Steady Hand
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 Newbies or New to FM? Tips 4U | |
Hello and Welcome!
FOR THE NEWBIES AND LURKERS:
This is written for NEWBIES AND LURKERS and also to people who are just NEW to this forum. It is written to help you and everything is written in friendly tone of voice and with the sole intent to help you have a better experience here as part of this forum. 
Through the LINK BELOW (embedded in the body of this post) you will find SEVEN PAGES full of MANY TIPS on how to have a better experience on a photography forum. I wrote those to help you and to encourage you to participate here by posting your comments or your own photos or both.
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First, I want to share with you some EMPATHY and a little background on why I am writing this thread for YOU (Newbies). I also want you to understand that I completely understand what it is like to be a NEWBIE too. I was a Newbie here too.
Expert or Newbie or Both?
I don\'t mind being called a NEWBIE either. While I may be considered an \"expert\" in some aspects of photography and make my living as a full-time professional photographer, there are many aspects of photography where I truly consider myself a NEWBIE and I don\'t mind admitting it. For example, I have always wanted to learn more about underwater photography, aerial photography, and stroboscopic (high speed) photography. But, my experience with it is very limited and so I would be happy to tell an expert (in those genres) that I am a Newbie (in those genres). That\'s because I want to LEARN more. Photography is such a broad field of knowledge, that NO ONE person can be an expert in ALL of the genres and types of photography! So, don\'t be embarrassed or shy, just remember you are learning just like the rest of us (even the experts)!
Read the following carefully (and the linked Tips), and it is GUARANTEED to help you become a happier, more fulfilled, member of this community.
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FOR THE OLDIES OR LURKERS TOO!
Yes, this is a shout out to you too.
I think these same TIPS on this People Forum WILL help YOU too.
So, even if you are not a \"Newbie\" anymore here, I think the tips will help you get more from your time spent here. You can title your PM to me \"OLDIE\" or \"Lurker\" instead of \"Newbie\" if that matters. No one will know! Just between us. No public embarrassment. 
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What is a \"Newbie\" to me (How to define it?):
1. Someone NEW to this forum.
2. Someone NEW to digital photography (though your photos don\'t have to be made with a digital camera to participate here).
3. Someone NEW to using a DSLR.
4. Someone NEW to FM.
IF you fit into any of those categories, this is intended to help you.
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Why do I think this topic is needed here?
Over the last two years I have been on this forum, I have seen lots of people come and go.
There may be many reasons.
In fact, I joined in December 2007 and almost left (forever) in the first 30 days or so.
I had my reasons. I saw some things that really turned me off. And I did not see some things I was hoping to find here.
But, I stuck it out and have come to enjoy viewing the photos here, participating as much as I can, helping when I can, and engaging in some fun or challenging discussions with others here.
I have also met some very nice folks here too.
But, I have been aware that some others visit, join, perhaps post a photo or a few photos, and then their experience here is not...(how to say this)...what they expected. Many apparently never come back again (like the time I almost left for good).
Also, I have received a number of Private Messages (PMs) and Emails (off forum) from folks that expressed their frustration with the forum and THEY DID decide to leave. I tried to talk them into staying, as other\'s had convinced me to stay on, but some \"had enough\" and were too frustrated or hurt to stay.
Some of those folks were very popular here, some were notorious, and some were just Newbies too. Some of the \"regulars\" around here might be surprised to learn who has left too. 
In the spirit of helping more people better enjoy their experience here (including me, because I like to see more new photographers join and post), and to help some others avoid some truly avoidable \"first false steps,\" I have put together SEVEN PAGES of TIPS for NEWBIES that will introduce you to some things I think will make your time here more fun and helpful to you.
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A TESTIMONIAL FROM A NEWBIE
\"Steady, Very interesting post you\'ve made here. I checked out the Tips pages and found them very informative. I\'ve been lurking for a while and enjoying the posts and images. It seems, however, like most forums, there are those that have a holier than thou attitude (just my observation) which make it difficult for beginners to start posting. It\'s nice to see you trying to make it easier on the beginners. I\'m just getting into digital photography, with no ambitions of being a pro but would like to see improvement in what I do. This post of yours is what encouraged me to register on the forum. Maybe I\'ll even post in the near future. Thanks for what you\'re doing. --Name Witheld to Protect Newbie Privacy \"
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My Simple Suggestion: Do what YOU can to help new members here have a better experience on the forum. That leads to more people posting, more photos for ALL to see, and more fun for everyone.
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THE BENEFIT FOR YOU
As of Jan 1st, 2010, there are SEVEN (7) pages I have written to help you as a Newbie or Lurker. Each of those SEVEN tips pages is loaded with advice to help YOU have a better time here and to help you avoid some pitfalls.
In addition, you will find some other FREE Tips on Photography and FREE Lessons on Photography I have written too.
In addition, I am working on some projects that can help you and in which YOU can participate very easily. More on those projects later (January 2010).
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WHERE ARE THE TIPS?
I am not going to post the Tips here in this thread. Instead, you will find a LINK to them below in this post. LOOK BELOW FOR THE LINK.
Why?
Because this forum does not use \"stickies\" (even though I asked for them before) and it moves so fast that it would be gone in a day and perhaps never seen again.
I have posted some Topics intended to help before, and they were gone into the archives very quickly, and they took HOURS to write. So I felt I wasted my time writing and then posting those here. This forum sometimes moves quickly. While I enjoy helping others with my free time, I don\'t have time to waste.
So I am going to post my list of FREE TIPS on my own site where I can make sure they are easy to access for anyone (and they are FREE access too, no cost to view them). On my new site, I can add to them over time or add new topics or tips too. You can view them there anytime and it will become a \"sticky\" of sorts that way.
Just so you won\'t be disappointed, it is not \"rocket science\" and you may know some of the points already. I do suggest reading them in sequence as they get progressively more technical or specific. There may be a few that will make a big difference in how much value or fun or good communication you get here at THIS forum or perhaps even on other forums too. As anyone here can tell you, each forum has a different crowd of people and a different \"culture.\" Even within the various forums here on the FM site, there are significant differences in attitude and friendliness and \"atmosphere.\"
So, I encourage you to take a few minutes to read the tips. They are written solely to help you.
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WHY am I doing this?
First, I hope to help others. That is my primary goal.
Secondly, I have to help myself too. Being on this forum for hours and helping others over the years has taken a lot of my time. Countless hours. I enjoyed it. Truly.
Over the months, I have noticed I spend a LOT of time answering a LOT of PMs and questions to me here on this forum that no one ever sees (behind the scenes). I need to reduce the amount of time I spend answering the same questions (again and again) and so I have decided to consolidate my TIPS into a Page for each common issue (or FAQ) and that way, I can then reduce my time and typing. That helps you, and helps me (save time and effort). I hope that helps us all.
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So here is one tip that may be obvious to some and not so obvious to others:
HOW TO SEND A PRIVATE MESSAGE (PM) on this forum:
IF you are not sure how to send a PM here on this forum, simply look at the bottom of my post (or those of anyone) and you will see a bar separating my post from those that follow. Look for the PM button, it is usually the third button from the left below any post here on the forum. Click it and then type your message to me. It is a PRIVATE way of sending me a message and no one else will read it. It is easy to do and I use them frequently to communicate with folks without creating a new thread on the forum itself.
This is a fun and easy way to communicate with people around the planet. So I encourage you to learn how to use this very easy feature of this forum. You can start by sending me a PM as described in this thread.
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Have a Little Patience:
One last thing. I am building these \"Help Pages\" right now and adding the information as quickly as possible in my free time. Currently there are SEVEN long pages full of suggestions. It has taken hours to write and edit those. More will follow as quickly as possible.
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Finally, just click that PM button (third button from left side below) an inch below here and send me a PM titled \"Newbie\" and if you want, say hello too.
You can help me help others by also telling me a little bit more too. I am trying to encourage other \"Lurkers\" to join in the community and to have some fun and communicate. I think it just takes a first step.
Tell me a little bit about yourself if you want to. What do you hope to learn. What kind of people do you want to photograph (infants, kids, old folks, seniors, models, etc.).
Or tell me what you want to learn on a forum.
Or if you are a lurker, tell me why you lurk and don\'t post or comment. That will help me better understand what we might be able to do here on the forum to make this a better place.
I will keep it a secret, but it will help me understand how to address issues that may keep folks like you from feeling welcome or comfortable here. .
I might share (anonymously of course) a word or two from you that may help other Newbies or Lurkers take the first step too. So if it is OK to quote you in an anonymous way (just with a first name, instead of your full name or full screen name) then let me know that too. It would help.
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HELP OTHERS ENJOY PHOTOGRAPHY (How YOU can help me help others.)
As I always say: I hope these comments and suggestions will help you and others.
My Credo for photography is: \"Enjoy your photography and it will bring joy to others.\"
I also believe one should: Help others whenever you can. It makes for a much nicer world.
And I Suggest: Help other photographers when you can. It makes for much nicer photographs to view on this forum.
IF you think this is a helpful or good thing, please post a short comment below that you think it is a good idea or it helped you. That will make this effort (and time) worthwhile to me.
Also, my Tips Pages are written in a way that they may help others in other places too. So, pass the link on to help others you think might benefit from the Tips.
If you have a blog of your own or if you participate in another photography forum, post a link to my Tips pages too or tell others. It might just make the internet a little friendlier and more helpful to photographers wanting to share their photos and have a good time discussing and learning about photography. That will eventually help us all have the opportunity to see more and better photography on the internet.
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THE LINK TO THE TIPS PAGES
Here is the Link to the FIRST page I recommend reading. I wrote it because I received many notes or PMs or emails asking questions. Many of those questions are answered on that Start Here letter I wrote or found by clicking on the links embedded in it. The Start Here page is written to GUIDE you to the different pages I have written that may help you, whether you are an amateur or a pro. It has many suggestions on it. The other SEVEN Tips pages contain more specific suggestions on how to get more comments and more technical help with your photos. The links to those SEVEN pages of Posting Tips are found on the Start Here page.
I suggest reading the Tips pages in sequence (1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7). There are currently SEVEN PAGES of these Tips about posting on a photography forum and each has its own \"post\" on my site. They start with a general tip (#1) and move to more specific and practical advice on posting here or on a photography forum. Links to the other posts/pages in the series will be found in the blue links at the bottom of each post. Simply look for \"Related Posts\" at the bottom of each Tips page.
http://photomentors.com/2010/01/14/free-lessons-tips/start-here-welcome-to-visitors/
REMEMBER, there are currently SEVEN pages of Tips related to Photography Forum Posting (as a topic) along with other tips and free lessons.
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THIS POST IS A SLIDING STICKY
You may notice this post showing up on the first page of the forum often.
That is the nature of a \"Sticky\" as it is meant to be seen to help others who are new to the forum. So it \"sticks\" to the first page where a new visitor will see it easily. It may seem to slide down the forum, but it will be bumped to the first page (like a sticky) so it will help Newbies on their first visit to this forum.
So, pardon the occasional \"bumps\" to the first page, I know it may annoy some \"old timers\" here on the forum. It is just so other Newbies and Lurkers and Visitors will see it and then possibly join the community in posting and sharing here. In my opinion, that would help us ALL see more photos and have a better time here.
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