On the Forum's Value

**tgtaylor** · 11-Nov-2012, 10:47

Excerpted from a post in the Classified:

"...But the reaction that it generated from a couple of relatively new and unknown posters (imposters?) illustrates a reason why very few, if any at all, truly accomplished photographers contribute to this site. And those that did, or do, quickly leave. Even the Forum's founder has stopped posting to it and many of those that do post don't even shoot film much less large format.

Since I have been a member there has been a steady downward spiral in the forum's value to the large format community. In fact there is no real community at all: the forum is dominated by a small handful of professional bloggers that essentially live on the internet 24/7. They are certainly not photographers for photography demands time – especially large format film photography – and those guys are clearly not putting their time into photography. They may be classified as an internet chat room photographer but a photographer they are clearly not. And the problem with that is that style of photographer fails to grow – they simply don't evolve in photography as one does when actively engaged with it – and as a result are a bad example to hold up to those coming into the hobby/profession; bad pennies so to speak.

Contributing to this forum bring to mind something a famous bluesman once said to me: “If you find something that you like, keep it to yourself.”

Thomas

**Cletus** · 11-Nov-2012, 11:03

hm.

**Gem Singer** · 11-Nov-2012, 11:06

Thomas,

I agree with most of your statement. However, the advent of the smart phone and the IPad, participation on this forum can be made anytime from virtually anywhere.

Even while photographing out in the field or working at a day job.

**mdm** · 11-Nov-2012, 12:34

The way to fix that is to contribute photos and stop winging. The people who's contribution has the highest value, for the most part, say the least. It is habitually argumentative people such as ..... (who seems to have gone away, thank God) for example who ruin it. If you are looking for the perfect forum for outstanding photographers where everyone agrees and there is no noise about hand tools or chest banging by the worlds greatest printer, it does not exist. Best to make the best of what we have. Is there another large format forum out there? What we should be about is growth, and also one should recognise that in growing we also come to the point where we need a forum less. So some people will come and go or pop in occasionally. Thats OK. There are always more people curious about big cameras, developing and printing.

**evan clarke** · 11-Nov-2012, 13:10

People just overthink the basics, quit analyzing and DO something.

**Vaughn** · 11-Nov-2012, 13:41

And some of us post throughout the day/night when there is down time near a computer...such as I am right now...sitting behind the counter of my gallery (actually a cooperative). Though I am on the computer right now, twenty-four hours ago I was visiting a friend, taking a couple 8x10 images, and helping split/stack firewood.

Whoever made the quote in the first post must be pyschic to know how everyone spends their time on and off the computer! LOL! AS well as being so insightful to know of remote people's inner growth!

The secret is to weave one's photography into one's life, just as one weaves one's family, as well as one's job and friends, into one's life. And how one does it, is one's own business -- and being judged by someone in front of another computer is not to be taken seriously.

**jnantz** · 11-Nov-2012, 13:52

in 2001, if someone posted a aesthetic, philosophically leaning question
they would have been greeted by criticism and comments how the site was changing for the worse ...

the way it is now, is most certainly a downward spiral.

**Leigh** · 11-Nov-2012, 14:32

Since I'm probably one of the people referenced in the quoted text, I feel qualified to answer.

One problem lies in the definition of "experience". There are lots of folks here with lots of experience, myself included.

A question commonly asked of tradesmen seeking a new job:
"Do you have 20 years' experience, or one year's experience 20 times over?" Real experience demands growth.

Experience is a very individual thing. Yours differs from mine, which differs from his, which differs from hers, etc. The fact that one person has done something the same way for 40 years does not mean it's the most efficient/easiest/best way to accomplish the task. This is particularly true in photography, where techniques and materials are constantly changing.

Unfortunately, some experienced individuals think their pronouncements should be accepted as gospel by the masses.
They get defensive when their ideas are not accepted, or are perhaps contradicted by other posts.
They take that as a personal insult, rather than simply an expression of a different point of view.

Maybe we should all relax and accept the forum as a place to exchange ideas... nothing more, nothing less.

- Leigh

**patrickjames** · 11-Nov-2012, 15:11

I am sure many photographers read LFF but they think it is a bad idea to post here and open themselves up to the forum nutjobs. I just try to skip the riff-raff. Some people are on my ignore list. I come here quite a bit but I usually avoid posting since anything written is immediately contradicted. There are some aggro people here. That said, there are some nice ones too and that makes it worth visiting. I have always found forum worlds interesting because they have nothing to do with the actual real world. Lots of experts that never make a photo or talk like they are the bomb but their photos suck.