Requesting Help With a Weegee Project

[bushpig]

I finally broke down and ordered a copy of Weegee by Weegee.

I've wanted to read his autobiography for some time and haven't been able to find a copy for less than $50. Maybe I was just looking in the wrong places.

Anyways....

Since it's out of print and difficult to find, I was interested in putting back into the photo community.

I plan on creating an e-book of it for those who are interested in reading it.

I have a somewhat busy schedule, so I'm requesting help in doing this.

If anyone owns a copy of the book and would be willing to type up a few pages, it would be much appreciated and would speed (graphic) this up quite a bit.

Also, since I'm not a computer expert, I may, when it's done being typed up, be interested in some help in converting it to different formats so that it can be displayed on as many devices as possible.

If anyone is interested in helping me in any way, either reply here or email me at:

iamfuntography (at) gmail (dot) com

Thank you very much in advance for any help and/or interest in this project.

-James.

[bushpig]

Also, I'm only doing this because the book is out of print and uncommon. I have no interest in commercial gains from this and no interest in fame or any other benefits other than offering people a chance to read this book that they wouldn't otherwise be able to enjoy. I would not be doing this at all if the book was still in print, and if by some chance some publisher resumes printing it before I complete this project, it will be scrapped.

This request for assistance will be posted on a couple other photo communities, so please, if you email me, only do it once.

[Greg Davis]

Are you the copyright holder for this book? If not, you need permission from them or you could get into serious legal trouble. In the US, copyright is held until 90 years after the creator's death. In this case, Arthur Felig died in 1968, so the copyright remains in effect until 2058.

[CGW]

Very fishy. People get paid for this--really! Research, creative/editorial, production services aren't free where I live. Lucky me.

[rthomas]

Just because a book is out of print does not mean that the copyright has expired.

Weegee's entire body of work is in the collection of the International Center of Photography in New York, NY, and they are the copyright holders.

[2F/2F]

You cannot be serious. You come here openly looking for accomplices in your crime? Get lost!

[Ken Nadvornick]

In light of the aforementioned copyright constraints you might want to rethink your project. Perhaps you should consider contacting the current copyright holder (ICP, per 'rthomas' above?) and request legal permission to freely copy and redistribute the work in question. I have no doubt they will advise you directly as to their position in the matter.

Ken

[Mike Crawford]

I'm sure your suggestion is made with the best of motives, but it really would be a series copyright violation. However, why not get in touch with the ICP to see if there would be interest in them providing such a re-issue. (Or offer your services. For a fee though.) However, to transcribe a whole book would be a bit of a pointless mission. Often, when text books are reprinted in 'classic' cheaper editions, such as out of copyright Charles Dickens paperbacks, each page is simply scanned from an older volume ready to be compiled for printing on press. There is also software that can convert the visual file of the words into a text file, though it needs to be proof read to ensure no letters have been mis-read. However, as the previous comments state, doing it yourself will get you in lots of trouble.

If you haven't seen it, try and get hold of a copy of Limelight by Helen Gee from Abebooks.com which is about her photography gallery/cafe in Greenwich Village in the 50s. Fascinating read. Weegee and lots of others like Steichen, Robert Frank and W. Eugene Smith feature.

Oops. Beaten to it by the above post.

[Toffle]

That's a little rough, 2F. Are you serious? Did you actually believe that James was intent on involving you in a criminal escapade? Stop being such a self-righteous bully! I agree that the request is out of line, but I believe that James was honestly mistaken regarding the legalities of his position. Some kind and guiding advice would go a lot farther in our dwindling film community than telling him to get lost.

[CGW]

That's a little rough, 2F. Are you serious? Did you actually believe that James was intent on involving you in a criminal escapade? Stop being such a self-righteous bully! I agree that the request is out of line, but I believe that James was honestly mistaken regarding the legalities of his position. Some kind and guiding advice would go a lot farther in our dwindling film community than telling him to get lost.

Possible infringement issues notwithstanding, this sort of post is really just a chum slick, pitched to attract the uninformed and naive. No qualms with 2F's uppercut.

"I have a somewhat busy schedule, so I'm requesting help in doing this."

I read: "The opportunity cost of my time is so high, you should be grateful for the chance to all but do the project for me." I don't think this a hobby project for the OP; had it been so, he'd have done it himself--happily.

Although he admits he's spread his chum slick of requests for help elsewhere, I don't see much honesty here, though. Sounds too much like a whiney undergrad jonesing for research/writing they can't/won't do themselves.

No one owes the OP beans on this "project." Best of luck to him.