desparengo
Newbie
I was looking through some old images I'd screen grabbed from this forum over a decade ago and remember a very talented photographer who went by the name of Swann. He had an exceptionally fierce eye for composition, shooting primarily landscapes, from, if I remember correctly Switzerland. I wondered if he was still around and shooting, or on another forum possibly? I'd love to see their current work.
santino
FSU gear head
I really don‘t know and often wonder why people suddenly leave.
DownUnder
Nikon Nomad
For various and varied reasons. They come, they go. In several other web sites they are mostly driven away by malicious and vindictive posters who act as if they own and control all, but I hasten to add this has never and is not the case with RFF - which explains why I'm no longer active on other sites but have remained happily here.
I also remember Swann and his remarkable imagery. If he ever decides to return to us, it's a sure thing to say he will be greatly appreciated and most welcome back here.
I also remember Swann and his remarkable imagery. If he ever decides to return to us, it's a sure thing to say he will be greatly appreciated and most welcome back here.
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Freakscene
Obscure member
People have tried. This forum just has unusually moderate moderators, who have generally taken a very middle-of-the-road and unbiased approach. Sensible, you might say.
@Swann is 70 now if he is still among us. Maybe he decided to leave, but it is also possible that he died. For members where they are not otherwise connected to the group, it can be hard to know what happens to them in real life. If it was not for @John Bragg and his persistent searches, we may never have received the details about the passing of @charjohncarter. It helped that John used, and told people that his name was John Carter. Finding some guy called Swann, age 70, in Switzerland, is a hard task.
After John died I added to my will to have someone let the online groups I use know that I have died. A bit morbid, but it at least makes things clear.
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p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
There are a lot of people who have stopped posting. David Hughes used to be a regular and haven't posted for a long time. I hope he is well and busy doing things he enjoys.
raydm6
Yay! Cameras! 🙈🙉🙊┌( ಠ_ಠ)┘ [◉"]
I am amazed at the talent that has come and gone from RFF.
His gallery is still intact and I recognize some of his B&W portraits that appear in the Random Gallery pics on occassion:
www.rangefinderforum.com
His gallery is still intact and I recognize some of his B&W portraits that appear in the Random Gallery pics on occassion:
RANGEFINDERFORUM | The online gallery
Gallery of photos captured with Rangefinder lenses and cameras
desparengo
Newbie
Of course lots of you are correct he possibly just moved onto something else or another interest, Hopefully not passed away! I may be misremembering but on some of the images I have in old screen shots for my tearsheets/scrap-books, he seemed to have set up an another forum? Swannsway.ch Anyone remember that? Anyway it was lovely searching through some of the older galleries and remembering images that inspired me in the past.
Harry the K
Well-known
People come, people go.
Many, many names of RFFers just disappear over the years, and it is not often noticed. Sometimes it is easily understandable, take Alex Krasotkin, for example.
Following the random images of the gallery, some of those former well known and years ago very active names come back to me.
It´s part of the nature of internet forums. We only know each other in an abstract way, as we only have our written words and sometimes maybe a photograph. The sensual parts of a relationship are missing, what does a person look like, how´s his or her voice, the sense of humor reflected in the facial expression, etc.. That makes it hard to keep somebody in mind, to maintain the connection. And it makes it easy to leave a forum.
There are exceptions, of course, members who know each other in real life….
Many, many names of RFFers just disappear over the years, and it is not often noticed. Sometimes it is easily understandable, take Alex Krasotkin, for example.
Following the random images of the gallery, some of those former well known and years ago very active names come back to me.
It´s part of the nature of internet forums. We only know each other in an abstract way, as we only have our written words and sometimes maybe a photograph. The sensual parts of a relationship are missing, what does a person look like, how´s his or her voice, the sense of humor reflected in the facial expression, etc.. That makes it hard to keep somebody in mind, to maintain the connection. And it makes it easy to leave a forum.
There are exceptions, of course, members who know each other in real life….
Freakscene
Obscure member
swannsway.ch is archived at the internet archive without its photos. Some time after 2010 it went inactive and by 2017 it was a commercial site selling sport shoes. It seems Swann’s name is/was Christoph Fierz. There are several people by that name in Switzerland.
DownUnder
Nikon Nomad
Sadly, Mr Swann has swanned away.
Apologies, I couldn't resist. I plead guilty to the crime (my partner prefers sin) of Sagittarianism. We jape by far the worst jokes and purport the most puerile puns, only to fall flat on our faces - thankfully not our swords, but that may well be a more fitting punishment for misusing the language as I so often stand accused of doing.
On a more serious note, over the years RFF has been around many fine posters on this site have long vanished - one hopes not fallen off their perches or by the wayside, only busy elsewhere with other pursuits.
Maybe we could revisit the first few years of posts, and start a new thread to find and, if we can, reconnect with those who initially posted so much and so well to encourage and inspire us, but have now left.
Apologies, I couldn't resist. I plead guilty to the crime (my partner prefers sin) of Sagittarianism. We jape by far the worst jokes and purport the most puerile puns, only to fall flat on our faces - thankfully not our swords, but that may well be a more fitting punishment for misusing the language as I so often stand accused of doing.
On a more serious note, over the years RFF has been around many fine posters on this site have long vanished - one hopes not fallen off their perches or by the wayside, only busy elsewhere with other pursuits.
Maybe we could revisit the first few years of posts, and start a new thread to find and, if we can, reconnect with those who initially posted so much and so well to encourage and inspire us, but have now left.
Freakscene
Obscure member
The Who remembers RFF when it started ? thread turned into a ‘do you remember so-and-so’, but a separate one could be helpful.
Harry the K
Well-known
No problem, we all will be downunder before too long.
wlewisiii
Just another hotel clerk
I left for a long time and then returned again. This may or may not be be a good thing, depending on your POV 🤷♂️ Eventually, I'll be gone permanently because while I may only be 61, that's still in the age where "shit happens" especially to an old army veteran. Hopefully it won't be in the International News ... 
At another place I frequent, a number of regulars have people who have been given their real world contact info so that if they do disappear for a long time without warning, they can be tracked down and, where appropriate, the toast to "absent friends" be made.
At another place I frequent, a number of regulars have people who have been given their real world contact info so that if they do disappear for a long time without warning, they can be tracked down and, where appropriate, the toast to "absent friends" be made.