What IS a "PAD" Gallery Anyway?

[vid64]

Maybe this is a question of intent. I call my gallery "Picture of the Day", but it's a PaD gallery becuase I try to do a picture a day. I failed once. Others have dropped out for a day due to illness, equipment failure and the like. No one ever got beaten up over it. But if your intention is to only shoot when you have the time, or when you're in the mood, then surely you're not doing a PaD gallery.

I've only ever encouraged others to try doing a PaD. So to annayu2 and jypsee I'd say, give it a go. Try to do a picture a day. Every day. Sometimes it'll all go wrong and you end up posting rubbish. A little dig in your own ribs to do better tomorrow. (See my worst pic thread). Wake up in the morning wondering what you're going to photograph today. There are some great people here that are full of support. You don't want to do that? No problem. But you're not doing a Picture a Day.

[vid64]

"This is capitalism, not the country club"

No, it's just a gallery / forum for people who do a Photo a Day. It's not that hard to understand is it?

...shakes head and wanders of to take a photograph...

[jypsee]

I've only ever encouraged others to try doing a PaD. So to annayu2 and jypsee I'd say, give it a go. Try to do a picture a day. Every day.

I make my living making pictures; I make pictures EVERY day. I call my gallery "semidaily" and said so in a response to a query in another topic. YOU chose to target my title. I take that personally.

I thought it would be a good idea to put faces to screen names; I enjoy the PAD galleries because I see people who take photography seriously. When I come home from a photo session, the first thing I've been doing is checking to see what people are photographing. So, coming over to introduce myself seemed like a good idea...but you and others seem to have some notion that you get to set the terms BECAUSE you were the first to do a picture a day and you had some list, etc. Go back to your list. I'll be happy to stay with the great unwashed.

[dazedgonebye]

I know a good chiropractor. Perhaps we could all go in for an alignment and have those chips removed from our shoulders while we’re at it.
The very best thing about the PaD group has been the sense of support and community. Sort of a support group for the obsessive compulsive photographer.
In that light, the tone on this thread is very disturbing. Is that the price we have to pay for growing?
I'd like to think that all parties could take a deep breath and perhaps even agree to disagree (as disagreeable as that can be).

[darter02]

Seems some folks are getting really bent. Next thing you know we’ll have flame wars like the regular forum had a few months ago with cries for a moderator to do something.

I think that the people who started this movement and it is indeed a movement, deserve a some respect whether or not you agree with them. There are a lot of people who are spending the time everyday to take photos. Now whether or not you post them on that day or wait a few and then post them in sequence is really not high priority.

If you say you are already taking photos everyday then I really do not see why you are thinking you may have a problem doing a “traditional” PaD? Just post some of what you are already doing in the sequence you are doing it.

Anyway, I’ll still most likely do my thing regardless of what others are doing and I may just stick to the galleries that are created by people who are actually making an effort to take photos on a daily basis. I really enjoy watching the skill levels grow as people attempt to do new things every day or hone the skills they already have.

You may call me a “purist” and I am sure I can be called an “insider,” for what ever that is worth, but the only thing that does make me one is the fact that I truly try to take photographs on a daily basis. It’s become my passion, my obsession, my creative outlet that I have so desired for a while. Another factor to being an “insider” is that I do try to browse the galleries and comment when I have the time.

Really, it’s not a private club, anyone can join. Just have fun shooting and posting!

[lizardbeth]

The thing is, this is about a group of people who are commited to taking a picture every single day. Many of us have spent the last year investing hours and hours and hours each week encouraging and appreciating each others pictures.

We were elated when Slug created a special gallery for us making it easier to view our fellow PaD members work. It's just upsetting to have to sift through the gallery looking for those who are actually participating in the spirit of the group rather than those using the gallery as a vehicle to generate hits.

It's not like there's not another gallery out there for those who don't want to participate.

edited to add that I completely agree with darter02. We must have been writing at the same time. : )

[brother_mark]

I don't really see the terrible crime committed by someone who wants to take a photo a week or a photo semi-daily and have show up in the PAD meta-gallery. First of all the "cheaters" aren't posting everyday so it's not like their photos are really "mucking things up." And they are out to photograph regularly with an eye to posting those photos and working on creativity or technique, etc. Let them be!

Other pbase folks have decided to link their galleries to generate traffic. It would be a nice to come up with a different meta gallery for them to do this. The photo link is so much more effective than the "recent" uploads link. I can't blame people for wanting to link their galleries to it.

One of the nice things about PAD is that people are so nice to each other. Let's not be jerks to those who aren't "full-time" PADers.

Mark

[clickaway]

I have tried to avoid to getting involved here as its getting stressful!

Let's take another view.

Why cannot we use our favourites option more? This has the advantage of seeing who we want to see (including some non PAD people), other galleries of PAD people, and other photos when PAD people upload more than one because they are playing catch up.

I think I'll spend the weekend updating my Favourites and just use that, with occassional refernce to slugs gallery for the new PAD people.

I'm sure much good work is being missed because some people may be relying only on the one photo being shown in the Meta Gallery.

R

[dazedgonebye]

Ray has an excellent point. Many PaD'rs have other excellent galleries that aren't displayed on the meta gallery. Beef up your favorite artists lists.

[kstuebin]

I'm going to be beefing up my favorites list too. But in addition, I will still browse the PAD gallery so I don't miss anything. I find if I do it twice a day, it only takes 20 minutes max. I don't click on every shot. Just those that look interesting to me. Or if I recognize the name of the person.

I've found the people using PAD for generating traffic are really such a small minority that it doesn't even hinder going thru the shots. At this point. It could get out of hand though as people discover it. I've noticed more PAD galleries showing up on the front page.

I post on another forum where there are a lot of dillentantes who also have a very high opinion of their photographic ability. Most of them use Pbase. I haven't said a word about PAD for fear they would swarm to it, post regularly for a few days, then intermittently. I also noticed no one there seems to have discovered PAD yet or there would have been a post about it.

I am not being a snob here, trust me. I'm not holding myself up as an accomplished or brilliant photographerl. I don't make a living from photography. It's a hobby. I don't claim to be original or innovative. All I want is to be able to see and study the wonderful work from the commited PAD posters without having to make such a huge time comittment that it becomes impossible. I am participating in this challenge because it is one. And so far, I am really enjoying it.

[vid64]

In case anyone missed this... Why is PaD special:

http://www.pbase.com/image/26884563

Comments welcome.

[clickaway]

All in our very different ways, we all reveal something about ourselves and our locality through the PAD project. And I'm sure this could not have been achieved without the dedicated commitment that we all make.

I was actually walking around my owm neighbourhood the other day thinking what places were worthy of a photo. There are a few opportunities there, but I'm wondering if I'm overlooking the more mundane; something that will interest those not familiar with such an apparently typical scene?

I was quite delighted to see some photos of the Alabama countryside recently - until then I had no idea what it looked like. And I now feel the urge to make a trip to Sweden - so many wonderful photos coming from our photographers there - I would probably just be seeing the "must see" landmarks if there was a gallery just called "Sweden". Instead I am seeing this country warts and all, and beginning to understand that its beauty goes quite deep.

But what is really special to me is the friendships I have made here. They have come in many ways. They range from just an exchange of comments and messages to transatlantic phone calls and meeting fellow members of the project in person. We are coming to 'see' each other every day and because of that we have the opportunity to become very close, rather like brothers and sisters or colleagues at work whom we see for 37 hours.

This is, without doubt, the best thing I have done for ages.

Ray

[bigbad]

in keeping with Ray's tone, i too am amazed at what a family this PAD group is. so many times, those to join the group late are never quite as accepted as the "originals". in this case, i have to say i have never felt so welcome. i've been at this a little over a week, and already i feel part of the community.

thank you to all of those who have left encouraging and welcoming comments in my budding gallery. i find many of your galleries to be inspring, and i certainly hope my own work improves as a result. i'm quite glad i started this project. not only for my renewed interest in my photography, but also for the friends.

alright, enough sappiness

[fernticled]

I've been following this post for a couple of days now and after having all these emotions flow over me from it I decided that I couldn't bite my tongue anymore. I have to say something. Now I'm not here to offend anyone, that is not my intentions in any way, shape, or form. When I first caught wind of PAD and what it involved I debated for days whether I would be able to accomplish such a big task of creating a photo every single day. But I wanted to learn and grow and be more than an average person walking around with a camera. In the end, with some encouragement from Angela I decided I would embark on this new journey no matter how hard it would be. Little did I know how much my life was going to change in the short amount of time that I had started PAD'ing.

Due to some circumstances I have had to get a second job. I very easily can get up at 6:30 in the morning and not come home until 10:00 at night, usually exhausted, in which I spend maybe a half an hour with my husband, who I rarely get to see as it is, before one of us falls asleep. If I have to choose between resting or spending time with my husband or whatever and taking that time to make a photo for the day, I will hands down choose my husband. PAD or no PAD. So maybe it isn't truly a Photo a Day, I guess I never realized how many people felt this way. I never did this to get responses or numbers or whatever. I'm growing from it and that's the reason why I choose to do this. I have met some fabulous people because of my short experience with PAD (many who are on my favorites list now) and I will continue to post when I can (in other words when I'm not working both jobs), but under a different name than PAD. I look forward to many more photographs!!!

Okay I'm done now
Stephanie

[clickaway]

Stephanie,
What an honest approach you have taken. I cannot imagine what your life can be like at the moment, but I do use photography and the feedback I receive here as a kind of therapy.

I hope that your problems will be resolved before too long.

R