Hello, everyone.

Brief introduction: My family has been involved in the Relay for many years.  Last I heard, they've raised 300+% of their goal for this year.  I've got some great plans on how to boost that number way above that for next year, as well :)

I've spent some time working as a freelance photojournalist.  I'm interested in covering tonight's Relay (in Pullman, WA) as a photojournalist.

I'm curious if the ACS and the Relay has any positions on photojournalists covering their events.  As it is a public event, and newsworthy, it is well within my right to cover it as a news event...  But I don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable, or as if I'm exploiting them.  I understand that, in many ways, there are moments of private grief will be widespread.  I don't want to take those private moments and share them with the world unless those in the pictures I take agree to it.  Because of that, I wouldn't be seeking a profit for my work, I would share it to the world freely.

Because of all of this, unless there is a strong disagreement with the fact, I will be attending, not just to honor my grandfather who has passed in the past year (if you've seen the program for the Pullman, WA Relay program, there's a special mention of him in the schedule), but to also capture the raw emotion found at that event.

I have contact information at the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, the Lewiston Tribune, KREM 2 news, and several other outlets.  If they're not interested, I know of many weblogs that will post pictures, in a positive light.  In any case, this could be a great chance to spread the word a bit further.

What I was considering was licensing all photos under a "Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License".  In essence, this would allow the ACS to use any images I shot for free, and would allow anyone else to use them for free (newspapers, blogs, etc.).  The only thing I'd really ask for is that my name was mentioned as the photographer.  I have contacts within several local media outlets, and while I can't promise that they'd run any pictures, I would do my absolute best to get your stories told.

I'm very respectful, and will limit flash photography to times when it is appropriate (for example, I feel distractions from flash during the luminary would be innapropriate - it may make for the best pictures possible, but respect comes before getting a good picture).

In any case, I will be present to photograph my family.  We've recently lost someone very close to us (Raymond Stephens, whom many of you may know, and who, according to the schedule, has a special rememberence planned)...  If you'd like me to limit myself to shooting that, that's fine...

Thank you very much for you time and understanding.  I know it is very late to be asking these kinds of questions, so I would appreciate a timely response.  If I don't hear much from anyone here, I'll just bring my camera, a few lenses, and play it by ear.  If you see me there, and think I may have taken a picture of you that you're not comfortable with, please approach me and let me know.  You have my word, I will understand, and will do my best to maintain your privacy.

Thank you again, and God bless,

-Ryan Witt