Am I the only one disappointed in the "post your" trend that has taken over these forums?

[AS_Photo]

Someone posted a subject on his own thread. I followed with a photo of my own on the same subject and I got a very cold reception for barging in 'his thread'. After that, I post only on the 'Post your...' threads. Don't need the hassle...

Yeah I wouldn't ever add my own photo to someone else's thread unless asked. It's their thread for sharing their photo and receiving feedback. It's akin to editing someone else's photo without their permission, at least to me.

 

[Snydremark]

Yeah, and the "New Posts" bit - every single thread these new posts are in are one of these "Post your..." type threads. They have basically overrun the whole forums.

You do understand that the threads are not something that occur autonomously?

I would like to see members photos of things and comment on them, etc. However, going to say the Nature & Landscape forums all you see is just the entire form filled with:

"Post your seascapes."
"Post your cloud photos"
"Post your best sunrise"
"Post your best sunset"

On and on, ad nauseum. It's annoying that they just fill up the view and you don't see hardly any posts from members posting their specific photo. It's all glommed into these posts so you can't really discuss a specific photo easily. Why is this even necessary to do?

I don't say this with any intent to drive off a new member; so please do not read any intent toward that into this response. It is simply that the phrasing of the question comes off like going to someone else's sandbox and telling them they're playing with it wrong.

Those filters don't dictate how the site is used by the majority of the members here; they simply reflect the most common usage patterns.

I don't think many members here are *against* those types of posts, but have come from a former community where things like critique and discussion were not usually given unless explicitly asked for. If there is an obvious place where someone is asking for that sort of engagement, I am happy to jump in and offer insights, opinions, suggestions, etc and I'm sure others would as well. The Critique Corner for sharing and discussion is there for that purpose, but I suspect most of the current, core users are far enough along in their path that they aren't regularly scanning that sub when dropping by.

I do note that there is a "Mark Forums Read" function at the sub-nav level on the upper nav bar; but, that only appears to trigger on click, or automatically on each, individual forum only when the user has viewed every thread in that sub. @West Coast Birder Does this software give the flexibility to base that action off of viewing the *forum* itself? A change like that would, at least, make using the overall Forums list more usable for those of us that drop in and just scan for new threads/topics that doesn't "expire" the way the Latest Threads/Latest Posts filters do. I'd be happy to sit down in private discussions with you and any other mods to review Usability/UX or other presentation concerns and see about getting feature requests submitted to the forum providers (it's part of what I do professionally, I just normally turn off that portion of my brain when I sign off and hop over to look at pics )

EDIT: To the end of helping *find* engagement, I can offer up that if you have a particular post you're looking for feedback or discussion on, you're always free to PM me a request or tag me with an "@" in the post and I can drop in and add comment to give a bump to try and keep it in, or at least closer to, the Latest lists.

 

[Bill in Texas]

I would like to see members photos of things and comment on them, etc. However, going to say the Nature & Landscape forums all you see is just the entire form filled with:

"Post your seascapes."
"Post your cloud photos"
"Post your best sunrise"
"Post your best sunset"

On and on, ad nauseum. It's annoying that they just fill up the view and you don't see hardly any posts from members posting their specific photo. It's all glommed into these posts so you can't really discuss a specific photo easily. Why is this even necessary to do?

No, you are not. When I expressed concern for the "overabundance," and I'll say redundant threads, I was told not to look if I didn't like it, so I don't. I was very active at POTN. Here, not so much. I tried my own threads but they really don't get much attention or discussion except for one.

 

[OhLook]

I like the constructive criticism, knowledgeable advice, and witty banter that comes with conversation. We don't have enough of that around here.

Prior to the creation of FOP, a number of us investigated the suitability of existing photo forums as a new home post POTN. One key critique by one evaluator was that one forum wanted images posted, but zero commentary or discussion...virtually a 'show off...no commentary' site, and commentary was discouraged as unwanted. It seems that some of that (undesired by the FOP creators) spirit has crept into FOP somehow!

Posting comments about images in "Post your . . ." threads is perfectly acceptable. It can lead to discussions, though they're usually short. My gut feeling is, people who could say more and create a chain of replies are holding back for fear of irritating others who come to a thread mostly to see photos and would get impatient with "too much talk."

 

[ShipleyNW]

Posting comments about images in "Post your . . ." threads is perfectly acceptable. It can lead to discussions, though they're usually short. My gut feeling is, people who could say more and create a chain of replies are holding back for fear of irritating others who come to a thread mostly to see photos and would get impatient with "too much talk."

Comments in the collective threads tend to get fractured too. Someone will comment on an image, then maybe someone else, then you'll get 8 or 10 new images, then maybe a comment linked back to a previous page. Kinda hard to follow a discussion like that.

 

[Wilt]

...I was told not to look if I didn't like it, so I don't. I was very active at POTN. Here, not so much. I tried my own threads but they really don't get much attention or discussion except for one.

And for similar reasons, my activity on FOP is considerably lower than on POTN...the content simply is not as conducive to active discussion about techniques, best practices, etc.
And I do not share a strong need to post my photos to show off my work. I shared some photos for a while, but lost interest in the long term. Having been heavily involved in photography in both personal and professional capacity, my motivation is sharing knowledge/information accumulated over the decades, not showing off my work I wish the traffic on FOP carried more demand for the exchange of information.

 

[OhLook]

When I expressed concern for the "overabundance," and I'll say redundant threads, I was told not to look if I didn't like it, so I don't.

Well, that commenter was rude. Pfft.

I was very active at POTN. Here, not so much. I tried my own threads but they really don't get much attention or discussion except for one.

I looked up your threads. Two remain active: birds in pairs and large waders. The five others are specific in ways that account for their having trailed off, such as seasonality, where you reported on a migrating population in one particular year. A thread about one bird or a unique event like a trip to a birdy location will naturally fall to the back pages after a while. I still appreciate what you put in Bird Portraits, and those images get plenty of comments and Likes.

 

[Cliff Hilbert]

What I found in a couple of other photography sites is that people tend to be too critical of others photos when that criticism is not asked for, the derogatory comments start quite a few arguments. There is such a thing as constructive criticism, but there are far too few people who know how to use it correctly. I learn a lot by seeing how others photograph their subjects, how they frame, how they use lighting. etc. What I have also learned is that everybody is different, we all like different things, different types of shots. What appeals to one person is totally abhorrent to someone else, so for me to criticize their shots is wrong. I like photos that are in focus, others like shots that only the subject in front is in focus and have bokeh. I have no interest in pictures of windows or doors, dilapidated buildings, others find those artistic. I have no interest in pictures of shops, people walking down the street, while others find those things very interesting.

On this site we see a little bit of everything, we see all kinds of artistic talent. The things that I have no interest in, I've learned how to just ignore them and not waste my time on them, but I'm certainly not going to criticize them just because they are different than what I like. When I see something I really like I try to make a comment and let the poster know that their pictures are enjoyable.

 

[Joeseph]

Loving the discussion in this thread!

 

[Ecc233]

We do have the "Critique corner" forum. Maybe we should start using that more for discussion. It seems pretty quiet over there. I tend to use the "Post your ..." when I have images that fit into a general theme, but will post a new thread for something special. As a courtesy, maybe thread openers should clearly state whether they welcome related images in "their" thread? This could be a new tick box on opening a thread. My two Rappen worth.

 

[Bill in Texas]

You contacted me in November 2023 about how you thought things got out of hand in the bird section at POTN with the branched off bird threads. You said these threads weren't necessary and you weren't going to visit those threads. I told you that people are free to start threads, as long as they are unique and that you are under no obligation to visit them. That you can do as you please.

So I was surpised that a week later you started the: Post your Herons, Egrets, Bitterns and other large waders thread. There's also your Birds in Pairs thread. Seemed contradictory.


Yes, everybody is so used to the big threads that individual threads get very little attention. It is a pity. But at least they are allowed here!

Those two threads had been at POTN and the Birds in Pairs had been started by me there is the only reason. I suppose we could start a thread for every bird species. No worries, it is what it is.

 

[paddler4]

And for similar reasons, my activity on FOP is considerably lower than on POTN...the content simply is not as conducive to active discussion about techniques, best practices, etc.
And I do not share a strong need to post my photos to show off my work. I shared some photos for a while, but lost interest in the long term. Having been heavily involved in photography in both personal and professional capacity, my motivation is sharing knowledge/information accumulated over the decades, not showing off my work I wish the traffic on FOP carried more demand for the exchange of information.

I agree. Levina and I had an interchange about this in another thread not all that long ago. One reason I almost never post photos here is that photos on the big threads rarely generate any useful or informative feedback. II have zero inteterest in collecting likes. 've been posting relatively little online for the past year or two, but when I do, I usually post on Cambridge in Colour, where the culture is that people will comment. It's a relatively small number of people who respond even there. Recently, I posted a photo there explicitly asking for feedback. It was viewed 352 times, and that generated only 9 responses, not counting my answers to people who posted comments. Still, those 9 comments were an interesting and useful debate about composition.

Levina pointed out that CiC and POTN, and now FoP, have very different cultures, so maybe it's the culture of this forum and not the format of the threads that is the main issue.

 

[West Coast Birder]

We used to have a lot of gear discussions on POTN. That is notably lower over here and I’m not sure why. Many of the notable gearheads from POTN aren’t here. Maybe there is just less to talk about on the gear front because all cameras from the different manufacturers have reached some steady state of excellence.

 

[ShipleyNW]

We used to have a lot of gear discussions on POTN. That is notably lower over here and I’m not sure why. Many of the notable gearheads from POTN aren’t here. Maybe there is just less to talk about on the gear front because all cameras from the different manufacturers have reached some steady state is excellence.

Now there's a whole separate topic. Once I switched to R/RF, I kinda lost interest in gear. Everything is so expensive, there aren't a lot of lenses that fit that system yet, and there's no old inventory that you can buy cheaply to experiment with. I busted my budget putting together a pretty standard kit (which is amazing BTW) and that's probably where I'll sit for a while. There's nothing in my price range that makes me think, hey, this might be interesting or, that might be fun.

Mirrorless cured my GAS.

 

[paddler4]

They're not so much different cultures as very different forums altogether. CiC only has two categories (there is a third with one thread for member introductions):

• Tips and Techniques and
• Photo Commentary and Competitions

Tips and Techniques is a tech section with three forums:

• Digital Cameras & Equipment
• Image Post-processing & Printing
• General Photography Discussion

Photo Commentary and Competitions only has 4 forums with two of those being specifically for sharing images (Nature & Architecture and People & Pets. The other 2 are for competitions.

It is a site specifically geared toward tech stuff.

You really can't compare the two forums.

I think that's an overstatement. They are indeed very different. However, while CiC is has more of a focus on technical stuff, that's not its primary focus. The two forums where people primarily post images, Nature & Architecture and People & Pets, comprise the bulk of postings. However, a decision was made by someone long ago not to break these two main image forums into smaller ones. Years ago, I suggested starting a new macro forum to segregate macro images, and an administrator replied that they were deliberately not separating types further. I don't entirely agree with that decision, but it's not really on point.

I think the real issue is that forums develop dominant cultures. I think CiC has several: people interested in photo commentary and critiques, people interested in technique, people interested in the competitions, and lurkers. The first two overlap a lot. It looks like FoP has a lot of people who like posting to share but aren't particularly interested in giving or receiving critiques. All of that is fine, but I think this is the core issue in the the OP.

 

[Wilt]

We used to have a lot of gear discussions on POTN. That is notably lower over here and I’m not sure why. Many of the notable gearheads from POTN aren’t here. Maybe there is just less to talk about on the gear front because all cameras from the different manufacturers have reached some steady state is excellence.

Some of the 'gear talk' on POTN consisted of members' experimentation and publication of the results for the beneficial knowledge of others... Insights into the design and use of stuff that were perhaps insufficiently documented by the manufacturer, but which were nevertheless part of the quirks/behavior of our equipment. Some examples of past threads that existing on POTN...

• existence of NEVEC and AFR automation features on Canon cameras, and how they affected the flash exposure automation results
• behavior of the flash mode when our cameras use higher-than-X-sync shutter speeds
• ability/inability of flash units to bounce flash from high ceilings (<20')
• effects of background (white/grey/black) when lighted with colored gels over flash

All of these were well documented on POTN, and now largely lost to web searches. And a virtually non-existent culture of content on FOP even though such topic groupings have a place to call home. In these days of mirrorless cameras with sensors that do not employ a mechanical shutter, it would seem that beneficial experimentation and publication of electronic shutter artifacts possible at various shutter speeds and subject motion would be useful insight to have...but there seems to be extremely low interest in this kind of understanding now. ( I do not own one of these cameras, or I would offer up such content, if there were interest.)

 

[paddler4]

It’s probably relevant that on the Critique Corner forum, only one thread has a post more recent than August 31. It doesn’t look like there is a critical mass looking for that kind of interchange. As Levina said, it is what it is.

 

[Wilt]

People will start the threads they need. Like Bill said: it is what it is.

Yes, one can lament what it is not! And wish for something more, without necessarily attaining that wish...the opening of this very thread.

 

[Richard]

Interesting. I'm new here, but a refugee from Dgrin, not POTN. The Dgrin etiquette was quite different--unless the OP specifically requested that others share similar themed pics, it was considered rude to post another pic in someone's thread. We called it hijacking, and mods would sometimes move the offending pic into its own, new thread and threaten the interloper with fire, brimstone and banning. I don't think either approach is obviously superior; it's more a matter of what you are used to. Perhaps we could add a flag in the profile similar to the edit:y/n flag for thread sharing. Or is that overly complicating matters?

 

[MSH411]

I different perspective but it's from someone that is fairly new to FoP. I have Canon gear in my bag and belong to a couple different forums, two of which lean very much towards the tech/gear side of photography. On one the membership does share images and discuss gear/tech on another it's almost completely tech/gear/support with virtually no images. The one that focuses on gear is interesting, plenty of banter, arguments and at time a bit of chest thumping. Personalities on the internet make things interesting. There is also plenty of information and knowledge for the membership or guests to garner from this site but you sometimes need to shift through the rubble. I enjoy both for different reasons,

Photography and a persons personal work are meant to be shared, it's Art and I believe most get into the profession or hobby to create their standard of Art. In saying that FoP is a great portal for them to share without some of the bickering and banter that occurs elsewhere on the web. Personally I enjoy coming here and viewing everyone's incredible work. In the evening I pour a little Bourbon and simply page through the days images. It quite relaxing and simply viewing images I can gain perspective on what I can do better. Are there times that I can give feedback, sure but what's the point, the focal point on FoP appears to be membership sharing their work, I'm a fan!

You could/should use the multitude of forums available to you to satisfy your individual appetite, there are plenty to choose from and they all offer different content. I can state with a high degree of confidence that everyone can find a forum within their area of expertise or interest.