[K McCall]

I don't even know how to respond to this.

But I will say this: I have 7 other friends who are avid photographers. Of the eight of us, 4 are men, 4 are women. Only 2 of us are avid forum members (either here or elsewhere) - me (a girl) and the other, a boy.

I think that photography has NOTHING to do with gender, although perhaps more men do indeed like to discuss the gear more than some women.

[Wheatfield]

Susan Sontag wrote in her book "On Photography" that the camera was invented by a man as a means of getting women out of their clothes.
It seemed logical to me when I read it, and it is still, to this day, one of the things I like about photography.

[thazooo]

Dana,
Breathtaking and beautiful shots!!

Thanks Steve.
I agree with your comment on just enjoy the hobby.
Just a country girl doing my thing.

[hanamai]

And now we make up 10% of this forum's population!

[Clicker]

Women use their eyes, hence many use P&S
Men use *well* big lenses, hence the DSLR sausage fests

Women have more self control.
Men have a tendency to 'Point and Shoot' - Get it?

[mel]

I also believe that in general women are far less . . .
spend more money than they should on it,
and waste their time overanalyzing and arguing about it in online forums!

Chris

I know of at least two husbands that will argue you on the money point, one of them being mine. As for the other bit, yeah, that's why you see way more men on here, and on here a lot than women

[cb750r]

I am a male so thats how I voted, however I agree with the comments others have made regarding the "gearhead" side of photography and this forum likely has a lot of guys gravitating to the forums, where as I know that women have just as or more of a creative streak in them. To consider this forum a true base of whether more women or men are photographers wouldn't be very accurate. I'd bet hard cash that on Facebook, there's probably a very high ratio of photos posted by women compared to men....

[Leaf Fan]

Susan Sontag wrote in her book "On Photography" that the camera was invented by a man as a means of getting women out of their clothes.
It seemed logical to me when I read it, and it is still, to this day, one of the things I like about photography.

Very interesting, but so far hasn't worked for me .......

[PrimeObjectif]

[pamzor]

Agree 100%.

[Ratmagiclady]

Stereotypes. You certainly know it when you're stepping in the boys' club, though. Or, well, at least *they* do. I think in these regards I've been almost 'one of the boys' so much of my life, everyone can seem a bit odd.

I dunno about 'hobbyists,' as such, ...there are certainly a lot of guys who do the 'guy thing thing' about who's got the biggest sensor or the most gigahertz and megapixels, but then again, most of the computer techies I know are women: it's not that one doesn't know about the stuff, it's just maybe not a competition, (Or socially-acceptable to treat it like one?) I suppose I've tended to hang out with people with more pressing problems than gender-theory of photogeekery. One of these days, maybe I'll really dedicate myself to filling out some kind of really recognizable stereotype.

It's kind of rife with sorting errors, really, this question: I learned pretty early on that people tend to tune out 'feminine' speech patterns, then say, 'There's only guys here!' but anyone can learn to speak otherwise. (And take lots of lumps) It does seem to do a lot of dissuading from things like forum-talk, though, 'even in this day and age.'


Me, I suppose I'm interested enough in gadgets? Just don't particularly *want* too many of them. I'm kind of used to finding stuff for people, and I actually plan to *make* some stuff eventually, so I suppose I never thought much about taking an interest. I'm sure all manner of people can wedge that into some 'gender theory' or other.

[Ratmagiclady]

Susan Sontag wrote in her book "On Photography" that the camera was invented by a man as a means of getting women out of their clothes.
It seemed logical to me when I read it, and it is still, to this day, one of the things I like about photography.

Yeah, there was a slight flaw in that plan, though. Which would be something like, "Gals can have cameras, too, so, if for any reason you want to be photographed in any kind of state of undress, it won't be as weird and sketchy if you find the freaky chick with a Mamiya. "

I mean, speaking of Susan Sontag, she married Annie Liebowitz, who has a different camera for any given occasion, all the stuff in the world, and a capacity to make even victims of 'celebrity burnout' comfortable, dressed or undressed.


Gods know there's enough dudes in any given city who treat the camera as some kind of indirect come-on.

"Hey, baby, look at my stuff, I'll make you a star, you could be a model... Take off your clothes, not, oops, here's my card. You can take off your clothes later. Err. Art! Taste! "

It's like, you know, boys can talk a lot about their things and objects and gadgets, ...it's even actually fun sometimes... But there's some kind of major disconnect between 'Boys instinctually competing for the 'You get access to females from other males,' and "What females actually find attractive. " Especially when general modesty is involved.

It's kind of how photography itself gets some kind of voyeuristic, intrusive image in so much of the world... People kind of fetishize photographs, cause they're an outlet for various repressions... to a bunch of clever noodges who think a camera is special permission to get someone to *gasp* Take their clothes off.

Even people who I assure you are *astoundingly-kinky* get sketched out by that.

[Peter Zack]

Go to my photo club. we have around 80 members that attend any given meeting and I'd say that 50 will be women there. Just like here, the guys will go and talk like gear heads and the women will discuss photos.

Many of the men will "on paper" know how to take a better shot. But many of the women produce more images, often better. They also don't obsess over the latest body or fastest lens most of the time.

[cbaytan]

Many of the men will "on paper" know how to take a better shot. But many of the women produce more images, often better. They also don't obsess over the latest body or fastest lens most of the time.

I've been thinking what if I spent 1/3 of my Internet time of checking photography related stuff for taking photographs, would I be a contemporary Ansel Adams? Maybe at least Jeff Alu, yeah right... dream on babe.

On the other hand my wife enjoys the gear I've chosen and purchased for her sometimes struggling with other bidders on the ebay, she takes "sometimes" better pictures than me.. Sniff. She doesn't even care/know how many pixels will be in her next camera too.

Thats for sure we men are the gear heads mostly.