Advice to newcomers

[The_Traveler]

About a year ago, I suggested to the mods that new registrants be sent a letter with some helpful how-to's about the site.
That proved out beyond their capability so I thought of putting a note in every 'hello, I'm new' post but that somehow skipped my mind.

Now I'm reviving that idea which is to create a list of sensible and useful advice and then post that in the thread of every new Hello post.

Feel free to add your advice in this thread.
If it makes sense, I will add it to the list - without giving you credit of course.

My initial message:
_______________________________________________________________________

Welcome to TPF - unofficially of course.

This is an active place with a culture all its own and the following ideas, hints should help you get acclimated quickly.

• Do not put pictures in the Beginners Forum or the equipment forums, expecting comments or critique (c/c). You won't get much response there. Those forums are for questions and discussion. First make an effort to find the answer on your own. Read the manual for your camera. Browse the forums for similar threads. Actually search the Internet. We are not your mommy and it gets tiring to hear the same question over and over. It is evidence that you haven't done any work yet.
• Pictures for critique should go in one of the appropriately themed forums. There is a very nice illustrated sticky on the mechanics of posting pictures at the top of the Beginner's Forum. If you don't want critique, make that really clear and post in the Just for Fun forum.
• Don't expect that people will go off-site to look at your gallery elsewhere. Pictures and comments posted here are a benefit to everyone and this site isn't here to boost your own site.
• Post only 1,2 or 3 pictures in any thread and number them. More than that and people can't really give detailed comments and the help you get will be minimal.
• Post large pictures, up to 1200 wide and 800 high but when you resize put the quality at about 60. There is no reason to have a higher quality on the web, it doesn't make the picture better, just the file larger.
• On the other hand, don't post small pictures and expect helpful response, there is no way to look at pictures that are 400 pixels high and see enough detail or color to be helpful.
• If you have pictures that are very similar, post the best one and tell a little about what you think of its faults or its problems. That gives viewers a place a start with their comments.
• If your post attracts comments, read them and, if they make sense, use them. Getting defensive or angry at language or attitude isn't useful. The Internet is a lousy tool to express nuance and you may be misreading what is said. There are some number of grumpy people here and they are tolerated because they make the rest of us look good. If you think you are being mistreated, call the offending message(s) to the attention of the mods.
• When you post an image. tell us what you attempted to do, tell us what you did to achieve that effect, perhaps even ask specific questions about your photograph.Avoid writing; "thoughts?" or similar.
• Even if you don't know anything about pictures, look at lots of them and try to figure out what it is that makes them good/bad in your opinion. Then read the other comments. That's the best training there is.
• If you do comment, be constructive. Even if you don't know the 'correct' terminology tell them why you like or dislike the picture. (for example: I really like the way the face is in focus and the background is blurred. or 'The colors are too blurry for my taste.') Negative or positive comments unaccompanied by explanation aren't very much use to someone learning. And read all of the posts. Not doing so is like jumping into the middle of a conversation without knowing what's being discussed. It may well be that the discussion has moved on from the original point.

OK, add away

 

[Trblmkr]

Constructive criticism is the drive here not negativity.
If you don't like an OP's vision, that's fine. But don't just tell them "it sucks" and leave it at that. Tell the OP why you think it sucks.

 

[Mike_E]

Read all of the posts. Not doing so is like jumping into the middle of a conversation without knowing what's being discussed. It may well be that the discussion has moved on from the original point.

 

[Designer]

Tell us what you attempted to do.
Tell us what you did to achieve that effect.
Ask specific questions about your photograph.
Avoid writing; "thoughts?" or similar.

 

[mishele]

Stay clear of The_Traveler, he's grumpy. :greenpbl:

 

[The_Traveler]

Stay clear of The_Traveler, he's grumpy. :greenpbl:

I'm grumpy when you get up in the middle of the night, throw on your clothes and leave without even a kiss or a note.
What am I, just another notch on your camera strap?

(I feel so cheap, so used.)

 

[Derrel]

Constructive criticism is the drive here not negativity.
If you don't like an OP's vision, that's fine. But don't just tell them "it sucks" and leave it at that. Tell the OP why you think it sucks.

And a good percentage of the time, you will be told that your C&C is mean, hurtful, stupid, ill-informed, off-base,unwarranted, and that the photos you gave C&C to are great! aweseome! lovely! fantastic! images. A good precentage of the times you do give C&C that describes why a photo, as you say, "sucks", you will be told that the images presented are good, and that you obviously, "just don't get the OP's vision".

 

[The_Traveler]

I'll just file this for the next issue of hints

 

[Compaq]

I may be wrong, but the bullet points seem very "legislative". It is basically telling them what to do - in a strict way. It is written in command tense. Whilst I, and possible everyone, agree with its content, maybe it is a little sharply presented?

 

[runnah]

Don't be a *****.

 

[Derrel]

I may be wrong, but the bullet points seem very "legislative". It is basically telling them what to do - in a strict way. It is written in command tense. Whilst I, and possible everyone, agree with its content, maybe it is a little sharply presented?

The_Traveler is a retired, higher-level US military officer. He is used to things like discipline, systems that WORK and which are proven to produce predictable results for huge groups of people, and following standardized methods so that things run predictably, and do not descend into utter chaos, trainwrecks, finger-pointing, or even worse some might say, three-word "C&C's" like," I like it!" or "Nice pics,dude!" or "Oh! So pretty!". Stuff like that.

 

[KenC]

If the problems we are trying to address in many cases result from not reading anything (on the forum or off) before posting, why would we expect that posting a >500 word set of guidelines would do any good?

 

[The_Traveler]

Noobs don't know any better. (and I have little or no ability to be charming)

I am perfectly happy, even joyous, if Compaq or anyone will rewrite this in a more friendly manner.

 

[The_Traveler]

He is used to things like discipline, systems that WORK and which are proven to produce predictable results for huge groups of people, and following standardized methods so that things run predictably, and do not descend into utter chaos, trainwrecks, finger-pointing, or even worse some might say, three-word "C&C's" like," I like it!" or "Nice pics,dude!" or "Oh! So pretty!". Stuff like that.

I like it.

 

[The_Traveler]

He is used to things like discipline, systems that WORK and which are proven to produce predictable results for huge groups of people, and following standardized methods so that things run predictably, and do not descend into utter chaos, trainwrecks, finger-pointing, or even worse some might say, three-word "C&C's" like," I like it!" or "Nice pics,dude!" or "Oh! So pretty!". Stuff like that.

you so pretty.