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KevinHall
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 07 06:01
Reply
When I first found Woophy late last month I thought it was an interesting site with merit and a great deal of potential. I especially liked the fact that you could travel anywhere on the world map and find photos that represent specific geographic locations. I still enjoy that function to this day. I found that there are many talented photographers displaying their work here and many more who were begining their journey but willing to learn - it is nice to see the fire shining bright in a new photographer. I still believe that Woophy has much potential but I also know that there is a disease here that would best be cured.
Before I learned that Woophy is to some degree a ratings game I thought that we were all here to share our images with the world in a way that allows people to visit and learn about places that they have not visited and might never see. Forgive me my naivity but I saw Woophy as perhaps a tool for enlightenment. Certainly my first impression was that here was a site of photography for photographers for the enjoyment and passion of our obsession.
I shared a small collection of images that I had taken in different parts of the western United States and in Peru. Some were good photos, some were nothing special - but all showed the audience a small part of the world from my own perspective and style. I was happy to see that some of you enjoyed them, I also enjoyed leaving comments on some of your own. Everything felt right for awhile.
About a week ago that all changed for me. Another member and I had a misunderstanding in one of the forums. Now I do not have a problem with what took place nor do I have a problem with that photographer - we worked it out in email. If you are reading this take heart in knowing that you are not the reason I left. In fact I did not have a problem with someone down rating my photos during this incident. I figured that it just meant that I was part of the club and if a 1 means the photo is average then certainly many of my photos fit the description.
The situation revealed to me that for many here this is just a game. 1s and 5s and even some comments have nothing to do with the photography at all. Among us here there are those who act simply to destroy, be they the down raters, the persons who are posting images that are not their own, or the ones who form up lynch mobs to go after the imposters - all of these acts destroy what is in other aspects a wonderful place to be. When you commit such acts here you are ruining the photography for yourselves and you are taking the joy from others as well. These attitudes here certainly robbed me of my joy and that is why I deleated my images and closed my account.
I am still here, under my own name - I still like to use that wonderful map and explore the pictures. But never again shall I post another image - not while the games continue.
I will be content to lurk, and watch, and listen.
Best of luck to you all,
Otorongo
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pansa
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 07 11:01 - Edited by: pansa
Reply
@Kevin (Otorongo)
I have hesitated to give a reaction to your "crie de coeur" because on the one hand I can understand and respect your decision to leave Woophy, while on the other hand by quitting you no longer contribute to Woophy's primary goal to picture the world.
The situation revealed to me that for many here this is just a game. 1s and 5s and even some comments have nothing to do with the photography at all. Among us here there are those who act simply to destroy, be they the down raters, the persons who are posting images that are not their own, or the ones who form up lynch mobs to go after the imposters - all of these acts destroy what is in other aspects a wonderful place to be. When you commit such acts here you are ruining the photography for yourselves and you are taking the joy from others as well. These attitudes here certainly robbed me of my joy and that is why I deleated my images and closed my account.
I tend to agree with what you say here. The last days or weeks were not the best from the history of Woophy. We have seen lots of abuses by people posting "stolen" pictures and other ones reacting on it. But we have also seen that some of them did that from a positive attitude just to show the city or country because they thought that it was underweighted in Woophy. That's just the spirit that you want.
I especially liked the fact that you could travel anywhere on the world map and find photos that represent specific geographic locations.
If people use "stolen" photos on purpose then they violate of course the copyright but for the site as such it might even be an enrichment because I assume that they re-use very good pictures that document the world.
Kevin, I ask you to review your decision. Otorongo had a great portfolio (and a nice avatar) and the good spirit in his comments and forum reactions. We need people like you to keep Woophy "on the air".
Greetings
Pansa
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Akbar
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 07 12:14
Reply
@Pansa: I think there's another solution for people that think that their part of the world is underweighted. Instead of uploading pics made by others, they could add a link to the website of this other fotographer, in the forum.
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Wesley
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 07 12:15
Reply
Hi Kevin,
Very happy to hear from you.
I fully agree with pansa, and I also hope you will post some of your nice pics again.
If you look past the stupidity of the last couple of weeks, you'll see that this is still
a very nice site that is most enjoyable. (as 17000 others think about it)
I was allmost tempted to write something about the abuse, rating,...
but I have a very strong impression that is exacly what kills the woophy spirit
so instead I'm going to write that you can play wonderful games of "photo-ping-pong", discover fabulous links to sites from magnificent photographers, find out more about national parcs and architecture of the world, and also learn and improve your skills, reading the comments you and others receive on their pics.
Kind Regards,
Wes
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Dieuwertje
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 07 16:15
Reply
Hello Kevin, it's a pitty you will leave Woophy for a handful of nasty people.
Tthere are so many good Woophy members, so you can focus your attention on them.
And ignore the ratings, but read the nice comments and you will feel much better than.
Dieuwertje
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scarlet
Member
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# Posted: 21 Feb 07 16:24
Reply
"Lynch mobs" to go after impostors? People rightly don't want people posting photos that are not their own. I think "repsonsible community members" might be a better way to describe those who locate the lifted photos and report them via the abuse button. I'm tired of the impostor(s) and I'd like to go back to looking at photos made by my fellow Woophy-members.
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Oscar_
Moderator
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# Posted: 21 Feb 07 19:25
Reply
I totally agree with Pansa, Akbar, Wesley, Dieuwertje and Scarlet.
See the possitive things of Woophy and forget the negative. Otherwise there were more mebers that walked away but they didn't because there are so many good things of Woophy.
I hope you will think about it and return with your great pics that you have posted.
As you can see there are a lot of members that want you as a member on Woophy !
Greetings Oscar
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Gez
Member
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# Posted: 22 Feb 07 01:32 - Edited by: Gez
Reply
Im not sure if i m qualified to reply as a new member but whatever you post asin pictures ,they are what you see/take at that moment,as a newbie i have had advice to which i freely accept on how to doctor my pics.good stuff it was to. but when i post a pic its as is or as i see it and i want to see it as is. no disrespect to the people who advise (im sure they are better than i at photography) but the picture i show is MY picture. so thanks for
your advice but i will post what i see and take.
No offence intended to anyone
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JJ FURET
Member
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# Posted: 22 Feb 07 13:05
Reply
I agree with Scarlet about impostors, we don't need them on Woophy.
I'd like also to point out the friendly spirit on Woophy compared to other photosharing sites. I know some sites ( french sites ) where I would'nt dare to post, anyone on these forums think that they are the best Artist on Earth. The result is a battle of egos with people exchanging words that they'd never use in real life. It's so easy when you hide yourself behind an avatar.
I hope that Woophy will remain a friendly place where amateurs or why not professionnals can show their works and share their passion for photography, even if a few downraters play their game now and then. Who care about them? I don't
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Peter Simmons
Member
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# Posted: 3 Mar 07 14:23
Reply
You just have to not care. I enjoy photography, both mine and others, the ratings are irrelevent to me, nice comments are always welcome of course, but some humans always seem to want to trash something good - 'pave paradise, put up a parking lot' in the words of Joni Mitchell. Perhaps Woophy encorages this (minority) attitude with rating, competitions and prizes? To me there is no 'best' picture, no winners. It's all to do with expression, of seeing beauty and trying to capture it, why can't we all be friends?
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bobkati
Member
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# Posted: 23 Apr 07 19:56
Reply
I agree with Peter Simons; Kevin's letter is very sad because he took too seriously this game. But we all know... besides being somebody a... strange fellow and enjoying downraitng, this cannot matter... we should have a certain opinion of our own work, and the other's opinions or votes just can give us a new perspective but not changing our opinion.
I hope that Kevin changes his mind one day and decides to return... for me fotography is a part of my life... and those whoopy members who think similar to me should be stronger in this question.. saludos
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