If you are not familiar with posting in Forums...

[Fabs Forns]

Hi,

For the new members that are not very used to posting and receiving critique, we want to encourage you to participate in the Eager to Learn Gallery, where you will be pampered and treated with extra care and gentleness until you feel ready to go the the main Galleries.

Remember, our main goal is to help you improve your skills and in order to do that, we must point out ways to improve your image. This can be painful at first, but sit tight and check the ego at the door, and at the end, you'll be a better photographer. A slap on the back is not going to help you improve if it comes by itself, without suggestions :)

Don't be shy, show us your work and with time, we can make a difference!
But we need you to get your feet wet first ;)

See you around...

[Maxis Gamez]

I also would like to add to Fab's announcement for everyone to ask. No question is too small. We have a very talented staff, take advantage of it... :)

Thanks!

[Blake Shadle]

Great points, Fabs!

[Juan Aragonés]

I subscribe Fabs words. I have been posting images for several years on forums in spanish and englhlis and when I arrived to BPN I realized that this was, for sure, my place. There was a lot of comments of the “great image” and the like, instead of the fact that many of the images in the forums had serious flaws that nobody noticed or nobody wanted to talk about. It is very frustrating to post a poor quality image and receive not a single comment about its flaws or some advise about how to improve it. You learn nothing in that way. It is great to hear that your images are good, sure! (do not take me wrong, I appreciate that kind of comments a lot) but it is much better if someone tells you what is wrong on your image and how can you fix the problem. I have found that this is the main goal on BPN and that, in my opinion, made a great difference in relation to other forums. Of course, in other forums you can find this kind of coments but in BPN this is the most important point. Here our images are criticized by people with different levels (very talented photographers, pros, amateurs, rookies....) but sharing a common interest: education. No matter how good we think our image is, we always can find another point of view, a suggestion to correct an unnoticed flaw or a solution to solve the problem. I am learning a lot here and, in exchange, I always try to write helpfull comments or, at least, I try to write comments pointing out what I like and what I do not like on an image. Of course, instead of a lot of high quality images, I have seen here poor quality images but I have never seen a destructive comment on that images (BTW I do not remember images with 0 comments here). On the other hand I see a lot of constructive comments and critics to improve the quality, both on the better and the poorerst images posted. Here I have learn that the best image of the world can be improved and that the talented photographer who created that image is interested in learn new ways to improve it. That is not easy to find in other photography forums! I encourage new members to post images but I strongly encourage to comment on other´s work, to ask for critic to your images, to point out what do you like and what you do not like both on yours and on other´s images, to visit the eager to learn forum and to ask for the information you need. Do not be shy, there is a lot of people here really happy to share their experience with all of us.:)

[Mike Moats]

Thanks for posting this Fabs, and well said. A few years ago I posted my first image on a nature photo site, and with all the praise I received from friends and family about my images I thought for sure my first post would be well received. I didn't realize that my friends and family didn't have a clued to what made a photo work, and even if they did they wouldn't have let me know for fear of hurting my feelings. When I posted that first image, I was hit with comments on how to improve my image, and it hurt as I thought it was perfect. I felt like a failure, but did agree with the comments about the changes that needed to be made. For me this only fueled my desired to make better images, and I hope that new members will understand that were not here to hurt people, but to hopefully help them to improve. I am proud to be making a living now selling my images, and even though I've improved greatly from the help I received from the photo sites, I still sometimes screw up a comp, but I can count on the people here to let me know.

[Maxis Gamez]

Years ago, I captured my first bird in flight (White Egret – Everglades); using Provia 100 and my old time lens (Canon 100-300mm USM) which I still have. I thought I was the best photographer in the world just because I caught the bird in flight. Because I was so excited and very new to photography, I overlooked several factors, like BG, FG, head turn, fill flash, DOF, direction, wings position and several other things that I now look for in a split of a second. I did get the exposure right :)

I posted the image in a forum and some folks MADE see what I could not see back in those days. My heart broke in pieces and I truly mean that folks, but that was the beginning of a new experience for me. I worked harder and harder ever time and up to this date, I work even HARDER.

We are all in a learning curve and we experience new things ever time.

I hope this will give you some encouragement to NOT be afraid, there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Let us help you!

Thanks!

[Alfred Forns]

..................btw the Eager to Learn gallery is not limited to members starting to post. We have some fine work being posted and is a good ground for trying out new ideas. From the commenting point of view is a fine educational tool. Lots can be learned by commenting !!! ..... don't be shy !!!

[Steve Wheeler]

If I might offer an observation...

In addition to comments on my own images, I have found I can learn a great deal looking at comments on other folks images. It's not mine, so there's no emotional attachment. While comments offered here are NEVER PERSONAL... although as stated above, they can FEEL that way sometimes... that detachment sometimes helps me look at things even more objectively... And a great side benefit is the inspiration and ideas I get from looking at others work.

This is indeed a wonderful place to not only learn, but to see and appreciate some VERY FINE work from all over the world. SO many levels of experience with such a variety of interests all focused on a common goal... Helping each other get better.

Steve

[TerryM]

What is the scoop on missing images. In several forums I try to click on an image and get a place holder, not an image. And these are recent additions. Am I missing something?

[Fabs Forns]

What is the scoop on missing images. In several forums I try to click on an image and get a place holder, not an image. And these are recent additions. Am I missing something?

Terry, we are having serious issues since Saturday, but we are working very hard at solving them.

Thanks for your patience in the mean time!

[TerryM]

Sorry, didn't realize.

[Julie Kenward]

I just wanted to add that new members shouldn't be afraid to make that leap into the other galleries just because they are new to BPN. It's certainly okay to post in 'Eager To Learn' for as long as you want to but don't let that stop you from sending your better images out to the main forums where they can be exposed to even more talented people. For instance, I might feel confident enough with my Macro and 'Out of the Box' images to post them in the main forums but I know I'm still just a beginner when it comes to birds so I creep back to 'Eager to Learn' to post those types of images. It's okay to 'work the field' when you get comfortable enough to give it a go - just branch out and get your feet wet!