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A macro lens to record the biodiversity in Kerala

Help me create more high quality, freely licensed, photographs of beautiful insects in Kerala, India

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A macro lens to record the biodiversity in Kerala

A macro lens to record the biodiversity in Kerala

A macro lens to record the biodiversity in Kerala

A macro lens to record the biodiversity in Kerala

A macro lens to record the biodiversity in Kerala

Help me create more high quality, freely licensed, photographs of beautiful insects in Kerala, India

Help me create more high quality, freely licensed, photographs of beautiful insects in Kerala, India

Help me create more high quality, freely licensed, photographs of beautiful insects in Kerala, India

Help me create more high quality, freely licensed, photographs of beautiful insects in Kerala, India

Jeevan Jose
Jeevan Jose
Jeevan Jose
Jeevan Jose
1 Campaign |
Kochi, India
$3,150 USD 42 backers
420% of $750 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

Update:

We started this campaign with a second-hand DSLR camera, and asked for one new macro lens --  the bare essential equipment to take better small-wildlife photographs. Our modest goal was achieved in one day. Wow! So we hoped for more funds for extra vital photographic gear such as a camera bag, tripod and flash. That goal was achieved in two days! We are stunned and amazed by the generosity and support. And more is possible. A further increase in funds will afford the purchase of a telephoto zoom lens to photograph more distant wildlife than the macro lens allows. Yet more donations would allow Jee to upgrade his DSLR to a modern advanced model with improved resolution and capabilities, or to upgrade his "digital darkroom" with a better laptop and software. And even if we are already happy with the result, it would be unexpected and a unique opportunity for Jee to acquire this kind material out of his reach.

So we are presenting a stretch goal.

  • What Jee alredy have: Sony α33 and Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8, second-hand received as gift, Raynox DCR-250 close-up lens

  • Initial goal: Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Di VC USD MACRO 1:1, quality macro lens, USD750, Accomplished on day 1!

  • Stage 2: Flash: Metz Mecablitz 15 MS 1, macro flash Goal: USD 1200 (USD 750+USD 450), Accomplished on day 2!

  • Stage 3: Computer: Desktop or laptop as convenient, Goal: USD 2200 (USD 1200+ USD 1000), Accomplished on day 7!

  • Stage 4: 

  1. Lowepro Flipside 400 AW camera bag with rain cover, Goal: USD 2350 (USD 2200 + USD 150), Accomplished on day 8!
  2. Sony DT 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6 zoom lens for wild life photography. Goal: USD 2650 (USD 2350 + USD 300), Accomplished on the beginning of the last week!
  3. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5 photo editing software. Goal: USD 2800 (USD 2650 + USD 150), Accomplished on the last hour!
  • Funds raised above stage 4 will be used to purchase a better computer and display for processing images. But if sufficient extra funds are raised then....
  • Stage 5: New camera: Sony A77ii Goal: USD 3900 (USD 2800 + USD 1100), Still $750 to go! We are more than half way!

The objective of this crowd-funding campaign is to raise funds to purchase new and improved camera equipment for Jee. This will help unleash his potential as a nature photographer, making wonderful photographs available under a free license in high-resolution for everyone to use.

Jee is a highly skilled photographer of butterflies, other kinds of insects and plants living in the area surrounding Kadavoor in Kerala. Kerala is a tropical biodiversity hotspot in south-west India, and is home to over 8,000 animal species and 14,000 plant species. This includes 320 butterflies, 120 dragonflies and damselflies, and 400 spiders.

Using only a compact camera, Jee has contributed over 1000 images to Wikimedia Commons, which is a repository of freely licensed images that is mainly used by Wikipedia. His images have been selected to illustrate over 500 Wikipedia articles including nearly 300 in the English Wikipedia and over 70 in the Malayalam Wikipedia (which is Jee's native language). His skill at photography is such that, even though his photographic equipment has been basic, 39 of his photos have been chosen as "featured pictures" on Commons. This is an award given only to the finest images.

However a compact camera does restrict the kind of images Jee can take and significantly limits the fine detail in the photographs -- a problem that is more apparent with increasingly high-resolution tablets and displays, and which restricts the size to which photographs can be printed.

Recently, Jee received a second-hand Sony A33 DSLR camera with Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 standard zoom lens as a gift from a fellow Wikimedian. This is a great base for improved photographic quality. However, to best photograph the amazing small wildlife in his region, a macro lens is an essential component of his photographic kit. The Tamron 90mm Macro is a highly regarded lens designed for this DSLR.

We have deliberately set a modest initial campaign target but there are many extra items that can be purchased now that target is exceeded. The precise details will depend on what is available in India and Jee's own priorities.

Help release Jee's unused potential so he can deliver many more high quality images to illustrate Wikipedia and for anyone to use freely.

Jee's existing photographs: Plants; Lepidoptera; Odonata; Arthropoda.

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