Board index Other Travel what happened to the 'travel' section..

Travel

what happened to the 'travel' section..

pbatchou
 
Posts: 6

what happened to the 'travel' section..

Post Sat Sep 29, 2007 4:19 am


I like pbase a lot and when this 'travel' forum appeared, I thought
it would quickly become the best place to get the info on when, where
and how to shoot what as well as other essentials on travelling with
a camera. However, it seems to degrade to something like popular
travel galeries, except that they are not necessarily popular.

Does it bother anyone besides me? Is there anything we can do about it?

Pavel.

alangrant
 
Posts: 861


Post Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:34 am


As far back as I can remember the Travel forum has been more or less the same - a kind of equivalent of "Show and Tell" specifically for travel photos. Unlike some of the other forums, there is no description to indicate the purpose of this one - e.g. whether it is a forum to ask questions about travel or simply to post travel pictures. So naturally people continue to post the same kind of posts that they already see in the forum. I must admit that until reading your post it had never occurred to me that it could be anything different.

Have you tried posting some questions of the type you would like to see?
Alan
Travel Photos - http://www.pbase.com/alangrant
Balkanology: Explore Southeast Europe - http://www.balkanology.com/

pbatchou
 
Posts: 6


Post Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:36 pm


Yes, I've tried but never got a precise and practical answer. I think,
at least partially, "Show and Tell" flood is to be blamed for that.

In fact, there appear questions on travel gear, insurance and,
of course, where to shoot what. But they are usually buried under "S&T"
posts, and the most common answer to them is 'look at my gallery',
which to me seems redundant with the wonderful choice of search
options we have on pbase. ('popular galleries', 'new galleries', 'world', 'search', probably more)

I thought people would share the best locations/directions/advices on
on light/time of the day to shoot. Airport rules, experiences - based on
personal experiences, travel shooting stories.. - there's plenty to talk
about. So I was wondering if it's just my opinion, and if not whether we
should try to do something about it.

andrys
 
Posts: 2701


Post Sun Sep 30, 2007 4:27 am


I don't know. It's a "photo hosting" site.

Why not try FROMMER's or FODORs (i've been to both but don't
remember the URLs but googling them will help).

They have LOTs of stuff on travel gear and travel insurance
and even camera questions for traveling shutterbugs.

pbatchou wrote:Yes, I've tried but never got a precise and practical answer. I think,
at least partially, "Show and Tell" flood is to be blamed for that.


Don't "blame" a photo hosting site for members focused on displaying
their photos.

I thought people would share the best locations/directions/advices on
on light/time of the day to shoot. Airport rules, experiences - based on
personal experiences, travel shooting stories.. - there's plenty to talk
about. So I was wondering if it's just my opinion, and if not whether we
should try to do something about it.


Again, try travel sites! I mean, I'm a travel bug myself but I don't
expect those conversations here. Airport rules and experiences are best
on fodors, frommers, slowtalk.com and also forums on tripadvisor.com
etc etc etc.

For more discussion of camera essentials or questions for travel,
try "Technical Forum" -- but the other stuff you mention is really for
travel places, which I do frequent a lot.

alangrant
 
Posts: 861


Post Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:47 am


I think Andrys is probably right, a travel forum might come closer to meeting your needs than a photo hosting site. As well as the sites already mentioned, I'd also suggest the Lonely Planet Thorntree, especially the "Computers, Cameras, Phones" branch. There is a lot of discussion on that branch about things like the best camera gear for travel (or particular types of travel), and insurance:
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/categories.cfm?catid=34

For advice about photography in specific locations, I don't think I've come across a forum dedicated to that type of question. But I think you probably need a forum that is divided into geographic branches. A forum branch dedicated to Italy, for example, should have plenty of readers who know a bit about Italy. Whereas if you post a question about Italy here, you have to hope that an expert on Italy happens to read it before it gets pushed down by other posts about other parts of the world. Again, a travel forum is more likely to be organised in this way.
Alan
Travel Photos - http://www.pbase.com/alangrant
Balkanology: Explore Southeast Europe - http://www.balkanology.com/

pbatchou
 
Posts: 6


Post Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:19 pm


Well, this doesn't convince me, but again that's just my impression.

>Don't "blame" a photo hosting site for members focused on displaying
>their photos.

This is perfectly correct, but completely off my point. Members display
their photos on their pages - that's the purpose of the site. I don't see
the point of making additional 'recent travel photos' search, at least
not instead of this forum.

I think, that being a 'forum' it should be a place of discussion, not of self-promotion. Being a 'travel forum' on pbase.com it should be
a place for the photography-related discussions about travel.
LP ThornTree and Dpreview were the place I eventually found the information I needed, but this forum seems to a much more natural place for collecting such information. Of course, it could be sorted out too if there is anything to sort.

It probably looks like I am complaining about the title of the forum, which
partially true. But my real point is that
1) there is no really good 'travel photo forum'
2) such a forum would be quite useful
3) this is a great place for such a forum.

best,
Pavel.

andrys
 
Posts: 2701


Post Sun Sep 30, 2007 6:38 pm


alangrant wrote:I think Andrys is probably right, a travel forum might come closer to meeting your needs than a photo hosting site. As well as the sites already mentioned, I'd also suggest the Lonely Planet Thorntree, especially the "Computers, Cameras, Phones" branch. There is a lot of discussion on that branch about things like the best camera gear for travel (or particular types of travel), and insurance:
http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/categories.cfm?catid=34


Thanks for that reminder, Alan.

For advice about photography in specific locations, I don't think I've come across a forum dedicated to that type of question.


I've run into something similar on http://slowtalk.com for sure where all
kinds of questions are discussed under Italy (and other countries) and on
other questions, but again, travel insurance and airport rules as well
as how to get in without waiting in lines to places where you want
to photograph are discussed a lot. This is in tandem with their general
area on travel electronics and gadgets.

But I think you probably need a forum that is divided into geographic branches. A forum branch dedicated to Italy, for example, should have plenty of readers who know a bit about Italy.


Right and again Frommers and Fodors have geographic splits,
and in each one, camera questions as well as insurance and airport
rules are discussed.

PBase's crowd is not focused very much on travel, and those of
us who are tend to want to go to travel forums, which not only
separate discussions by geographic areas but have TONS of people
responding re travel questions (especially today including digital
camera and associated electronics as well as laptops).

But Fodors and Frommers (mainstream travel sites) have a lot
more people answering those questions. pbatchou made it over
to dpreview which is as camera discussion site rather than
a photo-displaying site. That made sense.

pbatchou
Re the complaint about displaying photos instead here or
calling attention to one's galleries, the S&T style forum is indeed
very effective in bringing attention to one's galleries even existing
since pbase is featuring the forum and then people find the other
forums. Fire up statcounter (it's in your Settings area).

The most often asked question is not photography in specific
countries but how people get visitors at all to their galleries.

If you like a person's photography in various countries you
can always ask them questions, and if your question is in their
galleries they'll notice it.

If you consider "self promotion" to make sure other members
or visitors know, in a personal way, that they have galleries in
specific travel locations, not depending on pbase's search
mechanism which can bring up 422 galleries for you to peruse
(for Italy alone), then that'll be your take.

I understand your disappointment because things are not the
way you'd want them. You can try to change that by actually
posting a travel photo question here in this forum rather than in
Show and Tell (though I don't think many pbasers come to this
particular forum, being more interested in general picture taking)
and by not putting down the others who do post here to let people
know about their galleries, on a site with something like 200,000 users
(including the non-paying members).

Remember though that this is a site just for sharing photos
and galleries and the forums will naturally tend to be about
how to do THAT though we get 'technical' 'artistic' and 'photo-editing'
areas in connection with that and I find them very helpful so I
read those daily. Sometimes we travel only a block away for a photo! :-)
(Just kidding in that last but I hope you'll find the place useful for some
of your questions.)

pbatchou
 
Posts: 6


Post Mon Oct 01, 2007 12:03 am


I am not blaming or trying to put anyone down. At least this was not
the aim of the post. I just like pbase a lot and try to make a little part
of it to look (from my perspective) better. Obviously, I've started by
posting the questions and comments on the photography myself. But
that didn't seem to work and that was the reason for this post.

I understand you see this forum as a place where one can lure visitors
to his galleries and fire up the statcounter - that's a perfectly reasonable,
though different point of view.

I know and use slowtalk.com. Together with the forum on trekearth.com
they form something close to what I am suggesting that this forum should
be. Anyways, if there are people with a similar point of view, I'd be happy
to discuss it.

Best,
Pavel.

andrys
 
Posts: 2701


Post Mon Oct 01, 2007 2:51 am


pbatchou,

I was just seeing the words 'blamed' (on s&t) and forums used for
'self promotion' as you put it. Sometimes the words you choose can be
important when trying to communicate some good points.

pbatchou wrote:I understand you see this forum as a place where one can lure visitors


You have a talent for using words that make it seem that other
people sharing photos on this hosting site see only "luring" others,
but in fact, the whole forum is a community based on common
interests...which include loving photography as a form of expression
and then SHARING the photos -- how best to do that. The forums
are a good place to find out how to improve one's skills, how to
appreciate all the other photographers who are sharing their
photos here (and that is done here to a large degree), and of course
to let others know we have galleries they might find of interest.

The ones who may get the least activity are actually those who
are here only to 'lure' (Come see MY ... everything) and who aren't
interested in a community sharing of similar photo subjects or
questions and solutions.

I know and use slowtalk.com. Together with the forum on trekearth.com they form something close to what I am suggesting that
this forum should be.


You're right, and it's probably no accident they are actually
travel-based forums. I love both places, for what they are (and pbase
for its community of people who find it a great place to hold our photos
that we'd like others to enjoy if they want that kind of thing).

Anyways, if there are people with a similar point of
view, I'd be happy to discuss it.


Good luck on that. Keep asking questions in this forum, of the type you
want answered with relation to cameras while travelling. Maybe
sooner or later it'll just happen.

compton_photographer
 
Posts: 69
Location: Ponca, Arkansas, Buffalo National River

Buffalo National River Postings

Post Sun Nov 25, 2007 1:38 pm


I have been as frustrated as anyone with the way the travel section has been used. I don't see a technical problem because folks do want to show off their stuff, so do I.

Anway, the postings I am doing on the Buffalo National River area in Arkansas are about inviting others to "come on down". I am not a part of the tourist industry, and nobody pays me for what I post.

Image
I took a picture of this photographer. He never saw me. He is only about two miles from a paved road about a half mile off the Buffalo River Trail.

I am a resident of this paradise (fairly recent really) and I consider it a visual treasure. My wife and I fell in love with it the first time we saw it and I genuinely believe is it one of the USA's undiscovered treasures. It is absolutely the mother lode for photographers.

We knew nothing about this place even though we lived in St. Louis. In fact, we knew nothing about Arkansas. I still don't think the assets of this state are very well publicized. I would hope other photographers will join me down here to take it all in.

People living in Little Rock know about this place, and next in line seems to be folks from Springfield MO, and the SW corner of MO. The awareness falls off fairly rapidly after that.

Here is the bottom line about the Buffalo National River area. It is fairly nearby and it is very inexpensive to visit here. It is like the clock has been turned back 50 years. There are very few permanent residents and that just makes it better. My home backs up to the river park, adjacent to a 12,000 acre designated federal wilderness. I believe the park itself is 125 miles long, and there are many more federal and state parks and attractions nearby. There is also land owned by the Nature Conservency.

Enough said. This is not where I am posting, but I wanted to point out that my BNR postings are different. The truth is you can get here from anywhere. A cheap flight to Fayetteville and a hundred mile drive and you are here. We are relatively close to Memphis, St. Louis, and Tulsa. If you like primitive camping you can do that for free.

We thought this place was so special we moved here. This is the last place we will live, and live we will, in a paradise of unexpected natural beauty all around us.
Michael Dougherty
Compton, Arkansas
http://www.arkansasnaturephotography.com
NW Arkansas Nature Photography


Board index Other Travel what happened to the 'travel' section..

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests