Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I removed a recent thread from the glamor section with two nudes. We have a policy of no censorship, as far as possible, yet reserve the right in the TOS of OPF to remove images that do not fit in with our community esthetics. We run OPF collectively as if we are in someone's living room each day. Guests come and go from age 15 to grandparents and crossing every cultural sensibility.
We have never before removed any nude picture. We look to find values that might lead towards better photography. In this case, the pictures were well lit and posed and did not raise issue concerning geometry, perspective, composition or meaning. They each were designed to be of a nature that had a purpose outside of art, but using photography. For that reason, I felt that it would not serve the community which is constituted to share pictures to help each other on our own paths towards better expression of out ideas. This applies to everything we do. Some categories of expression might still be outside of the scope of OPF.
Still, we are non-judgmental as to the worth of these pictures in the category they belong to. Likely they can be sold and will be valued. Nevertheless, they are out of the scope of our community. I do hope folk will understand that someone has to watch what we are showing. While we value images of the body, it remains for someone to decide when the image trespasses on folks limits. That's my task and responsibility. Please accept that there is no change in policy, just a recognition of what one has to do as a host who wants to be accepting but must at some time be prepared to intervene. No doubt there are other occasions where some images seemed out of place here. I can only say in my defense that we will err on the side of non-censorship and moderators are always available to give feedback. As a quick measure, if the picture would be appropriate at a dinner party (with one or two educated teenagers staying up late too), then it's fine for here. We cannot exclude all pictures that might be offensive to anyone, just those which, on balance do not provide inspiration, energy, insight and/ technique to improving our expression of ideas for this community. So something attractive might not belong here. A paradox, but that's the way this forum is run.
Thanks for understanding. Please, no one be put off by my rare intervention as we do value so much everyone's participation. We just wish to maintain the paths of esthetic and practical interest we are already supporting actively.
Asher
We have never before removed any nude picture. We look to find values that might lead towards better photography. In this case, the pictures were well lit and posed and did not raise issue concerning geometry, perspective, composition or meaning. They each were designed to be of a nature that had a purpose outside of art, but using photography. For that reason, I felt that it would not serve the community which is constituted to share pictures to help each other on our own paths towards better expression of out ideas. This applies to everything we do. Some categories of expression might still be outside of the scope of OPF.
Still, we are non-judgmental as to the worth of these pictures in the category they belong to. Likely they can be sold and will be valued. Nevertheless, they are out of the scope of our community. I do hope folk will understand that someone has to watch what we are showing. While we value images of the body, it remains for someone to decide when the image trespasses on folks limits. That's my task and responsibility. Please accept that there is no change in policy, just a recognition of what one has to do as a host who wants to be accepting but must at some time be prepared to intervene. No doubt there are other occasions where some images seemed out of place here. I can only say in my defense that we will err on the side of non-censorship and moderators are always available to give feedback. As a quick measure, if the picture would be appropriate at a dinner party (with one or two educated teenagers staying up late too), then it's fine for here. We cannot exclude all pictures that might be offensive to anyone, just those which, on balance do not provide inspiration, energy, insight and/ technique to improving our expression of ideas for this community. So something attractive might not belong here. A paradox, but that's the way this forum is run.
Thanks for understanding. Please, no one be put off by my rare intervention as we do value so much everyone's participation. We just wish to maintain the paths of esthetic and practical interest we are already supporting actively.
Asher
