I've noticed an imbalance on RFF

[Todd.Hanz]

it is what it is...like it or love it!

Todd

 

[clarence]

I didn't mean to start this mess.

It's alright. You weren't the main cause of it.

From the similar discussions that have been surfacing over the past few weeks, it seems that the themes RFF members are interested in are:

- art
- gear
- constructive / destructive internet forum navel gazing

Some of us are probably a bit of one and another, and we could draw a cute Venn diagram to show how our different interests intersect. For now, the center seems to hold, and I hope it continues to do so, in spite of the tension.

Clarence

 

[bmattock]

Gettin' close to that big group hug and obligatory "Kumbaya." Time for me to toddle off to bed. Good night, my little droogies.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[back alley]

tension?

what tension?

 

[JimG]

i wish i was smart.

Me to Joe.

 

[Jason Sprenger]

Technically, a rangefinder is to a charcoal drawing what a .30-'06 Springfield Rifle is to a bow and arrow. And maybe it's the technicality that gets in the way.

At 100 yards, the archer has little hope of hitting a target without reading the wind. The rifleman doesn't necessarily have to at that range. If both hit their target, who does it better?

Maybe this thread represents a yearning to "read the wind".

Could it be that these topics are wanted but not being posed?

"The upper right corner. When does the rule of 3rd's work?"
"Rembrant Lighting from a window?"
"Portrait subjects not looking at the camera. What works?"
"Still life on the fly or one more boring snap of junk?"
"What to say when unattractive and ill-kempt people want you to take nice pictures of them?"

 

[reagan]

i wish i was smart.

This from the man who gave us... “i quite often think ' do they know i'm sitting here naked, eating a banana?'”

 

[NIKON KIU]

What kinda subjict do we subscribe to?
RANGEFINDER FORUM!!!
A hell of a field to me!! As wide as it gets....Jorge, explain??? Joe!!!!???
Kiu

 

[back alley]

This from the man who gave us... “i quite often think ' do they know i'm sitting here naked, eating a banana?'”

do you have that posted on your refrigerator?
never to be forgotten?

😉

 

[JimG]

do you have that posted on your refrigerator?
never to be forgotten?

😉

Its not the words i can't forget joe, its that image, forever seared into my mind.;-)

 

[RML]

On Picasso, he started out as any art student in Spain at that time: copying the classics. He was only 14 IIRC when he won his first award (or at least certificate. It was some time ago when I read his bio) for a classical painting of his own hand. Picasso knew exactly what he was doing and had an incredible base to work from. And all along his career he frquently harked back to the classics, picking it up, turning it around, working it over and using it in entirely new ways. No wonder his paintings are next to other classics in the Prado.

 

[RML]

For me this forum is mostly about chat. The gear talk teaches me things I didn't know before. The ideas floating around give me new ideas.

But for a constructive critique I feel I need to go elsewhere mostly. Odd thing, I haven't found that place yet. Photo clubs leave a bad taste in my mouth; they are often as gear oriented as RFF and can be as antagonistic as P.nut. Melanie's experience isn't unique in this respect.

What I need is an art or photo editor who can judge my photos for what they're worth commercially, and an artist to judge them for what they're worth artistically. My friends and many here on RFF have given me comments and compliments, which is a great boost, for my ego and for keep doing what I'm doing. But the most valuable comments and compliments come from people who do that work professionally. The value of the comments and compliments is often directly related to who is giving them. My wife can tell me the dinner I cooked was great but when I professional cook tells me so, that has added weight. 🙂

 

[stet]

Nowadays, I'm a lurker, but my visits are mixed with love of gear and want of seeing things produced by them. Any other forums I've been on to look at photos or seek critques seem have a lot of people who encourage me to go strictly dSLR, and galleries and postings reflect the same. Not that I enjoy those photos less, but I admit having a corny identification with photos that are produced with a rangefinder.

What I need is an art or photo editor who can judge my photos for what they're worth commercially, and an artist to judge them for what they're worth artistically. [...] the most valuable comments and compliments come from people who do that work professionally. The value of the comments and compliments is often directly related to who is giving them. My wife can tell me the dinner I cooked was great but when I professional cook tells me so, that has added weight. 🙂

I don't want to stry too far OT, but one of the benefits of the National Press Photographers Association is access to professionals who've volunteered themselves to be available as mentors. My girlfriend has had a couple of great mentors who've helped her with video critiques before. Now that she's switching to still, she's started working with a newspaper photo editor. I'm considering signing up just for that; I figure it's cheaper than going to a workshop, and lasts a hell of a lot longer.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I hear you and feel similarly. I tried to find another forum to hang out at, but the 2 that I tried (Nelsonfoto and CameraCollector) jsut don't have the traffic to keep them interesting. Then I figured, why punish myself, and I started back here.

Try http://my-expressions.com/

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I liked the contest because it gave the forum as a whole a unifying motivation to go out and use all the gear we love so much.

So why do you think so few people voted in that contest?

 

[sf]

So why do you think so few people voted in that contest?

no idea. I voted. I think that maybe there are a great number of RFF members who were not able to really connect with the concept of an HCB contest. How many people really know of HCB let alone how to vote on which photo was the best in those terms? I don't know.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

no idea. I voted. I think that maybe there are a great number of RFF members who were not able to really connect with the concept of an HCB contest. How many people really know of HCB let alone how to vote on which photo was the best in those terms? I don't know.

I agree 100%.

 

[Kim Coxon]

George,
You didn't start this mess. You started a perfectly reasonable discussion that has been spoilt by a few who are not prepared to accept that anyone else has a right to an opinion different from theirs.

IMHO, this forum is not just for gearheads, or gallery fans. It is for all. People should use those sections that interest them, if a discussion does not interest them, they should stay out of it. They can promote their views as strongly as they like but they should not "attack" others views because they are different. It is called respect and manners.

I think this particular thread has crossed the line where keeping it open will serve no further purpose.

Kim

I didn't mean to start this mess. I just wanted to observe, from a very opinionated perspective, that our discussions are predominantly gear related. For all the flow of such conversation, there isn't that much going on in the more substantial portions of the forum (only my opinion). There is actually more of that breed of thinking and talking on RFF than I've seen anywhere else. Ever. So, I would never complain, but would only greedily ask for MORE!

I liked the contest because it gave the forum as a whole a unifying motivation to go out and use all the gear we love so much. I think my point in the beginning (muddled by late night writing) is that more events (without the prizes) would be great. The Monthly Photo Projects are fantastic - and I never really even looked in there before till today after reading someone's note.