What's the deal?

[benjamin heuer]

I just joined this forum not to long ago and I'm noticing a disturbing trend with some off the members here. Some ppl seem to get attitudes with others in threads. I've seen this more times than I had expected, and I was just wondering if one of the prerequisites for being a photographer was to immediately grow a head that will develop it's own solor system due to extreme size, and become a complete a**? Jeez, give me a break......but for the most part everyone seems nice. I guess you always have that ten percent. SOOOO......Howdy all!

 

[Eco]

Don't worry about the few members here that were never loved as a kid....or as an adult.

Use the search function, post pictures not links to pictures, ignore the tough guys and everything will be fine.

Lol @ "grow a head that will develop it's own solar system"

 

[Robin Usagani]

You only have one post and you are bitching already?

Kinda like that? LOL Welcome to the forum.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

This again?

 

[MohaimenK]

Yeah man don't worry bout it. I always help out as much as possible and answer my PMs if anyone has questions. I do my part, and if someone doesn't return the favor, I move on. There are lots of good people here so don't let it get to ya. Just move on and someone else will be there to help.

 

[vtf]

This again?

Now, now, behave.layball:

 

[Skyclad]

I just joined this forum not to long ago and I'm noticing a disturbing trend with some off the members here. Some ppl seem to get attitudes with others in threads. I've seen this more times than I had expected, and I was just wondering if one of the prerequisites for being a photographer was to immediately grow a head that will develop it's own solor system due to extreme size, and become a complete a**? Jeez, give me a break......but for the most part everyone seems nice. I guess you always have that ten percent. SOOOO......Howdy all!

I'm still fairly new here myself and I did feel that way as well at first about some of the members. But its not as bad as it seems. You just have to get a feel for everyones personality. I kinda had a bit of a run in with Village Idiot at first about a food photograph of his, but I shortly thereafter found out that he didn't have an attitude as bad as I originally thought. It was just his personality and he's not a bad guy after all. Just takes a little getting used to. Once you understand his personality, his comments are rather funny.

Some of the others here that may seem like they have an ego as their critiques may be a bit harsh for noobs who post their first few shots for C+C, but thats not the case at all. They are just being bluntly honest. And its not to be mean or seem like an ego trip, but its to toughen up and sharpen your photo skills. They are not trying to cut you down, but they aren't going to pat your back either (cause at the same time, that doesn't always help you to improve your shots) and its not meant to be taken as a personal thing in any way. If a photo is good, they will tell you. And if your photo could use work, they will tell you that too in all honesty and with no apologies. You learn to respect the fact that they don't sugar coat their critiques (though pats on the back are a good thing every once in a while).

All in all, everyone here is actually quite a good person and you do learn a lot from everybody. Hell, ive already learned a lot in the short time ive been a member here, and I don't even have a camera just yet.

 

[Derrel]

You only have one post and you are bitching already?

Kinda like that? LOL Welcome to the forum.

Yup, one post, and already dissing on others...

Great introductory post (Not!). Maybe if you'd invested some time here, you'd have an answer for your observation/complaint/rant. But, if you want to open your first post with a complaint about the forum, by all means that's your right. But, since your post asks a question, let's look for an answer in some other questions, shan't we?

Why is there still armed conflict in the world? Why do Canon shooters dog on Nikon shooters? Why do Nikon shooters dog on Canon shooters? Why do Pentax shooters huddle together and bemoan the fact that they are like the Libertarian Party--full of great ideas, but lacking in members? As Rodney King asked after he got the $h!+ beaten and kicked out of him by a bunch of LA cops, "Why can't we all just get along?" How come Israel and the PLO haven't made nice? Why do ospreys keep killing and eating fish? Why do rival soccer fans riot so often, all over the world?

Us vs them. Tribalism. Human nature. Not the polyanna world of Disney. Conflict. Popcorn threads. Lazy posters who can't Google, will not search, or who will not RTFM for even the most-basic questions or procedures. Photographers versus philosophers. Newbies versus serious hobbyists. Photographers versus the digerati. Straight photography versus photomanipulators. HDR nuts. Horizon-tilters versus bubble-level guys. Off-camera flash purists versus foofers. etc,etc,etc.

 

[IlSan]

Couldn't agree more...with Skyclad and Derrel.

I would also have to say that it takes time to get to know one another.
You also don't walk into a bar and immediately get along with everyone. If you do, I lift my hat for you - but seriously - spend more time in the same bar and sooner or later you will know more and more people, know their character, personality traits, do's and dont's and yeah...

 

[OrionsByte]

Actually I was just thinking today that one of the things I like about this forum is that the very same people that offer harsh criticism in one thread will submit shots of their own in a different thread that draw the same amount of criticism, and they accept it. Often you'll see those same people asking questions about how to do this or that, or probing for more information when they're not sure they completely understand a concept.

In short, folks around here may come across as arrogant when they offer critiques, but when they post their own stuff they're often quite humble. We're all just here to help each other out, and once you start getting to "know" people, you'll see that they're just amateurs too, at a wide variety of skill levels, and when you realize that, it makes the criticism feel more like constructive comments from your peers and less like elitist nonsense.

 

[deannamb]

It's called criticism, and it's generally constructive. I've found that sometimes the truth hurts, but it's better than someone surgarcoating it and not giving it to you straight. I prefer to learn where I can correct things instead of thinking my work is already at it's best. You just have to take those people with a grain of salt and know that they more than likely have your best interest in mind!

 

[Alpha]

I just joined this forum not to long ago and I'm noticing a disturbing trend with some off the members here. Some ppl seem to get attitudes with others in threads. I've seen this more times than I had expected, and I was just wondering if one of the prerequisites for being a photographer was to immediately grow a head that will develop it's own solor system due to extreme size, and become a complete a**? Jeez, give me a break......but for the most part everyone seems nice. I guess you always have that ten percent. SOOOO......Howdy all!

says the lurker.

 

[EileenHui]

I think lots of ppl here are being friendly and helpful! Even though I have been to this forum not that long.

I was kind of scared at my first post, but I would love ppl to critique me so that I can improve! Maybe just take the advices at a different angle.

I think being harsh sometimes is pretty difficult!

 

[IceEateer]

If you want everyone kissing everyone's ass, go to FlickR. People are very friendly there.

If you want cold honest opinions to make you think and hopefully improve as a photographer, then this place is it.

 

[peanut170]

Man, this guy hates the reason i like this forum. I dont like the beat around the bush crap. I applaud the people who tell it like it is, makes me strive to wanna be better. Plus how many OOF flowers can you look at before you finally start telling the truth.....or hey what kind of lense should i get.