Words Fail
For those of you who have opened your billfolds and donated a little something to the F6 Project, words fail to express my gratitude. Thank you, sincerely.
Really… thank you.
It’s been 15 years almost to the day since launching the F6 Project. At first it was a lark; the result of an enthusiastic first-time new Nikon owner caught up in the incredibleness (?) of the thing. Finally – after so many years shooting old, hand-me downs, I had the best of the best, and it was brand new.
I guess I was pretty smitten by it.
In the last 15 years I’ve been working with the camera there are times it still amazes me. The creative doors it opens with CLS, film in a digital world, etc. haven’t diminished – in fact, have become even more valuable. It’s still best in class, top of the hill and worth using. And always will be. That’s the beauty of the F6: it’s the last of its kind, the best of the best.
But a lot happens during the rest of life in that same 15 years. Careers, families, personal victories and tragedies – and still, the web site appears to the web-surfing public undiminished, soldiering on; the audience having no interest in behind the scenes stuff – instead hungry for more information about their new (or old) passion – a camera. I get it.
May times I’ve thought about – and have even taken steps to – taking it down. Hosting costs rise, hacker low-life scum bags continue to try to penetrate security, spammers never sleep and the world marches on.
But the F6 Project has remained Advertisement-Free (I can’t stand those blinking, obnoxious ads – nor can I control the integrity of the advertiser). The F6 Project has never had advertising and it never will.
I have to laugh every time I hit Starbucks. Somehow they’ve convinced us that dropping $5-$10 on a cup of coffee is perfectly acceptable. Don’t get me wrong… I love Starbucks. But I have to wonder what the rising cost of everything has done to our sense of value. What do we value?
When it comes time to pry open the billfold for philanthropic efforts, do moths fly out? If so – it’s time for a little soul searching.
I’ll never guilt or shame others into giving, just trust that those who have benefited from what’s been a labor of love for more than 15 years will see the value and respond accordingly. I’m not looking to turn a profit… just to keep this little project on-line and self sustaining. And – truthfully – if I can build up more passive income approaching retirement, I can take more trips. Work on the Jeep so it gets me deeper into the Wilderness and I can see things others will never see. Then I can show you, too. But that’s bordering on a little self-serving so I’m not leading with that… just appealing to the fact that I’ve put a lot of time, energy and money into this web site.
If you’ve benefited from it at all, it sure makes me smile when I wake up to a new Patron, or even just an encouraging note.
So you know you’re not the only ones, here is a list of other like-minded folks who have taken the fiscal step of helping keep the F6 Project on-line. I wish to publicly thank you while at the same time protect your privacy – so no last names.
You guys get it, and I thank you sincerely.
Matthew C. Chicago, IL USA (monthly)
Greg L. (monthly)
Todd S., Pennsylvania, USA (monthly & Zine)
Michael W. (monthly)
Dino B., Italy (monthly)
Tony A., Espoo, Finland (monthly)
Steven V., Colorado, USA (x2)
Don T.
Michael F.
Gary B. (monthly)
Adam S.
Gilles G., United Kingdom
Terry T.
Matt B.
Richard F.
Alan R., Ireland
John M.
Peter C.
James S. Jr. , Maryland, USA
Rikard P., Malmö, Sweden
William A. (monthly)
Christopher M. (monthly)
gargoyle_f6 (a monthly mystery donor)
Joe S. (monthly)
Scott C. (Zine purchase)
Gary M. (Zine purchase)
Carol H. (Zine purchase)
Email Us
info@f6project.com