Sharing an example of our work.

[Capocheny]

FWIW, I also think it'll be a nice facility to have on this forum. To illustrate a problem rather than simply describe it will make all the difference in the world when an answer/advice/suggestion is being offered.

Chris,

No, you're the only one seeing the picture you posted... that sign looks surrealistic!

[Nice image. ]

Cheers

[Richard Schlesinger]

How about electing officers and having critiques of photographs with award points?

[Ralph Barker]

Chris - yes, those with their own sites or other online image depositories that allow direct image links can share images now via HTML tags, as you did. Although the new software won't allow HTML (it uses other tags), it will also allow images to be uploaded to our server and included in messages, as well. So, those who don't already have an online image depository can share images or problem illustrations, too.

Eventually, we might expand that to some sort of gallery, but historically most of the participants here have been reluctant to post reduced-size (Web-appropriate) images due to the loss in quality. We'll need to play all of this "by ear" based on participant input, bandwidth usage, and all that sort of thing.

Grump - surely you jest ;-)

[Terence Spross]

I hope the new system will allow click on links to a high res image or a link to a video file to demonstate what we are trying to show when the file sizes are too large for your server. I agree in limiting the file on the thread loading page since some unfortuate people still can only get dial-up access. ( An acquantance of mine retruned last year from a third world country - don't remember where - and he visited a family living in a hut, bound sticks for walls, on a concrete slab, power lines strung along trees... and they had high speed internet on their computer sitting on a tree stump table. They had higher speed access than he did at his home in rural upstate NY where only dial-up was available!)

[Frank Petronio]

No offense, but why don't you guys simply blow a FEW $ on a webpage or even some simple hosting service like PBase? I mean geez, this site is advertising and hassle free, it loads fast, and I rather like it not forcing other people's snapshots -- err... art -- down my throat.

Next thing you know we'll be having photo contests and unwarranted critiques... yuk!

I much rather see links than photos on the threads myself. I do check out people's sites, and that tells me far more about them than an odd photo or two.

Plus, a lot of the participants whom I really enjoy reading from are lousy photographers (remember Jay on the PN Leica Forum?). I rather retain my good impressions based on their witty comments and banter than to be subjexted to their lame photos which immediately destroy their credibility.

Leave us some mystery, please... the self portraits from a few months ago were enough! I still get nightmares...

[Rory Roopnarine]

I understand your point, Frank, but when you live out in the boondocks like me with the nearest LF photographer on the other side of the Atlantic, well, explanatory pictures could be a great help! Like, for instance: look, my new Kodak Readyload holder is crap! All you'll have to do is look at my photo. and enlighten me as to what went wrong. Ya know? As for self-portraits, are we LFers all THAT ugly? Oh. Okay.

[Witold Grabiec]

I agree with Frank. I think we're running a chance of blowing this forum out of control. As Frank mentioned, there is no excuse these days (financial or otherwise) to not have your own web space if needed. Simplicity of this forum is one of its best features.

[paulr]

"I think we're running a chance of blowing this forum out of control."

wasn't the original suggestion for a simple intro, with one picture per person?

[Witold Grabiec]

Paulr,

Ralph seemed to indicate that the "new" system will allow uploads to straight to the server. Did not seem to suggest that there would be single pic limit. I was also more specifically backing Frank's post. I'd rather have the forum load instantly and leave the images residing elsewhere. Further, I personally find those little pics next to poster's name quite annoying, althugh that may not be in the books (or so I hope).

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'm also a fan of the simple text-oriented interface. Many websites and sample images of participants on this forums are listed here--

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

and here--

http://www.greenspun.com/boohoo/related.tcl?page_id=TuanLF