No more photographs from me

[DaiTheDragon]

After nearly 4 years on WAB I Have made some really good friends and have learned a great deal about species identification but In my opinion the Gallery has become just a place for people to increase their views and comments total.
One thing that annoys me is when a person takes a number of photographs of a bird, uploads one photograph and then waits a few days and uploads a very similar photograph or uploads a few photographs of the same bird with only a slight difference between them. I also think the main culprits are the more experience photographers. Also I think that we are all to polite to criticise on a bad photograph and offer some help on how to make improvements. When I can I always upload 5 different birds or at least one species at different locations or perches.
One thing that I don’t understand is that WAB has unlimited usage of any photographs in the Gallery. I have had no problem with this in the past but I am beginning to wonder why they would need this. As a charitable organisation I wouldn’t mine if they were using the images for some educational purpose but I have never heard of any projects or what they have ever done with the images to benefit anyone.
I realise that it’s not WAB’s fault but you don’t even get any image results from WAB if you Google in a birds name, only if it is contained in a forum topic.
So for a while I won’t be uploading any images.

Dai

[Ukwildlifeo]

I understand what your saying Dai but some folks upload their photos to Wab so more people can see them, after all if you photograph british wildlife and want an interested audience to see them, there are few better places

[Oscar2006]

Originally Posted by DaiTheDragon

After nearly 4 years on WAB I Have made some really good friends and have learned a great deal about species identification but In my opinion the Gallery has become just a place for people to increase their views and comments total.
One thing that annoys me is when a person takes a number of photographs of a bird, uploads one photograph and then waits a few days and uploads a very similar photograph or uploads a few photographs of the same bird with only a slight difference between them. I also think the main culprits are the more experience photographers. Also I think that we are all to polite to criticise on a bad photograph and offer some help on how to make improvements. When I can I always upload 5 different birds or at least one species at different locations or perches.
One thing that I don’t understand is that WAB has unlimited usage of any photographs in the Gallery. I have had no problem with this in the past but I am beginning to wonder why they would need this. As a charitable organisation I wouldn’t mine if they were using the images for some educational purpose but I have never heard of any projects or what they have ever done with the images to benefit anyone.
I realise that it’s not WAB’s fault but you don’t even get any image results from WAB if you Google in a birds name, only if it is contained in a forum topic.
So for a while I won’t be uploading any images.

Dai

I don't actually understand the point of this posting
If you don't want to upload images then that's fine with everyone!
No need to tells us all why, unless you want to generate some sort of debate about it?

[DaiTheDragon]

Oscar, if you don't actually understand the point of this posting then why make a reply unless you want to generate some sort of debate about it.
I do believe that quite a few people like looking at my photographs so I am explaining to them my reasons for this decision.

Dai

[ChrisR]

I won't comment on most of Dai's post because it says it all really - 'nuff said.

But I think the bit about WAB having the rights to use photos in the Gallery is probably just a legal disclaimer, rather than a statement of intent to use them for a specific purpose. Most forums will include in their small print that they reserve similar rights and that gives the forum the right to actually display them and serve them out to viewers or back them up or make copies for internal use. If they didn't have that right then you'd get some smart-alec uploading the photos and then making demands over how many copies could be made and who could look at them and who couldn't ... this way if you upload a photo then you just acknowledge that WAB can do what it wants with the photo afterwards

[Jason Green]

Hi Dai,

That's a shame, I rather like them! As Chris said, it's solely a legal disclaimer IMO - if Stu wanted to use one he'd ask I'm sure. After all, you remain the Copyright holder, and as far as I've read it doesn't say you surrender that when you submit material.

RE post counts, comments were 'discounted' years back I believe - it doesn't log the number anywhere, so I see no point in members posting comments unless they really mean them

As for different angles, what to some may be near identical to another may be perfect... showing two features at the same time. You know, a side-on head and the flank, or a rear-view with the head at the right angle Just suggestions!

Take care,

Jason

[Geoff F]

In general, I do agree that there are considerable numbers of almost identical photos of common subjects which are far more than are needed as an aid to identification. And I include all subjects here not just birds.

So I wouldn't upload a photo of, say a robin, to the main Gallery unless it was an unusual colour mutant or clearly suffering from a parasite attack etc. Before uploading anything I always check to see how many better photos of that subject are already present and do my photos genuinely add something which could be useful to another person. Even if that is just an odd time of the year or location.

If my photos are of a species which has been previously absent from the Gallery, but aren't absolutely top quality, I still offer them for the moderator to decide if they are worth retaining.

I fully appreciate that if someone has taken some superb images they want to show them around but for me there are a number of photo sites like Flickr or P base which specialise in this. Or post them in a forum for discussion.

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by DaiTheDragon

Oscar, if you don't actually understand the point of this posting then why make a reply unless you want to generate some sort of debate about it.
I do believe that quite a few people like looking at my photographs so I am explaining to them my reasons for this decision.

Dai

Yes, I too enjoy looking at your photos.

Neil.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by DaiTheDragon

One thing that I don’t understand is that WAB has unlimited usage of any photographs in the Gallery. I have had no problem with this in the past but I am beginning to wonder why they would need this. As a charitable organisation I wouldn’t mine if they were using the images for some educational purpose but I have never heard of any projects or what they have ever done with the images to benefit anyone.

the first and biggest educational use of the images is the Gallery itself - which acts as a primo resource for teachers - i know several who use that part of wab on a power point projector

secondly the images are used in the A-Z guides and other parts of the site which also have major educational utility in the wider sense.

and thirdly you need to remember that wab is comparitively still a young charity so the potential of this resource for educational use is huge if or when we ever get the time in the future to do the educational projects we/stu would like to do ( I did volunteer to start producing curiculum linked educational packs /downloads but getting married and my bosses maternity leave/my temporary promotion kind of got in the way)

there is also no need to worry about the rights because you are only granting them on the low res image you upload - if stu wanted to use them for print projects he would have to ask for the hi res images - as he did when we did the calendar in 06/07


on the issue of why there are so many similar images in the Gallery - I absolutely agree with you but the ammount of agravation that was caused when the idea of purging the Gallery of all but the "best" was suggested a couple of years ago, was ridiculously enourmous so i can see why stu didnt go in that direction in the end

[acherontia]

There must be many reasons why we may post images on the web and it sounds as though you're a bit disillusioned for one reason or another.
I've not looked at your images, yet, but you're obviously quite passionate about taking them or you wouldn't be saying all this.
I think we all come to a stage where we may want to 'move on' and I hope this is the case, in so much as you will continue to take images but not post them here?
I don't post here other than for illustrative or informational reasons - my big files go elsewhere but I have no problem with this site. They don't force me to post images - it's optional and entirely within my control so I don't feel back footed in any way.

I've no idea why you feel this way but I hope you still continue to enjoy using your camera.

All the best for the New year,

Acher