The "Sin" Of Being A RFF Amateur

[back alley]

forum identity?

this is hard to really nail down as most here likely have their own interpretation of what this forum is and what it is to them.

i do not come here to improve my photography or to get feedback.
i come here for the social aspects and the gear related discussions.

if i want to improve my photography i need to shoot more and process the damn film and then critique my own shots, cause it's me that i have to please first.

there is some truth in most of the posts in this thread, truth according to me and how i see the world.

there are a lot of photos posted here that i do not like yet they get positive comments...who am i to say differently?

and there are some photos posted here that i think are brilliant and they get no comments or few...again, who am i to say to differently?

one last comment - if, in general, more people here respected others as much as they respect their gear, this would be a much nicer place.

joe

 

[M. Valdemar]

In defense of nikonwebmaster, whom I like and whose opinions I generally agree with, I think there's such as thing as a "New York City" way of seeing things, expressing yourself and talking.

More direct, less taciturn than other places, and this rubs a lot of people the wrong way. In NYC, frank expression is expected and semi-rude banter/repartee is an art form.

We perfected the rude waiter in the delicatessen restaurant, the insulting schtick of the vaudeville comedian, the loud street insults.

In other words, listen to what he says, disagree if you want, but keep your pants on.

Customer: "Do you serve crabs here?"

Waiter: "We serve anybody, sit down."

 

[navilluspm]

Pitxu's avatar

Pitxu's avatar

I am very impressed with his ever changing avatar. I just wish there was a gallery link to look back on the progression once again.

 

[ruben]

RFF has had a great positive impact in my life.

It has enabled me to develop many creative venues of my personality and my photographic personality.

I have come into personal contact with outstanding persons.

My photographic intelect has found a great arena for challenge and grow.

I have seen here great images and learnt a lot from them.

I have got positive feedback for my images, in a field I am just starting to explore.

We have had great discussions, some of them not in the most friendly terms, but I have came out of all of them with better knowledge.

And here was the place where I met Beniliam, resulting in great inspiration for me and a great personal friendship with a highly talented younger.

I have grown with RFF and hope to continue so, as by no means I hold myself as a finally done character.

I am thankfull to the RFF community. I am thankfull to Stephen, and I am not blind to the good improvemnts he has brought. I am thankfull too to the moderators staff.

This is my summary.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[Pablito]

Yeah, Pablito, here in Texas a photo of a female nude holding a Desert Eagle stirs up a lot of lust...for the Desert Eagle!

Man, a hot woman with a Desert Eagle. What could be better! It's good to be a Redneck.

GO FOR IT, BRO!!!

 

[rxmd]

In defense of nikonwebmaster, whom I like and whose opinions I generally agree with, I think there's such as thing as a "New York City" way of seeing things, expressing yourself and talking.

More direct, less taciturn than other places, and this rubs a lot of people the wrong way. In NYC, frank expression is expected and semi-rude banter/repartee is an art form.

The usual New Yorkee may or may not be aware of the existence of a world beyond New York. If a New Yorkee offends people, especially when he already knows that they don't subscribe to "the New York City way of seeing things", it's usually a bad idea to lean back and say "well, that's how we see things in New York". That's where it stops being a New York City way of seeing things and starts becoming rude.

I've become a lot more rude when replying to Fred, and I think he's not noticing it and/or taking it very well. However, due to this the forum has become a little bit ruder. This is probably not a good idea in the long run - the classical "If everybody did this" syndrome. So if you New Yorkers already know that you are being "a lot less taciturn" when speaking amongst yourselves, and you know that not everybody here is a New Yorker and that some RFFers may actually be used to being a bit more taciturn, it might be a good idea to take this into account.

That said, I've missed most of this thread due to doing some work in a very pleasant setting by a beach in Barcelona, and so I won't get into this further until Monday. In general I'm still under the impression that RFF is a forum with a comparatively good communicative culture, and if I were asked to point out what I consider the foremost problem of RFF, I'd say that it's rather the lack of a photography-oriented approach to the presentation of the forum than the rudeness of its members.

Philipp

 

[Gumby]

Can anyone tell me he is not downgrading us ?

Pardon me from interfering in your little Crusade... but, who exactly is "us"? Shouldn't you speak for yourself, and not for "us"? I've never had a problem with the gents you seem to think are "downgrading us". I don't want to be included in "us", if you don't mind.

 

[Tuolumne]

I just have to laugh hysterically when Ruben's post about what a great, special group of people we are degenerates into an Internet food fight within three responses. This just tickles me pink. Let me just say that I have learned alot about rangefinders here, some of the technical issues about photography, and have had a great time, even tho I wouldn't choose to socialize with most of the people here outside of a forum. So, I think that makes this a pretty special place. There is no ther place or photography forum where a I hang out online.

/T

 

[Pablito]

The usual New Yorkee may or may not be aware of the existence of a world beyond New York. If a New Yorkee offends people, especially when he already knows that they don't subscribe to "the New York City way of seeing things", it's usually a bad idea to lean back and say "well, that's how we see things in New York". That's where it stops being a New York City way of seeing things and starts becoming rude.

Well I woz a New Yorker for 17 years and I aways appreciated the "frankness" of New Yorkers. But I think some of this is cultural. Personally, I am a big believer in the dangers of "overpoliteness" - seemingly a very Anglo-Saxon or Nordic phenomenon. I grew up in a culture where people talked loud and talked over each other in raised voices. You could have 3 or 4 people talking at once, "yelling" by Anglo standards, yet everyone was following all the conversations and having a great time. Oh, with loud music playing too. That was/is the life. Drives me nuts when I have to sit in a meeting in this country and "wait my turn" to talk.

 

[Pablito]

To a very large extent they appeal to third-rate students, and are staffed by fourth-rate teachers. Of course there are many noble exceptions, but depressingly many are holdovers from an earlier era: today, they would have the utmost difficulty in being hired..

Having taught extensively in a CUNY Community College AND gone on to teach in one of the Ivy universities and one of the very elite small iberal arts colleges where I am now tenured, I can only say that the CUNY experince was wonderful, and so were the students. In fact, the CUNY students really appreciated the education they were getting, unlike so many of the students elsewhere who take it for granted....

 

[Sonnar Brian]

How did this turn into an attack/defence of the US university system?

And what is it still doing in the Photography General Interest Section?

Maybe Stephen should revive the "and now for something completely different" forum and take it off the front page again.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

I would love to have the time to take some courses at a local college in photography. It would be a lot of fun, and I would learn something. Maybe when I retire. Until then, just working in an optics lab will have to do.

The community college systems that I've attended were 1st rate. Many employed professionals in the field to teach. I learned more from the hand-on types than from the more formal professors at the bigger universities.

 

[Pablito]

Maybe Stephen should revive the "and now for something completely different" forum and take it off the front page again.

Now THAT (Monty Python) is one of the GREAT contributions of Anglo culture to the world!!!

 

[back alley]

Well I woz a New Yorker for 17 years and I aways appreciated the "frankness" of New Yorkers. But I think some of this is cultural. Personally, I am a big believer in the dangers of "overpoliteness" - seemingly a very Anglo-Saxon or Nordic phenomenon. I grew up in a culture where people talked loud and talked over each other in raised voices. You could have 3 or 4 people talking at once, "yelling" by Anglo standards, yet everyone was following all the conversations and having a great time. Oh, with loud music playing too. That was/is the life. Drives me nuts when I have to sit in a meeting in this country and "wait my turn" to talk.

omg! we must be brothers cause that was my house too!
when i moved to canada i was like a sore thumb...still am a bit.
i had the first 21 years of my life in queens.

 

[Pablito]

omg! we must be brothers cause that was my house too!
when i moved to canada i was like a sore thumb...still am a bit.
i had the first 21 years of my life in queens.

Hehe.... yeah, there is even some Canadian in my very mongrel/mestizo blood.

 

[M. Valdemar]

Don't worry, I have never and won't ever have anything to say about your photos.

I don't think I've ever responded to a single one of your posts prior to this, and have been blissfully unaware of your existence, although you seem to take extreme umbrage of mine.

I don't recall ever having made a post in which I claimed "artistic superiority". Have you ever heard of the world "projection"?

I can't say that I have enjoyed M.Valdemar's posts. I'll just say they are "attitude-laden." and leave it at that. I won't feel a bit offended if he critiques my photos, and refers to me as an "amateur." I may continue to believe he is an a**hole. If his comments (or photos) demonstrate his artistic superiority, I may change my opinion of him.

 

[navilluspm]

Are we starting to break rule #1 of this forum?

 

[Pablito]

Pablito, I can't guess in which primal mud puddle you have curried tenure, or from what tribe you hail, that eschews orderly discussion

1. a warm and thick one.

2. a brown tribe.

Do you think everyone in Texas is a gun-nut? I'm from Texas, and I'm not, and I'll venture that Sitemistic isn't either.

Nah, Sitemistic is a brother! .......Chill..... did I say everyone in Texas is a gun nut?

But I'll be posting photos with gun play in the futire, and I'll look forward to your comments at that time. This goes back to my statement about generalizations (read: prejudice). Does your fine intellect get the chance to respond, or do your reflexes take over before that happens?

Enjoy your gun play. I'm all for play. Generalizations, like stereotypes, are as as false as they are true.
My fine intellect will just convulse deeper into the primal mud. It's very comforting, you should try it sometime. Lots of fine mud in Texas, especially East Texas. 'Round here you can't BUY mud half as good.

 

[crawdiddy]

Being brutally honest.

1) There isn't a lot of technical acumen here in general. There are a few very bright lights countered by very many appallingly technically ignorant people here who are baffled/confused about things they acquire.

2) There are very many naifs when it comes to trading, buying and selling equipment. Not many who are astute at "the art of the deal", again with some notable exceptions. Unawareness of what constitutes the marketplace, and a childish attitude towards minor problems with dealers, etc.

3) The vast majority of images posted are technically OK at a beginner's level. There are very few images posted of any real interest in the big scheme of things. There are a FEW very good photographers here, but this is limited.

I would be cautious about elevating the status of what goes on here to any other level, like as you may to believe otherwise.

I don't know if you typically hang around with brilliant photographers, or Donald Trump, based on the comments above.

And yes, I take umbrage at some of your comments:

a few very bright lights countered by very many appallingly technically ignorant people

very many naifs when it comes to trading, buying and selling equipment. Not many who are astute at "the art of the deal"

a FEW very good photographers here, but this is limited

Projection? Yes, I'm familiar with the comcept. I'll stand by my original characterization of your mysteriously elevated self-image.

 

[navilluspm]

Shave and a hair cut. NOOOOOOOOOOOO

(Regarding Pitxu's new avatar)