The purpose of this program is to generate content about photography gear that is either very common or very new and exciting - basically, to help ensure that if people are searching for answers to their questions about photographic gear, that Photography Stack Exchange shows up with relevant information. We want to make it easier for people to find answers to the questions they are interested in.
I'm looking for 3-6 participants in this photography gear rental reimbursement program who want to rent equipment in the month of August. All participants for the August round have been contacted via the email address they supplied in the form. This will be the last month that the Gear Grant is offered.
The basics:
- I am looking for 3-6 users. The total number of participants will depend upon interest and the equipment people request. In the event that we have far more applicants than spots, participants new to this program will take precedence over those who have already received a grant.
- General budget per person is a maximum of $400 (USD: rental + shipping, if necessary.)
- You're responsible for adhering to the terms and conditions of the standard rental agreement of whatever retailer you choose to rent from.
- This program is open to all users who have a reputation score of 300 and above. There are no geographic limitations other than residing in a country that PayPal serves; as long as you agree to everything listed below and have access to either a physical store or an online retailer local to you, you can enter.
The details:
Each user selected will rent equipment using his or her own credit card and shipping address. All equipment rentals must be pre-approved by Stack Exchange (via the form you use to enter into this program and the email you will receive from Stack Exchange confirming your participation if you are selected).
Each user will choose a product(s) from a physical store or online retailer of his or her choice, for a period up to three weeks, budget permitting. Stack Exchange will cover the cost of the rental, any applicable taxes, and the cost of shipping between you and the retailer (if you are renting online). We will not cover any additional insurance purchased, any damage fees or late return fees. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with and abide by the terms and conditions of the company you rent from.
Every rental will require a minimum amount of activity in exchange for reimbursement of rental costs. This will vary depending on the complexity of the gear and duration of the rental; for example, renting a Nikon D3 kit for a week will require a greater amount of site participation (questions asked or blog posts written) than renting a ring flash for two days will. The minimum will be asking three questions or writing one blog post, but I reserve the right to adjust these amounts. Either way, if you are selected for participation, you'll receive an email from me telling you what your minimum site requirements will be.
Reimbursement will be done by PayPal; you must scan and email your rental receipts to me (laura@stackexchange.com), and you will be reimbursed after the return of the rental equipment and after you have completed posting your questions and/or blog articles. Please include links to your questions and/or blog posts when you send me your receipt.(You'll need to contact rfusca or jrista for access to the Photo.SE blog.)
To sign up:
Fill out this form by 5pm EDT (2100 UTC) on July 31. (And make sure your email address is accurate!)
All users who are selected to participate in this beta round will be contacted via email by Wednesday, August 1, 2012 (at the latest).
Please don't hesitate to submit your feedback at any point in the process.
