Janice Loc: Kentucky

I am relatively new here. I have been reading for over a month but not saying much. One of the main reasons is that I see a few folks who are consistently abrupt and even rude to new people. What's worse is that I think the people being abrupt and rude don't even think they are. Sometimes it is best to be less direct, it can put people off and keep them from really joining in. Just because someone has an opinion doesn't make it the right opinion, and every other person in the world should not feel they have to live by your standards for fear of being put down or embarrassed. Just my two cents, and I am not trying to offend anyone. I am just saying I have seen things said here that make me flinch or even angry, no bad language or anything like that, just harsh, abrupt, and rude comments.

fthomas Loc: Philippines

Janice, I'm new here as well. A long time ago when I belonged to a cameral club with some very, very serious photographers I was forced to overcome my own personal fears of putting an image out for critique and discovered that I wasn't all that thick skinned. I know for myself that I had a "sense of ownership" and thus was quite defensive about the comments that were made. Once I overcame both issues I started to grow and actually was able to sort out the critisism that was valid from that which was nonsense. There are as many right answers to some things as there are photograhers. You have to decide if you accomplished the things that you wanted in an image.

Images for pure enjoyment may not be the correct style of images that are being used for commercial purposes.

So, join in and don't feel put off by comments of some of the members. After all, they are just opinions. And we know that opinions are like other things. Everybody has one. Don't be a lurker, but a part tparticipant. You will be surprised at how much you learn in the process.

Another newbie here
Fred

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

Some people, consider critizisum - of ANY degree - as rude interferrance of their life and resent their meddeling... I am also a newbie and what I've seen as critizisum has been REQUESTED... It's called CONSTRUCTED critizisum... If a person is THAT THIN SKIN, then perhaps they should move on... Personally, what I have seen of those remarks have been very proper...

Janice Loc: Kentucky

I am not talking about critique. I am talking about when someone accidentally uses all caps, someone says don't yell - using all caps is like yelling (perhaps that person is also new to computers and doesn't know that), or if someone asks a question they say read your owners manual( my manual tells me how to get to av but it doesn't tell me how to set the aperture once I am there), or if they use abbreviations someone says I speak english don't you(today most people understand the abbreviations even if they don't use them, why not just answer instead of making that jab, or just don't answer, completely walk away if you prefer, no need to be ugly or childish)? Those are not exact quotes. And what I am saying here is nicer than what I have seen. So it isn't about critique, it is about attitude. If I ask for a critique I will be fully prepared for a critique, not a pat on the back. Most people here seem to be wonderful people who really want to help others or be helped by others. I started this thread after reading a very harsh attack on someone who posted a "snapshot" instead of a photograph and I was venting when I should have remained quiet. I came here to learn, and I have learned just from reading what others have posted. I am not at the point yet where I feel my photos are good enough to be shown or critiqued. I am learning the basics; composing, rule of thirds, lighting, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, the difference between a snapshot and a photograph - all that kind of thing, when I get that all figured out and learn how to use my new camera :-) then I will ask for help on that level (critique). Thank you Don, I am shy, not thin skinned, it just takes me time.

Janice Loc: Kentucky

Thank you Fred. I am shy, not thin skinned. I am not talking about opinions here though. I was referring to attitudes, or what I saw as attitudes.
We all have a sense of ownership of things we create, be it an image in photography or painting or something else. If one seeks critique and advice they should be fully prepared to accept it but I know many who don't even understand the word. They surely would not be able to accept it happening.
I have been taking pictures since I was a child but I never knew there was a rule of thirds until I came to this site. I also draw and paint, and didn't know that rule by that name.
I have learned a lot by "lurking" and when I am comfortable with learning the basics and learning my camera I am sure I will post pictures asking for more advice. Gotta get the basics, take the first steps before you run. Thanks for the encouragement to join in more. Janice

notnoBuddha

There is no excuse for rudness, period. That being said if you get three people in a room even if no one speaks, at least one will be offended with or without good cause within one hour. Okay I made that up - my point I'm trying to make is so what, like it or not in many ways that is the world we live in. After one is offended or took offense one always has the choice of being who they are or letting others control how they react. No one can insult you without your permission. There is a place for indifference in the world. Have added a picture that I selected at random - just because I could.

bobmielke Loc: Portland, OR

Someone posted the idea that the Admin should develop a mobile application for this forum so that cellphone and pad users could use it. I begged the Admin not to. There's a reason the United States has raised it's last two generations of children to be among the most illiterate and stupid in the world. I don't speak "text speak", abbreviations or acronyms, I speak English. Good communication skills are a basic requirement for nearly all jobs. Can you imagine a "like" talker creating a resume full of text speak and the word "like" used brainlessly throughout? We must set an example for future generations, so in my opinion, the "text speak" stops here.

phoneguy55 Loc: upstate NY

Well, Janice.....you pretty much describe my exact feelings. Overall I still enjoy this site since joining and will continue to follow the posts , but I have taken a step back after reading some of the comments. I (like you) am not one to be bothered by genuine "critique" but some of the sanctimonious rantings just are a bit over the top. A few other forums I follow are even worse to be sure, and I still enjoy most of their content, but I don't contribute as much as I might like. This still is one of the better ones in my mind, and I hope you ( and I ) will hang around and contribute either photos or comments when we dare. ( ha ha )

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

I simply do not understand why if you were offended by someone on the board, why you would not simply send them a PM asking them for claffication on their post.

It's been stated before, with the typed word it's hard to get the implied tone behind it. To be safe just send a PM or ask in the post. I know, I for one would not be offended if someone asked me about a post I made.

Janice Loc: Kentucky

You make excellent points and thank you for the picture - I like it - smiling

sinatraman Loc: Vero Beach Florida, Earth,alpha quaudrant

ditto to MWAC. I agree with you completley. If something another poster has said bothers you send them a message. I have no problem with READ YOUR CAMERA MANUAL because many times the answer is there, and usualy the question asked has been asked many times before. Not to come across as harsh but your manual will tell you how to set av or aperture mode not why. If you need to understands f-stops better, thats what an introduction to photography book is for. after making a dilligent effort on your part, then thats when you should post a question. It is called taking personel RESPONSIBILITY for learning your craft. thats one difference between a photographer and a snapshooter.

as for anaycronyms, I am old school. other than the universal initials such as FBI,CIA,DEA,DOD,NASA SOS ETC, i dont know them nor care to. I am one of the last americans who doesn't text and chooses not too. I like bob feel that texting is a step backwards in communication and is in fact more responsible than tv for turning our youth into morons unable to compete with the Japanese, Indians,and Koreans. U is not a word and UR is the city in chaldean where God called Abrahm out of to go to cannan.

Finaly being a midwestener down south in a state half full of people from the nort east versuses a bunch of florida crackers I have to remind people that their are cultural and regional differences in how people communicate and that should be considered before judging that a person is being rude. For example New Yorkkers, speak fast, are brusque and get strait to the point. Down south that is considered rude, but in New York thats normal. Southerners on the other hand speak slowly, aren't rushed, like to ponder things first, in New york that is considered wasting another persons time and rude, but in the south thats normal. Perhaps if we were less quick to get offended at what people post and more offended at things that really matter such as homelessness, poverty racism, and immorality, we would all be better off.

Janice Loc: Kentucky

I understand what you are saying Bob. I really do. I am not of the text generation myself, but I will still carry on a conversation with my son in text. But then again, my son is very capable with the english language and at times corrects me on my poor use of it. Which makes me smile. I get lazy sometimes I guess. I do worry that some of the younger generation does not understand the english language though. They don't even teach spelling in school like they did when we went to school.

Janice Loc: Kentucky

Thank you. I will hang around, I am more likely to address a comment I feel to be abrupt and rude directly through a PM than to be so offended I leave. As I said, I had started this thread while I was not angry or offended, but more in shock at the comments I had read, and spoke up when I should have just let it go. I just don't understand when adults act like kids and then they wonder why our kids act like jerks - LOL - oh well. I hope to see you here for a while and I will stay although I may not talk a lot. It is my nature (shy at first) to watch until I feel more comfortable.

Janice Loc: Kentucky

Point taken. And a good point at that. Thank you.

Janice Loc: Kentucky

I guess I am on my way to being a photographer and moving away from being a snapshooter. I came to this site when I got a new camera as a birthday gift. It had so many features I felt it would be sinful not to learn to use it outside the auto setting.
The information can be overwhelming and frustrating at first. I read my manual, other books, this website and many others. Some things were just not clicking and making sense to me until I began to discuss them with others. Just as there are cultural and regional differences - there are also different ways of learning. Some people can grasp things easily from one reading, others need to read things many times over, and some have to have a show and tell form - meaning tell me and show me, then I will understand it.
Maybe people are reading all the information they have at hand and they still don't quite make sense so they ask questions. Some people are not real efficient at asking their own questions because of their lack of the "language of the trade"...
If you want to help others learn I think it requires some amount of patience. And sometimes it takes a while to learn ones way around a website or forum. It takes a while to learn how to find the answers that may already be there. As for me, when I posted my first question, the people who helped me were very patient, they let me know my answers were already here and helped me find them. That meant so much to me and I was sorry to be redundant but simply didn't realize I had been. Most people get excited when learning new things that interest them and sometimes they do put the cart ahead of the horse. I don't think they mean to irritate others by doing so, they just don't know where to look for the answers so they ask, with the belief that no question is a dumb question.
Janice