International Leica User Forum's talents benefit AICR
A St Andrews charity has been the focus of global fund-raising by owners of the iconic Leica camera.
Dr Eric So of AICR is presented with a cheque and a copy of the book. Below: Great Egret by Douglas Herr and Piano Player by Coos Hamburger.
- By Gordon Berry
- Published in the Courier : 21.08.10
- Published online : 21.08.10 @ 09.07am
The International Leica User Forum — the world's largest community dedicated to the cameras — put their talents to the test to create a coffee table book in aid of the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR).
They were offered the chance to submit up to three images for a book in aid of AICR.
There was a mandatory £10 donation per image, which went directly to the charity.
The Leica User Forum Charity Book 2010 showcases 143 photographs by 101 photographers.
The subjects — people, landscape, architecture, etc — vary, but the common thread is the appreciation of Leica cameras and lenses.
To date, more than £7000 has been raised for AICR.
Leica itself backed the forum's efforts — its Twitter campaign, Leica For AICR, generated a further £2482 for the charity, which annually awards around £9 million to cancer research.
AICR chief executive Norman Barrett, who wrote the foreword for the book, said, "AICR currently has 234 projects on the go in 23 different countries and the current round of applications will see 125 hopefuls compete for funding at the end of September.
"Thanks to campaigns like this and our other fund-raising avenues, we should be able to fund around 25 new projects at the September meeting, so thank you again for all the hard work and commitment to our cause."
Forum member Bill Palmer, who came up with the idea, said, "It's great to know that the money we have raised has gone to such a good cause and will help to make a difference."
The Leica volume is available to buy from Blurb.
A special copy of the glossy book, signed by the heads of AICR and Leica, will be auctioned.
You can also read more about the background of the fund-raising effort in an interview with Mr Palmer on the Blurb blog.
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