Was I too tough on this guy?(link to a car forum where a photography fued broke out)

DSLR noob · Oct 20, 2009

Ok, this is a link to a local car forum I'm on, and I saw one too many noob photographers gonig crazy over their first DSLR, so I snapped on him a little, (I'm 87 turbo II). I explain myself later in the thread, but was I too harsh, do you agree with my points, or is something off with the way I went about it?

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iflynething · Oct 20, 2009

That was epic. Well put

~Michael~

bigmike · Oct 20, 2009

I understand where you were coming from, but you seemed to come off as being very snobbish and condescending. I don't mean this to be a stab, but edge on the side of mercy.

battletone · Oct 20, 2009

If I was involved in that I sure wouldn't go around posting to other forums so everyone can see what was said in that thread.

:thumbdown:

DSLR noob · Oct 20, 2009

battletone said:
If I was involved in that I sure wouldn't go around posting to other forums so everyone can see what was said in that thread.

:thumbdown:

cause I came off as an ass? He needed someone to call it like it is, and I did just that. All the curse words were used because of a generic feel that whole forum has, have to fit in wih your audience you know?

epp_b · Oct 21, 2009

I dunno, you kind of started it and I don't think it was really necessary. Where's this law that requires you to run a full-time photography business to have the word "Photography" in your forum signature, anyway?

Yeah, so his pictures are ... "meh" ... I've seen worse, but I've certainly seen a heck of a lot better. We all sucked at first.

joeywpc · Oct 21, 2009

I'm sure he wasn't asking to have his photography skills critiqued on a car forum. Did he ever say he was showing off the photos or the car in the photos? Not great photos (or car) but i think you were way out of line and came off looking like a pratt.

battletone · Oct 21, 2009

DSLR noob said:
battletone said:

If I was involved in that I sure wouldn't go around posting to other forums so everyone can see what was said in that thread.

:thumbdown:

Click to expand...

cause I came off as an ass? He needed someone to call it like it is, and I did just that. All the curse words were used because of a generic feel that whole forum has, have to fit in wih your audience you know?

I have a foul mouth. But I do try to watch myself. But no, it wasn't so much the cursing, but a lack of intelligent thought in every single post.

Dominantly · Oct 21, 2009

I think you came off as a Douche Bag......
I'd also be willing to bet you wouldn't come off like that in person at a car meet.

astrostu · Oct 21, 2009

I agree with battletone. Your attitude was uncalled for. I've offered lots of advice on this forum for photos that absolutely suck, but no where did I ever use language nor a tone like yours. Even when it was the 50th time I've explained something (like not shooting at f/14 for the moon, nor ISO 800). Even when people then contradict me, I've calmly and rationally explained why they are wrong and why their photos will be better if they do as I suggest.

What you did is just plain obnoxious. I actually read the thread thinking you were the original poster and thought that while the pictures weren't great, I felt sorry for you when reading the first reply thinking, "Wow, that guy's a real jacka--." Well, the sentiment remains for that first reply on that thread. And your subsequent ones.

Turnerea · Oct 21, 2009

it's ok, just post this thread in some other forum and someone there will tell you that you shouldn't have even bothered to ask this question here.

Garbz · Oct 21, 2009

First reply was pretty outright nasty, but the post towards the bottom was far better.
At first you were like "you suck get off my lawn" but then it was far more constructive with your constructive criticism. You need to tactfully tell people they suck. Otherwise they are more likely to completely give up than continue to try and learn.

I have a bit of teaching experience so I'll add this. When something does something that's just utter crap they are more likely to need guidance. I had an ELEC1000 student do a most basic wiring mistake which made it very clear they didn't have a clue what they were doing and this was late in the course. I got pissed since I went through this all before with the class and it was late in the semester. But the solution is not "HRRR fine I'll do it for you" or "my god you're an idiot why didn't you listen" or even "I've been through this 4 weeks ago read your notes from back then", the key to really getting them to learn is to prompt them with questions that make them think. Ask leading questions to get them to draw their own conclusion about why they suck so much.

So relating it back to just one point in what you said it's the difference between "use your lens hood next time" to asking the question if they think the flare adds to the image at all, and prompting them to think about it.

I agree with you in the entire thread, just not the method. Mind you there's professional teachers who approach classes the way you approached that thread so my opinion may be completely wrong :lmao:

And to eat my own words: "Do you think being rude to him will want him to continue to learn?" There now i'm not a hypocrite :lol:

PhotoXopher · Oct 21, 2009

I like stevo_EF91's response to your post the best to be honest.

usayit · Oct 21, 2009

I think your first post came off as an ass. Nothing in that post was constructive... just downright condescending. The only constructive comments came afterwards (CA, better lens.. hood etc) and by then they were lost in the over tone.

Oh btw... I love to "debate" various topics (especially politics). They get heated pretty quickly and often result in a lot of insults and name calling. The most effective way to deal with it is to point it out.. perhaps comment against.. and move on without throwing an insult back. Once you go down that path people get focused on the insults rather than the content.. you essentially loose credibility. Always take the high ground and focus on the content/discussion.

bigtwinky · Oct 21, 2009

I also think you came off as a total ass in that thread. Your posts had nothing to do with photography, but everything to do with wanting to come off like an e-thug and pwning on an internet forum.

In a later post in that thread, you said "Well what helped me the most is when people tore me a new asshole for it....It's called tough love constructive criticism". I seriously hope you were not referring to this forum. No where and no how have I ever seen on this forum anyone act as crudely and immaturely as you did on that forum. So I seriously hope you were not trying to emulate the tearing you got here.
And where was that "tough love cc"? Your initial post only said "Pics are ok, car is ok, scenery is good, but overall not great." Only later when being called out for being an ass did you actual mention some photo terms like flare, and CA.

But seriously... all you did is come off as someone with an inflated ego and your internetz attitude doesnt help.

I seriously hope no one there can track you back to here and think that this is where you got your leet photography attitude from and assume all photographers are as asshatish as you are in that thread.

And then you come to another internet forum to post about what you did.

Dude...really.