Category: visual mind

Exchanging Opinion

Posted on Posted in M&Ms, visual mindTagged

If a group is limited, for whatever means, to primarily technical matters, and topics, is their aesthetic growth also limited?
When a gathering is hosted and by definition the topic is “X film,” does this reduced variety of ideas also reduce the variety of images and image understanding?
Of course these are rhetorical questions (in the netdom they are trolls) that are meant to elicit discussion, not vitriole, but vigor seems okay, or it did at one time, and does still in some circumstances.

Most of the net forum posters self censor to survive. This means that they issue tiaras to one another out of fear of trolling, or feeding the troll. Large forums are primarily craft, and technique focused. Unfortunately they even limit the level of problem addressed under this heading. Words can’t demonstrate mechanical, skill. How many times can you tell someone how to load a film holder or reel, or advise on cleaning a sensor, before you realize the reader of your post will never acquire the experience to do the thing they are interested in.
Many of the stays, answer the questions daily, but then for them the interaction is an answer to some need unfilled by their real world.

Artisitic growth requires intense ability to self examine, that doesn’t come from online power gatherings. Test this concept:

those with the most posts in any forum, have the least offline growth. Their aesthetic growth is flat, at best.

Your own development will be increased by limiting your technical exchanges. Get past the need to gossip with the crafty ladies of the camera club. Workout why you image what and why you do, rather than how or with what someone else does theirs.

FORA — Deadwood or Live Growth

Posted on Posted in da net, visual mindTagged

Some questions I will address in a series. The series is a result of several months reviewing, and interviewing participants from several photography forums.

The questions:

  • What do you learn online in the photo forums?
  • what do they provide — to whom
  •  who do they attract
  • who are the founders/ what may their goals be
  • who are the first responders
  • who are the long term members, those frequent posters … what do they gain
  • is there joint ownership//
  • what do the lurkers gain
  • why are there so many quits
  • what do the quits do– where do they go

I will be presenting a draft of the results at the upcoming SPE national convention in New Orleans (SPENOLA) The presentation is by appointment. As written, the posts on this site are based upon vignettes. They are intended to provide the readers background to the several questions. The spark of this series was the prevalence of novice photographers using them as a source of information and guidance.

After viewing several of the forums, for several months, I wondered why the topics remained so narrowly focused, yet were distributed across so many boards. Some responders were present across most of the boards I was surveying. Knowing how much time I was spending on the initial research, I wondered how the responders could use so much time, and, of course, I wondered why they were so active.

Still being decided are whether the forums are named, or blinded. My leaning is to do as I’ve done with the characters portrayed (this, too, is under review). I have determined that, as a matter of providing some evidence, I will use some screen captures. These are part of the planned SPE viewing (12 Mar 15).

 

this will go up as a DRAFT