What is the Postcard Exchange?
One of the exchanges conducted on APUG is the Postcard Exchange, in which, as the title suggests, the participants send each other postcards by a specified date. The postcards sent are predominantly B&W prints, but there have been alternative processes (some stunning examples), inkjets and colour machine prints - anything is welcome as long as it originated on film. Some prints get sent in envelopes if the maker thinks the print needs the extra protection but usually these would alt process prints as regular RC paper goes through the post fairly unscathed. The postcards do receive various postal marks, stamps, and barcodes, which add to the 'postcard' feeling
How does this thing work anyway?
In the past, the Exchange was organized into 'Rounds', where everyone on the list sends everyone else a postcard during the 'print and post' month. The 'Rounds' concept is still in effect, but we now allow for people to participate without having to print a postcard for every participant if they do not want to. However many cards you choose to print is the maximum number of cards that you will receive – optimally, you would get exactly that number in return, but each round there may be someone who does not send all their cards, so please be aware that you may get a few less than you send due to this drop out. For more information on not fulfilling your commitment, please see the section titled Commitments.
Sometimes, perhaps due to their small size, a postcard has gotten lost or damaged in the mail. If you think that you didn't get a card that you were supposed to get, please post a note to that effect in the thread for that Round of the Exchange so that the sender knows. In most cases in the past when this has happened, the sending has been more than happy to send another postcard. You may also contact me directly if you are unsure and I'll be happy to find out the status of your card.
Paper Choice:
Ilford make a nice black and white RC paper (in both glossy and matte) whose back is imprinted with the stamp/address template seen on the back of 'regular' gift shop postcards that is very popular in the exchange, but you can certainly make your own with whatever paper you choose. To receive special postcard postage rates, your cards may have to conform to your countries postal service requirements. In the past, people have sent postcards using both RC and Fiber based paper, as well as the Ilford Postcard Paper. Most of the fiber based postcards seem to do fairly well in transit, despite the softer paper, with the exception of the corners, which sometimes get bent.
Schedule
The Postcard Exchange Schedule is based on a 4 month cycle (3 times a year). For the current round schedule, please check the (there was a url link here which no longer exists) thread.
Examples
Feel free to print just about anything that you want, but please keep in mind that some subjects may be viewed as controversial, or even unwelcome, by some people. If in doubt about what you would like to print, please either post your concerns in the (there was a url link here which no longer exists) or send the co-coordinator a PM or email. Some examples of cards that have been sent are in the (there was a url link here which no longer exists) APUG Gallery.
How to Participate
To participate, regular members of the exchange can just singup in the signup thread by giving the number of postcards they want to send. People new to the exchange, or people with a new address will have to send a PM with name, postal mailing address including the country and the number of postcards they want to send.
What if I want to send as many cards as possible anyway
In this case just say MAX for the number of postcards.
Thanks, and do not hesitate at all to contact me (reellis67) or now (George Nova Scotia) with any questions you might have.
- Randy
One of the exchanges conducted on APUG is the Postcard Exchange, in which, as the title suggests, the participants send each other postcards by a specified date. The postcards sent are predominantly B&W prints, but there have been alternative processes (some stunning examples), inkjets and colour machine prints - anything is welcome as long as it originated on film. Some prints get sent in envelopes if the maker thinks the print needs the extra protection but usually these would alt process prints as regular RC paper goes through the post fairly unscathed. The postcards do receive various postal marks, stamps, and barcodes, which add to the 'postcard' feeling
How does this thing work anyway?
In the past, the Exchange was organized into 'Rounds', where everyone on the list sends everyone else a postcard during the 'print and post' month. The 'Rounds' concept is still in effect, but we now allow for people to participate without having to print a postcard for every participant if they do not want to. However many cards you choose to print is the maximum number of cards that you will receive – optimally, you would get exactly that number in return, but each round there may be someone who does not send all their cards, so please be aware that you may get a few less than you send due to this drop out. For more information on not fulfilling your commitment, please see the section titled Commitments.
Sometimes, perhaps due to their small size, a postcard has gotten lost or damaged in the mail. If you think that you didn't get a card that you were supposed to get, please post a note to that effect in the thread for that Round of the Exchange so that the sender knows. In most cases in the past when this has happened, the sending has been more than happy to send another postcard. You may also contact me directly if you are unsure and I'll be happy to find out the status of your card.
Paper Choice:
Ilford make a nice black and white RC paper (in both glossy and matte) whose back is imprinted with the stamp/address template seen on the back of 'regular' gift shop postcards that is very popular in the exchange, but you can certainly make your own with whatever paper you choose. To receive special postcard postage rates, your cards may have to conform to your countries postal service requirements. In the past, people have sent postcards using both RC and Fiber based paper, as well as the Ilford Postcard Paper. Most of the fiber based postcards seem to do fairly well in transit, despite the softer paper, with the exception of the corners, which sometimes get bent.
Schedule
The Postcard Exchange Schedule is based on a 4 month cycle (3 times a year). For the current round schedule, please check the (there was a url link here which no longer exists) thread.
Examples
Feel free to print just about anything that you want, but please keep in mind that some subjects may be viewed as controversial, or even unwelcome, by some people. If in doubt about what you would like to print, please either post your concerns in the (there was a url link here which no longer exists) or send the co-coordinator a PM or email. Some examples of cards that have been sent are in the (there was a url link here which no longer exists) APUG Gallery.
How to Participate
To participate, regular members of the exchange can just singup in the signup thread by giving the number of postcards they want to send. People new to the exchange, or people with a new address will have to send a PM with name, postal mailing address including the country and the number of postcards they want to send.
What if I want to send as many cards as possible anyway
In this case just say MAX for the number of postcards.
Thanks, and do not hesitate at all to contact me (reellis67) or now (George Nova Scotia) with any questions you might have.
- Randy
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