The lack of photo threads around these parts§

Raymond Lin · 8 Mar 2011 at 23:49

Tom pointed out in another thread and he is right, until then i didn't really notice but i do now.

Hardly anyone starts a new thread on a shoot anymore. People post the odd ones in the "Post your photo" mega thread and that's it. I am not against that thread, in fact i like it. However, I guess to post the odd shots, and something you do in passing is very good but I think if you take a photo you are really proud of, to you personally, you want to give it a more chance and give it its own thread? May be to concentrate critique into another separate thread too.

I feel the photos in the mega thread gets lost amongst it all. After the page is gone, it is never seen again really.

Also, why do people stop start new threads? Are they scared of crit and like the feel the "safety net" of the Mega thread provides? It can be seen but you don't feel bad if no one comments on it?

peterattheboro · 9 Mar 2011 at 00:01

I haven't picked up my camera for ages. Got a few motorsport things going on over the next month but to be honest, most people couldn't give a toss about motorsport shots on this board.

Steeps · 9 Mar 2011 at 00:55

I've had no "get up and go" recently when it comes to shooting, I love the meets as it feels good being out shooting with others. I find I'm doing more pictures for "work" (favour for a friend on sat, helping out at a wedding this weekend etc) and I'm not doing any for myself. I'm not one for showing anything off unless it's something I'm really proud of, and 5dII envy is getting to me but I know I can't budget it.

Should learn to appreciate what I have

GTRacer · 9 Mar 2011 at 01:00

Mm, that issue has been brought up before. I originally intended the big thread to be a place where you could post photographs that you wanted people to see, but didn't feel they were good enough to warrant a whole new thread - but then again, everyone is their own worst critic so hardly anything gets its own thread. Perhaps closing the current one with a clear set of guidelines (an image limit per post, if its a set then make a new thread) would be the way to go...

ThePirateHulk · 9 Mar 2011 at 04:32

Agreed Raymond. In a lot of photography forums (including this one) there is far too much emphasis on talking about the equipment rather than the photos themselves or the process of actually producing the final image.

So...I've taken the liberty of starting a new thread http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18250609

Mr Jones · 9 Mar 2011 at 06:57

I have been so busy with my new job, I hardly have time to shoot. My project of colours hardly took off the ground

However, I've since got a car and soon, I'll be travelling around more to shoot! YAY!

robertgilbert86 · 9 Mar 2011 at 07:08

I used to post photo threads now and again but haven't in a while. Mainly because I'm not that interested in the C+C side of things, I tend to make the photo and leave it at that. So when posting images I'm not really gaining anything and it's no fun to post and have no replies! ...So if I'm not looking for C+C all I'm wanting is a 'good work' reply which is rather contrived.

I totally agree that there should be more photo threads though, gear gear gear is a bit dull and I see little value in 'new toy' threads.

An Exception · 9 Mar 2011 at 07:22

I think the photography section needs to be split into two or three sections, one for gear, and one for actual photography where people can post there actual photography experiences or get C&C, and also maybe collate resources of freely available info, so people new to photography can get themselves up to speed quicker.

As a general note, and no offence meant, this photography section on this forum is just rather dull and stagnant, and currently there are just better places to go.

Hope we see some changes soon.

D.P. · 9 Mar 2011 at 07:46

I hope to start posting more photos soon, I hand in my PHD thesis today so I should have some free time for the first time in several years.

Trick · 9 Mar 2011 at 07:51

I rather get the impression that some people might be a little intimidated by the photography section of this forum, since it doesn't take much to realise that many of the regular posters know each other and each others work quite well.

Steve M · 9 Mar 2011 at 08:26

Trick said:
I rather get the impression that some people might be a little intimidated by the photography section of this forum, since it doesn't take much to realise that many of the regular posters know each other and each others work quite well.

I'm very much a novice yet i start the odd thread from time to time. I started this one a couple of weeks ago:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18241313

It was nice to get a few positive replies but i agree, i can be a bit daunting posting here, especially for someone like me that doesn't really know the other users and with my basic photography skills.

OG · 9 Mar 2011 at 09:31

I miss Scary Squirrel and his pictures of his lovely partner... I blame the lack of photo thread on this!

prUnE · 9 Mar 2011 at 10:17

I'm going take this up as a challenge and start a thread at some point soon posting the pictures I take for the uni paper. They're mostly sports photos, which I find the most fun shooting. They're nothing amazing but it would good to hear what crit people have.

Adrianr · 9 Mar 2011 at 10:21

Trick said:
I rather get the impression that some people might be a little intimidated by the photography section of this forum, since it doesn't take much to realise that many of the regular posters know each other and each others work quite well.

I think it's because, like any section of any forum near enough, it's all a bit clique in here. The regulars get lots of comments whilst the non-regulars don't. It's also incredibly technically minded. I've seen a few good images (IMO) swept aside because it wasn't 'tack sharp', or properly exposed. A lot of people get really hung up on the mechanics, probably because they either don't know how to subjectively critique work, or it's just easier to point out technical flaws. Sometimes people break these rules for a reason, and spending 2 pages of a thread justifying why and sounding bitter is no doubt a process most can't be bothered with

This is why I stick to problem solving and photoshop/general retouching advice. Easier to deal with finites on the internet

bigredshark · 9 Mar 2011 at 10:38

Ejizz said:
I think the photography section needs to be split into two or three sections, one for gear, and one for actual photography where people can post there actual photography experiences or get C&C, and also maybe collate resources of freely available info, so people new to photography can get themselves up to speed quicker.

As a general note, and no offence meant, this photography section on this forum is just rather dull and stagnant, and currently there are just better places to go.

Hope we see some changes soon.

It is at the end of the day a subset of a computer forum, if you want more eslewhere may be better. The standard is generally very high here and a lot of people make money from their work which I think contributes to a slightly 'elitist' viewpoint which can't help encourage newcomers. Also, converse it seems very set in it's views (the answer to every 'spec me' thread is a 40D + 17-50, the strobist is god and it's advice shall not be questioned etc) which is never a good thing.

I did like your attempt at a 'rate the picture above thread' but it doesn't seem to be working from the initial few posts, people are actually going to have to post their own images when they rate those already there. Having one person rate your shot also seems to be a hit and miss affair as there's every chance they could be an idiot.

I'm going to dump a few shots on here later once they're uploaded though in a new thread...

Mp4 · 9 Mar 2011 at 10:45

I mainy keep my pictures on my blog and cba to upload them to flickR or image shack etc.
Even now im still a novice only been at college 20 odd weeks and have learnt a lot!

People still dont answer a lot of quetions or crit enough even if people do post photos anyway. They just get lost in archives. (might just be me though)

ocuk - photography is the first place i come to ask about photography/photos etc
where as TP is my 2nd

And agree 100% with that photos and gear should be in sub forums

K.C. Leblanc · 9 Mar 2011 at 11:05

D.P. said:
I hope to start posting more photos soon, I hand in my PHD thesis today so I should have some free time for the first time in several years.

Good luck with the PHD

Trick said:
I rather get the impression that some people might be a little intimidated by the photography section of this forum, since it doesn't take much to realise that many of the regular posters know each other and each others work quite well.

This, also as BRS has pointed the standard here is very high.

I don't think adding more forums to what is a relatively small section of the forums would actually help. I'm on one forum who have a section for literally everything (they have a Netware section with 4 year old threads on the front page), it just ends up with stuff being misposted.

Part of the problem is I started a pictures thread, it had one reply and then disappeared under all the tech threads.

EDIT: It'll take some team work, but I wonder if we maybe need to do a technical sticky. If the regulars try to adopt the line if some posts asking something that it's covered in the sticky we just reply telling them where to find what they need.

An Exception · 9 Mar 2011 at 11:24

bigredshark said:
Having one person rate your shot also seems to be a hit and miss affair as there's every chance they could be an idiot.

That's all part of the gamble...

bigredshark · 9 Mar 2011 at 11:28

Ejizz said:
That's all part of the gamble...

Hopefully some more people will wonder in shortly...

Seasaw · 9 Mar 2011 at 12:59

İ'm going to make a serious effort to post more picture threads. İ've taken loads more pictures since starting my project 52 weeks and i just upload them to flickr and forget about them. İncidently i would love to be able to hook up with someone on a regular basis to roam around london with and take pics.