 | Using the forum |
| Using the forum |
Using the forum | ||
| forum participation | ||
| Barnaby Everett (barney) Post Count: Joined: | Msg: #1 Added: 2006-04-06 07:07:58 | |
| I noticed that over the past week or so a fair few different people have posted pictures in the workshop but not too much discussion is taking place, in the workshop section a little but especially in here. How can we turn this into a busier place where there are actually new posts here when I check? And I realise I haven\'t exactly been setting the board alight with my posts before anyone mentions that :) Barney | ||
| Bob Wallace (BobTrips) Post Count: Joined: | Msg: #2 Added: 2006-04-06 13:02:22 | |
| Thanks for starting this thread Barnaby. It's a topic that I think about a lot. Here's what I think needs to be done. Each of us who sees potential value in this site needs to put some energy into the site to build it up a bit to the point where it becomes self sustaining. That means that we need to: Post photos. When it gets to the point that all your photos have received at least one critique find another one to post. And spreading out the posting a bit might not be a bad idea. If you've got a half dozen ready add them to your Image Pool and then add them to the club gallery one per day. That will give the impression of a more active site to those who drop in for a look. Write critiques. I know it's hard to get started. It's kind of scary, at least it was for me when I started. If you've just started to really work at being a better photographer you aren't even sure what makes a good photograph. Most of us don't want to offend or embarrass ourselves. But we need to overcome our reluctance and get started. Trust me, critiquing someone else's photograph can do wonders for your own ability to take a good picture. It's about understanding at a level at which you can verbalize. Set a goal for yourself. Write one critique a day. If you're new at the process go back to previously critiqued photos, photos that you think are very good, and tell the photographer what you think are the strong points of the photograph and the critiquer what you think is right about his/her critique. Don't worry about not being able to post a workshop. You'll get those skills as you participate. Take a look at other people's workshops and see if there are elements in the original that you like better than what's in the workshop and elements in the workshop that you like better than what's in the original and suggest a new version. However you get started, get started. Try to post a little something most days. Give others something new to read when they come to the site. Recruit. We need some more active members. I've been recruiting on the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide forums. I intend to do another round of spamming the LP forums soon but I don't want to be a problem for them and get tossed off. I'm willing to post on other sites that people might suggest. Think of ways to attract more people. Perhaps you have friends who travel and enjoy taking photographs. Encourage them to check us out. Perhaps you're traveling. Recruit other people who are out on the road. I thought of this late in my last trip and invited a few people. I wish I had thought of the idea earlier and had made up some 'business cards' with the Pig address that I could hand out. Perhaps you're active on other forums. Invite people. Put the Pig in your signature. I think the Pig is at the point where it needs a little extra effort on the part of interested members to make it prosper. If we each were to do 'something' every day (or most days) I think the site would take off and be self-sustaining. | ||
| Barnaby Everett (barney) Post Count: Joined: | Msg: #3 Added: 2006-04-07 09:39:42 | |
Wow, you have thought about this a lot! I agree with all the points you make though. I'm just starting to become confident enough on photoshop to actually make some suggestions for things I think would be useful. However, I think, as you said, it is good to make comments on things not neccesarily to do with editing but the actual photograph. As I'm only still really learning about photography too I personally find it just as useful when people comment on the composition or how I could have got a better shot in the first place. I think we could do with having the post you just made somewhere more visible on the site as I think a lot of people who have posted photos don't check the forum and pretty much are just posting and running rather than getting involved. That's not to say they don't want to but I think, like I was, some people are probably a little apprehensive about posting comments or critiques. I will certainly do a bit of publicising and try to get some more people getting involved. That's the key I think, actually getting people involved and participating in discussion and debate. | ||
| Bob Wallace (BobTrips) Post Count: Joined: | Msg: #4 Added: 2006-04-07 14:43:52 | |
| OK, so we've got at least two of us who want to make this work. Tell you what, I'll keep contributing something every day as possible and you do the same. I think that regular activity will encourage others. We have a few members who check in on a regular basis but often don't contribute. They must see the 'Forum' tag colored red when they get to their Control Panel. I'm hoping that they take a look here to see what's been posted. (OK, lurkers - contribute!!! ;o) We may need only a handful of 'regulars' to make this a valuable site. If we had as few as a half dozen people posting on the typical day I think we would be set. -- Notice to Lurkers. I've got shots that are growing mold. Please comment on them. If they stink then please put them out of their misery. (But please tell me why you think they stink. I can't learn without feedback.) | ||
| Barnaby Everett (barney) Post Count: Joined: | Msg: #5 Added: 2006-04-18 15:01:23 | |
Looks like it's working huh?! Nice to see a number of new people on the site and actually contributing to the discussion. I fear I may run out of decent photos to post soon as I haven't been doing this for too long. I will keep commenting though until I get round to my next trip, hopefully Croatia this summer. That is unless you want to see pictures of lovely Birmingham, UK... | ||
| Bob Wallace (BobTrips) Post Count: Joined: | Msg: #6 Added: 2006-04-18 15:58:37 | |
| So post some Birmingham pictures already.... I'm heading to England in a few weeks. Show me what I might see were I to visit there. I've shown you a few pictures from my yard. And, yes, it is working. I did another round of ads on the Thorn Tree. My posts are still on the first page of the Rough Guide forums after a month. (That is one slow site.) And I picked up a person or two from the Retouching forum at DPR. We are getting some good conversation going (IMO), but more would be better. So recruit, think of new ways to attract more people, and keep plugging along with the posts. At some point the site should develop enough momentum to carry itself along. (If people include the Pig in their signatures that might be a big help.) | ||
| Adrian Warren (AdrianW) Post Count: Joined: | Msg: #7 Added: 2006-04-19 20:26:56 | |
| As a hint, as soon as the word spamming is involved you're probably overstepping the mark IMO. If someone asks how to improve their photos, sure, point 'em to the pig, but don't make OPs about it if you haven't been asked. | ||
| Bob Wallace (BobTrips) Post Count: Joined: | Msg: #8 Added: 2006-04-19 20:35:17 | |
| I read through the LP/TT TOS and couldn't find anything that seemed relevant. (Obviously could have missed something.) There is something about commercial advertising but that wouldn't apply to me or anyone recruiting for clubs. And how would recruiting for clubs be different for "come look at my pictures on my website"? Not being argumentative (at least not intentional ;o) but have I missed something. Or pissed Roman off? | ||
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