1) Again, first and foremost, may Jim, Nick and I thank you for your conduct on NPN/UKNP. Our numbers keep growing, new names keep appearing, and we put that down to the congenial manner of the forum.
2) As normal we have had a few ‘departures’ from the expected conduct but none that have merited any substantial remedial action; that said can I highlight a few points to consider; a. UKNP is currently an image critique forum – if we can keep to critiquing the image and not the photographer it makes ‘The Mods’ life a lot easier b. We do not allow infomercials on the forum without the prior consent of ‘The Mods’. c. UKNP should not be used as a conduit for delivering a message, cryptic or otherwise, to somebody who you do not get along with. Desist or depart. d. Please do not publish a specific nest/breeding location of a Schedule 1 bird – this will be instantly removed. e. If you want to contact a moderator please do so by the private messaging email on the forum. Both Nick and I have full time jobs and need to devote our day to these; we fit in UKNP as best we can around our work and our family – so please be patient.
3) On Locations: UKNP is a community and, hopefully, as part of the community you can increase your enjoyment and knowledge of nature and photography. Where this can become unstuck is when asking another forumite to tell you where (the place) they have photographed a subject. Whilst I personally see no issue in asking can I ask that you respect the response even if it does not produce the answer that you desire! There are a lot of reasons why people do not divulge the location of a subject and these vary from the full-time Pro ensuring that their images are prevalent in the market place (after all this is how they make their living), to an amateur protecting the location of a privately owned site. Also an (obvious) word of caution; once a few people know a location it is only time that protects it.
4) Having sought advice for a number of you on the ideal time for a conference, and that advice being Feb/Mar, we are skipping this year and the 4th UKNP conference will be in 2011. Apologies as I had wanted to run one this year but circumstances, and the shift in the annual date of FOCUS, have conspired against this happening.
5) We intend to make more, but prudent, use of Facebook in the coming year. If you have not signed up as a ‘fan’ I would urge those of you who have not to do so soonest. You can find the fan page here - so please become a fan...
6) ... and whilst I am on the subject of contacts if you are a ‘member’ and want your name of the photographers page please PM Nick or I with, your name, your locality (county), your telephone number and your website – we must at least have your name and either a phone number or website.
7) The next ‘Gathering’ is at the start of May at Gigrin, This is the most attended gathering of the year and I hope you can join us. The notice will be on the top of the forum in a week or so.
I hope that the spring is soon with you and the subjects become more numerous with the light.
Again, finally, many many thanks for keeping UKNP a civil place to be and promoting nature photography as a wonderful occupation/hobby.
I would just like to say that I think the "mods" ( a word I hate !!) have done a good job on the whole, and that should and is ,generally I think appreciated.
I would also like to suggest that the next general meeting is one where everyone can bring their monitors along to be standardised and callibrated by ONE person so we are all looking generally at the same stuff on matched gear. It would make life a lot easier for some.
We can't all afford arrachnid based callibrators and other expensive whatyoumacallits and so a little more concern for the subject would be good. It is after all a "Nature Photograhers Forum" not a photoshop class.
John R
Discussion
1 replies1) Again, first and foremost, may Jim, Nick and I thank you for your conduct on NPN/UKNP. Our numbers keep growing, new names keep appearing, and we put that down to the congenial manner of the forum.
2) As normal we have had a few ‘departures’ from the expected conduct but none that have merited any substantial remedial action; that said can I highlight a few points to consider;
a. UKNP is currently an image critique forum – if we can keep to critiquing the image and not the photographer it makes ‘The Mods’ life a lot easier
b. We do not allow infomercials on the forum without the prior consent of ‘The Mods’.
c. UKNP should not be used as a conduit for delivering a message, cryptic or otherwise, to somebody who you do not get along with. Desist or depart.
d. Please do not publish a specific nest/breeding location of a Schedule 1 bird – this will be instantly removed.
e. If you want to contact a moderator please do so by the private messaging email on the forum. Both Nick and I have full time jobs and need to devote our day to these; we fit in UKNP as best we can around our work and our family – so please be patient.
3) On Locations: UKNP is a community and, hopefully, as part of the community you can increase your enjoyment and knowledge of nature and photography. Where this can become unstuck is when asking another forumite to tell you where (the place) they have photographed a subject. Whilst I personally see no issue in asking can I ask that you respect the response even if it does not produce the answer that you desire! There are a lot of reasons why people do not divulge the location of a subject and these vary from the full-time Pro ensuring that their images are prevalent in the market place (after all this is how they make their living), to an amateur protecting the location of a privately owned site. Also an (obvious) word of caution; once a few people know a location it is only time that protects it.
4) Having sought advice for a number of you on the ideal time for a conference, and that advice being Feb/Mar, we are skipping this year and the 4th UKNP conference will be in 2011. Apologies as I had wanted to run one this year but circumstances, and the shift in the annual date of FOCUS, have conspired against this happening.
5) We intend to make more, but prudent, use of Facebook in the coming year. If you have not signed up as a ‘fan’ I would urge those of you who have not to do so soonest. You can find the fan page here - so please become a fan...
6) ... and whilst I am on the subject of contacts if you are a ‘member’ and want your name of the photographers page please PM Nick or I with, your name, your locality (county), your telephone number and your website – we must at least have your name and either a phone number or website.
7) The next ‘Gathering’ is at the start of May at Gigrin, This is the most attended gathering of the year and I hope you can join us. The notice will be on the top of the forum in a week or so.
I hope that the spring is soon with you and the subjects become more numerous with the light.
Again, finally, many many thanks for keeping UKNP a civil place to be and promoting nature photography as a wonderful occupation/hobby.
The Mods.
I would also like to suggest that the next general meeting is one where everyone can bring their monitors along to be standardised and callibrated by ONE person so we are all looking generally at the same stuff on matched gear. It would make life a lot easier for some.
We can't all afford arrachnid based callibrators and other expensive whatyoumacallits and so a little more concern for the subject would be good. It is after all a "Nature Photograhers Forum" not a photoshop class.
John R