Commons:Commons Photographers User Group/Annual Report for 2023
The year 2023 saw a good level of activities for the Commons Photographers. Members organized online and in-person events, gave presentations about photography-related topics, organized photo walks, and participated in Wikimania in Singapore. In order to increase awareness about Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons in Nepal, we formed a partnership with the Maithili Wikimedians. Our group also grew substantially in size, with 197 members being registered at the end of the year.
Most memorable shot 2022[edit]
As ususal, the new year started with Commons photographers sharing their most memorable shots of the past year. In its fifth iteration, the online event offers photographers an opportunity to share their thoughts about an image that has made the greatest impression on them. This is the place where the technical quality doesn't matter – instead, its value lies in the many memorable and sometimes very personal stories our photographers share with the world.
Virtual meetings and other presentations[edit]
In 2023, the group organized a virtual meeting in early August. Our long-time member Poco a poco talked about how he was able to improve his underwater photography. Since discovering this exciting hobby, Poco a poco has shared an incredible amount of freely licensed underwater pictures through Wikimedia Commons, many of which have reached Featured Picture status. We also heard from George Oates, founder of the Flickr Foundation, about the new Flickr-to-Commons bridge. Through beta-testing and feedback, members of our user group actively supported the development of this new tool.
Members of our user group also gave a couple of presentations throughout the year. Board member Shreya Bopal represented our user group in a panel discussion on Wikimedia Vibrance during the WikiConference India 2023 on April 29 in Hyderabad, India. She also provided newcomers to Wikimedia Commons with an overview for newbies on August 16, as a satellite event of this year's Wikimania in Singapore. Also in August, members of our group presented at the Bikol WikiConference 2023 in Naga City, Philippines. During this year's Wikimania in Singapore, board vice chair Suyash Dwivedi gave a presentation about the Commons Photographers user group. In December, at the WikiCommons Conference in the Philippines, our member Maffeth O. Sto. Tomas taught attendees of the workshop Contributing Images and Media Files on Wikimedia Commons how to upload photos and other media.
Local events in different countries[edit]
In April and May, board secretary Frank Schulenburg organized a number of presentations and workshops as part of his museum exhibition Northern California on Wikipedia. In August, board treasurer Irvin Sto. Tomas organized a couple of presentations as part of the Bikol WikiConference 2023. Suyash Dwivedi organized a photowalk during Wikimania 2023, which some people thought was among their personal highlights of the conference. At the end of September, board chair Ailura organized a photowalk in Linz, Austria, as part of the German Wikipedia's annual WikiConference. In mid December, the WikiCommons Philippines Conference brought participants from different Wiki Loves photography contests, photography enthusiasts and heritage advocates to Naga City to strengthen collaboration and better understand the issues faced by content creators, and to look for solutions.
Partnership with Maithili Wikimedians[edit]
In October, representatives of our group met with Maithili Wikimedians in Rajbiraj, Nepal, for several days. Members of both groups decided to form a partnership in order to increase awareness about Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons. As part of the meeting, they also organized a photowalk event that provided an opportunity for both parties to learn about different skills and ways to contribute images to Wikimedia Commons. Members of the Maithili Wikimedians and the Commons Photographers also discussed ways to promote the use of free photography in Nepal, such as by working with local media outlets and educational institutions. The groups believes that free photography has the potential to play an important role in promoting education, understanding, and cultural exchange in Nepal.
Partnership with Wiki Loves Folklore[edit]
Wiki Loves Folklore (WLF) is an international photographic contest where photographers can contribute media (photographs, video, and audio) about their local folk culture to Wikimedia Commons under free licenses to be used on Wikipedia and any other places with attribution. At Wikimania Singapore 2023, there were fruitful discussions between members of the Wiki Loves Folklore (WLF), represented by Tiven, and the Commons Photographers User Group (CPUG), represented by Suyash, regarding a potential collaboration and partnership between our respective teams. CPUG has expressed its commitment to providing support by organizing workshops and training sessions for WLF participants, along with extending assistance for various technical requirements.
Board and governance[edit]
In 2023, board members met four times via Zoom:
- Board meeting April 15, 2023
- Board meeting July 8, 2023
- Board meeting September 9, 2023
- Board meeting November 4, 2023
In September, the board agreed upon a list of roles and responsibilities for the different board positions. The new list creates a better and more concise list of what different board members will be responsible for in the future.
In December, the user group held its second board election.
Membership development[edit]
In 2023, our user group grew further. Between January and end of December, 36 new members joined our group. At the end of the year, we counted 197 members.