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lonesome runner
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 12:38
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Who wants my brand new Woophy T-shirts? Still sealed in package. I got it as one of the first prize winners of the official contest 2007. I was then proud by the recognition of a professional jury of renowned photographers. Now I give it away for free. Why? Because Woophy is changing more and more and I don’t feel comfortable anymore.
Since anyone who ask two or three friends a nomination for a T-shirt can get one, since there seems to be no arguments for deserving one, since you can become a member of the month when you are for more then two years inactive, since every common mediocre middle-of â€"the-road-picture is welcomed with outraged phrases as ‘excellent’, ‘perfect’, ‘awesome’, fabulous’ and rated as 5++ or more, since rating less then 5 is interpreted as an offence, since there are now two unofficial contest where you can gather icons while the winners of the official contest 2007 never got one, since every member now can be a member of a jury or at least can start an own contest without laying down any criterion, since there seems to be not any criticism at all, or if you are too critic you can get a reprimand from some dominating members or even the staff (I got one once), I really wonder what is the value of that T-shirt I gained once. For me: Nothing, Nada, Niente.
So if you want to join a Woophy day in T-shirt and you haven’t one yet: here is your chance. I will send you mine with pleasure. 
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grisha
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 13:14 - Edited by: grisha
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jesus, give it a break... it suppose to be fun, it suppose to be about photos, not about some kind competition. If you are not happy with your t-shirt send it back to Woophy. It's not some kind Nobel prize, doesn't matter how anyone got it. And maybe it says more about you, than other people, at least they have some friends. Honestly I think everybody should get a t-shirt, because everybody is great and eveyrbody sees world in different way.
Really Lonesome Runner, a piece of advise, take it easy, it's not the end of the world. You are very good photographer, but nobody likes grumpy angry people... Take a deep breath and enjoy the summer and nice time...
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Geoffrey McElwaine
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 13:17
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Lonesome runner. Lighten up ! The points you make -
a. T-shirt nominations. As you will see, from earlier Forums, I have been urging more Woophy members to nominate others for this. I don't know why it hasn't happened.
b. Member of the Month. This was also raised in a Forum, when many members expressed the same kind of concern you do.
c. Ratings. Again, a frequent Forum topic ! Because so may members do not speak English, comments such as " nice " are inevitable. Do you really think that Ratings are so important ? Pictures are either " good " or " bad " - irrespective of the labels people attach to them.
d. Contests. I usually take part in these as a bit of " light relief " : quite often my picture does not get a single vote ! That doesn't bother me at all - life is too short !
Photography is a hobby, a past-time. It should ( and does, for me at least ) give pleasure to the photographer and the viewer of his / her pictures. So far as I am concerned, everything else ( and these include the inevitable niggles with Woophy ! ) is not worth getting excited about. Keep your T-shirt, and have fun on Woophy !
Regards
Geoff. ( Geoffrey McElwaine )
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joris
Moderator
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 13:18 - Edited by: joris
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The serious people who took the time and effort to judge your picture in the official contest have no relation with Woophy, its character or its members. They did it free of charge, just because they liked the idea of Woophy.
Among the jurors there where well know professional photographers who won prizes like The World Press Photo and De Zilveren Camera.
So if you have a problem with winning this competition I suggest you address yourself to them or the organisation of the contest (me)
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giz
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 13:35
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your nickname fits you; lonesome runner
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pansa
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 14:03
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It's a pity. Lonesome runner has only one px left in Woophy. He/she has a point about the icons and the member of the month, I think. The official contest 2008 never materialized? LR restore your portfolio please.
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Paulo Calafate
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 14:10
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joris
Moderator
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 14:32
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@ Geoffrey McElwaine just some words about the subjects mentioned
a. T-shirt nominations.
You are right,
b. Member of the Month.
The Woophy staff likes to point out every know and then forgotten or obscure collections, pictures who might not appeal to everybody but we think deserve more attention. The very collection of Lonesome Runner belongs in this category and on several occasions we choose to give this (kind of) collection some extra attention.
In most cases however we choose an active, well known and widely respected person for MoM
c. Ratings. Again, a frequent Forum topic !
Yes but not as frequent as it used to be
d. Contests. I usually take part in these as a bit of " light relief " : quite often my picture does not get a single vote ! That doesn't bother me at all - life is too short !
Yes life is too short !!
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Phoenix Rising
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 15:00
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Hey i have loads of Tshirts yet the woophy one is the fun one i want ( nudge nudge )
And have i just seen old members post their view? IF SO LEAST ONE GOOD THING HAS COME OUT OF THIS TREAD
Oh and joris theres not been much news posted yet 
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Dieuwertje
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 15:01
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Oh my, not again this conversation 
Enjoy life that's what count, Grisha and Geoffrey you are people of my heart
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Phoenix Rising
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 15:03
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Oh and another thing if you win my challenge you get an imaginary tshirt with a design of your choice hahaha URL
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trudy tuinstra
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 19:01
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Perhaps Lonesome runner, you are to good for Woophy. People grow. Perhaps you need an other more professional site to visit. I now there are. My collegues husband did not sleep for a week by the comments he got on his pictures he was so proud of. Perhaps for you that is a better site. I don't mean this mean, I realy think you can handle that, and you would like that.
I liked your work always very well, there was often a great sense of humor in it. So for me it is a pity you delated most of your portfolio.
I personaly feel very home at Woophy, just because people are friendly. And yes they give often good advice. Sometimes not in the open, but with the possibility of mail. And I am glad that also not that good pictures can be showed without shame.
I though Woophy was ment to show something of the world in photo's. I think the difference in quality shows also something of the world. And if I can see a picture of a place in the jungle of Colombia and the quality is not good, I would be delighted.
I hope we Woophypeople did not took away your fun of making pictures.
And I hope we can have a lot of fun with pictures on Woophy.
And perhaps, I would like it very much, you can stay with us and have fun with us. With respect. Trudy
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3.1416
Member
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# Posted: 17 Jul 08 21:00
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lonesome runner, I like your style and your way to say you dont agree.
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lonesome runner
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jul 08 00:01
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To all: I made this statement not to get support or attention but as an explanation because some people were asking why I deleted my pictures.
@Geoffry: You mentioned all this before. I'm not complaining about the ratingsystem, as a matter of fact I don't even care for that. I mentioned the in my opinion silly system that members nominate each other, and that with 2 nominations only you 'deserve 'a T-shirt. I really wonder for what.
@ J0ris: you'd better take time to read carefully instead of reacting immediately. I was very honoured being a winner of the official contest with great respect for the jury. My point is that - by lack of an official contest - there are now several unofficial contests going on. Just for fun, O.K. I joined them several times. But now with selfconstructed jury's and regulations there is a big chance to a lot of subjectivity not to say nepotism. The most worse thing is that by giving a price - an icon - an unofficial contest becomes an official contest which devaluates all your earlyier official contest.
Further, I have noticed that you can't stand much critic on your site. Long toes - we called it in Dutch. Should'nt it be better that an owner/initiator is less involved, or at least far more in the background? Or operating more anonymously? Of course that's your decision. But I don't like to get personal e-mails from your office in this case as earlyer before. Not very professional.
@Giz: let's see it as a compliment, otherwise it is one of those remarks witch are significant for the atmosphere of the last time.
@Trudy - Mother of Woophy - I appreciate your words and advice. I'm not to good for Woophy. There were times I felt at home here. But now not any longer. So I will leave. Not as an angry, grumpy man. It's said before: life is to short. I go and join my own -real life- friends. Stil in my way: as a Lonesome Runner.
@3.1416 Mexican friend, thanxs for your words. Amazing how the always present "club" on this forum is deafening silent.
At last: If I was not leaving, I started right now a new new unofficial contest: Upload your Most Overrated Picture of this month. Only one! Although it would be very very hard to choose.
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Aline
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jul 08 00:21
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Oh oh oh... I can understand you, Lonesone Runner. From one year, I have shared with you some of your feelings and opinions.
But ... disapointement as your can be balanced with visits of other photographers sites, where you will receive more constructive comments, more balanced rates, more honest, anonymous and disinterested appreciations.
I often do that, but I want to stay close from Woophy, because of the warm and "gezelig" (?) ambience, because of the presence of good and nice photographers, because of the nice map, and so on...
And be careful with your friends as you are carefull with the "club"
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trudy tuinstra
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jul 08 01:17
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Auw, i realy don't like this name in this way, it realy hurts.
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Oscar_
Moderator
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# Posted: 18 Jul 08 07:36 - Edited by: Oscar_
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At last: If I was not leaving, I started right now a new new unofficial contest: Upload your Most Overrated Picture of this month. Only one! Although it would be very very hard to choose.
so bad you are leaving, otherwise I would like to join your new new unofficial contest.
Glad others like unofficial contests........
http://www.woophy.com/forum/9_3411_0.html
You know lonesome runner, I'm also member of a other photosite and I'm not active there. That's because I like woophy more.
On every site there are problems. But please enjoy photography !!!!
As Geoffrey said, life is to short. I agree with that
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giz
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jul 08 10:34
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@ lonesome runner, my remark was meant as a compliment, or rather to say that you have the right to go your own way, I don't want to mess with the atmosphere on woophy!
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joopvandijk
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jul 08 18:52
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lonesome runner
inyour complains you do make a point: not everything in woophy is right, beautiful, very nice aso. Woophy is not the perfect site wihout any mistakes.
but it isn't worth leaving woophy and be all negative about it.
You should keep your t shirt and visit a woophy day one day, thats where the great spirit is, and thats were you can experience whats woophy about:
woophy is a lot of fun, don't take it too serious!!
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SJS
Member
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# Posted: 18 Jul 08 23:42
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@joop: And what about cheating? And abusing others in comments?
What about sexism in comments, joop? Is that just all part of the eternal fun-machine too?
Does "fun" (another much over-used, trite, tired & inane English word) make that all acceptable? Can wrong become right, in the name of 'fun' & "don't take it too serious!!"?
Just close your eyes to it, keep on having "fun" and let the unscrupulous, pretentious attention-obsessed get away with it?
As you say, it is not the perfect site (none exists), but all I'm saying is there should be standards of decent, acceptable behaviour. When people are found to be cheating or abusing, they should be punished, like in any other walk of life. And they are here in woophy, whether you know it or not, or whether you like it or not.
When you know this, it can seriously cause disenchantment, and seriously harm the 'fun factor' in the 'Fun Factory'.
And before you or anyone suggests that if I feel that way, then I should follow Lonesome and take a run, forget it. Don't bother. I can decide for myself what I should, or shouldn't do, and when.
Meanwhile, I have probably booked my place as the next pariah, because someone will rush to attack/defend/judge.
It's always the way, we being imperfect creatures, whether we just wanna have 'fun', whether we just wanna be popular 'club-members', or if we just wanna see fairness and applied principles of right & wrong.
I notice nobody rushed to defend Trudy when Lonesome facetiously labelled her - which wasn't necessary, or justifiable. She didn't deserve that from him, and I felt the pain she responded with. Too late now, but I'm telling you Trudy, if I had read that earlier inthe week, I can'yt imagine I would have not written something here asking him to take back what he called you. Because he crossed a line and that was wrong.
Time to give it a rest. But I do feel that woophy is not what it was when I joined it over 9 months ago.
Disenchanted? Or am I just funned out?
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