Regional search for members

[lenser]

I guess this ties in with the recent gripes about the poor search functions inherent in the site, and also with my own (and many other's) complaints and wishes that all members at least post a rudimentary regional locale in their profile info.

I'm wanting to find other members within a hundred miles or so, who might want to create an informal regional group of large format shooters for shooting trips, and/or social and informational outings and perhaps even a swap meet once or twice a year.

Just doing a search for Missouri members produces one reference to the state (but no members), so it does not even access info under the member title in a post or response. Missouri is under my member name (see to the left with my image) with my avatar in all my posts, so that seems to prove that point.

What I'm wondering is, is there a way to search for Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma, and Southeastern Kansas members (as I am very near Springfield, Mo. which is close to the four corners of all those states) and after that, use it to set up a mass email or private message to those folks, to see about interest levels in such a group?

Obviously those who still wish to avoid even that level of location in their info would just be left out, but any of us who have this comfort level, could at least correspond and perhaps directly work together on safari type shooting trips or other projects and to share some of our favorite regional locations.

Please pitch in and let me know if this sounds reasonable and if there is a way to utilize the site to create such a search.

Tim

[vinny]

I like the idea.

[lenser]

bump

[Ralph Barker]

A voluntary member directory, including listings by state, is maintained off the LF home page:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/users-directory/

There is no guarantee that it's up to date, however.

[John Powers]

Another approach is what I have been doing on Apug the last three years for film users. Have a party, post the information, constantly adjust to what is wanted, and “they will come” to you. Three or four times a year I post and host a NE OHIO Gathering. Most recently, May 6-8, 2011. http://www.apug.org/forums/forum174/89466-ne-oh-gathering-may-6-8-2011-a.html

I describe what is available in Cleveland, Akron and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I tell them all film users are welcome for a three day weekend. We shoot, show our work, talk, tell lies, talk, swap old equipment, eat together, go to local museum photo shows, help each other, act as a sounding board for ideas. It is like minded people enjoying each other.

Attendance ranges from 10-26 people, coming to the Cleveland area from as far away as PA, MI, IL, IN, WI and of course OH. The plan has two origins. I have attended two of Bill Schwab’s annual gatherings, enjoyed them immensely, but wanted more frequent satisfaction. Twenty years ago I listened to my new wife consul her teenage daughter who had not been invited to a party she wanted to attend. Mother said, “If you have the party, you are always invited.” I would add that in a six state geography, it also means you have the least distance to travel at $4.00+ a gallon.

By the way, any film users here are also invited. This avoids the digital vs. film argument. If you can’t make this one, we will have another one after Bill’s event, either July or August.

John

[lenser]

Ralph, John and Vinny. Thanks for the responses.

Ralph....I was not even aware that this existed and seemingly almost no one else in this region is aware either as only two people are listed each from Missouri and Kansas, while Arkansas and Oklahoma have no one. I know of at least one more Missouri member within ten miles of me who, like me, is also not on this particular registry; so for my potential use, this won't be of any help.

A far more practical approach (for my goal anyway) would be to be able to do a keyword search based on, and by the use of, state names in order to find members in one's region. Is that not a possibility? The only current alternative that I can see is to take weeks to go through the members list and open each name to see if they have even bothered to list a state or region, and then make a sub data base of those that fit the four state region that I'm trying to access. Obviously, no one is going to take that kind of time.

John...... The $4.00 gas (and climbing) is one of the big reasons that spurred this idea. There are many workshops and member suggested sites around the country that I would love to attend, but which are rapidly becoming cost prohibitive. One of the big goals of this kind of group would be a "favorite location" sharing ability so that either as a group, or subgroup, or individually, we would be offered access to areas within a couple of hundred miles from home base that are good shooting spots that we otherwise might never hear about. They might not be Yosemite or the Tetons, but they could be just as creatively satisfying on a smaller, and specifically regional basis.

With a large enough group interest, it might also be possible to pool resources and funds to create a regional based workshop once or twice a year with one or more major LF instructors who might be willing to travel to one of our locations, and who otherwise might not be available to us (as individual or group) due to the need to commit to long term travel due to jobs, and due to big personal expenses for long distance travel that would be far more manageable on a regional basis. A week long trip to California, the Oregon Coast, Utah or Florida with all of the accompanying expenses is much harder to manage than a long weekend workshop within one or two hundred miles of your own home territory, at least for some of us.

So back to the challenge, how can this site be used as is, or can it be simply modified, to allow an easy key word search of this kind.

Thanks.

Tim

[Ralph Barker]

Tim, the practicality of both the voluntary member registry and system-wide searches depends on individual members being willing to join the registry or to include that information in their profiles. The built-in search function of the vBulletin software only accesses forum posts, however, not the member profiles. So, profile searches aren't possible without modifying the software - something we've avoided due to the problems such modifications can create.

We've attempted to promote the use of the voluntary registry in the past, but with limited success.

You can, however, use the "Groups and Meetings" sub-forum in the Community section to try to arrange meetings in your geographic area.

[Heespharm]

I guess we can start thread like "please all texans post your name and region here"

[lenser]

Thanks, Ralph. I'll look into that.

[benrains]

I think an easy to access and use voluntary registry makes the most sense. And certainly publicizing photographic events is another good way to get people together.

Speaking for myself at least, photography in and of itself isn't a social activity that I participate in (or have any desire to participate in) with others. I do often use it as a pretext to put myself in social situations not directly related to photography. Equally as often I use photography as an escape to find solitude so I can better tune into the beauty of the world without the distraction of people.

I can understand the appeal of getting together to share a hobby with like-minded folks, but I just thought I'd point out that not all of us are into that sort of thing.

[Steve Smith]

The $4.00 gas (and climbing) is one of the big reasons that spurred this idea.

You USA people are lucky to pay so little (yet you complain about it so much!).

Adjusting for the conversion in currency and the differing sizes of US and UK gallons shows that we pay about twice as much for our fuel as you do.


Steve.

[Brian Ellis]

You USA people are lucky to pay so little (yet you complain about it so much!).

Adjusting for the conversion in currency and the differing sizes of US and UK gallons shows that we pay about twice as much for our fuel as you do.


Steve.

Do you have a point other than to criticize "you USA people" which seems to be one of your favorite pastimes.

[lenser]

Benrains: Just curious if you read the quote from Carl Sandburg that I use in my posts :"One of the greatest necessities in America is to discover creative solitude." Carl Sandburg

I agree about the beauty of the solitude during the creative process, but a once or twice a year group outing is hardly an intrusion into one's overall solo shooting experiences. The hope is that it would enhance those by the exposure to new ideas, new location possibilities and shared techniques.
When I had a portrait studio full time, the two and three times per year attendance to conventions were some of the best learning experiences of all due to the availability of some real artists in the field who were very happy to share their knowledge plus their offering kind but to the point critiques and observations about my own current work.

Steve: So sorry you folks are getting screwed twice as badly as we are, but I don't see what that has to do with creating a more localized opportunity for a group of like minded shooters to help each other out with information and opportunities to find and share great locations that are not half a continent away. Or maybe that is exactly what propels at least part of the thought.

By the way, A very big thanks to you Brits for a stunning show last week. The wedding was brilliant and nobody does it better!

[John Koehrer]

Gas prices in the US are kept artificially low so we will allow the petro giants to make billions.
If the taxes were raised, volume sold would go down and some CEO wouldn't get his bonus :(

[David Aimone]

Oooh, looks VERY out of date...


A voluntary member directory, including listings by state, is maintained off the LF home page:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/users-directory/

There is no guarantee that it's up to date, however.

[Ralph Barker]

Oooh, looks VERY out of date...

That's likely true. I don't think there have been any submissions (or, corrections) in several years. That's probably the way of most "voluntary" things.

[David Aimone]

Can this list/database be linked to a one of the forum categories here or a topic, which would be posted/updated whenever there was a change or addition to the list?

That would help keep it visible and relevant.

[Tori Nelson]

That's likely true. I don't think there have been any submissions (or, corrections) in several years. That's probably the way of most "voluntary" things.

So, does that mean it would be pointless to submit information to the directory at this time?
I didn't even realize that a directory existed within this site. Would it be possible (assuming it's still being managed) to have a heading for the directory included above with "My settings", "FAQ", etc.?

[msk2193]

Since reading this thread I submitted my info to Tom Westbrook, at lfud@tomwestbrook.com as per instructions, but after two weeks or so still nothing.
I guess Tom is no longer updating this list!

But, if anyone comes through the Dallas area and needs "stuff" shipped to or from here, please feel free to contact me. I will gladly do so to or from our office.

[lenser]

Thanks to every one who has contributed to this thread. Seems like it has become a dream without a resolution since there is seemingly no desire on the part of the moderators to change the site to allow such a search, and the combined facts that few members seem to have an awareness of the voluntary directory (including myself) and the low level of members who have added regional information to their profiles.

If any of you read this who are within 200 miles of Springfield Mo. and are interested in attempting to form a regional association with the goals stating in my opening post in the thread, please feel free to contact me either by PM or email at Tludwigpix@yahoo.com.

Thanks.

Tim

[Ralph Barker]

So, does that mean it would be pointless to submit information to the directory at this time?
I didn't even realize that a directory existed within this site. Would it be possible (assuming it's still being managed) to have a heading for the directory included above with "My settings", "FAQ", etc.?

To be honest, that might be a "coin toss". So few people want to share location info these days, presumably for "security" reasons, the utility becomes questionable.

Try clicking on the "LF Home Page" link in the blue bar, and browse around. Lots of potentially useful info, including the registry.

[Ralph Barker]

Since reading this thread I submitted my info to Tom Westbrook, at lfud@tomwestbrook.com as per instructions, but after two weeks or so still nothing.
I guess Tom is no longer updating this list!

But, if anyone comes through the Dallas area and needs "stuff" shipped to or from here, please feel free to contact me. I will gladly do so to or from our office.

Tom has a day job that sometimes takes him away from his volunteer efforts here. Or, your e-mail might have been eaten by the Internet. I'd suggest a follow-up.

[Sirius Glass]

You USA people are lucky to pay so little (yet you complain about it so much!).

Adjusting for the conversion in currency and the differing sizes of US and UK gallons shows that we pay about twice as much for our fuel as you do.


Steve.
Do you have a point other than to criticize "you USA people" which seems to be one of your favorite pastimes.

Brian, take it easy on Steve. "you USA people" is the only note Steve can play on his guitar! ;)

Steve

[al olson]

You USA people are lucky to pay so little (yet you complain about it so much!).

Adjusting for the conversion in currency and the differing sizes of US and UK gallons shows that we pay about twice as much for our fuel as you do.


Steve.

Steve, that may be, but you should appreciate that we have many more miles than you do. Our West is not easy country to get around in as there is a lot of space between most destinations. By comparison it probably evens out in the end.

For example, the recent trip to Tonopah Temptation is 840 miles from my home in Colorado. (You can probably go across the width of your island in that distance.)

Round trip to Tonopah is 1680. Add in the mileage to reach the sites around Tonopah during the five days and it would round out to 2000 miles. I was pulling a camper trailer so my mileage drops to 16 mpg for a total of 125 gallons at $4 per, or $500 for my transportation cost neglecting depreciation and maintenance.

Yes, there begins to be a trade-off by what I pay for gas vs. on what I save in accommodations by living and eating some meals in my camper vs. paying $50 to $100 per night for a hotel room. Needless to say I don't do many trips like this per year and more and more I am restricting my photo travels to state parks in Colorado.

You may perceive this as complaining, but these are factors we prudently consider when we make travel plans. Come over here and join us for a photo outing some time, you'll understand.