Drew's comment about destroying his collection made me cringe, but I've felt the same way on a few things myself, so if that's what happens, so it goes. I just checked up on Dale Jones' EBay auction, and came away with a couple of notions; an online auction seems to be the lesser of all evils, and possibly the best idea. To wit: A potentionally worldwide auction clientel that doesn't have to drive to the auction, pay a fee, etc. , then the idea that the winner is one with genuine interest should ensure a proper home. After all, they paid the highest, right? Yet, the possibility of not receiving due credit is very real. But when it all boils down, the winning bid representing genuine interest is quite possibly the best one could ever hope for. Think of a swap meet- that which is traded for cash has found a better lover than that which is @#$%&-canned.

After looking at the few slides Dale listed, I found that whoever does win should be quite pleased. Velvia 50 is a professional transparency film with high saturation and very low grain, and a sharp, rich image should be seen long from now. Dale's composition is thoughful to the surrounding landscape, with a clear affirmation for the location as well as the main subject. His use of various focal lengths indicates a thorough set of tools for image delivery. Given the obvious talent, it's a safe bet that even though no images 'departing from reality' or those with difficult lighting conditions were represented, the winner of this auction will probably find some nice surprises.

So far, the auction is up to $550. We all know that doesn't even come close to recapturing the actual costs of creating those images, yet it indicates that at the very least somebody's showing genuine interest. Check the end of Dale's second post for more info.