Everything you need to make your application for a Trek Pack loan stand out. Tip 0: Submit something.
Writing an application to our Trek Pack Camera Loan Program is relatively simple. Tell us a bit about yourself and your proposed tour and we’ll review it and come back with a response within 1 week.
We judge each application on 5 criteria.
Not every application is successful. This can be for a number of reasons. We’ll always let you know why it was rejected, and encourage you to reapply or help you purchase your own kit, whichever is more appropriate.
Here are some insights into how we judge loan applications against our 5 criteria so that you can make yours stand out.
1. Purpose
A simple one to start with, but one that is often overlooked…
Have a plan.
Lots of people submit request along the lines of; “I like to go hiking and it want to take 360-degree photos.”
What locations do you want to capture? And why? Have you researched how long it will take?
The more detail the better.
2. Location
We are primarily looking for tours of the natural world. Rivers, parks, forests, hills, etc.
Don’t be discouraged if your tour is not of a breathtaking mountain pass or white water canyon. Exploring trails in your local woods can be just as interesting to your local community as it is to the rest of the world.
We occasionally make “call for trekkers”. We’re currently looking for tours on or of areas of water (rivers, lakes, oceans, etc.). You don’t have to submit an application based on our current “call for trekkers”, we still grant loan requests for tours of other areas, but we do give a slight preference to those that fall within our current theme.
3. Environment
As an organisation, we’re very concious of the environment.
We continue to amend the Trek View Environment Charter to ensure transparency and accountability in relation to our works environmental impact.
There are two key environmental factors we assess loan applications on;
- Proximity to a location you want to capture, and
- The methods of transportation you will use.
Applicants that have considered their own environmental impact will have an advantage.
4. Sensitivity
In some cases, we might reject camera loan applicants based on the environmental or cultural sensitivity of a location.
Before capturing imagery, we check with organisations that own or manage the land of the proposed location.
Occasionally these organisations do not want imagery to be used online, often where public awareness might have a negative effect on the local area or community. For example, protected sites of scientific interest.
If possible, check with the organisation in charge of the locations you want to shoot before submitting a loan application. Including any of their feedback in your application is a massive plus point.
5. Impact
Perhaps your project will increase sustainable tourism or help to promote local conservation efforts.
It doesn’t need to change the world, but it does need to have a positive impact.
Think about the wording of your application. Assume the person assessing it has no idea what impact your imagery will have.
“100’s of people walk this trail every week”, is OK. “100’s of people walk this trail every week but because of poor signposting many get lost and stray into protected nature reserves.”, is much better.
And finally…
Just submit.
If you don’t think we’ll approve your tour, we’d still like to hear about it.
Your project might be exactly what we’ve been looking for.
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