Photo Forums

[Gramps]

I am not going to name names here but I am going to get this of my chest.
I think there has to be a few here that are on other forums and I see nothing wrong with it.
As I am on a couple, but some I am no are nothing but more hassle that they are worth.

Now I am not talking about this forum as this is the one I really do call home and here I get the proper remarks to my photo's.
The one I am talking about is an Australian one. Now there are some good photographers there and some real ordinary ones also.
But what they do have there is people who will post comments and their comments are done in a way that you begin to post what they like to see.
Becoming a mini them and if you go off track a little they are right back on you.
But one in particular will tell you how wrong you are, then a few days later will post up a shot with all he has said in the shot.
So me being me bought it right up. Now there was an excuse coming out of thin air.
Trying to justify why its okay for him to post but not for others to post.
Should say here these comments are not on my shots, so these are from inside looking out.

Well today is my last day I will be posting over there as I just can't stand cry babies as they are if you don't give them good CC.
And quite a few times they have posted real bad shots.
So I am saying the most if not all Australian Photography Forums are full of cry babies.
Or the ones who are too scared to step on someones toes. But are willing only to post once others have and got away with theirs.
So it is like it or lump it I am here for good.

[Obelix]

Only photo forums I'm on is this one and Dyxum (not so much lately)
I will post on DPReview in comments on their articles, but I don't do anything in their forum section.

[SDB777]

Same can be said about a number of other places...they go out of their way to belittle a fella, increase their post count and their 'minions' start piling on too. Whatever ya do, don't try to bring up their hypocrisy! You will get a 'stern talking too' from the head minion.


I told the head minion to pound sand and delete my account in a nice way of course (not really)

I do like Dyxum though...that is where I found that sweet 12-24 DG a-mount for $195.00






Scott (I know I suck, but don't tell me) B

[Gramps]

Thanks for you comments as they are right.
I am cutting ties with all Australian ones as they only wat you there to help you turn into a mini them in the way you take your shots and how you post them up.
They run home crying for mummy when someone has the guts to tell them how wrong they are and how they think what they are doing is wrong.
Only to find the head person coming on and telling, yes me that I shouldn't say that to them. While it is okay for them to say it to me.
So yes the head minion has come on and done that now.
I done the same thing.
But as for site with Australians running them I rather go to the dentist and have a tooth removed with out any sort of medication.
I will not go back and it will be notice for all of a second but it will be.

So here I am here and here I want to stay.

[antony]

They run home crying for mummy when someone has the guts to tell them how wrong they are and how they think what they are doing is wrong.
Only to find the head person coming on and telling, yes me that I shouldn't say that to them. While it is okay for them to say it to me.

Sadly, this happens to many other forums and even Facebook groups, not just photography.

[Gramps]

I was about to say I can only talk about photography but I remember I was on one to do with our AFL.
I made comments about 2 players on my team and got called every name they could get away with because I was supposed to like all player on my team.
Which there was no way, so needless to say I never posted back on there.
So Antony you are very wise.

[Jay]

Any community can turn into this sort of thing if not kept in check Sometimes people just don't realize they are speaking like total pompous asses. I have also been guilty of this over the years, but I try my best to have learn from my mistakes. Knowbody is perfect and everybody has bad days... I have been on forums since the early 2000's and have them and the great people to thank for most of what I learned about photography in the early years.

Once I got to the point where I understood the fundamentals, I realized that a lot of the comments were no longer as helpful and that comments are highly subjective. Some people tend to hold onto the "rules" of photography with a death grip. They can then use these rules to say something is "wrong" with your photo. The fact is, rules in photography are meant for a guidline/ blueprint. It helps one discover the elements that can make up a good photo, but does not always mean it is correct or wrong. This is the key to real creative photography in my opinion. The rules do have a place and can be extremely helpful in getting to your goals, but can also hold one back big time. The rule of thirds for example which often works really well in photos, does not have to be fallowed. We all have seen great photos that "break" this rule...

I found I had to leave the average forum once I got to a certain level of skill, because of the reasons you are mentioning mostly. At that point I started to share on social media instead I suppose. About the time G+ first came out. That was awesome, because you could find people all over the world and just un follow if they were not friendly etc.. This is how I met a lot of the original forum members here. many have moved on and I totally understand that. People find other things to do with their time, or perhaps find a better match for what they are looking for in a community.

Dyxum is a great forum and I did enjoy posting there for a while, but found I ended up just sharing links mostly. That is not good forum behavior on my part, so I stopped visiting some time ago. If I had more time I would love to take photos and share them on a few forums, but for what purpose I would have to conclude? Who am I sharing the photos for? Me or others that may want to view them?

Nowadays I have such little time I prefer to occasionally share a photo here and on the social media platforms for example. I find now that I like to keep more photos for myself. They mean something to me, and not necessarily anybody else. I think this happened when I realized that taking photos of "stuff" is not really what I want to do anymore with my personal photography. When it comes to reviewing gear and showing off what it can do, I do take photos of stuff constantly and I don't see much reason to share a lot of that stuff these days.

I figured I would work on a few themes at some point and see if I could build a portfolio or two. That never really panned out due to life, but at some point I hope to pic that up again.. You know, create a "look" and then build off that for example.. You see many folks like this on the web these days and I find their work most interesting to me from a creative perspective.

I also love more than anything watching people grow as photographers and you my friend are on heck of a journey....

Helping people is by far my favorite thing to do and is the most rewarding part of all this photography stuff I work on..

My .02cents Jay

[Gramps]

Well said Jay and also thank you for all you have done to make this place as good as it is.
This is the place I know I have grown and I have a few I follow to.
The one forum which is an Australian one is full of people who only want you to be a mini them.
Which I have not found here at all.
I may not post much on the Techno stuff and that is due to the fact I don't know bugger all about that side of it.

I can say this for a fact is I have posted up the same shot here and on the Aussie site.
Here I get told it is okay but look at this or that. On the Aussie site is crop here lighten there doarken this spot.
This would look better if you remove this or that.
So for me I think I have out grown them there.
Yes there is a little bad blood with a member there who actually live close by my place.
But this is not the reason to why I will have nothing to do with that site again.

So Jay keep this place going no matter what.

[Jay]

Thanks, and i'll try my best bud

Jay