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  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Balancing posting new photography with new questions!

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Let me add a note of caution.

At this time we are absorbing a lot of new photographers. That's fantastic and we need and love everyone who joins us! If you're new, give yourself a pat on the back for joining! Our job is to make pictures from what's around us to speak to us!! We freely share out experience in doing photography, but we are not a school! Search for an issue as it may already be well covered. Raise one or maybe two focused tasks where we can help you, then stay focused. Look to see the progress of that thread and show you are responding to help and so we can see any benefit (or not) from someone's ideas.

To someone "popping in" or returning, there must always be fine photography to see and some struggle with progress towards excellence. So chat, have fun, but ultimately it's not about the gear. The more questions you see posted by others on "basics", the more we need you to post fine pictures! Otherwise we'll get choked!

We all sit at one table. Bring the highest quality you can muster. If you are new, choose carefully and only one picture is often enough at one time. More than that and then we cannot often comment when the pictures deal with different and unrelated issues. Ask "Why is this picture worth seeing?" or What help do I seek?" Your post should clearly express some context for a photograph; otherwise we have no idea what to make of it.

It is of no value for us to be saying "Great shot" to everything. We'll degrade ourselves fast and everyone will leave the table.

I am not discouraging anyone from posting images. On the contrary, we live by sharing photography. Sometimes, even 4 images are not enough for us. We often ask for more! However, make sure you have worked on that image and are not, so to speak, bringing into a fine restaurant last weeks reheated soup or worse. We want to be awed, challenged, in tears, laughing our heads of with new pictures. Then, when we work on problems, it's balanced.

If you doubt the quality, ask a moderator. If it's a beginner's question go to Entrance to Digital Photography Forum. Casual chat belongs in Layback Cafe, not elsewhere. When in doubt, it's easy to ask privately any of our moderators or myself.

We're here to kick back but also to promote the finest photography.

Thanks everyone!

Asher
 
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Rachel Foster

New member
Very timely and greatly appreciated, Asher! In my eagerness and enthusiasm I found myself seeking out more information than I can absorb (immediately). I've got it all on a list and am playing catch up now.
 
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