LuLa, what's happening to you?

[jjj]

I do think the forum could use a little refurbishing, a push from the leadership in the direction of aesthetics and technique, and a withdrawal from the emphasis on technology. To take two recent articles as examples (and they were both good.) Mike wrote a good review of the new Sony, but I suspect the interest was extremely limited. Sure, it's a decent camera, but the world is lousy with decent cameras. Then there was the article on landscape astrophotography. I thought it was excellent, and it was one of the few articles I've seen here in the last year or so that made me think, "I gotta do that." With hundreds and possibly thousands of excellent photographers frequenting this site, would it be possible for the management to reach out to certain of those photographers to suggest that an (unpaid) submission on their particular photographic enthusiasm would be welcomed here?

That option is there and I think it was mentioned earlier in this thread.
With regard to gear, LuLa is not going to compete with DPReview and has never wanted to. But what I always liked LuLa were the more general and longer musings about how a camera worked or didn't work for photographers whilst actually taking photos. Maybe a bit more of that other than in relation to street or landscape photography could be of interest. There are some very good studio photographers in the forums here for example.
Along with more articles like the excellent astro-photography, pretty please.

[kaelaria]

As a publisher myself I'm of the opinion they can do whatever they like.  I have though seen a slow shift over the years, as generally as I can tell it's been from how-to's, to essays and musings.  I like the how-to's myself.  Everything changes though - even Strobist, another of the old greats.

[jjj]

Life would be pretty dull if things didn't change.

[Isaac]

That option is there and I think it was mentioned earlier in this thread.

Information on writing for us can be found Here . . .

As a publisher myself I'm of the opinion they can do whatever they like.

I'm of the opinion they should do whatever they like.

Lula is a business. Most forum users are not customers, we're the product being served to the customers (advertisers).

[Rob C]

I'm of the opinion they should do whatever they like.

Lula is a business. Most forum users are not customers, we're the product being served to the customers (advertisers).

I have heard the suggestion made elsewhere before about Internet life, much to the effect that if you get it free, it's because you are the product. In some senses it might well be argued thus, but from my point of view, as long as I derive what I want from the Internet experience, just as long as nobody is ripping me off, that it may benefit others is just fine.

I agree with you: they should do exactly as they please. I certainly would. And do.

Rob C

[Isaac]

I agree with you: as we're mostly not customers, there's not that much basis for complaint about the business.

[BernardLanguillier]

It appears I joined LuLa's forum more than 10 years ago...

Cheers,
Bernard

[Rob C]

It appears I joined LuLa's forum more than 10 years ago...

Cheers,
Bernard

Good grief, Bernard, you're older than I! I'm not quite nine yet, a mere babe.

Tell me, does it get better as one get's older? Do some of the more troublesome urges depart and stop tormenting one? Do things finally balance out?

;-)

Rob C

[Alan Smallbone]

Sheesh, I just looked and I am just a couple of months shy of 10, joined in Feb. 2004. Like most things, it has all changed...and in some ways it is still the same...... 

Alan

[fredjeang2]

I find it actually more interesting now than when I joined some years ago.

There was a time (short it's true) when even MR was involved with the DoX stuff and all the pseudo scientific BS and that was truly
preocupating because it could have become a Canadian version of DPR. Fortunatly it didn't.

It's more interesting in many ways, Chris video prods are better, the LR stuff with Jeff is truly interesting, there is more to see
and to learn in many aspects and the gear involved are more exciting and diverse than the very few MF gear that were on air.

Michael is playing with whatever falls in his hands, from a GoPro to a Phase and I prefer that than an old boring fox that only shoots film
in a view cam for the art snobery BS. Michael is Young in actitude, update his knowledge with the tech fload, so as the team.

The adverts are not intrusive and great that they make money and sell videos, workshops etc...We all need money, don't we?

Now...the only thing I'm sort of missing are the big useless wars versuses as in the good old days. With Schewe irrupting at one point
kicking in the ass with his non-politicaly-corrected lenguaje; acusations of all sort, Guy M indignation, semantic interpretations etc...
and Michael closing the thread. Then the number 2 appearing just after...re-closed.
This was a gas from time to time.
It became a bit "quiet" recently.

[Guy Mancuso]

Lol. Just a vicious circle Fred that gets nowhere . Seriously not worth my time anymore. I hate bullshit and bad info so it's easier to just ignore it. Besides I have my own personal things to take up a lot of my time. And to top it all off its just boring shit with wash and repeat. LOL

Rather make money. As far as this site, sure it's changed. Not sure for the good or bad but it is what it is, bottom line everyone needs to make money so that's not the issue but it is how one goes about it. Forums have there up and down cycles. That's pretty normal which usually comes when something new hits the streets you see a upswing. But honestly nothing but the same old stuff coming these days. The new Sony is interesting but the more I read the bugs, non features and such is keeping my finger off the buy button.

Be well and Happy Holidays Everyone

[Christopher Sanderson]

Now...the only thing I'm sort of missing are the big useless wars versuses as in the good old days. With Schewe irrupting at one point
kicking in the ass with his non-politicaly-corrected lenguaje; acusations of all sort, Guy M indignation, semantic interpretations etc...
and Michael closing the thread. Then the number 2 appearing just after...re-closed.
This was a gas from time to time.
It became a bit "quiet" recently.

Bravo! 

[Schewe]

Now...the only thing I'm sort of missing are the big useless wars versuses as in the good old days. With Schewe irrupting at one point
kicking in the ass with his non-politicaly-corrected lenguaje; acusations of all sort, Guy M indignation, semantic interpretations etc...
and Michael closing the thread. Then the number 2 appearing just after...re-closed.
This was a gas from time to time.
It became a bit "quiet" recently.

Truth be told, I really got sick and tired of the petulant and shrill behavior that some here on LuLa expressed after Adobe announced Photoshop CC and dropped the CS7 perpetual license...in trying to explain the reality of the situation and some of the reasons and thinking from Adobe's point of view, I was tarred and feathered. It was akin to the Salem Witch Hunts where anybody who didn't agree with the "Adobe Haters™" were shouted down and accused of being an apologist or anti-photographer. The whole thing took on an aroma of the Tea Baggers in the US Congress. Irrational and ignorant and mean spirited...honestly, I don't need that sort of bullshyte in my life.

The main reason LuLa has changed is that the industry has changed. Revolution has changed to evolution. There are a lot of places to get the latest news and rumors but if there isn't a lot to talk about, there isn't a lot to talk about ya know?

Mike has gone through some personal things this last year...Kevin has come on to take over many duties–and I think he's done a great job so far. The "usual suspects" are still around (for the most part) but the incentive to be involved may have waned. I'm more than happy to help people out and engage in healthy debate but the subjects that I'm will to engage in has been narrowed...

If you want to know who is responsible for how LuLa has evolved, look into the mirror.

[fredjeang2]

Truth be told, I really got sick and tired of the petulant and shrill behavior that some here on LuLa expressed after Adobe announced Photoshop CC and dropped the CS7 perpetual license...in trying to explain the reality of the situation and some of the reasons and thinking from Adobe's point of view, I was tarred and feathered. It was akin to the Salem Witch Hunts where anybody who didn't agree with the "Adobe Haters™" were shouted down and accused of being an apologist or anti-photographer. The whole thing took on an aroma of the Tea Baggers in the US Congress. Irrational and ignorant and mean spirited...honestly, I don't need that sort of bullshyte in my life.

The main reason LuLa has changed is that the industry has changed. Revolution has changed to evolution. There are a lot of places to get the latest news and rumors but if there isn't a lot to talk about, there isn't a lot to talk about ya know?

Mike has gone through some personal things this last year...Kevin has come on to take over many duties–and I think he's done a great job so far. The "usual suspects" are still around (for the most part) but the incentive to be involved may have waned. I'm more than happy to help people out and engage in healthy debate but the subjects that I'm will to engage in has been narrowed...

If you want to know who is responsible for how LuLa has evolved, look into the mirror.

It's true that the industry has changed, and a lot.
I really think that it's way more exciting now than some years ago.
Remember what was the panorama? There were basicaly 4 leading camera brands,
2 or 3 editing soft, video was not even an option, combocams were still conceptuals
and for the big part all that was
happening during many years was an adaptation to digital of an old and "dusty"
craft.
I tend in this aspect to think that the real revolution is starting now.

We have more choices and options than we never had. And...each time more cost
effective. A Da-Vinci suite was undreamable for the common mortal, now they are free
New players like Red, raw video for all is on the corner etc etc...

Not a long time ago, if Lu-La was doin an interview for ex, it was reading
reading and reading an entire page. Now it's a video.

Members like CB who were living from still images are now compeating also
in film festivals.

The list is long.

Adobe choosed a path and IMO it's a valuable option, not suitable for all,
but an option that is unique. If people aren't happy, well they just
follow other paths but we all have an amount of choices that weren't
disponible, from prod to distribution.

Has Lu-La reflected those changes? I think it did. Gone are the time
of being an "image maker" was a privilege of a choosen elite.
The days of star photographers like Lindberg are gone. Everybody
can do an indy movie at home included DCP and take care of the
distribution.

IMO, I find Lu-La more fun and fresh and more natural than 5 or 6 years
ago.

But you know, there is always somebody to complain. There are always
people who tend to look back with nostalgy.

[John Camp]

<snip>
The main reason LuLa has changed is that the industry has changed. Revolution has changed to evolution. There are a lot of places to get the latest news and rumors but if there isn't a lot to talk about, there isn't a lot to talk about ya know? <snip>The "usual suspects" are still around (for the most part) but the incentive to be involved may have waned. I'm more than happy to help people out and engage in healthy debate but the subjects that I'm will to engage in has been narrowed...

So Jeff -- and I ask this in a genuinely interested way, I'm not trying to an ass*ole here -- why don't you write articles here more frequently. Not the paid films, but just articles. You've recently published two books on processing and printing, and I bought both of them. While it's obvious that you seriously know what you're talking about, it's unlikely that you've covered every single subject that you know about -- so why not a few Schewe essays on a few processing/printing details that you think might interest folks here. I'm sure a lot of people would be happy to see them. I wouldn't even mind if you mentioned your books in the course of the essays...

If you want to know who is responsible for how LuLa has evolved, look into the mirror.

[Schewe]

So Jeff -- and I ask this in a genuinely interested way, I'm not trying to an ass*ole here -- why don't you write articles here more frequently. Not the paid films, but just articles.

Coming from you John, I find that very amusing...I do author books and articles (and do videos) but I don't do stuff for free so I don't write for LuLa (Michael doesn't pay for articles as far as I know).

We've talked about doing book excerpts on LuLa but so far, nothing has really come to fruition. The main magazine articles I've done have been for Digital Photo Pro and they actually pay pretty well for articles and they even pay for excerpts!

So, now that Kev is leading the charge, maybe he'll get me to write something for LuLa (likely not for free :~)

[Rob C]

I don’t really think that the problem – such as it may be – has much to do with LuLa per se. I think it actually lies elsewhere: information overload. We have seen everything, over and over again. The value has to be, eventually, for those starting out in a new direction, for whom the Internet, including LuLa, becomes a source of new information; for those, there is much here to gain.

The camera/lens conversations have covered pretty much all that can be said on the matter, and are turning into never ending debates about forms of testing, fanboyism, deeply held opinions about esoterica such as bokeh, which a few years ago bothered absolutely nobody until the term was invented, a brilliant stroke of new marketing possibility, and which currently appears to make or break the purchase chances of an optic. Or at least, amongst those who frequent chat rooms. That those lenses may or may not ever be used in anger is a moot point: I seldom find anything that opens my eyes that tiny bit wider other than in some rare, professional photographers’ websites. As others point out, technology has pretty much plateaued, thank God, and one might have hoped the interest would revert to actual images. Has it? I think not. The same topics are being milked by the readership beyond their point of having run dry.

There are a few really good photographers who post in the ‘pro’ sections here, and I would love to hear them on the topic of their work, but few have the time or, perhaps, the interest to spend hours at a non-rewarding keyboard baring their souls.

Of the images that do get posted in the pro section, most strike me as technically excellent, but by virtue of their subject, often leave me cold. Others I find amazing and stir fond memories in my own mind. Does the ‘amateur’ section fare as well? Who knows? It’s ever the same thing, only different versions of it, just like my Cokes, which are now only of interest to me and that because they are all I can find to do these days. They keep my mind occupied and off other things that are equally unproductive but more bothersome. As my images must now bore, so those of so many others, and the best work (IMO) that I see here is usually older stuff that was shot to a purpose – see cjogo, for example, or some of Michael’s older stuff. Most casual stuff is just that: casual.

Unfortunately, once the photographer knows how to do it, he comes up against that bloody red brick wall: why do it? Just liking it isn’t enough. Like Jerry Lee Lewis sang, there must be more to love than this. Donovan and he were both dreadfully right.

Rob C

[BernardLanguillier]

Good grief, Bernard, you're older than I! I'm not quite nine yet, a mere babe.

Tell me, does it get better as one get's older? Do some of the more troublesome urges depart and stop tormenting one? Do things finally balance out?

The transition into the 10th year is a magic moment that changes everything.

I hear that the 10,000th post is also breathtaking, how was it for you?

Cheers,
Bernard

[AlfSollund]

We should all remember that we are visitors in a private room here at LULA (as in other fora). So if we don't feel comfortable with the room decoration or entertainment we can politely inform the hosts (in private?), leave the room, or we can try to do better by inviting guests to our room.  Those complaining loudest among the guests should perhaps consider the latter option?

I for one are grateful for the opportunity to visit and use LULA, in particular being a very, very small and insignificant part of a loose virtual community. I could have wished for some things to be different, but if I complain to loud about LULA its as useful as shooting myself in the foot.

So, on my wish list; more text / images, less video content. But regardless of wishes please keep up the good work 

[Rob C]

The transition into the 10th year is a magic moment that changes everything.

I hear that the 10,000th post is also breathtaking, how was it for you?

Cheers,
Bernard

Like 60th birthdays: you forget they even happened unless someone has it in for you and reminds you. And even then, you think they must really be talking about someone else.

I don't send birthday cards to anyone anymore; I learned the lesson well. Christmas is a bit more difficult, but even there you can make improvements over time!

;-)

Rob C