We're not thoughtless

[beatles2]

I think its great that this issue has been brought up, I think every forum has this same problem. And some of them are a lot worse than here. I have no solution for this but that fact that has been said is a start in the right direction.

I hope every body continues to reply back to all the comment are made to people who post in SYS. ( be it an individual comment or a general thank you all ). And not just to the people you know.

[PnwGuy]

Originally Posted by Digidave

Keep in mind, that if you comment on 3 photos after you add yours, you just dropped your photo to fourth on the list.

Comment first, post last? :-)

Do you think people post in there because they are nervous about putting their shots up for critique? Obviously they want the shot to be seen and hopefully positive comments made.

I look at shots in there and it's hard for me to not offer feedback. I'm hesitant to just say great shot if it isn't. There are some pretty awesome shots there but on the other hand there are some obviously not so good. I think getting your shot ignored is worse than getting it critiqued negatively. I am here to learn and to share my knowledge. I appreciate honest feedback when I post and am always looking for ways to improve.

Maybe SMS should be merged with the critiques section? That would slow down the number of posts and the number of unanswered posts and maybe everyone can improve their critiquing skills and photo knowledge at the same time?

[PnwGuy]

OK, one more thought. Is there any way to incorporate a post rating on the forums? Something like thumbs up or thumbs down or a rating of 1-5 that viewers can select for each posting? I know there are thumb icons, but...

That's a quick and easy method of offering your general opinion on a photo or other posting and the poster can get a feel for how well received their post was. And no arguing involved.

Then if the poster wants more info they can post it the critiques section.

[jiminyClickit]

Setting up a poll

http://digital-photography-school.co...l&titlesonly=0

when posting in SYS may give some general feedback, depending on what choices you include. It's just not a section designed for critique.

I'm still seeing SYS as about the photographer and their choice of subject, and how you relate to them and that subject.

Critique is more about the photograph and its esthetic and technical merits, and your suggestions for improvement.

[navcom]

I agree with the idea of merging the SMS area with the critique section, which is already categorized.

The SMS area is great but it doesn't really contribute to the goal of the forum...learning photography. If you want to learn, you have to let others judge your work...tell you the good AND the bad. There are thousands of forums out there where you can post your pictures hoping for an ego stroke. What makes this forum so great is the wonderful (and timely) critiques given by the contributors.

[Digidave]

What makes this forum so great is the wonderful (and timely) critiques given by the contributors.

What makes this Forum so great is the friendliness & comfort for all levels of photographers. Along with your suggestion of course. The SYS section helps people ease into the forum. I've seen a lot of members say this is their first post & they had to build up the confidence just to share some of their work. Now, imagine if they only had the choice of which critique section to choose. We certainly don't want to discourage people from just sharing.

[johassler]

I'm relatively new to the forums (and photography but that's another matter). Since seeing this thread, I make a conscious effort to comment on little commented, or uncommented, photos in both the Critique (though often I feel I have nothing to share since I'm just not that knowledgable about the area folks want critiqued) and Share Your Shots area.

There definitely are too many photos posted daily for any one person to make a serious dent in the "no one responded" pile.

[naeno]

I like both the idea of limiting the number of posts (like the critique) and categorizing. I hardly ever go to SYS because it's just too much. I VERY rarely post in it for the same reason. I'm much more likely to go to the critique section as it is a better place to learn and not so overwhelming.

[Jamfke]

Originally Posted by PnwGuy

OK, one more thought. Is there any way to incorporate a post rating on the forums? Something like thumbs up or thumbs down or a rating of 1-5 that viewers can select for each posting? I know there are thumb icons, but...

That's a quick and easy method of offering your general opinion on a photo or other posting and the poster can get a feel for how well received their post was. And no arguing involved.

Then if the poster wants more info they can post it the critiques section.

You can give a topic a rating when you are making your post to it. If you are replying to a post, scroll down below the input box where you're typing your message and look for the "Rate Thread" selection in the Additional Options section. I'm going to give this thread a Level 5 "Excellent" rating now.