I'm sorry if I've upset anyone.

Senor Hound · Jun 17, 2008

It came to my attention that some of the people on this forum found my posts to be bothersome. I'm not trying to be an attention hound or anything for posting this (although I'm insecure, online attention isn't the type I need), but I did want to say that I apologize if I have bothered or do bother anyone with my comments. I take pride in knowing I am a likable person (its a priority of mine), and to have people be upset with me bothers me a lot.

I will try and watch what I type a bit more from now on

Emerana · Jun 17, 2008

Well I am not offended, but I have commented on your comments. I think you are a nice guy, you seem to be. And I am glad you are getting into photography. I think it will be *good for you* (at the risk of sounding like I know you or anything). My issues with some of your posts is that you are so new to photography, you have only posted a couple photos and have shown a lack of understanding of the most basic concepts. Good photos are good, crap photos are crap. Yes there is a big gray area, but oof photos are just not in the gray area An interesting mistake or a photo of good luck isnt really art. Art is painstaking. Art comes after you have applied yourself to the rules, learned why they are what they are, and then learned how to break them. Art is educated. Monet didnt stock groceries on the weekdays and visit his canvas on the weekends. He began studying as a child and applied himself. He lived painting. he took lessons and studied under people. And that is where he developed.

Photography can be therapy, just like painting. but art is painstaking. The VAST majority of us are in infancy of the learning process. So an oof isnt "art", its a mistake.

Ok, I am holding on to my hat, (pseudo)intellectuals start firing at me, I am ready to be flamed.

Emerana · Jun 17, 2008

I am not trying to go after you or anything. I just answered because I had mad a public comment and I thought I owed it to you to comment further

Alex_B · Jun 17, 2008

Emerana said:
Ok, I am holding on to my hat, (pseudo)intellectuals start firing at me, I am ready to be flamed.

OK, being a professional pseudo intellectual, I just have to comment on your use of the word "rules" in the context of photography. I really do not like that word. I claim there are no rules, there are only guidelines, which help in some cases and do the opposite in other cases if followed like rules and not like suggestions.

Sorry

MACollum · Jun 17, 2008

All of this is making me feel bad about not posting my pictures. I try to comment on pictures from time to time...IF I feel qualified to make a critique and no one else has pointed out my thoughts already. I'm the first to admit though that I am sensitive (which is the main reason I don't post my pictures) and I usually already know what's wrong with the picture, or how it could have been better. It also seems, though, like some people are just looking to be an a$$hole, not be helpful. Usually I even understand the concepts but putting them to good use is another story entirely. Maybe I just need to toughen up and post some pics already.

I took over 400 when we went to the lake a couple weeks ago.

Alex_B · Jun 17, 2008

no one can be forced to post his or her pictures IMHO.

And even those who do not post theirs, are fully entitled to comment on others pictures and should do so if they feel qualified or feel they have something to contribute.

MACollum · Jun 17, 2008

Thanks, Alex. I don't want to be torn to shreds over a crappy picture. I'm not too good, and I know it. I don't need someone telling me I suck just because I post a newbish picture. I just don't take my photography as seriously as some; but I don't want to be looked down on because of it.

It's also sad to me that everyone is so upset with the forum. I love coming to the site. I don't post too much, but do lots of reading. Even the wars are amusing to me. I can't bear to put anyone on ignore because I might miss something funny! I've been peeved at comments lots of times (usually those that are more of a personal attack than a simple comment) but I just blow it off. Everyone should be entitled to their opinion and not be put down because of it. Unfortunately, there are many who do not know how to agree to disagree.

Alex_B · Jun 17, 2008

MACollum said:
It's also sad to me that everyone is so upset with the forum. I love coming to the site.

so do i ... and people are complaining a lot recently... but they have been in the past. and there will be times in the future when people will complain.

venting never helps the forum, but it helps the people doing it

Emerana · Jun 17, 2008

Alex_B said:
OK, being a professional pseudo intellectual, I just have to comment on your use of the word "rules" in the context of photography. I really do not like that word. I claim there are no rules, there are only guidelines, which help in some cases and do the opposite in other cases if followed like rules and not like suggestions.

Sorry

semantics :er: (pseudo) intellectuals love semantics (I am married to one :lmao

. Anywho, do you disagree with the bulk of my thread or just that specific word?

Guidelines is a plenty fine word and I would agree photography "rules" are more like guidelines. Unfortunately it is called the "rule of thirds" and I dont wish to confuse anyone should they read my post and then open a photography text. Then they would have to come back and post in the beginners section "whats the difference between rule of thrids and guideline of thirds?"

Then another post would spring up here about how come we cant send hit men out to noobs houses. Really I wwas just trying to save a few lives here :er:

Dioboleque · Jun 17, 2008

Senor ~ Wow! I thought I was insecure, but compared to u, I seem bold! The beauty of the internet is that no one on here knows you or probably ever will, so it doesn't really matter what anyone here thinks of you. I was really nervous about posting pics at first, but I sucked it up. People around here can be really harsh I found just from reading posts before I began posting myself, which is why I'm glad I did read those posts first because I was able to determine which shots of mine weren't even worth posting for critique... I probably would have got torn a new one if I had just started posting from the start. I also found that, while I was seeking critique on technical aspects as I am just learning, people didn't want to critique my pics because of, as I was told, uninteresting subject matter. I think that, while it would be abused by some, the forum would benefit from adding user ratings of sort where, for example, I could set my rating to New to Photography or Knows the Basics etc. so that people viewing my posts would have a clear idea of where I stand as a photographer, or at the very least they should expand the Bio section on our profile pages. Also, if people around here are going to be as discriminating as they are about subject matter there should definitely be a Beginners Gallery where viewers can focus on the technical aspects of the photo rather than the subject matter, because I know when learning to use my camera I wasn't waiting around for the most arty or interesting subject matter to practice on. People seem to forget that beginners exist and have as much right to attention as anyone else, and refusing to critique technical aspects of a beginners photo because they find the subject matter boring is just asinine. Bottom line, don't get discouraged! Do not put ur camera down and stop taking photos! Practice might not make u perfect, but giving up something ur passionate about because a bunch of online bullies don't know how to give constructive criticism would just be silly!

And to any of u bullies out there who may be reading this... try to keep in mind that there is no age requirement for participating so that person u decided to crush for no other reason than ur personal enjoyment may be some aspiring little girl or boy. If I had been exposed to the sort of brutality that goes on around here at a much younger age I may have never touched a camera again! (ok, that may be a little over the top! :sillysmi

Alex_B · Jun 17, 2008

Emerana said:
semantics :er: (pseudo) intellectuals love semantics (I am married to one :lmao. Anywho, do you disagree with the bulk of my thread or just that specific word?

just that specific word, i only screened it to be honest and that word caught me as a buzz word

myself just trying to be an arse here

Alex_B · Jun 17, 2008

Dioboleque said:
Senor ~ Wow! I thought I was insecure, but compared to u, I seem bold! The beauty of the internet is that no one on here knows you or probably ever will, so it doesn't really matter what anyone here thinks of you.

wrong, so wrong!!! By now I met plenty of people from this forum in person, from all continents! So you never know

MACollum · Jun 17, 2008

I agree with Diabolique. I once read a statement by a member to the effect that they wouldn't waste their precious time critiquing a picture by a newb. As a (relative) newb myself, I was hurt by that because I think most of us come here for the same reason I do: to learn and be inspired by those more experienced. If all a person wants is to bask in their own glory, there are other places to do that than a forum where a lot of the members are hobbyists and amateurs, if not flat-out newbs to photography.

Emerana · Jun 17, 2008

I can agree to being insecure when I first started too. I really loved it and I didnt want anyone to tell me to hang up my camera bag and get my *itch arse back in the kitchen and make some pie. I would be really nervous. But I hardened, you have to to be able to grow. I got some confidence in my work too. No, I am not great, I am hardly good. But I like it and I know I can improve and grow. And if you dont put yourself out there you cant really grow. You will just give up. Anything worth anything takes effort and being vulnerable.

I dont believe in sugar coating. I do believe in always trying to give some positive with negitive. Its rare I cant think of something positive to say. Considering I am sitting here with a 2 year old on my lap asking me to tell him about Nemo and show him a picture, its soemtimes hard to get the energy.

In honer of sucking here is a photo I took yesterday of my son in his shirt his aunt sent him. I took it with a P&S (which is a POS) to put on her myspace page. Nothing about it is "good" but it is cute and kind of funny anyways