Month-Long Iceland Solo Hike - Get Involved!

[gsgary]

Why can't you wait untill you have saved all the money yourself ? is the equipment you buy for the trip being donated to charity after the trip ?

 

[unpopular]

Having a change of heart ?

I never said I was going to help fund the project, I always knew it had serious problems. Just had to mull over what they were first. How he funds it just isn't really any of our concern.

When you're talking about crowdfunding where you rely on hundreds, if not thousands of very small donations you need to appeal to a very wide audience. Having a project that is important to a wide number of people yet is still clear, concise and easily understood id vital.

 

[eUgalde13]

Of course I'm saving the money that I can. I don't exactly have dispensable money, though. There's no way I'll be able to save that much money in that time frame. No way, at all. I'm saving what I can, but it's not much. So, what am I doing to save? Well, I guess the simple answer would be saving [...]

Mark

There you go, saving is the only way to go specially when becomes to hobbies. If the time frame is to short maybe you can do it later on when you have enough money.
Dreams and goals take time to achieve just work hard and never give up.

Sent from my iPhone using PhotographyForum app

 

[rexbobcat]

I agree....

From what I've gathered, you're taking a trip to 'find yourself.' Most people are too busy trying to do the same thing to pay for someone else to do it in an expensive way....

That's just the way I see it. I mean, I'm planning on bicycling across Italy before I die, but I'm not at liberty to ask others for monetary help. Why? Because I'm not changing or helping the world in some way. I would be doing it for purely selfish reasons.

 

[unpopular]

^^ exactly! How will it benefit our human experience? This does not mean it has to be some big, sweeping social statement (though it cold be) - but what are you offering us in return? Why is this project important on a more societal scale?

 

[Markw]

I'll get to the rest of the comments in just a bit, but I do want to say that this isn't selfish or personal. I don't want to find myself. That's not what this is about. I want to do this to show the people of my community and surrounding that there is something more than everything they see everyday. The mindset they have is very oppressed. It's very pessimistic and it's almost like they've given up on everything. Their children don't have dreams that children should have. They are so connected with all of their parents worries and struggles, they don't have time to dream big anymore. I want to show them that opportunities are still out there. To not give up on those dreams and just melt into to society. I haven't. It's a shame for the children to have to worry so much about simply surviving, that they forget to have any dreams or aspirations. That really is why I'm doing this. I want to bring something back to them, and their families, that will remind them that there is hope and there is wonder in the world. Most of the people who live and have grown up in, let's just say, less than middle-class cities don't exactly have the greatest outlook on life as a whole. I want to play a part in changing that. If I can get the reaction out of these people that shows like Planet Earth and Life have done for me, I could possibly change their entire outlook on life for the better. That's the gravity I associate with this project; and that's why I'm doing it. This isn't just something I want to do before I die, like bungee jumping or anything stupid like that. This really isn't the motivation behind this. So, it may not be revolutionary to you, or anyone else who can see the world like a photographer. But, for the people who aren't so lucky, either to see the world in such a way, or to have enough money to not have to worry about where they're going to live for the next month, this is revolutionary. I know this won't help their situation out. But, I am hoping to change their minds just a little. What little I can.

Mark

 

[Compaq]

Why should people donate if they don't know the back story behind this trip? In your video you talked in big words and cliché formulations. What, who and where is "your community"? Who is the children, and why don't they "dream".

Without a proper back story, it sounds like a holiday.
That said, it'll be a wicked trip.

Will this documentation be widely available to "less-than-middle-class-people"? How are you planning on reaching them, and have they expressed that your doing this will inspire them?

 

[Markw]

Everything I've said was written in the campaign link. There's a whole write-up there. I can see how it could be a bit more thorough now, but the information is there to be read. Cliché or not, that's the reasoning behind the project. The children and their discouraged families are my target audience. Anyone and everyone who have forgotten their dreams. It all sounds like white noise, but I honestly do believe that it will have that type of an impact to my community. That covers the who and what, as for where, I'm in Baltimore City, Maryland. The children are, well, community children, and they don't dream because they've been oppressed and blinded by their families that have been so discouraged about life in general because of their parents' problems.

All of the information you need is in the link in the original post. That said, I am thinking about making a new video. I can see how I have a bit of holes in my video that need to be filled. I'll see what I can do about fixing it.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[gsgary]

Everything I've said was written in the campaign link. There's a whole write-up there. I can see how it could be a bit more thorough now, but the information is there to be read. Cliché or not, that's the reasoning behind the project. The children and their discouraged families are my target audience. Anyone and everyone who have forgotten their dreams. It all sounds like white noise, but I honestly do believe that it will have that type of an impact to my community. That covers the who and what, as for where, I'm in Baltimore City, Maryland. The children are, well, community children, and they don't dream because they've been oppressed and blinded by their families that have been so discouraged about life in general because of their parents' problems.

All of the information you need is in the link in the original post. That said, I am thinking about making a new video. I can see how I have a bit of holes in my video that need to be filled. I'll see what I can do about fixing it.

Thanks,
Mark

It's nothing new, same in any city in the World, there is a recession or have you forgotten watching a video may make them think that their life is probably worse than it is. I don't buy it, their life is cosy compared to most of the children in Africa

 

[Markw]

No one thinks like that. Having their life better than the kids in Africa doesn't make them think it's any better than it is. I come from the same place as them. I grew up in the same environment, in the same lifestyle. They can relate to me. People with your mentality are the reason I want to do this. Like I said, I know it won't change the entire world. But that's not the point. These people have seen my macro work. And theyre in awe with it. They've been very receptive, and have started telling me about all the cool bugs they've started to notice, and bringing me stones and whatnot that they think would look great shot with "that bug lens you got". You're right. It's the same in every city, but these people are still people. They're not just a "population" or a statistic, or a demographic. They're individuals, and shouldn't be lumped like that. Now, I'm not exactly an activist. But, I do think that this could make an impact on them.

Mark

 

[unpopular]

It sounds to me the more important story is in Baltimore.

 

[Markw]

Like Gary said, it's the same in every city. Telling the world about Baltimore won't exactly do as much for anyone as telling the people of Baltimore about other places and types of experiences will. No one wants to hear or cares about "just another city." But these people, the people in my life, need something like this. They need inspiration, and it will do good for them.

Mark

 

[gsgary]

It sounds to me the more important story is in Baltimore.

I was thinking the same, sounds like a great story. I'm starting a big project next year something very close to my heart Real Ale, in the county where i live there are about 38 micro breweries and over the next year or so i will taking all my flash gear and taking an enviromental portrait of the head brewer

 

[unpopular]

Mark. Listen. I appreciate you searching for a higher purpose here, but you know this is baloney. The project has merit, but don't push it in weirdo directions: to give hope to the little people about this wonderful fantasy world called Iceland. These kids know iceland exists, they know that there are places outside of Baltimore that are better than where they are, you don't have to rub it in their face.

Honestly, now I'm even more confused about your intent.

 

[Markw]

How is this a weirdo direction? That's the reasoning behind me doing this. The documentaries and the book are byproducts. The point of it isn't that it's Iceland. The point of it is that I grew up around these children. I know what they're going through and they respect me. This, to them, is a fantastic and amazing thing. It IS magical and amazing to them. The point isn't really to show them that there are places better than here. The point is to show them that it's possible for them to experience great and wonderful things. They respect me. They look up to me. Me doing this will show them that they can still dream big and experience grand things. That's my intent, and has always been. I thought that was said numerous times before.

Mark