Los Angeles / Discuss

ptaillon    says:

If you're interested in following up with the member who sent this email to me, Flickrmail me for their contact info.

Thanks!
Originally posted 46 months ago. (permalink)
ptaillon edited this topic 46 months ago.

blackstock    says:

Sorry to hear that this is potentially bogus. I know a lot of people were excited about it. I hope everybody gets their work and their money back.
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

airencracken says:

If anyone would like more information please Flickrmail me. I have a few things in motion. If you were contacted by him I know some people that would be interested in hearing from you.
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

blackstock    says:

Has anyone reported this suspicious activity to the folks at flickr? I imagine they would be very interested to know what is going on. I looked at the "Report something suspicious in a group" and it tells you that is the responsibility of the group admins/moderators.
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Orbitgal    says:

Yes. Also the police and Internet Crime Department.
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

mizz maze    says:

Does everyone who submitted know about this? I don't see anything in the group discussions about this. Seems like the info should be posted there....?

www.flickr.com/groups/untitledgallery/
Originally posted 46 months ago. (permalink)
mizz maze edited this topic 46 months ago.

jakerome    says:

It is possible that posts are being deleted. If you believed the admin over there has violated Flickr community guidelines, you should collect the evidence and send it to Flickr help by email.
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Orbitgal    says:

I sent everyone on the member list of that group this info. Only three contacted me back. I just assumed the others were not phased by it...

also a post I put up over there was deleted...
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Oℓivia    says:

: I am in the group and did not receive a message from you, but, I am glad I stumbled upon this thread. I'd have no idea otherwise.
Thanks for all the info. Something did seem a bit shady about all of it.
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Orbitgal    says:

have you been a member long? I didn't see you listed as a member when I sent the notices out last week...but I am glad you have the info you need now to make an informed decision.
Originally posted 46 months ago. (permalink)
Orbitgal edited this topic 46 months ago.

jakerome    says:

I sent you a Flickr Mail, but it must have got stuck in your backlog.
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

jakerome    says:

This is the email I got that made me rethink my entry in the show,

Hi,

It appears that we have yet to receive your entry fee. As you know,
the Untitled Gallery is entirely driven by the community, volunteers,
donations, corporate sponsorship; BUT, primarily by the community.

Please send us the entry fee via Western Union online
www.westernunion.com/ by July 30th, 2008.

The recipient details are:

Eduard Gaa
612 S. Dunsmuir Ave
Los Angeles, CA. 90036
323-210-6040 ext. 1391223

(If needed)
SECURITY QUESTION: What is your city?
ANSWER: "Los Angeles"



** Once you have sent the entry fee via Western Union online (
www.westernunion.com/ ). We will need you to email us the
"MTCN" (confirmation number).

jakerome    says:

And this, the "prebuttal,"

Hello Folks,

A contributor had brought to my attention that its confusing when they
read "security question". It appears that I misspoke when I said
"security question" on the email I sent to some of you. What I meant
to say was "test question". (It may ask you for that)

* Western Union versus other forms of payment *

-- Well, this has been debated. The issue I had with checks was I had
received a total of 12 bounced checks from participants. *It really
sucked for me. *And Im not a big fan of paypal. So - I want to make
things as easy for everyone as possible.

Thanks guys!

Orbitgal    says:

Well, thanks for letting us know, jakerome...

I think we all should give head's-up to each other from now on...I mean, there were a lot of things I SHOULD HAVE done...and the main thing is that I should have voiced my suspicions earlier on...but NOOOO, I didn't want to sound like the "crazy one."

If someone else had said something in the group discussions instead of just dropping out...I dunno...maybe I would have gone with my gut instinct sooner? I dunno...all I know now is that I did my part to alert everyone as best I could as soon as I could.

Hope it was enough.
Originally posted 46 months ago. (permalink)
Orbitgal edited this topic 46 months ago.

Muzzlehatch    says:

Oy. Western Union is a gigantic red flag. Ginormous. Nothing good EVER comes of being asked to submit funds that way.

*sigh*
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Orbitgal    says:

thanks for repeating the obvious...and rubbing salt into our wounds...
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

fotonomous    says:

@orbitgal: you must have missed some members of the group in your email because i am a member and never got anything from you. there is more than one page of members if you revisit the page. so you probably missed people that may respond back to you with more info.

i dropped out of the show after i found out there was a $100 per image fee. i originally enrolled thinking this was just a single night, not for profit group thing just to show off work from the Los Angeles Group. when it turned into a full fledged gallery thing with fees, i wasn't interested. i've been part of a few gallery shows - two that entailed no fees whatsoever and one that just involved the group of 13 artists showing their work to pool together their money for advertising cards and food/drinks for the show. the other money i had to put out of pocket was to get my work framed (i did the printing myself). any work sold, the gallery (a legitimate gallery with a long history) took 30% - which is actually a low percentage - the big galleries i believe take 50%.

my initial reaction to the $100 per image fee was that if this guy gets the 75 photographers he envisioned to participate - at the very least he's making $7500 - so it never really felt very much about community for me, rather just a way for him to make a quick buck.

in the case of the untitled gallery, i thought long and hard before emailing "edward" to say i was not going to participate because i'd rather spend the money towards other photography related needs. i thought he may think i'm a jerk for pulling out but i didn't sign up expecting those kinds of fees so why should i stay in just so someone doesn't think i'm a jerk.

i feel bad for anyone that was taken in by this guy, but if you ever have a bad feeling or think that something is off, go with your gut. and furthermore, you should not have to pay a gallery to show your work.

i hope that eventually the los angeles group does have a group show - a casual, no fee event, where people can just show off their work in a real "supportive" environment. i don't think this untitled gallery guy is going to get away with what he's done...the police will catch up with him, and possibly one day, his conscience will as well.
Originally posted 46 months ago. (permalink)
fotonomous edited this topic 46 months ago.

Orbitgal    says:

Lydia, I was thinking we could do an LA Group show like in the park or at one member's home or something where we just bring friends and family...the park would be neat...we could bring easels and set them up and display our stuff that way. Maybe in a rec room at a local park...something simple...


and something good is coming out of this (read the post I just posted about the real deal/real show that may happen...
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Muzzlehatch    says:

Sorry. I haven't been following your little drama. My bad.
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

fotonomous    says:

Kim, I would love to be part of something like that - that's what i thought the original event was going to be like. and that's great that the real untitled gallery guy is doing something positive for you guys! :-)
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Orbitgal    says:

no worries, Muzzlehatch! You and your snarky comments...;P


I'm excited. So let's plan on maybe doing something in the park sometime...anyone else interested in doing something like this?
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Oℓivia    says:

I DID receive your email, but only what I think is the second email from Orbitgal (last night!)

& I would love to be a part of something (legitimate) in the future -- so keep me posted :)
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

mSWEETtooth says:

same here!
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)

Orbitgal    says:

Good, I am glad you got it. I hope you decide to show your work too. Please contact Matt ASAP!


I think you are signed on to show your work too? Sounds good!
Posted 46 months ago. (permalink)