Whether you’re a Newbie or an Old Timer to LF, this is a great opportunity to participate in a unique print exchange. You'll receive beautiful prints and have your work published in the online LF Gallery. This will be the fourth exchange I will sponsor and the previous Print Exchanges have been very successful and rewarding. The rules are posted below and have changed from last year, so please read through them. Please respond with your request to participate so we can start counting how many participants there will be. Please post all questions here so everyone can share the info.

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Print Exchange 101
He is an example of a print exchange with 10 photographers.

Ansel
Diane
Mathew
Dorothea
William
Margaret
Walker
André
Roger
Tina


Ansel, Diane, Mathew, Dorothea, William, Margaret, Walker, André, Roger, and Tina mail nine (9) prints according to the print specs to their print exchange facilitator. The facilitator then sorts out these prints so they each group member receives one print from each member of the group. Everyone receives nine (9) prints, one print from each of their group members.

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There is monetary cost involved in this Print Exchange:

1. You will need to print nine (9) prints
2. You will need to ship these prints to Tallahassee, Florida USA
3. You will need to pay (PayPal or check) for the return shipping*


*Shipping fees will be determined after the prints are ready to be shipped. You will be notified via a PM. In previous exchanges, the packages averaged a 1-lb shipping weight. We do not want to exceed the 1-lb weight as International Shipping Fees are costly! There will be US, Canadian, European, Australian, etc. mailings. DO NOT MOUNT YOUR PRINTS!

Please note that I will not have an exact idea on your return shipping costs until I have your address and print packet ready for shipping. This all takes a bit of time and cooperation. Please be sure to send your "Shipping Info Sheet" along with your prints. If I do not receive a clearly filled-out "Shipping Info Sheet," I may have no clue whom the prints belong to.


Groups will be determined by the FIFO method:
We use the FIFO (first-in, first-out) method when assigning which participant goes into which group. I will post the shipping date below and everyone is to ship their prints by this time. Shipping before the established date is fine to do, but, in the past if you shipped your prints late, you left others in your assigned group waiting and waiting for their packets. Not anymore! Why penalize the participants that have been cooperating all along?

When I receive 10 packets in, I will ship 10 packets out!
I will list the names of each 10 member Group as the packets ship out so you know when to expect your packet. If stuff happens and you are unable to ship your prints on time, your prints will be placed in a group and shipped out when the group reaches 10 participants. If you are the last to ship your prints and there is no one else left to exchange your prints with, I will exchange one of my prints with you and look for others to contribute, but I cannot guarantee a full 10 print packet. I do believe this will be a fair and efficient system. This type of system may motivate some participants to get their packets out ASAP. Hey, whatever works!

Print Packets
Everyone is to ship nine (9) prints to me according to the Print Specs below. If you send 10 prints, I will assume you are sending one for me which is greatly appreciated and the reason I do all the work, but you are not obligated to do so.

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PRINT SPECS
Must be created on a VIEW CAMERA (film or digital)
Black & White or Color
Wet darkroom or digital prints
NOT larger than 11x14" paper
NOT smaller than 8x10" paper
Image area can be any size as long as it is on paper from 8x10" to 11x14"
NO Mats due to added shipping weight
NO Mounted prints due to added shipping weight
Include an info sheet for each photo on your tech specs, location, etc.
Filters/Digital Manipulation OK
2010/2011 creation date

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In the past a few folks shipped additional shipping materials along with their prints for the return prints shipment. If you care to do this, that is fine, but I will not recycle the outside envelope. I will recycle the cardboard if it arrives in good shape. I will not supply cardboard or shipping materials for free. To anyone that is in need of shipping materials, I can offer for an additional US $4.00 the following return shipping packet or similar.

I have a mail order business and purchase these materials in bulk. It would include a heavy cardboard mailer, two acid-free and pH neutral backing boards, and an archival bag that you can safely store the prints in for years to come. You are under no obligation to purchase this shipping packet, and if you do not, remember to include fresh shipping materials in your packet for the return shipment. I do not make any money off of these shipping materials; I offer this because it makes my job easier. It may actually save you postage if you do not mail shipping materials to me with your prints.

An attachment containing a photo of a shipping packet is enclosed at the end of this post.

If you are going to participate, post your name here and I will respond with acknowledgment and add you to the list and we EXPECT you to participate. If something comes up and you need to withdrawal, please notify me so I do not waste time trying to contact you. I will respond to questions as soon as I can and will check into this forum at least twice during the day looking for messages.

If you do not have a print already chosen for this exchange, use this opportunity to cultivate your creativity. I will be producing a print exclusively for this exchange and I cannot wait to get going! I have had a busy year and have not had the leisure to be behind my view camera as much as I would like. Now I have to because I want to exchange prints with you guys! Thanks for the motivation!!

Print Info Sheet, Shipping Info Sheet, Print Specs & Web Gallery Info
Include a Completed Print Info Sheet for each exchange print and clearly fill out your Shipping Info Sheet for me. I have difficulties with non-US addresses, so please type out your shipping info if you can! Thank you in advance.

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Closing Date For Exchange Sign Up:
February 1, 2011

Ship Date for Sending Prints to Facilitator:
March 28, 2011


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Let the printing, shipping, sorting, gazing, packing, shipping, receiving, BEGIN!!

Looking forward to it all!
-Darr

Please download all PDF files even if it looks blank!