> As for my vote, I say we keep it simple for now.
I agree. Before getting too fancy, let's start out modestly, building on
this core group of about 90 people. If the project gains momentum,
it will be easy to scale up later.
> 1) Color Photostat
> 2) Standard format scan (perhaps PIC or something)
> 3) HTML
> 4) CDROM
I suggest that 600 dpi color scans be used for on-line access.
Scans could be made from color photos or slides. The original artwork
would remain on file, in case it ever needed to be re-scanned for
some other publishing format (such as photostats).
> Of course, scanning would be virtually free to the person with the scanner.
I have access to a color scanner, and am willing to scan images. I can
also duplicate and make prints from color slides.
> Submitting information: There should be a standardized format for submitting
> material, otherwise the many authors will result in an outrageously
> heterogenous result.
When the images are scanned, it is possible to adjust the magnification to
force the end product to be a standard size, say 2"x2". However, there should
be some standardization on *how* the plants are photographed. For instance,
should the backgrounds be standardized, do we want seperate views of leaves,
traps, upper/lower pitchers, juvenile forms,...
There is a good 1-2 page tutorial on plant photography that appears in the
preface to the British Horticultural Society's Handbook of Garden Plants.
This little book packs in 2048 photos of common plants. I'll see if I can
summarize their guidelines. The biggest things are good contrast, sharp
focus, and careful composition to show off the plant.
> 2) All of those people who are interested in participating will
> send color photos of their specimens next to some reference point
> along with some cultural information. The person who sent the
> photo will have their name associated with the picture and
> information.
Each photo submitter would need to fill out an accession form that
listed all the particulars about the image and the plant. This
info would be kept in an auxilliary file which would accompany
the images.
The jpeg images would be available from the CP listserv archives, and
from any other mirror sites that wished to carry them.
> I would be willing to foot some of the bill for converting the pictures
> to color stats (like they use in magazines).
After we have a useful amount of images, it would be possible to
either put them on CD-ROM or have a small handbook printed in color.
With the images already scanned in, we should be able to send a
completely formatted postscript tape to the publisher.
It is likely that the CPN newsletter editors would be willing to let
us scan their large collection of photos. This could get us a quick
start.
Some time ago, their was a CPN article on standardized photography of
_Pinguicula_. It may be possible to enlist the author and incorporate
his work into the project (with attribution, of course!).
-- Rick