[csa]

And I'm not going to give up my opinion.

You don't have to give up your opinion; however don't try to choke it down everyone's throats here.

What people buy, and the images they present is their business, no one else's. On this forum, we enjoy each others images, we don't consider if they are bad, good, or "weak"; we simply enjoy seeing what others shoot. There is one forum to criticize other's images, and that's where it should be contained; rather than painting all of us with a broad stroke of the brush as being inferior; not even able to call ourselves "photographers" in your opinion.

[northcoastgreg]

I have no issue with people who buy all the latest stuff mostly because they want to play with new toys. It's only when gear obsession turns religious and dogmatic that it can become annoying. I find the insistence that Pentax should become more like Sony a bit tiresome.

That said, in my experience, upgrading to better gear had a significant impact on my photography. In 2011, I bought the Pentax K-5 for $1,350. That's more money than I've ever spent on any one piece of gear, but it turned out to be worth it. The ISO performance of the camera, in combination with the DA* 300 and Tamron 70-200 f2.8, has allowed me to capture images at the local zoo good enough, from a technical point of view, good enough to be made into bus adds and magazine covers. That's not something I could've done with the old K200D and the Tamron 70-300. Now obviously some level talent is involved. But talent alone is not always sufficient. Sometimes the better performing, faster aperture lens combined with a high performing sensor proves the X factor.

[Cerebum]

I wonder if Boris Cleto's ignore list just got longer

---------- Post added 08-23-18 at 11:10 AM ----------

Ok

---------- Post added 08-23-18 at 10:08 AM ----------


I just said that I'm thinking about marketing tricks and their victims. And I'm not going to give up my opinion. The cost of equipment some local champions equals the budget of Liberia.

As for giving up your opinion, I agree, don't consider giving them up! We are all individuals after all. I looked at a picture you posted and it is genuinely breathtaking. You could be a tremendous addition to the forum but we are a community and support is a big part of it. What you wrote may have the effect of undermining the confidence of people (not me, I know I suck) who may then not post at all. Constructive criticism is generally well received. You don't necessarily need to change what you say, just look at how you say it.

[johnyates]

I'm surprised by the fact that most forum members are sure that after buying expensive equipment, their photos will be better.

That an unsubstantiated assertion, not a fact. Methinks OP has trollish tendencies.

[BigMackCam]

That an unsubstantiated assertion, not a fact. Methinks OP has trollish tendencies.

I think Yuri merely needs to get used to these forums and understand what kind of community we are (we're different to a lot of other forums, that's for sure). When he returns to the thread, I hope we can benefit from his experience and enjoy friendly debate and discussion with him

[lsimpkins]

I just said that I'm thinking about marketing tricks and their victims. And I'm not going to give up my opinion. The cost of equipment some local champions equals the budget of Liberia.

While I realize that much of what you said is hyperbole, since you have no idea what else a given individual chooses to fund (including charitable organizations) why pick on someone's spending on their hobby (or job)? I doubt that many people with cameras feel they were duped or tricked into buying a specific brand or model because they thought it would make them excellent photographers (by yours or anyone else's standards).

As others have already mentioned, if you have specific suggestions on how an individual can improve their work, most, if not all forum members, would positively respond to such suggestions directed to them via a PM. To make a public blanket statement that the work of others is weak only casts you as an elitist who would limit the forum or even the whole hobby to only those that meet your standards.

[Kerrowdown]

I wonder if Boris Cleto's ignore list just got longer

I don't know, but mine could be...

[dubyam]

I don't know, but mine could be...

Mine already did.

[Kerrowdown]

Mine already did.

[aslyfox]

best thing about the OP's post

it, and the 4 pages and the responses to it ( so far ) has helped build the post count toward the 45,000 number we need for the free K 1 contest this month

IMHO, YMMV

[ffking]

it has helped build the post count toward the 45,000 number we need for the free K 1 contest this month

I'm still hoping for 51,000

[aslyfox]

I'm still hoping for 51,000

one step at a time

[ffking]

one step at a time

let's make that two

[wstruth]

one step at a time

Or one post....

[ffking]

Or one post....

Let's make that two