Vote for the May 2010 Cover

[Diochra]

Greetings Everyone:

It is time to vote for the May 2010 Cover of the Authentic Campaigner. Please vote for the image that you feel is the most authentic. If your image is one of the final three, we require that you provide some background information about the inspiration or impression for the image in this thread.

We encourage conversation about the impressions portrayed as well as any documentation that might be available that would add to the discussion. The intent of the selection process is to determine why you think one image is superior to another.

Image 1:


Image 2:


Image 3:


Thanks to everyone who submitted. Good luck to the finalists.

This poll will close on April 30.

[Busterbuttonboy]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Ive ranted before about Jason's image and here I go again.
Obviously he has researched the appropriate military material culture pertinent to the person and unit chosen and has provided his documentation for such. He has selected a pose which is renown to be a popular one in studio images and has left the gun elsewhere. If the photo was taken at an event, Bob & Jason chose to backdrop and crop the image so that it is a convincing studio image and not just another reenactors attempt at a studio portrait with grass underneath his feet or a blank backdrop to highlight all his superfluous gear. While I may be jumping the gun so early in the game for April, I have had my fill of people showing off their arms or newest piece of gear and have been craving a good quality, simple and convincing studio image for many months. Its got my vote. Surprise.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Ashley,

Thank-you for your attempt to provide an equitable selection to vote upon. I am very sure that your job is difficult in many ways. With that said, of the three, two receives my vote.

One question, who are "we" who select the photographs.

Again thank-you for your efforts. They are appreciated.

Most Sincerely,

[FloridaConscript]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

spellman nailed it.

[Emmanuel Dabney]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

FINALLY! Jason Spellman and Bob Szabo nailed it! Studio images need to look like studio images not feature grass and obvious canvas in the background. This is all manipulated by the photographer and stipulated by the photograph subject to a photographer.

Additionally, Jason has not just willy-nilly thrown together this image with some friends and lots of gear but actually been inspired from a REAL photograph of a REAL soldier. I encourage those interested instead of having Jason repeat himself to check out his explanation in the original thread: http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/...he-AC-May-2010

[Diochra]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Ashley,

Thank-you for your attempt to provide an equitable selection to vote upon. I am very sure that your job is difficult in many ways. With that said, of the three, two receives my vote.

One question, who are "we" who select the photographs.

Again thank-you for your efforts. They are appreciated.

Most Sincerely,

Dale, thank you. I had wondered that myself, before volunteering for this task. There are a small group of folk who help run the forum and help with the initial voting process of narrowing the initial 10 down to 3. It's a voting process just like this one. If you would like to be included in this process and offer your insight to the running of the forums in general, please contact Paul Calloway for more information.

[Shockoe Hill Cats]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

If your image is one of the final three, we require that you provide some background information about the inspiration or impression for the image in this thread.

I have no problem explaining my image again since I put some time and thought into it. It's mostly cut and paste anyways:

Again, I would really like to make a May cover in lieu of it being Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, in commemoration of the contributions Asian Americans have made to this fine country. Congress even chose May because of 19th cent. provence: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the Trans-Continental Railroad on May 10, 1869.

This is my portrayal of Chinese immigrant, John Tommy (sic Tomney) during his supposed photographing in Fredericksburg, Va. in 1862.

I'm wearing a New York State Jacket that, although has not yet been documented to the 70th Regiment, has been identified to sister units (71st, 72d) of the Excelsior Brigade to which the 70th belonged. Similarly, I'm wearing a blue contract shirt that has been seen in a photograph of the 71st Regiment in the Library of Congress. Even the tin cup was documented to a New York State soldier, Daniel Heyden of the 149th New York Infantry.

I'm not wearing any accoutrements because of the many of portraits I've studied, very few actually show full leather gear. And from the limited research I've done, Tommy definitely was roped into the service and was no military man. He barely spoke English and probably had no idea that he would be taken from the port city of Red Hook, N.J. into the fields of Fredericksburg, Libby Prison, Chancellorsville and finally, Gettysburg were he met his demise. Such is the story of many.

My pose is actually based on a period plate, so it's not one that I just dreamt up (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7844207...7600359089400/). Tommy, at one point, was a nurse during the war and I wanted to convey a look of "stewardship" in this particular sitting rather than an armed military pose.

I forgot to mentioned that I was 20 years old when I had this portrait taken. Tommy would have been 19-20 years at the time of his sitting. He was fondly received by the men of his company, and called, "the butt and wit of the entire regiment." (Chicago Tribune 1863) He was elected corporal in 1862, hence the chevrons.

Let me just insist that this is not a popularity contest, in my mind. Of course I am glad to have the support of my friends, but this image should be voted on because I thought the process out based on historical fact. The rest is up for you all to decide, thanks.

[Secesh]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

It's a fine image Jason. Thanks for submitting it!

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

I voted for Jason's excellent image, for all the reasons he spelled out regarding his research (even though I'm in Image #3). For the record I want to state, since a couple of people have made observations about the grass, canvas, etc. in our studio shot, there were many "studio" portraits made in the field. I've found several sources mentioning photographers setting up canvas studios in the field, on both sides of the war. We must bear in mind that most of the images made were intended for cases, and often the only view we have of original images is within the borders of the brass frame in the case. When you remove the brass frames, often you will see the remnants of sod, dirt, canvas edges, etc. The photographers knew how to frame a shot with the brass borders in mind. Not trying to pimp up votes, as I'm very impressed with both other images, and would vote our image in at third place everytime, with me in it or not (as a matter of fact, having me in it makes it really unauthentic in itself....)

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Dale, thank you. I had wondered that myself, before volunteering for this task. There are a small group of folk who help run the forum and help with the initial voting process of narrowing the initial 10 down to 3. It's a voting process just like this one. If you would like to be included in this process and offer your insight to the running of the forums in general, please contact Paul Calloway for more information.

Thank you for you kind response. In watching the process of narrowing the 10 to 3, I have often wondered the process in which it was done. Excluding yourself, I am very sure that the others who make the decisions and I do not share nor have a mutual definition of the process. With you at the wheel, I know we are all in good hands.

[Johnny Lloyd]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Repost from Focus Group ballot (Round 1 drafts):

I'm partial to #1. I have seen a few Asian yankee pictures out there and since this is unique and represents 'rarely-seen-in-the-public/reenactor-eye level' history, I voted for it.

Check-out his story here: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...5/ai_n8945520/

Pic posted below...

Voting on which one I think is best, but they are all really good!

All the best- Johnny

[Drygoods]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Sadly, I keep getting "invalid attachment specified" and cannot see the images to vote.

[garyjd]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Sadly, I keep getting "invalid attachment specified" and cannot see the images to vote.

Me too. ~Gary

[Linkstrap]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Sadly, I keep getting "invalid attachment specified" and cannot see the images to vote.

Yup.., ditto.

[rdykes]

Re: Vote for the May 2010 Cover

Cant view the images, keep getting the invalid link message as well.