Has The Photography Section Become Boring?

Question

I feel the photography section has become diluted with a wash of redundant, repetitious questions. When I first came here, it was fresh and fun. Now it's lost its "snap". Does anyone else feel the same?

Answer 1

I hate to say it, it does seem pretty much same old same old.  MySpace trash pictures who are showcasing their uniqueness by being exactly like their white studded belt wearing emo ilk.  People asking for a "critique" when they really just want some cheerleaders...

I drop on and answer when it strikes my fancy.  Sometimes there are the nice old Polaroid questions, and I do love me the old peel-apart polaroids...  But for the most part, I don't even try.

I've been seeing less of the old timers, and I can't say I blame them.  I must say I do like some of the people I've seen answers from.  

Answer 2

Actually, it's sad to say, but yeah...I agree with you.

I've felt that way for a while now.  I've gotten really picky about which questions I answer now.  It seems like every single day, about 4 or 5 times a day, someone will ask the exact same question..."how do you make a picture in black in white with just one thing in color?"  Why don't they bother to search the questions and answers?  That question is on here every freaking day!  

Also, that effect is being WAY overdone now.  ("Selective color").  It's become a cliche.  There's nothing original or creative about it anymore.  And to me, personally, it ruins black and white photos.  The first time I remember seeing it was in that movie "Shindler's List."  I saw it in history class when I was in high school.  If I remember right, the entire movie was in black and white, except for this red rose that a girl had.  Every time they showed her, the rose was in color.  That had a symbolic meaning.  But now, everyone wants to use selective color to make their pictures look "cool" and it doesn't have any meaning anymore.    

Otherwise, the photography section is degrading into questions like "how do u photoshop your pics?"  More people are interested in Photoshop than photography, and they can't spell right either.  Then you have the MySpace kids who want you to see their "photography" and inevitably it always looks the same - horrible, blurry, underexposed and pixelated pictures of themselves standing in front of a mirror with the camera tilted.  Or they "photoshopped" all their pictures to death, so that they look completely fake.  One girl wanted people to see her "photography" and it was all blurry pictures taken with her cell phone.

And this what the Photography section is turning into  :(  

Once in a while, you'll see interesting posts, and I choose to answer those if I think I can actually help someone.  But I'm getting really tired of all the same questions over and over again.  Especially the selective color questions, and the emo MySpace kids who want us to check out their "kewl pics" that they "photoshopped."

Answer 3

I only come out and play when I see something interesting liked from my private group.

I, too, am tired of all the trols following and reporting you for every answer you give.

I also grow tired of the Rajat Tokas questions, the am I pretty questions, which one of us looks better questions.

I find that the forums I regular have a better class of people(the people in my private Yahoo group are a great class of people) asking questions, even the newbies seem to have a better sensibility. I think it might have something to do with the fact that those places have live moderators and they care about keeping the community fresh and exciting.

Yahoo could care less, all they want is for there to be a lot of bandwidth and they can claim that Answers is a success.

Answer 4

Yeah, it's pretty sad actually.

I've come to the point where I scan quickly and ignore any question that has misspelled words or a stupid redundant question (you know the ones I mean!)

Spending less and less time here.  So are a lot of quality contributors I know.

Answer 5

OMG yes!!!  Same old same old, and hardly ever an interesting question!  

I can't wait to read everyone else's answers.

It has become, like, "Whatever"!

Answer 6

That's why you see fewer answers from the "old timers" here.  Days go by that I don't even check in anymore.

Am I pretty?

Could I be a model?

How do I add a splash of color to a black and white picture?

Is my (crappy) photography any good?

Don't dare answer with helpful critique or you will be reported.  It's easier just not to answer.

I've met some very nice people here who have helped my a lot and I will stay in touch with them, but I can see that it's time to step aside for the new blood who are not yet tired of the same old questions being asked 20 times a day.

To make matters worse, Yahoo! no longer shows a list of similar questions when someone asks how to add color to a black and white photo or something else that has been repeated over 10,000 times in the past year.  And that's not an exaggeration!

Okay, I know this isn't Photonet and I don't expect every question to be "high line," but I really don't see more than one or two questions a day – maybe three on a good day – where someone is really asking a serious question that will help improve their photography.  Most are from people who got their first camera a week ago and want to know what settings to use for a wedding job.  Haha!  No, it's not that bad, but you know what I mean.

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Perki's right and I try to bear this in mind.  Many of the people who ask repetitive questions have no idea that the question was asked 20 times already in the past 24 hours and Yahoo! no longer tells them that it has.  Maybe deleting this feature is contributing to the repetition.

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Wow, Toastergnome!  I am impressed.  You must be THE one in a thousand people who come here who actually realizes that you can search this site for previous answers!  Yes, it is becoming a real resource for people who want to browse around a while before they ask the same question for the 27,165th time.  Thanks for your comments.

Answer 7

There are some of us out here who have learned a lot from the "old timers" without even asking a question.  We, who scroll through the endless redundant questions everyone is complaining about to find a jewel of a question with a real answer that can actually help a person with their photography, sincerely thank those of you who take the time to sift through the junk and answer those jewels.

To all you "old timers" out there who get bored and frustrated with the photography section, just remember that there are lurkers that really do appreciate your time and knowledge.  Maybe someday I'll garner enough courage to ask for your opinions on images that you helped me create.  

Answer 8

yes, it does seem so. i only saw one question in the past month where the questioner actually wanted the truth about some image they posted, and they were glad for some tough commentary.  seems everyone else is too lazy to read the manual, get out and try a few things, or even learn about composition and level horizons (level horizons challenge me)

and the half-assed wedding photographers are going to have ALL their backsides nicely grilled by bridezilla when they s***w up the wedding photographs, all we can do is to remind them to not forget the weber. because methinks they are bent upon their own destruction.

after all ANYONE can take pictures...all they need is a nice little pink camera and more 'nads than brains....(*vent*vent*vent*)

Answer 9

Yes!!! I am so tired of the repetition. Occasionally, there'll be some interesting questions, but they're so rare anymore. I don't spend as much time as I used to here. It's a shame. There's so much to learn, if only people started asking the right questions :(

Answer 10

Boring and badly paid.

Answer 11

Yeah! They're pretty much all the same questions and it's not exciting at all anymore.

Answer 12

Every section is the same. It's a reflection of the community.

Just skim over the stuff that doesn't interest you. It might be uninteresting to you, but it is possibly imparting knowledge onto someone who needs it.

If you want a certain level of discussion, why not initiate it yourself and your peers will hopefully follow, creating a more interesting forum for you ?

Answer 13

Well since you beat me up about my photo when I just wanted a kind opinion then maybe people are too afraid to do anything. Lol!

Answer 14

Hard to realize, but they are new to the askers. Sure, they could look at the similar posts, but they are having fun. I feel free to skip what I'm not interested in, or get myself in whatever trouble I choose. ;-)

Answer 15

im sick of my trolls reporting me for saying things like "cameras dont create anything they are stupid recording devices" et cetera

those that have answered you are a real resource, those that report are artless jealous losers - rant vent rant

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Answer 16

yes , though once in a while a good question comes along . And i don't spend as much time in photography probably more at Polls and Surveys because the questions are always random .