Commons:Fotoprojekt IAA 2017 (supported by Wikimedia Deutschland)

The Photo project IAA 2017 aimed to create high-quality photographs of motor vehicles during the International Motor Show Germany 2017 in Frankfurt am Main and make them available on Wikimedia Commons. The focus was on new models for which no images were yet available under a free license. For this purpose, three volunteers traveled to Frankfurt, equipped with press accreditation by the organizer. The volunteers were equipped with semi-professional cameras and lenses from the Technikpool of Wikimedia Deutschland, supplemented by rental equipment from commercial providers and private material.

On the day before the trade fair, the press conference of the organizer VDA was attended. On the first press day, the press conferences of the major German manufacturers and many smaller manufacturers were attended and pictures of the new launches were taken. On the second press day, numerous exhibition stands were visited and photos of the exhibits were taken.

Results

Unveiling of a new model during a press conference

As part of the photo project, a total of over 800 photos of various car models and relevant people were created and uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, of which around 5% have so far been classified as Quality Images or Valued Image. An increase in this number is still to be expected.

The German-language Wikipedia has benefited disproportionately, but other language versions are also already using many of the images created. Overall, around one in three images created by the project is already being used in Wikimedia projects.

For comparison, approximately 270 images have been uploaded by other users to date, which does not provide a broad representation of the exhibit pieces.

Achievements

Most of the pre-formulated targets for the project were exceeded. The costs remained within the approved framework. The organization went well overall, as it was agreed in advance what would be photographed and what schedule would be adhered to. At some press conferences, the monopod was used for image stabilization, which was very helpful. Otherwise it wasn't really needed.

Things didn't go so well

The planned schedule was sometimes too tight between the individual press conferences. The crowds were very large for the big manufacturers and you had to get an overview of the various stands first. The five-minute changeover time was almost always too short to reach the other stand in time and get a good seat. In the end, it was too crowded and you couldn't get a good view of the new models. In addition, many places were reserved and an invitation was needed. From there you usually had a clear view of the different car models being presented.

Lessons learned

speech of a board member during a press conference

Studies like this often disappear into the archives after the show

• Large manufacturers hold an event the evening before, but exhibitors also require separate accreditation. This should be taken into account when planning and, if necessary, contact the exhibitors in good time.
• Trade fairs are often the only opportunity to obtain good pictures of studies. This applies in particular to foreign manufacturers.
• At the press conferences of the major manufacturers, you should arrive at least 30 minutes (preferably 45 minutes) before the start to get a place near the stage.
• The exhibition grounds can also be entered around 15 minutes before the official opening time and press tickets are also accepted after the official closing time.
• There are excellent opportunities to photograph exhibits on the edge of the day, which are populated by crowds of people during the day.
• Wide-angle lenses are largely useless when photographing vehicles (distortion) and are therefore just a burden.
• Comfortable shoes are extremely important, as you have to walk about 10 km on a normal day at the fair. In addition, there may be longer periods of standing before the press conferences.
• The picture wish lists should be supplemented with people from the industry before the trade fair. There are good opportunities to take photos of the manufacturers' board members, especially during the press conferences.
• Going on stage after the press conference is pointless, because it gets so crowded within seconds that you can't get any decent pictures. However, it is usually worth coming back a few hours later, as the new models are usually still on the stage and are usually easily accessible.
• It is advisable to plan a few short breaks into the daily schedule. Snacks and drinks are available at many stands during the press days.

Cost assessment

Overall, the originally planned costs for the project were slightly exceeded. However, this overrun was within the approved budget. In detail:

• The actual travel costs were lower than the project plan. This was due to the fact that the participants had a relatively short and therefore cheaper train journey than planned. However, as this is difficult to plan, a similar travel budget should be planned in the future as this time.
• The actual accommodation and catering costs were slightly higher than the project plan. On the one hand, this can be explained by the significantly higher prices for hotel rooms during the trade fair. On the other hand, the project duration was extended at short notice due to new findings (events on the day before the trade fair). However, the additional costs were partially offset by private accommodation and savings on travel expenses. For the future, higher rates for overnight stays should be planned in the project budget.
• The project plan did not include any costs for external equipment hire because it was assumed that all the necessary technical equipment could be used from the equipment pool. In future, a budget for external rental should also be included when planning internal rental.
• The costs for trade visitor tickets provided for in the project plan were not incurred. The organizer accredited all participants as press representatives without any problems. These costs no longer need to be budgeted for future IAA projects.

The exact total costs of the project are not yet known. Based on the current estimate, the production costs per image used are around €6. This notional price could fall to less than €5 per image if more images are used.

Summary and recommendations

Overall, the project was a great success and should be repeated for the next IAA motor show at the latest. As the world's leading trade fair for the industry, the IAA is very suitable for creating images of motor vehicles in a breadth, depth and quality that would otherwise only be possible within years. The organization of the project has proven to be effective overall. When planning future projects, the structure of this project can be built upon; the implications of the cost assessment must be taken into account (accommodation and technical costs) and not only the quantitative but also the quality objectives should be defined more specifically. Internal and, if necessary, external technology loans should be planned better and earlier (approx. 6 weeks before the trade fair) and WMDE should be informed in good time in the event of any unscheduled events. In addition, the implementation of similar projects at comparable trade fairs (e. g. IAA Commercial Vehicles, Geneva Motor Show, Mondial de l'Automobile) should also be considered.

--MB-one (talk) 14:26, 2 Oct 2017 (CEST)
--Alexander-93 (talk) 15:02, 2 Oct 2017 (CEST)
-SDKmac (talk, Rating) 15:28, 2 Oct 2017 (CEST)