Question:
Has anybody else noticed their responses in Photography tapering off?
dieterzakas
2009-04-22 18:59:07 UTC
I've noticed that my responses, or my willingness TO respond, to questions has diminished. For a while I seemed to put forth a flurry of responses, which helped me become a "Top Contributor" here, but I've noticed I'm not answering as many questions lately.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I guess my diminishing decline has to do with the mind-numbingly boring repetition of what are essentially the same kinds of questions: "Am I pretty?"; "Can someone photoshop this for me?"; selective color questions; "What kind of camera should I buy?"; "Which Polaroid camera should I get?"; "How do I do _________ with my camera?" (I dunno; did you RTFM?); and so forth. (My personal favorites are the ones having to do with film cameras.) Et cetera.

I suppose if one were to check the demographics of the askers, it would reveal that they're overwhelmingly teenagers. Then, the stupidity of the answers would make sense, in a weird way. By the same token, though, they probably don't have anyone at home TO ask, for whatever reason.

So, has anyone else found himself answering fewer questions, particularly in this forum?
Ten answers:
2009-04-22 20:28:11 UTC
I'm a TC for Books & Authors and I've noticed my responses have dropped considerably. It has just become tedious and exhausting to answer the same question from another person who cannot use the search bar. I've grown tired of it.



I feel your pain, I do.
casperskitty
2009-04-22 20:52:32 UTC
Well, a lot of these teens asking if they look pretty need to hit the beauty category. I am sure there is one though I haven't ever been there.



And maybe they need to add a category under visual arts for photo editing so that those questions about selective color and so-called 'photoshopping' (I hate it when people use that as a verb!) would be directed to people who actually want to answer them.



And maybe in electronics there could be a category for photo and video so that those who don't want to answer those questions about the best cameras don't have to even see them here.



I was a TC here a while ago, but I lost TC status I guess because I just stopped answering so many questions.
jeannie
2009-04-22 22:42:28 UTC
Yes. I stopped answering all together a few months ago and only recently came back on. I get tired of the sniping and personal abuse, particularly from ppl who think they know about photo, but in fact are just beginners. I am very tired of a certain TC who has confused that with HALL MONITOR. He has sent me the most presumptuous emails informing me that as a TC it is his duty to monitor the room. He has "connected" with me using additional screen names to avoid my blocks. Dude, you are as transparent as glass. (He's on this page as an answerer.) This is stalking. My revenge is I can shoot circles around him with my eyes closed (so could my cat), I could kick his a$$, and I know he will always be unhappy with all of us because he is unhappy with himself. I hope he seeks professional help.



I ignore the "am I purdy?" "What should I name my photo business?" and anything with mixed caps and lower case, misspellings (proffesssionall? - Really?) What camera should I buy? Yada, Yada, Yada.



I recently photoshopped a picture for someone, and the jerk didn't even say Thank You. He just demanded I send him the photo, right that minute. Even after I sent it he insisted he was "too busy" to thank me. It took at least 4 emails for me to get him to understand that a thanks was necessary (I don't expect one for an answer, but in his case I did actual work that I usually charge $50/hr for.) So I'll be ignoring those requests in the future.



I have a Master's Degree in photography. My work is in museums. I have taught photography at a very high end art school and am used to some attitude as many of the students were from wealthy families and have been indulged their entire lives. Never have I been so roundly abused as in here, while all I'm trying to do is help a rookie get better. The lack of manners from the younger people in this room is truly shocking. Good luck getting jobs, kids. You may not like us old farts, but we're the ones who'll be hiring you in a few years (not.)



But then, there is the guy who had a color space issue last week, and while I spent a lot of time working with him to determine the exact cause, the young man was polite, interested and said Thanks! We took this out of yahoo and into real email. He was cool enough I gave him my real contact info. I was able to resolve his issue (camera not set correctly) and he is on his way to a happier photographic life. That's when it is worth it.



As for teenagers not having anyone to ask, hey, that's what the internet and the LIBRARY is for. I am shocked at how little ppl are willing to do to find information, especially now when all one has to do is sit down at the computer. No teenager asks their parents anything - we didn't and nothing has changed.



I would like to add that I answered a question today that actually made me go outside and test - it was the ? regarding 81 and 85 filters and auto color balance. This is the only time this has EVER happened. (My results may only be due to my old camera - I still use an 8.1 MP Rebel, as I didn't want to invest much until I knew whether I liked digital and because I hate the fact that no matter what I buy, it'll be obsolete before I get it home. No one has ever complained about my images however, and they do sell well. But I laugh that kids that don't even know what aperture is have larger MP cameras than I do.) It aint the camera, kiddies.



I will continue to answer questions, but I am more selective as to which ones I will answer.
2009-04-22 20:29:27 UTC
YES.....!



The repetive - am I purddy... how do I make a BW with one part color.. what is the BEST.. camera.. over and over again makes me wanna run out in the desert where I live and scream, or at least pop off a 18 rnd. clip...!



Yes. I would have to agree it is the under the drinking age people who ask these questions the most, over and over. Once out of the house and into the real world there is a paradine shif in what is real .. and important.. and they move on..



As Forest Gump said, stupid is as stupid does... and while stupidy is a direct effect of not learning, many do not want to learn.. So, stupidity rules..!



It's going to be a strange new world out there in a few years.. With the new "leaders" we have, it has already started. Good luck people for we will need it and few seem to see this...



Bob - Tucson - when Skynet becomes aware, watch out..!
Sentimental Treasures Photo
2009-04-22 19:05:45 UTC
When you first start answering you can build up to TOP real quick... but then you get tired of answering the same things over and over. Sometimes it's even the same people.



How do you like my new Myspace pose.... LOL



Also look at when school is out how the question repeat stupidity
?
2016-04-21 12:43:10 UTC
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You can start right now. Like right this very moment! The course is all online. There are no deadlines or timelines for you to follow. Set your own pace! Go slowly through the course or blaze through it.
DCReed
2009-04-22 19:12:35 UTC
Yah...lost my ability to answer. It was beaten out of me by the umpteenth selective color question or the person asking for a photographer in Nowhere, Montana, because they evidently can't open the phonebook.
2009-04-22 19:09:10 UTC
haha, i am a teenager but yes! i definitely have. partially might have come from my sudden spur of life and busyness. but i found also, that there have been a LOT of repeated questions on here now. not only in photography but in the general 'arts & humanities' section. all the questions in 'books & authors' are about twilight, opinions on personal writing pieces, homework help, or book recommendations. its simply ridiculous.



people should really search their questions before they ask them. to see if they have already been asked before. gah!
2009-04-22 19:34:35 UTC
its yahoo. cant expect much from a site who, just a few short years ago, had chat rooms labeled, "13 year old girl seeks older man".



remember that in the news?
HondaPDX83
2009-04-22 19:03:37 UTC
I hear you. I love motorcycles but I am tired of seeing the same post "which bike should I get?"


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