Stopping Posting

When I was first invited to this forum, I was assured that the posts here would be more cordial than on photo.net. I'm signing off as the stuff here is just as bad or worst than photo.net.

See you guys around. Jorge, keep up the good fight.

BYE

Hate to see you leave Gene, hopefully you reconsider in the future but I understand.

How terribly sad that you appear to regard it as a battle or a war instead of an exciting and creative process in which there is something new to explore each day

"Nick Shay, is an expert in waste management. He confronts the basic crisis of our disposable consumer economy: what to do with the inexhaustible mountains of toxic garbage generated every day. Nick believes that "waste is a religious thing. We entomb contaminated waste with a sense of reverence and dread. It is necessary to respect what we discard." Although his job forces him to consider the collective refuse of American culture, the great impasto that binds us all together as a nation, Nick's upbringing still shapes his approach to the problem. "The Jesuits taught me to examine things for second meanings and deeper connections. Were they thinking about waste? We were waste managers, waste giants, we processed universal waste." Again speaking of the Disneyland that is America, Baudrillard discovers "a space of the regeneration of the imaginary as waste-treatment plants are elsewhere, and even here. Everywhere today one must recycle waste, and the dreams, the phantasms, the historical, fairylike, legendary imaginary of children and adults is a waste product, the first great toxic excrement of a hyperreal civilization." Whereas Jack Gladney in White Noise sought through the superabundance of noise for hidden messages, scraps of meaning, Nick Shay sifts through the mountainous remains of American culture for a few slips of sublime dream-life that might give his existence meaning. "

I have no intention of signing off. I find the forum very often interesting and informative. I will continue to open it up with anticipation.

I have a few times, however, wished that some participants found it possible to disagree without being disagreeable.

Yeah, the A vs D bit is kinda old. Guess my "Itch and Scratchy" spoof wasn't enough to point out how much it sounds like a scratched-up record.

I was hoping to see a "Contact Print vs Enlarger" debate myself.

Have fun and print a lot! If you ever scan some of your prints, please be sure to let us know. I'd like to see some of them.

I agree with Brian in regards the "kinda old" comment. I'd say the subject has been pretty fully debated and we can just look it up in the archives (see the posting guidelines--please!) and hopefully avoid more threads on which is better. I like the equipment and technique posts, whether trad or digital, but endless, repetitive vituperation is tiresome.

...any man's death diminishes me..."

I gravitated here because I became a 4x5 hobbyist a while ago. And I have to say I enjoy the philosophical discussions, the pondering of imponderables, and the occasional noble slaying of dragons. Those threads can be intoxicating, like beer, and sometimes you pipe in because you can't help yourself, and you get slammed as a dumb ass or (worse) shunned like you sat down at the wrong lunch table in the high school cafeteria.

Yes, passions run high at times, and some people can't resist pushing other people's buttons. But, like Paddy suggests, I find nuggets of wisdom here and there, and always a prevailing sense of humor.

I think I might stumble over to the tavern now...

If your sensibilities are offended by a thread and you find that its level of cordiality isn't up to your standards just stop reading the thread. It's fairly simple .

I just ignore threads that annoy or bore me. I think we're better off having too many opinions than too few.

As soon as I see certain people get involved in a post, I find no redemming value for a return visit. it goes into the "stay away" category. Rather sad.

In spite of this I have had the opportunity to meet many humble, gracious, and respectful LF folks here and for that I am truly blessed.

Onward!

I was personnally shocked to see to what extend the level of the discussions here has dropped over the course of 7 or 8 months.

This used to be a quiet but civilized place, like the LL or Rob Galbaith forums, but it has a come down to some sort of sub-DPreview level.

I am not speaking about the technical content of the discussions, but about how people address each others.

I had sort of thought that the average LF shooters were educated folks, overall on the senior side agewise, and this still appears to be true. However, judging from the discussions I have been watching recently I have started to wonder... am I really not gonna grow any wiser as time passes by?...

Another theory, younger folks like me have been playing with the net for 17 or 18 years, roaming forums, leaving thousands of posts etc... while the slightly older people who have been joining these places recently are actually still in their learning phase medium wise? One could only advice healthy readings like the writtings of Sherry Turkle on multiple personnalities for instance.

Cheers,
Bernard

Am I missing something here? I haven't noticed a high level of rancor flying around here on the LF Forum! Maybe I'm part of the problem because somehow it just doesn't bother me. Frankly, I'd be more put out by a bunch of mealy-mouthed politically correct groupthink than I am over the moderate level of passion exhibited here for a passion-inspiring topic like photography! I think most of us would be insulted if we were accused of not being passionate about photography. Gene, I looked over some of your posts and perhaps you are more on the soft-spoken side. In your first post you mentioned attending John Sexton's workshop so you know that Sexton is pretty much of a gentleman, although probably not quite what I would consider soft-spoken. That made me think of Bruce Barnbaum, who is decidedly NOT soft-spoken, and Ray McSavanny, who is decidedly soft-spoken, and the time that I had the pleasure of attending a workshop with all three of them together. Had the workshop been put on by three McSavannys it would have been rather dull and sleep inducing; had it been three Sextons it would have been somewhat like a college lecture panel; and had it been three Barnbaums it would have been like watching professional wresling! However, it was none of those, but was truly exciting and inspiring because of the different personality types and the interaction thereof. I see the same thing here on the LF Forum and I hope that you reconsider signing off because we really need everyone, and in the end, we are all after the same thing: a passion-inspiring image. By the way, I wonder if you would have signed off the LF Forum had Ansel Adams visited this site and posted his opinion of Ronald Reagan, which was anything but "cordial." By the way again, I was accused by Barnbaum of not being passionate about photography, and it has inspired me ever since.

Gene,

I think this forum is one of the better ones around... sure, there are times where people get a little bit more inflamed than other times but this is simply a reflection of their passion on the issues. Right or wrong... they do take a stand and aren't namby-pamby about where they're coming from!

For the most part though... I find people here are pretty civilized toward one another. And, there are some GREAT folks who don't have any problems sharing their knowledge about large format photography with others. All I can say is, "I've learned a lot from this forum." :) And, to them... I say, "Thank you!" :)

Lastly, jumping off isn't the answer! Remember, in order for you to change the system... you have to be involved!

But, if you're convinced you're "outta here" then I'm sorry to see you go and I'll bid thee farewell.

However... do reconsider!

Cheers

I'm sorry to see you go. It's unfortunate that things get stupidly dramatic at times, but then I still feel like this forum is about ten times better than any other forum I follow. I've been here since I was 14 (I'm 23 now), and this is still about my favorite forum. Like others, when I find that a thread is going somewhere I don't really like, I just stop reading it. Pity that these threads still manage to scare some people away.

Gene,

I expect we are all spending too much time at the cathode ray tube these days. Makes one grumpy.

I, for one, have been huddled between the keyboard and the buzzing window air conditioner attempting to escape the sweltering oppressive summer heat here in the Berkshires. Today, for example, it is predicted to once again spike over 80. No relief in sight!

But as the intolerable weather very soon passes, the apples and pumpkins are ripening in the orchard and field. Corn is well along. Leaves will be turning in six Saturdays and first snow in eleven or twelve.

Won’t be long before New England housewives will be dreaming of bayberry-scented soap balls in the guest bath and the honey-do lists will be lengthening prior to the holidays. My bride has already begun her canning.

So now’s the time to get away from the forum, out into the field to clear our head and make pictures for a while.

Local teenie queenies who are too precious to be talked to by mere mortals all wear earphones in perpetuity as their defense mechanism.

My personal tool for ignoring oral flatulence whilst on location is the dark cloth. Keeps the sphincters at bay.

Lots of rude, miserably unpleasant, socially inept people in this world who have a clumsy knack for hurtful insulting commentary. Guess we have our share here.

But after a day in the field with the Ebony and Chester the Springer, I’ll be too tired to donate a rodent's buttocks.

Gene, if you are up Massachusetts way, stop by for a gentlemanly glass of fresh cider (after you have washed up with bayberry). Hope to see you back here in the Fall.

Warmest regards...

John Cook, you continue to amuse me! You should write a column or something... You could call it "How to be Alive in the Digital Age" or whatever.

As for an across the board retreat from this forum because of a sad handful of folks who think they know it all and furthermore, think it is their job to share their "wisdom" veiled in stupidity, harrassment, and outright rude commentary... well, why would you go and do something like that?! They are easily ignored. Try it and see for yourself :)

I will continue to frequent the posts here as, more often than not, they are filled with the type of education that I would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Most of the folks are kind, more than willing to share their knowledge, and thrilled to help a newbie in the realm of LF photography. Thank you to those of you in this group!!

And to the ones who think nothing of flinging insults with wild abandon and generally attempting to make those who disagree with you bend to your ways of thinking by way of ridicule... I have two words for you -- Buggar off!

hey gene, better lighten up there, buddy. in the grand scheme of things, neither you, this board, nor its members are important. if you want to be bitter and angry about something (about what, i confess, i don't know) better you go do it somewhere else. there's some noise on all boards and i think, by and large, the moderators do a pretty darn good (and often thankless) job. i find ignoring arguments i find silly and/or non-productive to be the best use of my time. try spending less time reading posts and more time printing. :waves: