Puffin © Laurie Campbell
It's a special pleasure when little things work out so unexpectedly well, when in this age of mistrust and corporate paranoia someone takes your word and treats you as a normal reasonable individual.
On Thursday when I posted the beautiful picture of the swans, I gave little thought at the time to any copyright that I might have violated. A while later it dawned on me that the picture must actually be someone's property and so set about tracking down it's owner.
Task complete I emailed the individual concerned explaining that it was rather a case of 'locking the stable door after the horse had bolted' but please would he be kind enough to permit me use of his photograph. In honesty I expected to either hear nothing back, or to be the shame faced recipient of a mail telling me to take the picture down and reminding me sternly of copyright laws.
Neither was the case. I received a reply this morning from the individual concerned, a professional natural history photographer of some note, Laurie Campbell, not only giving me permission to use his picture but offering me the use of others should I need them. He also included information about his current exhibition at Paxton House near Berwick.
This nice little story goes further. It transpires that Mr Campbell lives not more than 10 miles from me!!! What a small world it is. I had no idea when I looked for the copyright owner who or where he was!
And more still. A week or two ago at work an advertising display was erected for bird food. On this advertisement is the most beautiful picture of a robin on frozen twigs, I fell in love with it immediately. On perusing Laurie Campbells online gallery the night before last I discovered the 'robin' is one of his!! Not only that but he has a number of limited edition prints still available for sale.....one of them will be mine!
I just love it when little things work out so happily, yesterday was not a good day in the gemmak household (more on that another time) and this nice happening made my day and renewed my faith in human nature.
For anyone even remotely interested in natural history or photography, a visit to Laurie Campbells website is a must. This guys work is beautiful and breathtaking...... an absolute joy.
5 Comments:
You're right. His photos are beautiful. I would love to be able to take photos in nature anywhere near as good as those. (I'm still trying to catch a snap of the herons in our valley!)
Tell me about it! I gave up on the 35mm, SLR, D&P it yourself stuff years ago. All I achieved was a sloping shoulder from the weight of the gear! I came to the conclusion you've either got it or you have't and no amount of expensive equipment will change the fact that I just don't have 'the eye'.
Gorgeous stuff! That man's really got an eye for it, hasn't he? Happy story, Scottie. Glad your day turned out well.
What a cool story!!!! I am so happy you got the reply you did! 10 miles away, amazing! Have a great day!
Great stuff eh Dale...I assume you visited? :o)
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