There's quite a few topics being discussed all at once here.
I'll start with the IOTW.
The IOTW image is chosen by me and me alone. I go through all the deep space and solar system threads each week and choose the image that stands out to me the most. I do take some other factors into consideration and I do try and spread it around so it's not the same "elite level" photographers getting chosen each week.
I try to choose an image that's been posted in the past week - sometimes that means there's an overwhelming choice, and at other times (especially during full moon week), the selection isn't as great.
I certainly
don't choose an image based on the type of equipment that is used. I also don't factor in length of time as a member, number of posts. That makes no difference to me.
Don't forget the IOTW is to showcase the great work the astrophotographers on IIS do. So of course I choose an image that's going to look great on the IIS home page.
At times I'll choose something that's more unusual, or sometimes more topical/current, and at times I just choose a beautiful image that grabs me when I first see it.
The majority of "beautiful" images are usually deep space images so I also try and choose a solar system image every now and then to try and provide some balance.
I don't see any need to change my process of selecting the IOTW and to me, it's working well as it is. I just need to force myself to do it on the same day each way - sometimes time gets away from me and it can be longer than a week before choosing a new image.
Regarding some of the other topics, Brendan regarding beginners imaging, do you mean something like Cloudy Nights, where they have an "imaging competition" on a monthly basis and a poll where the public/members chooses the winner?
I've also been tempted from time to time to set up a "Beginning Imagers" sub-forum where people new to imaging can freely post their work for encouragement, suggestions for improvements etc, without feeling "out of their depth" in the normal Deep Space forum.
What do you think about that?
I'm up for any idea which will encourage newbie imagers to post their work, and get feedback/ideas on how to improve.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by doug
The thing that is lacking on this and many forums is the ability or the want from those who know better to pass on some of the knowledge they have gained over the years. It is sad to say that most want to be the best or at least stay that one step ahead of each other.
|
Doug, I've found that most people are generally willing to pass on whatever knowledge they have learned. Most people have always learned from someone else so they're happy to help out others.
Maybe it's a case of the person posting the image to ASK for feedback and suggestions. Maybe it's a case of the person with the knowledge not feeling confident enough to be able to put their suggestions into words, or feeling that they themselves aren't knowledgeable enough to pass information on (when in all probability, they are).
With today's camera technologies and information being passed around so freely, someone with the right aptitude can go from being a total beginner to producing outstanding images in a very short time.
I've seen it time and time again right here on IceInSpace.
That sort of rapid improvement was very difficult to achieve 5-10 years ago because the information just wasn't so freely available to help them expedite their journey along the steep learning curve of imaging.