HILARIOUS!

[ababysean]

Here is the thing. I have learned so much from these jerks, I just started shooting and yes, the assholes sometimes were mean and/or rude and sometimes both, but guess whose advice I remembered most while out practicing. The advice that sort of insulted me and rubbed me the wrong way! I don't think I was rude or mean at all in her first post.... I do however know there are some punks here that are just here to ruffle feathers, but there are also people here that really love to help. Ignore the dummies, I learned fast to NOT REPLY TO THOSE I DO NOT LIKE! just read what they have to say, think about it, ignore it, move on.

I have learned more from this forum I think then any other forum out there. Another good place to start is ilovephotography.com They are more women centered, not so much into gear, and have a more softer approach at critique. There is still drama from time to time, but in general it is a lot "nicer" there. I have found men and women are so different in forums, men are way more blunt, will tell you straight up, you suck. haha but then after you get past their insults they like to "show off" their knowledge and start spewing really good advice and technique and information. Some of the best CC and advice I've gotten have been from the rudest people here, I like to ruffle their feathers because I know they will get "smart" and try to show off and then spew out generally great info!

Anyways, no one is making her, you, your husband stay here. If this forum does not fit your needs, then try another one.

I myself like harsh CC because I want to improve and getting CC from people who just say oh what a cute kid I'm sure the mom will love it.... yea that doesnt help me get better. I am charging for my work now, so I feel an obligation to produce images that are better then good.... better then "what a cute kid, mom will love it" I want to be technically spot on, and emotionally connected all at the same time.

 

[PhotoTish]

Have you heard the expression "can't see the wood for the trees"? If not, it means someone is unable to understand what is important in a situation because they are giving too much attention to details. I don't mean this unkindly, it happens to us all at one time or another.

There is a lot of banter which goes on here - my impression is that it is seldom meant to offend and is often humorous - if you could look beyond that you would see that there is also a wealth of information and guidance which is being passed your way - for free!

I have learnt loads from this site. Just about every question I have had, I have found the answer here, without even asking because someone has asked it before and it has been answered (sometimes several times!)

Take all the advice you are given. Try it out. Keep what works for you and discard what doesn't. Above all, don't take it too seriously. It is meant to be fun :thumbup:

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I've seen bridges with less tension.

 

[eUgalde13]

Oh god, another episode of The Real Housewives of The Photo Forum perhaps the Jersey Shore, correction, The Photo Forum Shore.

Sent from my iPhone using PhotographyForum app

 

[cgipson1]

RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!... it's an MWAC! lol!

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

I am not even going to jump into the drama debate, but I will give my opinion on your confusion due to contradictions.

1) There ARE occasional contradictions. This is not only due to multiple ways to achieve the same things depending on taste, but also due to there simply being people who think they know more than they do. As a result, they give out poor information.

2) You are going to be confused if you expect everyone to be your teacher here. I think that everyone here likes to help, but we are in no way shape or form your "photography teachers". You need to be doing research and learning on your own, away from the internet. Read a book, or seek out local photo groups. Some contradiction and confusion could stem simply from different scenarios. Often times you will get told to do one thing in a given situation and then in another, told to do something different. This may SEEM like a contradiction to you because you do not understand the differences in the situations. They may, on face value, seem the same to you. Perhaps we do not explain that, but not all of us know of all of your previous posts. Also, not all of us have the time to write a 500 page photography book in order to explain every nuance.


So with those two things said, you need to learn more on your own and find a way to filter certain information. For instance, if you look at some people's level of work, or trustworthy-ness of previous advice, you should be able to give more weight to their opinions than some unknown posters contradicting advice. At the end of the day, its the internet. You are getting invaluable advice in most cases, that most people would have to pay lots of money on schooling, books, and/or apprenticing to learn.

 

[analog.universe]

I just want to say that the "need" to learn away from the internet is overstated I think. It does of course depend on learning style, but I think that if you direct your attention in the right direction, the internet contains all the information you'll need. People are often pointed toward certain books or advised to join photographer groups, etc... That stuff is effective for certain people, but it's not necessary for everyone. Information moves a lot differently now than it did 5 or 10 years ago, and for some people (like myself), the new method of exchange is just as effective.

 

[Futurelight]

Tirediron is correct and, as an example I am going to use THE man, Bruce Lee. This guy studied several martial arts until he was exceptional in all of them. Once he had trained in them and become master, he took all of them, filtered out the un-necassary, took all the best parts and created his own style by incorporating all the good of each. Thus creating his own style, Jeet Kune Do. This style of Kung-foo is widely regarded as the most effective and sought after style on the planet now.

My point is, listen to your lecturers, listen to your peers, even listen to the drunken tramp on the street corner. Take all the information you are given, sift out the crap and be the photographer you choose to be.

If you choose to be great, you will be! Recognised or un-recognised.

As all the information, all the opinions and all the teachings are there for you to use, USE them and better your own style.

I hope this helps

 

[SCraig]

I just want to say that the "need" to learn away from the internet is overstated I think. It does of course depend on learning style, but I think that if you direct your attention in the right direction, the internet contains all the information you'll need. People are often pointed toward certain books or advised to join photographer groups, etc... That stuff is effective for certain people, but it's not necessary for everyone. Information moves a lot differently now than it did 5 or 10 years ago, and for some people (like myself), the new method of exchange is just as effective.

I'm not sure I agree with that, yet I'm not sure I disagree either. The information available on the internet is invaluable, that goes without saying. There is so much information available that virtually any question can be answered in just a few minutes.

On the other hand I grew up in the film days. In the beginning I had a mentor, of sorts, who owned the camera shop I worked in after school. He died a few years later and I was pretty much left on my own to learn from my mistakes. Making mistakes and then LOOKING at those mistakes, on my own, helped me immensely. I learned to truly LOOK at a bad exposure and figure out why it was bad and what I could do to make it better. Today it's much easier to just jump on an internet forum and ask "What's wrong with this" but when you do not have that advantage, when you have to look and learn on your own, the lessons stick.

So, as I said, I'm not sure I agree but then I'm not sure I disagree either.

 

[analog.universe]

I just want to say that the "need" to learn away from the internet is overstated I think. It does of course depend on learning style, but I think that if you direct your attention in the right direction, the internet contains all the information you'll need. People are often pointed toward certain books or advised to join photographer groups, etc... That stuff is effective for certain people, but it's not necessary for everyone. Information moves a lot differently now than it did 5 or 10 years ago, and for some people (like myself), the new method of exchange is just as effective.

I'm not sure I agree with that, yet I'm not sure I disagree either. The information available on the internet is invaluable, that goes without saying. There is so much information available that virtually any question can be answered in just a few minutes.

On the other hand I grew up in the film days. In the beginning I had a mentor, of sorts, who owned the camera shop I worked in after school. He died a few years later and I was pretty much left on my own to learn from my mistakes. Making mistakes and then LOOKING at those mistakes, on my own, helped me immensely. I learned to truly LOOK at a bad exposure and figure out why it was bad and what I could do to make it better. Today it's much easier to just jump on an internet forum and ask "What's wrong with this" but when you do not have that advantage, when you have to look and learn on your own, the lessons stick.

So, as I said, I'm not sure I agree but then I'm not sure I disagree either.

Mmm, this is what I mean by directing your attention in the right direction. You can't just ask for specific remedies when you run into specific problems.... (Well you can, but only if all you're trying to do is fix a specific problem. That approach won't teach you to shoot.) Integral to learning anything is the long repeated process of trial > error > modification. My point was that as far as learning theory, understanding your equipment, and obtaining the raw information that you feed into your own personal trial and error process, the internet is as good a source as any.

I do think the impulse to get quick answers to specific questions is what limits most people, as you mentioned. The key to really getting a handle on any topic is understanding from the bottom up how and why things happen. Starting from the perspective of the controls on your camera body, you'll only ever glimpse a portion of the information necessary to know what you're doing. If instead you start from the perspective of light and electrons interacting with your equipment, by the time you work your way out to an individual control, it's obvious what its function is, as well as how you should manipulate it in any given situation. And to the point, the internet has all the information you'll ever need about knowing how and why your camera works the way it does.

 

[jwbryson1]

Are you related at all to AmateurAllie?

 

[rexbobcat]

It's funny ababysean...you just proved her point. And to agree with her. nothing annoys me more personally, then pretentious jerks that give ur opinions opposed to being helpful. It's funny that my first comment to my husband was this forum is one of the meanest I have ever seen. Especially in the "newbie" section. If we are so horrible, post in the professional gallery! Isn't this the place where I should gain knowledge and be incouraged to continue my craft. I read these posts and feel terrible how cruel others can be. Some of you don't apply you provide helpful information with a compliment. You give actual constructive criticism which is appreciated. Others think they are some sort of "gods gift to photography" and are nothing more then cyber bullies. Just remember you too were new... I thought by joining I would gain a community, not hostility and judgment. Just my two cents.

It's not that we are so pretentious. It is that newbies come here expecting to be seen as photographic prodigies, and when they realize that the work they put up isn't quite as good as they thought, then they get all hurt and start attacking those who disagreed. Posting a few bad photos and asking for comments is a very good thing, but posting photo....after photo...after photo, and there seems to be no improvement. The gloves will eventually come off.

And I personally find it annoying when a beginner comes here looking for advice, when they haven't even taken it upon themselves to educate themselves about the basic basics basics. Yes, we are here to help, but we are not here to coddle and delude. I'm sorry.

 

[tirediron]

... It is that newbies come here expecting to be seen as photographic prodigies, and when they realize that the work they put up isn't quite as good as they thought...

I'm not so sure that it's a case of assuming that they are photographic prodigies, but rather that they have no concept of how much there is to know, and that there's a LOT more to getting a top-notch image than just turning your brand-new, Best-Buy DSLR to 'Green box' mode and snapping away. I've been doing this for 30 years and I still learn something new almost every day.

 

[jwbryson1]

I've seen bridges with less tension.

You, sir, are the KING of the one-liners! :thumbup:

 

[COLTSFANATIC1]

what a perfect name for this thread, HILARIOUS! yes indeed it is !