A New Change For Luminous-Landscape

[Ken R]

At first I though oh no (anyone remember the robgalbraith forums?) but LL is much more than a forum and you guys have been improving the content (quality of production and content) every month and have stayed relevant with all the changes in photography techniques and equipment. I hope not many people shy away from LL due to this and on the contrary, more continue to join in. It is a good community.

I myself wish you guys the best and will continue my support.

[ddolde]

If they could get rid of the articles by that Egotist Alain Briot it might be worth it.

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

Hi guys 

Kept lurking around the site occasionally for the last few months, due to doing other things and will probably go back to lurking until what I am doing is finished, but at $12 a year (about £8 in proper money) for access to all the previous content from the last 15 years, then count me in.

Sorry to see Andrew (amolitor) go, as I had a lot of respect for what he contributes on this forum, even when he was telling me he hated one of my images so much because he liked it, so I hope he reconsiders as the forum would be losing an excellent contributor if he goes.

I too would like to see the trolls dropping off the bottom and agree that this might be a way of discouraging them, but I also wouldn't like to see too many of Andrews calibre dropping off the top either.

Anyway, back to lurking - probably see you in spring, so have a nice Christmas everyone 

Dave

[Dale Villeponteaux]

Would be cheap at twice the price.

Regards,
Dale

[Mark Lindquist]

I am absolutely in. 

Good luck Michael and Kevin and all involved.

May the games begin!

-Mark

[Paul Wright]

At first I though oh no (anyone remember the robgalbraith forums?).....etc

Yes, the the shooting star that was Rob Galbraith forums were nothing less than awesome, and much lamented.  I basically learned the ways of digital at Rob Galbraith when we were struggling to get our heads around the Canon 1D and 1Ds. Heady days. The generosity was just fabulous. In particular a prolific poster named Noel Carboni was a notable instructor who hauled a lot of people through the now forgotten confusion.

No less impressive is LL. $12.00 per year is a gift. Thank you.

-pw

[amolitor]

As for greed, well, ain't nobody getting rich here.

The Lula staff are perfectly intelligent folks and as such probably have a pretty good idea what kind of conversion rates they can expect. They're looking at 10,000 to 20,000 subscribers. This to replace some ad revenue.

They probably clear in the low six figures on workshops annually. This might or might not be considered Lula money, but either way it's putting bread on Michael and Kevin's tables.

I dunno what they're making on ads, but I am confident that number is trending briskly the wrong way for a variety of reasons.

A concern with three full time staff that is grossing under a million bucks a year, and probably closer to half that, is maybe keeping the mortgages paid but it ain't generating no vast riches.

[kencameron]

I don't get value from this site, I get something on a spectrum between entertainment and boredom-relief. Sometimes it's fun (entertaining). Sometimes it's irritating (also kind of entertaining). Sometimes it's just a place to go click around because I don't want to do something else (boredom-relief).

The price is perfectly reasonable, $12 is cheap. I can afford it.

But I'm not willing to pay a nickle for the privilege of wasting time I ought to be spending elsewhere, so $12 is infinitely too high -- for me.

Interesting. Makes me aware of my frivolity, as in most months I already pay at least $1 for entertainment. Do you apply this reasoning across the board? There is certainly plenty of free entertainment available, but it seems very - stern and unbending, let's say - to insist that it should all be free.

[donbga]

If $12 a year is difficult to plunk down then perhaps you should find another advocation than photography.

According to his blog, Andrew is a self described "Dick", so I for one won't miss his presence here.

Doug Dodle you've always been a sour grapes no matter which forum you've posted too, so if you don't sign on then 'ceist la vie'.

[jeroldharter]

I'm in.

[CoyoteButtes]

I will be signing up and happily pay the very reasonable fee. LuLa is a fantastic site for photographers.

[John Hollenberg]

Good move.  I have no problem supporting the site, which I have been reading for over 10 years.

[tom b]

Bugger!

Cheers,

[rogan]

As for greed, well, ain't nobody getting rich here.

The Lula staff are perfectly intelligent folks and as such probably have a pretty good idea what kind of conversion rates they can expect. They're looking at 10,000 to 20,000 subscribers. This to replace some ad revenue.

They probably clear in the low six figures on workshops annually. This might or might not be considered Lula money, but either way it's putting bread on Michael and Kevin's tables.

I dunno what they're making on ads, but I am confident that number is trending briskly the wrong way for a variety of reasons.

A concern with three full time staff that is grossing under a million bucks a year, and probably closer to half that, is maybe keeping the mortgages paid but it ain't generating no vast riches.

And to add on top of that, it doesn't matter if they are making $10 or $10,000,000. Is it worth $12 to you? That is the only question. I love when people are bitter when others succeed.

[amolitor]

According to his blog, Andrew is a self described "Dick", so I for one won't miss his presence here.

That is doubly crushing for me, because I will miss you dreadfully, whoever you are.

[jng]

I'm certainly happy to pony up $12 to maintain access to the LuLa site and forum. Considering the generally excellent information that this site provides, to quibble over 12 bucks/year just seems, well, unseemly. My 2 ¢.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

It seems like an absolute no-brainer to me. I'm definitely in.

Eric M.

[Paul Wright]

A million readers a month means you are going to make a million dollars a month.  Or so you think because I, (and I am sure a lot of other people) will not support your greed. You will be very lucky to get one percent of those million to sign up.

Even the expressions and tone of your video hide an obvious "pretend not to notice" from you that you are going to be even filthier rich than you already are.  Come on boys at least be honest you want to make a god damn killing !

Aside from the wonky mathematics above, who would deny anyone doing a great job the opportunity to achieve meaningful wealth from it? That's why most successful photographers are reassuringly expensive. I've only made 30 LL posts in ten years (hardly a Newbie!) and visit briefly a couple of times a week when time permits but I'll be laying out the Mastercard the day the paid model commences. Frankly I'm surprised how low the LL asking price is, and continually surprised how much classy content in the internet is free (especially news).

-pw

[uaiomex]

The price is right but I'm affraid most forums will get dull and somehow empty and silent. I come to LL mainly to read member posts. I find today's articles not interesting enough. I remember with nostalgia the days of those MF comparisons (P45 time). Those articles were as exciting as new James Bond movies when I was 20. Perhaps with this fresh revenue the owners will find other ways to produce exciting articles as yore.
I'm in. Let's see in one year time if this model paid dividends for all of us. By the way, I like the LL advertising ads. They are unobtrusive and they are fun and informative when called. Lula can have more editorial freedom with paid membership tho.
Don't take my ads away. It's like going to Time Square! 😊 Seriously.
Eduardo

[tnargs]

Interesting that several folks who feel that this shift is motivated by "greed" and that the content is not worth 12 bucks also seem to go on about how much they'll miss access. Seems like a mixed message...

Not mixed when you consider how much excellence is available for free..... it has to be better than any sweet combination of free sites that I can access. Right now it's in that mix for me. When it goes, I'll just slot another excellent free site in its place. So will a vast number of others. And the site that will replace LL in my mix will also be easily worth $12.... but it's free! It's what they call a business decision, and it's easy to see which is the better business decision. LL are not the only ones here capable of making a 'business decision'.

I think it is a bit sad that the site owners are willing to lose so many followers, basically lock the door on them, based on a business calculation.

Workshops for sale, tick. Expeditions for sale, tick. Videos for sale, tick. All good. But not enough! Now they want to sell our own conversations back to us!