I don't have much experience with forum-building or maintaining. Garrett does and his points are valid.
Some sections or threads would be started more organically, due to someone having trouble with the process, or someone musing about a dark box build, for example.
This is already how this forum is loosely structured: there are broad categories, and we start threads within those categories to answer questions, to help others or to add to the database.
Is it up to the mods to determine what the threads should be? Or can we not simply open a new Wet Plate sub-forum and see where it goes, letting it grow (or die) on its own? Do we need to justify its existence right now, or can we build it and see if they come?
If it please the mods, I can think of several topics right now. I could add 20-40 more if I sat down and imagined I had only first heard of wet plate last week.
- Where can I get X piece of equipment? Can I make it instead?
- How do I make a wet plate holder?
- How do you determine exposure?
- Can I use flash?
- Do you travel with wet plate?
- Is there a Civil War re-enactment nearby I can take photos at?
- Why are my fingernails black?
- Do you use a helper tray for development?
- I have $300 and I want to shoot wet plate...
- I don't have a Petzval, can I use any kind of lens? What would be a good starter lens for $300?
And so on.
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