Luminous Landscape Forum
Site & Board Matters => About This Site => Topic started by: wwlee on April 27, 2016, 08:07:34 am
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Just a note to the editors -
Others may, of course, not share this opinion, but it seems the breadth of the articles has declined. I've been a long time reader of the site, and I had no problem with switching to a subscription model, but it seems the breadth of topics of the articles has decreased in recent months. Maybe I'm imagining it, but it seems there used to be more articles about landscape photography in general... how-to's, destinations, equipment for, software techniques, profiles of interesting landscape photographers, etc.. Now I see (to me) too many articles pitching workshops, or talking about past workshops, or a review of photographic paper or printers and less of the former blend.... it's gotten rather uninteresting, at least to me. Maybe there is an audience for this blend of new content, but I hate to say I'm losing interest in the site.... and I really don't want to because it's long been a tiny daily refuge for me with my morning coffee. Just wanted to pass that along to the editors... do with it what you will.
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Appreciate your feedback. First off to address workshops. This is part of the Luminous-Landscape model and we have always held workshops and then highlighted them after the workshops and promoted them. We have had various articles on equipment reviews with a lot more coming over the next month. This year we did make it clear we were focusing on getting back to the print, thus articles on paper and printers. We have numerous articles and videos to soon be published on some how tos as well as a new master series we will be starting on soon. We recently updated videos on Lightroom as well as Capture One. Plus, we have been publishing different articles on photographers and how they approach their craft such as the recently published article by Mark Lindquist.
Hopefully you'll see what you are looking for in some future content that is being worked on.
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but it seems the breadth of the articles has declined.
what about the depth... breadth declined, OK - but depth ? ... those are 2 different dimensions, are they not ?
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I don't think such criticism is fair: the site is what it is, and there are as many different photographer mindsets as there are readers/viewers of LuLa. You can't very well run a website on a daily measuring paradigm where you have to balance carefully the differing expectations of the visitors.
I think that, overall, LuLa does a damned good job of covering most of the bases.
The site is far from confined to 'landscape', thank goodness, or many people would pack their carpet bag and thumb a ride elsewhere. You simply can't limit interest to such a narrow vision; if you do, you starve it (the site) of a degree of cross-pollination that lets it grow and attract a wider, and thus larger, membership. Think for a moment: much of the technical information that comes into the site is from practising professionals in commercial, advertising disciplines. Few of these guys appears to have an overwhelming thirst for landscape, but the technical expertise some share from the goodness of their hearts is useful to all photographers hoping to improve their standards a bit...
It certainly wouldn't make LuLa blink, but were it otherwise and all I found here was another rock, another tree, another berg, I'd be long gone. Perhaps I wouldn't find another regular place to think of as a second, spiritual home, but the Internet is plenty wide enough to keep my mind and surfing instinct fairly well occupied nonetheless.
If it ain't broke...
Rob C
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I don't think such criticism is fair: the site is what it is, and there are as many different photographer mindsets as there are readers/viewers of LuLa. You can't very well run a website on a daily measuring paradigm where you have to balance carefully the differing expectations of the visitors.
I think that, overall, LuLa does a damned good job of covering most of the bases.
The site is far from confined to 'landscape', thank goodness, or many people would pack their carpet bag and thumb a ride elsewhere. You simply can't limit interest to such a narrow vision; if you do, you starve it (the site) of a degree of cross-pollination that lets it grow and attract a wider, and thus larger, membership. Think for a moment: much of the technical information that comes into the site is from practising professionals in commercial, advertising disciplines. Few of these guys appears to have an overwhelming thirst for landscape, but the technical expertise some share from the goodness of their hearts is useful to all photographers hoping to improve their standards a bit...
It certainly wouldn't make LuLa blink, but were it otherwise and all I found here was another rock, another tree, another berg, I'd be long gone. Perhaps I wouldn't find another regular place to think of as a second, spiritual home, but the Internet is plenty wide enough to keep my mind and surfing instinct fairly well occupied nonetheless.
If it ain't broke...
Rob C
What he said...
Peter
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What he said...
Peter
+10.
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Thanks for the replies. One thing I'd point out is that the name of the site does contain the word "Landscape", so I don't think it's unreasonable to expect content that is primarily about that. Nonetheless, perhaps a different twist... maybe the one intended... is that the site is not about landscape photography per se but rather the landscape of photography, which is a much broader palate. I may have been interpreting it too narrowly.
Separately, Kevin, let me say I may have spoken too soon with my comments yesterday. I've just enjoyed a very nice 30+ minutes reading your two most recent articles about landscape of the mind and women in photography, and I'll be going back through some of the links to earlier articles in the latter when I have more time. Kudos!
Will
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Thank you Will . . . There are over 5400 articles in the system. I have been away a month on 2 LuLa workshops in South America. I'm in catch up mode but over the coming weeks we have some good interviews, articles and reviews. We publish approximately every 3 days. We are also working on some long term articles and projects. Thanks for being a member.
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I understand where the OP was coming from, as I feel a bit the same. I have been following this site for more than 10 years, learned immensely from it. I know that sometimes there are periods, of varied length, where the stream of articles/content is less interesting to me.
Lately, it seems like this period is lasting longer:) Landscape and travel photography is what I like the most, and I miss the articles from Michael about them. Since his Ethiopia trip and report/images, nothing more of the sort has appeared, if I remember correctly.
Also, given the accolades given here to the Sony Alpha 7 system (which I use), I find it strange that there seems to be some lack of enthusiasm about very important new lenses releases both from Sony (G Master) and Zeiss (Loxia 21 and Batis 18). Maybe it is just too many activities and so little time for the editors:)
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Paul, It is all about time. I was gone for four weeks doing 2 workshops in S. America. In major catch up mode. The Sony lenses are here, the new Fuji X-Pro 2 as well as the 100-400mm is here as well as a bunch of other stuff. We'll get through all of this plus other cameras that have been reviewed over the coming weeks. Lots of content coming. Only so many hours in the day and each of these requires some dedicated shooting time.
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I'm pretty sure I've said it before. The only real solution to the problem is to find a way to clone Michael and Kevin and Chris.
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Thanks Kevin, that is what I suspected was happening.
Cheers.
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I have been away a month on 2 LuLa workshops in South America.
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So on this, my observation is that Michael would always let us know before he disappeared on workshops, when he got back ... there was always something to write about and at the end he'd write "off to workshop X" or "going on workshop Y to test Z." So whilst there were quiet times with articles, Michael was more transparent about what was going on in his life (to a certain extent), meaning we knew what to expect on LuLa. My feeling is that kind of openness and transparency helps to build a community feeling. When it all goes quiet and you neither hear nor see any activity, you start to wonder ...
Hope that helps.
Maybe I can put it more simply: by being verbose about his activity, Michael effectively managed the expectations of LuLa readers.
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So on this, my observation is that Michael would always let us know before he disappeared on workshops, when he got back ... there was always something to write about and at the end he'd write "off to workshop X" or "going on workshop Y to test Z." So whilst there were quiet times with articles, Michael was more transparent about what was going on in his life (to a certain extent), meaning we knew what to expect on LuLa. My feeling is that kind of openness and transparency helps to build a community feeling. When it all goes quiet and you neither hear nor see any activity, you start to wonder ...
Hope that helps.
Maybe I can put it more simply: by being verbose about his activity, Michael effectively managed the expectations of LuLa readers.
Well said!
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Dreed and others good points. We have a lot of projects in the works for the rest of the year and then some. I have just completed two back to back workshops in South America with two amazing groups with fellow instructors Art Wolfe and Ignacio Palacios. We'll have articles about those workshops soon. In addition I am completing a number of long term product reviews. Plus I have a few lenses and a new Fuji X-Pro 2 that I am working with. I am just about caught up after being on the road for a month. Looking forward to a good writing week next week. Feedback is always welcome.
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So on this, my observation is that Michael would always let us know before he disappeared on workshops, when he got back ... there was always something to write about and at the end he'd write "off to workshop X" or "going on workshop Y to test Z." So whilst there were quiet times with articles, Michael was more transparent about what was going on in his life (to a certain extent), meaning we knew what to expect on LuLa. My feeling is that kind of openness and transparency helps to build a community feeling. When it all goes quiet and you neither hear nor see any activity, you start to wonder ...
Hope that helps.
Maybe I can put it more simply: by being verbose about his activity, Michael effectively managed the expectations of LuLa readers.
A most salient point...
Peter
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A most salient point...
Peter
Indeed, it is an important point. One interesting aspect of the site was when Michael started his Phlog, to share his thoughts about interesting photos he was doing. The last photo he posted (Hidden Barn) is from September 2014. I really enjoy this type of simple essay, where a photo is shared, along with the concurrent thought/creative process.
Perhaps with less involvement and/or participation of Michael, Kevin is seeing his hands fuller and fuller:)
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Thanks for the replies. One thing I'd point out is that the name of the site does contain the word "Landscape", so I don't think it's unreasonable to expect content that is primarily about that. Nonetheless, perhaps a different twist... maybe the one intended... is that the site is not about landscape photography per se but rather the landscape of photography, which is a much broader palate. I may have been interpreting it too narrowly.
Separately, Kevin, let me say I may have spoken too soon with my comments yesterday. I've just enjoyed a very nice 30+ minutes reading your two most recent articles about landscape of the mind and women in photography, and I'll be going back through some of the links to earlier articles in the latter when I have more time. Kudos!
Will
Hello, I think the most interesting aspect of what you said is: "the site is not about landscape photography per se but rather the landscape of photography". This is a very inclusive statement about photography which I think is important to be said. Much of the work that we do as photographers falls out of the category of landscape photography but is more universal. I have learned a huge amount by following Lula for several years and have been to Antarctica on one of the workshops but I've never considered myself a landscape photographer per se.
Cheers,
Brian
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It would be interesting, to me at least, if Michael some day would write a short piece about how he meant the term "Landscape" when he started the website.
I believe he had done many kinds of photography before that, including what we normally call "Landscape." Perhaps he expected the traditional meaning to continue to be the central focus of the site, which it certainly hasn't.
The breadth and depth of both the main site and the forum are now quite amazing.
-Eric
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It would be interesting, to me at least, if Michael some day would write a short piece about how he meant the term "Landscape" when he started the website....
I don't think you need look further than the logo of this site to know that landscape meant just that.
Michael's 1997 Death Valley photograph Photographer On Dunes (https://luminous-landscape.com/people-in-the-landscape/?s=1997) was for many years the signature image of this site and of the Luminous Landscape Video Journal.
But Michael never meant the scope of the site to be limited to Landscape. Landscape was, at the time, simply its primary focus. The name we believed had good branding & marketing potential.
However remember that Michael started his photographic career as a photo-journalist and his first public exhibition was of shots of peace protests on the streets of Montreal in the Sixties.
The scope of the site was as broad as Michael's photographic interests and now additionally reflect Kevin's.
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I agree that "Luminous Landscape" is a much better title than, say, "Luminous Peace Protests." ;)
I am very grateful that this Big House has room for pretty much any aspect of photography, and for rank beginners as well as helpful seasoned pros.
Eric
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The landscape is a metaphor for the entire world that we live. And yes that mean street too.
Peter
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One of the article "styles" that I really enjoyed reading (and the pictures!) were those from the LuLa workshops.
There were the pictures, travelog, what worked/didn't... all of which made one want to do them... including the PODAS ones (although they now seem retired/part of RockHopper?)
In an earlier comment, Kevin mentioned that he was just back from South America.
I think I found a link, somewhere, to an off-site story on one part of that?
If "Rockhopper Workshops" means that the content relating to them (stories, pictures, etc) no longer turns up on LuLa (or that there are no more travel stories) then I would see that as being a rather sad outcome of the restructing of the workshops and LuLa.
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Just to make sure everyone know things in the right context. Rockhopper is the US based arm of workshops for Luminous-Landscape. PODAS workshops are Phase One workshops. We have helped facilitate some of those in the past. The last workshop we did to Iceland we posted in both the Rantatorial section as well as on the main site. We will do our best to get the South America workshops posted as soon as we can but we have been busy on a number of other projects and things. Right now we are focusing on finishing number of hands on gear and lens reports. Also we have a few non workshop travel stories being bored on.
I'll get the finished and posted when I can.