believe me!
By: Andy Larkin - 6th October 2006 at 10:36
Are you doing it for free then?
No, I’m not doing it for free… I’m a freelancer and I have to pay my mortgage and eat the same as everyone else.
But I am working on it evenings and weekends as well as during the day at approximately one third my regular rate. My trip to the BBMF was funded out of my own pocket as was my ‘assignment’ to photograph the unveiling the National Monument and the meeting of veterans at the House of Lords. As you can see I live in Norwich, so none of those are on my doorstep!
I don’t know if you know what goes in to putting together a 248pp magazine when you are supplied with Word documents only and you have to resource every single image. The Battle of Britain Society are not professional publishers, they are a charity that produces a monthly internal newsletter called Scramble.
From those issues they try to collate enough articles to put together a ‘professional’ magazine, but an internal newsletter is a different proposition to a ‘pro’ mag that has to battle it out on the shelves of W H Smith – they have no idea of picture quality nor resolution (and thats not an insult just an observation) and I take on the responsibility of finding the images to make it ‘professional’. Trust me its a bloody hard job and there is only me doing it.
The Society would be happy with anything, whereas I can only work to a certain standard and the research takes hours upon hours of my time – I don’t get paid for it I only get paid to put the words on the page – simple as!
I can see your ‘reasoning’ behind the question – why should we give you something for free when I am getting paid for it. Fair enough question. The only answer I can give is that my post doesn’t lie to you – it says quite clearly I can’t pay for them and there is no way that the Society can afford to buy John Dibbs images or anything of the like. Its an appeal from someone who is working their a**e off to try and make something worthwhile – something to keep the efforts of those that flew, repaired the aircraft, manned the guns and kept the home fires burning fresh in the public mind – surely that must be the reason a lot of you on here are interested in planes of that period in the first place isn’t it?
Believe me, I do this more as a labour of love than an income, my other clients paying me well for what I do is the only way that I am able to take this project on… so if anyone can assist I am more than grateful, but as its not my money to give away I can’t pay for any images!
Wessex Fan – “True to that Period” would rule out Lancs.
As a major article is about the BBMF, Lanc pics are perfectly suitable!
Thanks for your interest and if I have over-reacted then I apologise.
Andy
By: Snapper - 6th October 2006 at 10:02
I can’t offer payment for them as its meant to be a fund raiser
Are you doing it for free then?
Wessex Fan – “True to that Period” would rule out Lancs.
By: Wessex Fan - 5th October 2006 at 23:00
Hi Andy
See Email!
Eric
By: Wessex Fan - 5th October 2006 at 21:20
Andy I have sent you an email on the matter, look forward to your reply.
Regards
Eric
Ps: I have attached two low res jpeg of the BBMF Lancaster taken last year.
By: Paul C - 5th October 2006 at 19:54
Andy
Sounds like an interesting project, unfortunately I can’t help with photos but if you have any interest in profile artwork or paintings I would be only to happy to help, you can check out my work at www.paulcouper.co.uk
Regards
PaulC
By: Andy Larkin - 5th October 2006 at 19:39
Thanks for the answer Melvyn. I have been helped greatly by a few squadron historians and the RAF itself, who have done so free of charge. Its more of the colour stuff that I need to give the mag a bit more ‘lift’ throughout.
By: Melvyn Hiscock - 5th October 2006 at 18:26
Bear in mind that contemporary material taken by any RAF photographer (or serving person) is now out of copyright and so can be used free of charge.
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October 5, 2006 at 6:05 pm