Thumbing thru the photo forums

[atournas]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

The I like film... (open thread) is without doubt the most successful thread in Leica's photo forums. At the moment, it counts 3800 pages, while the Photo Forum categories together sum up to around 3500 pages.

There must be more than one reason for that. It is not only the freedom to post images from non-Leica equipment. A cursory check will show that many of the photographers there using medium format, for instance, also use Leica cameras.

I regularly check the I like film... thread every day. However, whenever I attempt to look at photographs in the other photo forums, I quickly give up. Why? Because I must open, close, reopen all those categories, then the individual posts, then go thru the comments if a photo looks interesting... and then all over again.

Of course, perhaps it is just me who gets bored quickly. I wonder, though, is so much fragmentation functional or appealing? Just a thought.

[farnz]

19 hours ago, atournas said:

The I like film... (open thread) is without doubt the most successful thread in Leica's photo forums. At the moment, it counts 3800 pages, while the Photo Forum categories together sum up to around 3500 pages.

As the steward of the Barnack's Monthly series of threads I feel bound to point out that I don't think it's quite as cut and dried as that, particularly if success is measured purely on the number of pages.  With a new topic each month and dating back to October 2008, members have very kindly posted a total of 84,000 pictures in the Barnack's Monthly series of threads, which at 20 posts per page comes to 4,200 pages.  (Please note that I'm certainly not trying to start a 'my dad's bigger than your dad' conversation.)

I concede that the inevitable 'sectionalisation' of a monthly thread means that you have to open each month's thread to view the pictures so it doesn't much help your desire to view a continual stream of pictures.

Pete.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[atournas]

2 hours ago, farnz said:

As the steward of the Barnack's Monthly series of threads I feel bound to point out that I don't think it's quite as cut and dried as that, particularly if success is measured purely on the number of pages.  With a new topic each month and dating back to October 2008, members have very kindly posted a total of 84,000 pictures in the Barnack's Monthly series of threads, which at 20 posts per page comes to 4,200 pages.  (Please note that I'm certainly not trying to start a 'my dad's bigger than your dad' conversation.)

I concede that the inevitable 'sectionalisation' of a monthly thread means that you have to open each month's thread to view the pictures so it doesn't much help your desire to view a continual stream of pictures.

Pete.

Thanks, Pete, for your remarks. You're certainly making a point! Like I said, It was just a thought. The important think is to keep the forum interesting and live!

[thighslapper]

I have posted about this endlessly for years.

The compartmentalisation of posted images has ruined the format when it comes to viewing other photographers work.

The rot set in when the little thumbnails of the images in the photo forums vanished with an update of the forum many years ago, followed by the ever increasing expansion of subcategories within the different camera sections. 

It's a shame the 'Favorite Image' page doesn't include every image posted in one long scrollable page with images over a certain age with no clicks through to view dropping off the list. 

[atournas]

So, it has been a noticeable issue for quite some time now. Good to know.

[Doug A]

Sadly, I find it too much bother to click through all of the subforums and topics in the Photos forum. I know I am missing not only many wonderful pictures but also interesting conversations about them. The only topics I follow at all regularly are I Like Film and 6x6 - der Thread.

[evikne]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

We have the possibility to create our own "Activity Streams". Just tick off everything that interests you. All new content will appear in that stream, regardless of category. Personally, I almost never bother to browse the categories and subforums, because it isn't necessary. 

Another very smart feature is found in Account Settings > Content View Behavior > Take me to comments I haven't read.

Edited May 21, 2021 by evikne

[ramarren]

A few forums I participate on do the 'continuous stream of photo posts' thing. I find it extremely cumbersome to obtain a gestalt of what's in the thread ... too many pages of too many photos to view sensibly. I usually have to be content with looking at the last two pages or so, at most. I'd much rather see more and shorter threads highlighting a coordinated theme of photographs, telling a reasonable story in some sense. I won't get to see all 4200 or 48,000 photos on the site, but I'll have a good gestalt of what I did get to see.

G