Online discussion is a major part of the internet impact. So what do the photography forums discuss; what would you gain by participating, even if just as a silent passenger — what would you overhear at the stop along the way?

What Photo Fora Discuss

what are they good for?

We captured the “new” posts screens of 3 of the forums devoted to ‘advanced’ photographers. Many of the participants self describe as experienced, or dedicated photographers. Each of the 3 forums has sections dedicated to topics other than what, or how to buy. Those sections include business, aesthetics, industry news, and similar. They also have topic areas called off topic, for the general social discussion, or for matters not in the boards charter.

Advice For The Lost

If you want to buy or sell, or if you need someone to advise about a piece of equipment, then these are the places to look. You will not find unbiased responses, but if you are green, it doesn’t matter, any information is more than you have. But, to think that you are getting credentialed opinion is wrong. These are people passing on their reasons, and none of the people are likely key performers in the field. If you are new enough, then they are enough ahead to tell you how to tie your shoes, but they are as likely to be wrong as they are to be right.

Thread Size

The simpler the topic, the longer the thread. This is the dog house effect of meetings. A simple topic brings out many opinions, while a complex topic is skipped over since attendees don’t understand it.