[Rupert]

I roam around over here most of the time, another portion spent at a little site for Pentax we have on Flickr that I've been at for years. Occasionally, I will roam to other forums for information about a certain camera, gear, or technique, and what I see too often is very critical, condemning and just plain mean spirited shooters. Seldom do I see that here......most are encouraging, and if they criticize they do it in a constructive and easy manner that doesn't dampen the spirit of a new or inexperienced shooter.....or just an old shooter like me that isn't always on top of the game.

Why it's different here I can't say for sure, maybe you have some ideas about that, but having just witnessed at another site, a young shooter with a new camera, all excited and thrilled with his new camera and his new shots...get shot down in cold blood, I felt a need to say something here......since I am not a member there. It hurt me as much as it must have hurt him. How many are discouraged and never regain their enthusiasm after being harshly, and unjustly criticized? It felt like if your young son or daughter brings you a picture they drew and are proud to give it to you, and you wad it up and throw it in the trash in front of them.......we're not like that here.

To avoid rambling, I'll just say Thanks to all those here that help others, are kind even when you could be harsh, and encourage the new shooters ( and some old ones too! ) so that they will grow and advance into the world we love so much. There are a lot of you like that...I know many of you by name, you are not unappreciated, you are the core of what makes this a great place!

Regards!

[patrick9]

Nice People...... I roam around over here most of the time, another portion spent at a little site for Pentax we have on Flickr that I've been at for years. Occasionally, I will roam to other forums for information about a certain camera, gear, or technique, and what I see too often is very critical, condemning and just plain mean spirited shooters. Seldom do I see that here......most are encouraging, and if they criticize they do it in a constructive and easy manner that doesn't dampen the spirit of a new or inexperienced shooter.....or just an old shooter like me that isn't always on top of the game. Why it's different here I can't say for sure, maybe you have some ideas about that, but having just witnessed at another site, a young shooter with a new camera, all excited and thrilled with his new camera and his new shots...get shot down in cold blood, I felt a need to say something here......since I am not a member there. It hurt me as much as it must have hurt him. How many are discouraged and never regain their enthusiasm after being harshly, and unjustly criticized? It felt like if your young son or daughter brings you a picture they drew and are proud to give it to you, and you wad it up and throw it in the trash in front of them.......we're not like that here. To avoid rambling, I'll just say Thanks to all those here that help others, are kind even when you could be harsh, and encourage the new shooters ( and some old ones too! ) so that they will grow and advance into the world we love so much. There are a lot of you like that...I know many of you by name, you are not unappreciated, you are the core of what makes this a great place!

+1 This has become my favorite online site. I belong to a couple of others, but they don't compare .So I will add my thanks as well.

[Parallax]

I think part of it is that the majority of people here know the difference between advice and criticism.
All of us, myself included, sometimes forget that what we type is read by real people with real feelings. Fortunately those times here are the rare exception, not the rule.

[jpzk]

That is one MAJOR reason why I am still here at Pentax Forums: as you say "Nice People".

I have been around a few other photo websites and I believe this has been the best so far ...
of course, there will always be some trouble makers anywhere you go, but here they are quickly "put to rest".

Great posting Rupert !

JP

[DSims]

That's sad what happened at the other site. Like finding out someone put sharks in the swimming pool. I didn't realize it was that bad.



It's probably not a coincidence that a different atmosphere comes along with this brand:

- All the nostalgia - everybody who's done photography for a while has an old Pentax story - especially with all those low-cost K1000s and the surprisingly high quality lenses Pentax produced.

- Underdog brand - we stick together more like a family, because we're all up against this outside force, rather than being petty internally (at least not all the time!) or feeling like we're stuck in a really big shark tank (at least that's how I imagine Canon could feel - especially as I envision being one of those Canon shooters who literally photographs them)!

- Anyone who bought a Pentax has to be more thoughtful, because it takes more effort, more research, and more risk to go with the smaller brand.

- Why should we make someone else feel bad - especially a beginner - because we've not only been there, but we're all in this boat together?!

[RichardS]

Well said,Rupert. There's a lot of meanness, hostility and hatred out there. The sort of mind that could savage a young and enthusiastic person like that is beyond my comprehension. I think that it's child abuse.

Obviously an inadequate person.

It's so easy to offer encouragement. I just don't understand how some people are so cruel.

Richard.

[reeftool]

I would say I have probably learned more about photography here than anywhere else and I'm no kid. It's a great forum and I would stay even if I switched brands. (I haven't and I'm not). Generally, people are helpful and try to offer good advice. One of the problems with internet forums in general is a lot of people treat them as a debating club rather than a place for friendly support.

[Parallax]

One of the problems with internet forums in general is a lot of people treat them as a debating club rather than a place for friendly support.

On occasion, fencing club.

[Rupert]

Let me add something of some significance, the forum I was on was not a Pentax Forum, it was a Fuji Forum. It was not just one person that jumped him, it was many...like dogs in a pack that go after the one that is the weakest or injured, they were all over him. Like a shark frenzy.

I'm not picking on Fuji shooters, I have several Fuji friends here on the "Other Cameras" Forum, and they are not at all like that. It does appear, from my roaming, that some of the other brands are much more impolite and critical of each other than Pentax shooters.

You know, in particular when you are new, think you have a neat shot or two, post them, and a pack of rabid wolves comes along and devours your excitement, it can ruin your day...and your desire to continue forward. That's just plain wrong to my way of thinking.

Short story......well, you guys all know old long winded Rupert...but I'll try to make it short!

My first photo posts were at DPR on the Pentax Forum there. I had a new Ds and it was my first ever DSLR, ......I had never shot film, so I was a total newbie. My shots were not horrible, but they were certainly not anything special and none were technically correct or stunning.
I had announced that these were my first shots, and the comments were all positive and gave me confidence to keep going and learn from those there that were posting such great shots. No one pointed out my errors, my failures, or my lack of skills....they didn't want to kill my enthusiasm, and they didn't! To this day, I thank those guys...and remember some of them by name. It helped lead me into many hours, days, and years of fantastic pleasure I have received from photography....even if I am not much better today that I was then!

We have that kind of guys here, and it makes me proud when I see them....it should make us all proud!

Regards!

[Tom S.]

The very first rule users see when coming here (assuming they read them!) is:

"Although debates and discussions are allowed, we would like to maintain a friendly forum and do not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks or inflammatory posts. Offensive/vulgar words and phrases are not allowed, even in masked form if the intended word(s) can be discerned. Moderator decisions with respect to the nature of posts are final. "

The mods here take this rule very seriously - to the point that we've been accused of being overbearing and ludicrous, among some of the nicer terms. Despite that, I feel our enforcement of this rule has greatly helped to make the forum what it is. I mod on another forum that is non-photographic and they are extreme in the other direction, yet they wonder why they are losing members.

[grhazelton]

The very first rule users see when coming here (assuming they read them!) is:

"Although debates and discussions are allowed, we would like to maintain a friendly forum and do not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks or inflammatory posts. Offensive/vulgar words and phrases are not allowed, even in masked form if the intended word(s) can be discerned. Moderator decisions with respect to the nature of posts are final. "

The mods here take this rule very seriously - to the point that we've been accused of being overbearing and ludicrous, among some of the nicer terms. Despite that, I feel our enforcement of this rule has greatly helped to make the forum what it is. I mod on another forum that is non-photographic and they are extreme in the other direction, yet they wonder why they are losing members.

I visit another site, which shall remain nameless. While most of the exchanges on photographic subjects are civil, on their equivalent of our old Politics and Religion exchanges typically turn really nasty rapidly, with ad hominem attacks the norm. Intelligence, parentage, sexuality are all too often impugned. Politics is a blood sport for many of these folks, and any sort of civil, rational, respectful exchanges are almost impossible. Far worse than on our old P & R forum. Either the moderators are asleep at the switch, or they don't care.

[Parallax]

Far worse than on our old P & R forum.

Now that's disturbing!

[reeftool]

Some of the stuff you see on Reddit makes the old P&R forum look like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.

[Rupert]

Now that's disturbing!

Sure is! I don't miss P&R and most others probably don't either. It was a nasty place...I helped make it that way, but there were many others working as hard as me! It was a place for fools...and there were plenty of us!

At least you know what to expect in a place like that, it is another thing to see a "normal" photography forum cut the legs out from under a newbie just for sport. I don't want to be a member of that site, but would like to log on just to give them....Beast Regards!

Regards! (the regular kind!)

[Parallax]

....but there were many others working as hard as me! It was a place for fools...and there were plenty of us!

I will ashamedly admit that I was one of the "us".