Background
I started taking pictures of local parks about five years ago with an old point-and-shoot camera. I'm not a photographer, but I was intrigued with the results.
I started taking pictures of local parks about five years ago with an old point-and-shoot camera. I'm not a photographer, but I was intrigued with the results.
The merging of phones and cameras has caused photography to skyrocket. But more and more photos these days are selfies, snapshots, pictures of your dog, pictures of your kids, and so forth and so on. Even as it has gained in popularity it seems photography has lost value and interest. But there is still photography with a capital P, and there are probably more professional photographers than ever, and many thousands of photography sites on the internet. So what did I think I was doing with these amateur, low-tech photos of city parks, and why?
I was trained in design so I cared more about the composition of the images than their technical proficiency. Focus and exposure were secondary. After all, it was just an old point and shoot camera, and I'm just an amateur. Being a designer, I decided to add typography. Initially they became just tourist posters, but I wanted them to have a bigger purpose. I created the photos in a celebration of nature, the outdoors, and public land. I wondered how I could get people to connect with them. Why would they care about a picture some guy took in a park far from where they live?
Then it came to me: I want people in cities everywhere to upload their pictures of city parks.
I realized then that I had been thinking of it in the wrong way: I didn't want it to be about my photographs, but about the spirit in which they were taken. And maybe my photos could inspire others to collaborate by taking their own photos of parks in a similar spirit of celebration. Adding the word Earth to the location of the parks enhances this theme. It encourages us to see the planet as both huge and small at the same time, and emphasizes our interconnectedness with, and dependence on, both nature and each other.
My photos aren't special in terms of equipment or expertise, so I hope that other amateur photographers will be inspired to share their photos. I think it would be educational and uplifting to see pictures of city parks from around the world. I designed a simple template to encourage participation, but the template is optional. I still wasn't sure what form the idea should take, until I came across a Facebook group for photography with a similarly narrow focus (no pun intended) and I decided to form the All for Parks Facebook group.:
Membership is required to see, post, and comment in its feed, but it's super easy to request and be granted membership. The group membership requirement simply serves as a way to keep the theme clear and consistent: There are a few rules. Posts that violate the rules are removed, and membership can also be revoked if necessary.
The rules:
Either follow the provided template,
Or design your own,
Or just post a photo.
The post MUST contain the following information, and nothing more, either in the photo or in the post: Park Name, City, State or Provence, Country, Earth.
AllforParks.com and a hashtag in support of public parks are not required but acceptable, depending on the hashtag statement.
A statement about the photo or moment is optional, but encouraged.
Posts that do not include the required information, either in the photo or in the post, will be removed.
Municipal parks only please; No state or national parks. Parks must be publicly owned, open to the public, and free admission.
I used the Acumin Variable Concept typeface in the provided template. I chose it because it has many variations of weight and width so it can accommodate park names and locations of many different lengths. Using the same typeface is preferred if possible, but not required.
All levels of photographers and designers are invited to join, i.e., everybody.
Either follow the provided template,
Or design your own,
Or just post a photo.
The post MUST contain the following information, and nothing more, either in the photo or in the post: Park Name, City, State or Provence, Country, Earth.
AllforParks.com and a hashtag in support of public parks are not required but acceptable, depending on the hashtag statement.
A statement about the photo or moment is optional, but encouraged.
Posts that do not include the required information, either in the photo or in the post, will be removed.
Municipal parks only please; No state or national parks. Parks must be publicly owned, open to the public, and free admission.
I used the Acumin Variable Concept typeface in the provided template. I chose it because it has many variations of weight and width so it can accommodate park names and locations of many different lengths. Using the same typeface is preferred if possible, but not required.
All levels of photographers and designers are invited to join, i.e., everybody.
The group is All for Parks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllforParks/. Please stop by and check it out, maybe even request membership, and share some photos. Enjoy!
