Future Annual Dgrin/Smugmug Shootouts

[DavidTO]

A few years ago Andy had a vision for an event for our community. He wanted a bunch of us to get together and shoot someplace beautiful. He picked up the phone and gave a call to someone he'd not met before, Marc Muench. Together, they planned the first shootout at Yosemite, and it was a huge success.

I was at that shootout, and it really fired me up about Dgrin and photography. It was a fantastic experience, where I made some great friends and learned a ton.

From the start the emphasis of the shootouts have been community and education. Getting together, having fun, and learning. The thing is, with a group this large and the logistics being the way they are, we -- Andy, Marc and me, mostly -- have had to set up the whole thing. You can't just tell that many people to show up at Yosemite, or Arches, or wherever. You need to coordinate, and that means reserving rooms, putting down money, etc.

Because we've set up the shootouts like this, we've gotten away a little from the original intent: community. The longer we continue the shootouts this way, the more people see it as something coming from "the man." There are all these great plans made pre/post shootout, but the central shootout itself is still a kind of top-down operation. We really want to strengthen the community-driven aspect of the shootouts. We want it to be more of a bottom-up thing. We want more community in it.

So, here's what we're doing:

We've formed a committee to oversee the shootouts, starting with the one in 2009. They don't work for SmugMug, they aren't moderators, they're just active members of our community who are excited about helping, and about making the shootouts a better experience. Most importantly, they'll be making sure that the shootouts fit our original vision: a community experience.

So, please give a big round of applause to: aktse, Ann McRae, Llywellyn and Nikolai!



Oh, and since we're counting on the community to make our shootouts shine, feel free to post away in this thread with your ideas and input. Aktse, Ann McRae, Llywellyn and Nikolai are leading the charge, but the success of these events relies on everyone!

[anwmn1]

Very interesting idea and it could be a very good thing. I have a few locations in mind but will reserve my thoughts until after this shootout since it will be my first.

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by anwmn1

Very interesting idea and it could be a very good thing. I have a few locations in mind but will reserve my thoughts until after this shootout since it will be my first.

I guess you'll have a first-hand chance to vent them out pretty soon:-)

[anwmn1]

Originally Posted by Nikolai

I guess you'll have a first-hand chance to vent them out pretty soon:-)

Yeap- lots of hours and miles to do it too.

[jdryan3]

Originally Posted by Nikolai

I guess you'll have a first-hand chance to vent them out pretty soon:-)

Originally Posted by anwmn1

Yeap- lots of hours and miles to do it too.

So Nik I hope you bring earmuffs, headphones, earplugs, mace... I have a few ideas too!

Smart man, that David TO. Gets you guys to be his filter

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by jdryan3

So Nik I hope you bring earmuffs, headphones, earplugs, mace... I have a few ideas too!

Did somebody say something?
lol

[Llywellyn]

Originally Posted by jdryan3

So Nik I hope you bring earmuffs, headphones, earplugs, mace... I have a few ideas too!

Post 'em here! ...And continue to use Nik as your punching bag.

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by Llywellyn

Post 'em here! ...And continue to use Nik as your punching bag.

Seriously, guys, don't hold back. Have an idea - spit it out here.

[Awais Yaqub]

My idea would to document whole America from historic to natural one by one

[cmason]

OK: how about MORE shootouts, and more locations? Would love to attend, but it rarely is feasible to find a week and plane ticket to some remote location. How about a weekend say in Washington DC or somewhere central? (as an east-coaster, this makes sense to me ) Fly in one of the SM pros, and lets spend a Sat/Sun shooting like mad?

[OffTopic]

Woot!


Hey Nikolai, since I spent most of my free time prowling around the remote regions of the California deserts, if you decide to do any shootouts along that line I'd love to help out. History, natural science, I know where a lot of hidden gems are that accessible with a regular SUV or truck, but still remote enough that it's best to go with someone else.

Actually I'm making myself available for any help at all you might need in putting together shootouts out this way.

It wouldn't involve the entire country, but I'd love to see a few groups in different states get together to photograph their section of the Mother Road - Route 66. It's almost too late....would make a great book. Great opportunity for some creative night photography. I'm dying to do it myself but I haven't found anyone crazy enough to be interested.

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by cmason

OK: how about MORE shootouts, and more locations? Would love to attend, but it rarely is feasible to find a week and plane ticket to some remote location. How about a weekend say in Washington DC or somewhere central? (as an east-coaster, this makes sense to me ) Fly in one of the SM pros, and lets spend a Sat/Sun shooting like mad?

Uhm, OK, let's be very clear on one thing... This particular shootout is very different from all the other ongoing and future workshops, meetups and gatherings.
First, its organization is done by a few volunteers - originally mostly by DavidTO, starting next year by our little task team. At this point we really can't do it more than once a year.
Second, while it's community-organized, it's still sponsored by Smuggie. More events means more $$ needed to back them up, and AFAIK (Andy will correct me if I'm wrong) that's not feasible at the moment.

This doesn't mean that there cannot be more/other shootouts. It simply means that all he other ones will have to go through the different organizational rounds. It is doable, it has been done before and I'm sure more of those will happen in the future. However in this case we only talking about One Annual Dgrin/Smugmug Shootout - and, just like in the movie Highlander, "there can be only one"

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by OffTopic

Woot!


Hey Nikolai, since I spent most of my free time prowling around the remote regions of the California deserts, if you decide to do any shootouts along that line I'd love to help out. History, natural science, I know where a lot of hidden gems are that accessible with a regular SUV or truck, but still remote enough that it's best to go with someone else.

Actually I'm making myself available for any help at all you might need in putting together shootouts out this way.

It wouldn't involve the entire country, but I'd love to see a few groups in different states get together to photograph their section of the Mother Road - Route 66. It's almost too late....would make a great book. Great opportunity for some creative night photography. I'm dying to do it myself but I haven't found anyone crazy enough to be interested.

Lori,
Mother Road is a great idea! And we definitely can appreciate extra help (we do need local experts to help the pros to lead the teams), so if push comes to shove, don't be surprised if you receive a PM on that

[devbobo]

Originally Posted by cmason

OK: how about MORE shootouts, and more locations? Would love to attend, but it rarely is feasible to find a week and plane ticket to some remote location. How about a weekend say in Washington DC or somewhere central? (as an east-coaster, this makes sense to me ) Fly in one of the SM pros, and lets spend a Sat/Sun shooting like mad?

For the record, there was a weekend shoot in Washington DC organised by a group of dgrinners back in April.



There is nothing stopping a group of dgrinners from organising this themselves.

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by devbobo

For the record, there was a weekend shoot in Washington DC organised by a group of dgrinners back in April.
There is nothing stopping a group of dgrinners from organising this themselves.

Thanks David, my point exactly!
We can treat The One as a family reunion kinda stuff. You can't have it too often. Yet it rekindles the old flames, sparkles the new ones, and if after that more firendships occur and more local gatherings happen - that's exactly what we're trying to achieve.

[cmason]

Understand, but you asked for ideas

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by cmason

Understand, but you asked for ideas

Yes indeed, for the ideas for *this annual shotout*. And now we also know that these ideas have to meet simple, but specific requirements: one time, one place per year. So let me say it again: bring it on.

[Ann McRae]

Annual Shootout: topic of this thread, and a (generously) smugmug sponsored event. Right now we are looking for input on location and thoughts on how to make it work best for dgrinners in general.

Regional shootouts (like the one referenced by devbobo, above...btw, what a great photo!) can be made to happen pretty easily - I managed to initiate two this spring that I tacked on to work trips, by simply starting a thread. Those threads, we will put into the locations forum.

I understand that this was easier for me because I've had the pleasure of meeting several others before, and so maybe a facilitator is needed to give those some traction. That could happen with a call for volunteers, perhaps. If there is critical mass behind trying to organize semi regular, but yet still spontanoeus , independent local gatherings, lets talk about that over there.

How's that sound?

ann

[davev]

Ideas for the trip in 2009.

Acadia National Park in Maine.

Acadia Link

I've never been there, I've never been to Maine, but I think in the fall of the year, with the
leaves changing colors in that whole New England area, it could be a pre shooters dream, along
with a shoot out that should have some great scenery, and hopefully wildlife.

The only thing that could make it ugly, would be bad weather.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by davev

The only thing that could make it ugly, would be bad weather.

Which can happen here.