Montana FWP

Last week I received the monthly (or so) photo request/call from Montana Outdoors magazine. It is a publication of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
Here is a quote from the letter---
"Photographers: New commercial use permit required on FWP-managed lands: In 2007, Montana FWP began requiring a new commercial-use permit for outfitters, tour groups and photographers. This permit applies to all FWP-managed lands including Wildlife Management Areas, state parks, and restricted-use areas like the Smith, Blackfoot, Big Hole and Beaverhead rivers. The permit fee ($50 per year for still photography) helps to offset management and upkeep costs by visitors other than hunters and anglers who access these lands. For more information, call
or e-mail Charlie Sperry, (406) 444-3888, csperry@mt.gov"
I went to http://fwp.mt.gov/parks/permits/commercialFilm.html ...
I found the proper document and here is their definition for still photography.. This is for 1 person.. no models.. no props..
II. Definitions: The following definitions shall apply to commercial photography activities on
FWP properties:
A. Still Photography – shall include those commercial ventures that utilize hand-held or
tripod mounted still cameras using standard filming practices. For the purposes of this
definition, still photography will involve only existing scenery, land features, or existing
buildings. No models, products, or similar additions shall be added to the still
photography effort. Typical commercial still photography examples include, but are not
limited to, images intended for later sale or distribution involving post cards, calendars,
books, magazines, and finished photographs.

I thought this might be interesting to you folks. This differs from the Federal guidelines I have seen. It covers Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) properties.

Duke Beattie

Duke Beattie said:

II. Definitions: The following definitions shall apply to commercial photography activities on
FWP properties:
A. Still Photography – shall include those commercial ventures that utilize hand-held or
tripod mounted still cameras using standard filming practices. For the purposes of this
definition, still photography will involve only existing scenery, land features, or existing
buildings. No models, products, or similar additions shall be added to the still
photography effort. Typical commercial still photography examples include, but are not
limited to, images intended for later sale or distribution involving post cards, calendars,
books, magazines, and finished photographs.

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Duke,

Erosion of freedoms is steady! How easily British succumbed to be watched 24hrs a day by cameras all over London. Think of Big Brother from the 1956 film "Nineteen Eighty Four". That film appeared the year of fateful Hungarian Uprising crushed by the Soviets. Then, in freedom loving U.K., the idea of totalitarian intrusion by cameras was unthinkable and abhorrent.

I underlined "intended for later sale or distribution" which preceeds "involving post cards, calendars, books, magazines, and finished photographs"

Maybe one could simply claim that one had no intent at the time than do anything but record beauty. Fishing licenses are understandable in that the rivers need to be restocked. Trees, however, do not.

We could have metropolitan areas requiring licence fees since they have to spend money on street cleaning and law enforcement!

We pay taxes and then we get charged twice. Worse, once the idea of paying is accepted then we are half we there to saying photography is totally allowed with a licence but then they charge $5,000 for that!

Asher

This sort of thing goes on and on. I hope it doesn't spread my way.

They didn't mentoin digital, only film.

As I read this, it is very reasonable. The fee is relatively low - they do not charge for every visit but ask a small fee for a whole year, making clear that it is to maintain the landscape treasured. Considering that commercial photographers make money from publicly funded objects [that is, costs are partially subsidised by tax payers] I find that fair. They do not prohibit commercial use of photos taken in Montana's FWP managed areas.

Even better, for us landscapers, is the limitations on advertising/fashion photography. I am sure they will occasionally allow this kind [for a special fee] but ban it most of the time. This will save the landscape - materially as well as conceptually -, and help sell pristine shots to agencies, who need them for ads composites.

I am usually very sensitive when it comes to the erosion of Freedom but I do not see it here. I only see a sensible, low-level shift of cost from tax payer to user [yes, I am aware that commercial photographers are tax payers, too, but they get more out of the parks than normal visitors; and they may not even be Montanans, thus paying taxes someplace else].

Inner and outer circles

PLEASE READ BEFORE ENTERING THE PARK

Concerning the degrading air quality in cities and the still clean and fresh air in national parks.

The WWAOOC, World Wide Association Of Outer Circles, Rules of Fairness and Common Sense, that were recently adopted by Resolution # 4711 of the United Nation and the World Heritage Fund do apply to this park.

If you are not sure to what circle you belong, please consult a park officer at the entry gates.

If someone was born in London and the closer surrounding areas which still are affected by air pollution, make that any such city in deed, he would live in an inner circle.

If someone was born in Horsham/Sussex for example, he was born in the outer circle where air quality is less degraded, hence has a birth right to breath fresh air.

In accordance to #4711, People from the inner circles have not, besides they are really not used to fresh air, and some studies, taken out on behalf of the governing bodies of the worldwide association of outer circles, suggest an increase of anti social behaviour after the consumption of fresh air by people from inner circles.

We frequently see bus loads of them arriving in the outercircles, full of Ohhh and Awwww, admiring the beauty, solitude and peace of the outercircles, often infringing copyrights by taking lots of photographs, however, most of all, they are constantly inhaling and exhaling the air which was a birth right to those born in the outer circles, but not to them.

To apply common sense and fairness, a reasonable fee shall be taken for the maintainance of the gras, the trees and other air producing plants!

For that purpose a special I/O device that measures the intake of fresh air of each single visitor shall be handed out mandantory to every visitor. The measurements of the I/O will be read out by a park officer at the end of their visit and payments based on the read out applied.

Visitors found without the I/O lurking in the outer circles are to be fined no less than € 5.000 and/or a maximum sentence of up to 36 months social services. (excluding outercircles)

Further, pace makers that might increase the intake have to be handed to the officer at the park entry. Devices for collecting fresh air in a compressed form, such as those recently hitting the black market and that were camouflaged devices for asthma sufferers, are strictly forbidden in the park and their usage will cause the fine described above to be applied.

In addition, a life lasting ban to visit the outercircles for the offender/offenders and all of their decendants of the following seven generations will be enforced. They will be marked genetically, and as a result the intake of fresh air will cause their facial skin to color in a fluorescent green on purpose to quickly identify the offender and apply the outlined charges.

Walk quiet and do not run at any time!

Please follow the instructions of park officers at all time. Enjoy your stay and do visit us again! -THE PARK AUTHORITIES, April 2010 -

At the conception of all humans and their livestock, 20 trees be planted.

Georg Baumann said:

Please follow the instructions of park officers at all time. Enjoy your stay and do visit us again! -THE PARK AUTHORITIES, April 2010

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So that'd be 'THE PARK AUTHORITIES' as well as Bankers, Insurers, Accountants and no doubt a few others that you hate..... LOL, I would like to add workmen who either don't arrive at all, or turn up late!!!

Hey , I am not an old Grump.

Well... may be...? LOL

Georg Baumann said:

Hey , I am not an old Grump.

Well... may be...? LOL

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Not old anyway!!! LOL