The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Is it just me?

J

JohnW

Guest
I visit GetDPI at least once a day and always click the "New Posts" link. Lately I've been finding less and less to engage my interest here. It seems like most of the new threads are buy/sell ads or super brand-specific.

I'm not sure if I've changed or the forum has, but I've pretty much moved on to other locations, where there seems to be more interest in photography and photographs.

Personally, I think GetDPI would be enriched by a set of gear-agnostic forums by genre - street, landscape, portrait, etc.

On the other hand, it could be that GetDPI is, and always will be, simply a gear portal. That's OK, too, but just not of sufficient interest to me.

Your thoughts on this?

John
 

Knorp

Well-known member
I'm afraid you're observation is correct, John.
Still, there are a couple of more generic threads two of which started earlier this year 'Artful pics of flora', 'Street images, any camera' and there is an older one 'Plaines, trains and automobiles' and there is the classic 'Slow day here'.
There is some interest, but it's certainly not overwhelming.

Kind regards.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Do you view the "Fun with XXX" threads? They seem to have reasonable activity with images over gear itself.

For whatever it's worth, we tried from the start to get folks to make it about the images -- heck, it's why we give the free gallery space! -- but it seems no matter what we did (or do), it fell (falls) back to gear. We added the "Artful Images" section, alternative forum, analog forum, LF forum and more recently the PAW thread in an effort to enhance image discussions, but gear discussions seem to drive the bulk of the activity still. To date, the most successful image related threads have been the "Fun With XYZ camera" threads. Heck, Guy and I even tried several non-gear-specific workshops making it specifically about images, and they simply did not generate the same level of attendance as the gear-specific workshops. So, all of this is a long way around saying that when no new cameras or lenses have been released in recent history, our discussion forums have always waned; by contrast, when a new camera is released, discussions increase rather dramaitcally.

We are always open to suggestions about how to increase discussion about the images themselves -- it's why we started GetDPI in the first place!.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Really the bottom line is its in the members hands to create topics that are interest to them. The space , freedom and forums are here for you to use at your pleasure. We also do not actively look for new members so if you want more dialog bring in some friends. It's free

This place is what you all make it.
 

Brian Mosley

New member
I wish I had more to post... Can't seem to get a moment out with any camera at the moment! :cry:

It all comes down to everyone doing their bit - you get what you give! :thumbup:

Cheers

Brian
 
J

JohnW

Guest
Thank you both for responding.

Guy, while I agree with you that the forum is what we make it, I also feel the forum structure and tone greatly contribute to its character. Gear-independent topics are relegated to what seems to me to be an aside category of "Artful Images...." I'm not sure many photographers would want their pictures to be thought of in that way. And I think the "Fun with...." convention sets an equally uninviting tone for those who take their photography seriously.

Jack, part of the issue could be that, from the beginning, much greater weight has been given to gear. Perhaps this has drawn a specific audience, which could explain why the occasional genre thread doesn't gain much traction. Who knows? But if so, maybe time and a more obvious focus on images would draw new folks and change that.

Anyway, this is not criticism. I'm just examining my own place here. I like and respect many of the members here very much. My sense is that many of them have a lot to give that is not so gear-centric, and perhaps greater attention to that fact would encourage more meaningful sharing.

John
 
Great observation John. Maybe the most important thread of the last two years.

While I'm pretty much a silent observer here, I have noticed a big change from four years ago... most of it coming in the last two. Just my 2 cents.

Several years ago, at least three things set this group apart from the run of the mill group and made it a very rewarding place to visit.

First, congeniality. No adversarial attitudes. Everyone wanted to help others. Very few were trying to defend their choices or sell you on theirs.

Second, a balance of focus. Balance between hardware and its artful use. And the hardware focus seemed to be more "here's my experience with... lenses, formats, subjects, etc."

Third, an influx of new participants.

No judgements implied. Two years ago was neither better nor worse, just different.

Three things bother me about the change.

By far, the most concerning of these is the fading away of participants and threads that set this place apart and made it of great value.

The other two, I think, have contributed to that... 1) the argumentative nature" of some posters and 2) the high concentration of hardware centric threads that discourage the "artful use" threads.

A fix?

While you wouldn't want to eliminate people or segments, you might be able to allow us to segregate individually.

For instance, when I click on "new posts", I would like your site to allow me to pre-select the areas of search for new posts. That way I can isolate myself from the stuff of no interest and cut down on having to wade thru the BS to get to the good stuff.

Tantamount to setting aside a room in the old clubhouse for people with a more selective interest.

Make it possible for different factions to commune with their own kind.

Just a thought.

Jim
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
It would seem like a good idea to have more thread centering around other themes than camera brand, but I must admit that I often forget to check out those threads myself. What I do, however, is checking out "Fun with" threads of most camera brands here. Sometimes, I get a feeling that not many do that, but choose to focus on images taken with their own brand of camera. Take the Canon thread. There are some great photos there, and hardly anybody seem to notice.

Although this is a relatively small forum, most of the participants here are good photographers with lots to give. I still enjoy this forum much more than any of the larger ones. Maybe it's time to spread some information to fellow photographers.
 

JoelM

Well-known member
I think that part of the reason that this forum has become somewhat more "gearcentric" is because the gear scene has absolutely exploded in the last few years. Everything from Leica dumping CCDs and bringing out new products to Sony's explosion into the mirror-less world. While there have always been upgrades, they seem to have come exponentially lately.

Joel
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I'm not sure if I've changed or the forum has, but I've pretty much moved on to other locations, where there seems to be more interest in photography and photographs.
Post links to those site so that I can formulate and post an informed opinion to your query.

:)
 

Lars

Active member
What doesn't quite work for me is the "Fun with XYZ" thread concept. It's still gear-centric, not image-centric. If I shoot a collection of images, like this weekend in Death Valley, I use multiple camera systems (this time Nikon D810, Lumix GM5, 6x9 cm large format, 8x10" large format, my phone). Do I post the images in multiple "Fun in..." threads? I'd rather see a "Fun in the desert" thread. Maybe I should start one.

On that topic, there is a recent "Street" thread which makes sense - except it is in the "Sony" forum!! Aaargh.

But I guess you can't run a forum like a dictatorship. I miss the old days. Not sure what old days but anyways... Cheers.
 

Lucille

New member
I always enjoy my time here. I read many threads even if they don't interest me, the fact they are photography related causes me to read.


I find the experience level and photography here to be top notch, and I am a member of a bunch of forums.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
On that topic, there is a recent "Street" thread which makes sense - except it is in the "Sony" forum!! Aaargh.
That should not deter anyone from posting there. It has been clarified there.

FWIW, there is a "Nikon street" thread and sadly no fun with cats in the leic section. :grin:
 

Lars

Active member
That should not deter anyone from posting there. It has been clarified there.

FWIW, there is a "Nikon street" thread and sadly no fun with cats in the leic section. :grin:
Well, I'm sure what you mean - I would hesitate to post my Nikon or Lumix or large format (hehe) street photos in a Sony thread. Perhaps others don't, maybe it's just me.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Lars, I am sure you can post any picture you want and there are threads for it. If there are no proper threads, for example, for cat r dog images, one can always start a thread and post in that. :)
 

jlm

Workshop Member
to john W:
don't go away; your images are some of my favorites.

i agree about the gear-centric, tech-centric content, but i still find plenty of images that get my attention.

what i don't do is look at all the various gear-specific threads of images, so i probably miss quite a few; this i see as a shortcoming. i don't have a solution to suggest, but the few camera agnostic threads are a start
 

Hosermage

Active member
I actually like the "Fun with XYZ" threads. I post in the Leica forum, but I stray time to time to the Sony and MF forum. By having like-minded people sharing images using similar hardware actually eliminates a lot of my-gear-is-better-than-yours comments so we can concentrate on the image content. When I feel GAS acting up, it's very easy to locate samples images since they're already categorized.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I actually like the "Fun with XYZ" threads. I post in the Leica forum, but I stray time to time to the Sony and MF forum. By having like-minded people sharing images using similar hardware actually eliminates a lot of my-gear-is-better-than-yours comments so we can concentrate on the image content. When I feel GAS acting up, it's very easy to locate samples images since they're already categorized.
:)

Cheers, David. :)
 

Tim

Active member
Like others, Hepkitty and John I am a member of other forums.
I've been to a forum where even one of the moderators is essentially a troll. I don't visit it anymore.

I have noticed late last year a post decline here, I put it down to everyone being out making images.
At times I do a lot of lurking as I have little to contribute but I enjoy seeing what others are getting up to.
Due to circumstances my actual photography has taken a dip so I make up for some of it by discussion rather than practice.

I find this place mostly uplifting as generally the chat is cordial.
I value images and posts by Jorgen, Lars, Annna T, Vivek, Barry, Jack, Guy, tashley, Jono, Mike, Ben, Godfrey, Knorp, Michiel, Matt Driscoll, Werner, raist3d, JSRockit, Ptomsu and all the other names that I forgot to mention. Please don't be offended if I didn't mention you, am forgetful.

I DO care about the camera you use. I feel this place has a good balance of user reports with proven images posted. The Fun With category is key to that. I flip through them all even if I can't afford it. Try the "Fun with MF"... :toocool:

Many of us have to carefully choose what we buy, I can't afford to rampantly swap so the experiences here are invaluable. I love hearing about anything you use and if you are enthusiastic about it, tell me its problems if it has some, but don't brand bash just for the sake of it. Respect the ideas of others.

So, John please don't go. I like others have enjoyed your posts. Especially the GR ones.
 
Top