I made my first post here to the forum in November of 2001. Amazing how time flies. A new year will be upon us soon. As I stop to think about the previous year I have seen many changes in my own life and many here on the forum. It is a time for resolutions which will be made and broken as we try to improve ourselves and our lives. Some of you view this place as merely a website to stop into periodically and some view this as a home away from home. I know that many of you also spend time in other forums and galleries here on Renderosity, while some of us (like me) only come to the photo forum. It is my hope that you all find the photography forum a useful and fun place to be. I know that I enjoy the interaction and the sharing that happens here. And I'm quite happy that for the most part this forum is fairly trouble free as opposed to other forums on the site that have unpleasantness on an almost daily basis. What I am looking is your ideas and feelings about how the photo forum could be improved. Is there anything new you would like to see? Things that could be better? Or maybe you like it just the way it is? Let starshuffler and I know what you think.

The only change I would like to see is the ability to post multiple images to one message. Now we have to post 2 messages to post 2 images. I understand that this may be a limitation of the database but you asked! The forum itself and all of the members have been the best! I do belong to multiple forums and I have to say this is the one that i get the most out of. Pleasant constructive critisism, Freindly advice, and some god humor too! (even if y'all don't get out much) I want to thank evreyone on this list for making this the most visited site on my computer. Special thanks to Alpha for starting this list, Michelle and starshuffler for all their work to keep this a great place to visit. Oh and if we make this forum any better, my wife is going to get really upset. I stay up reading the list rather than go to bed when I should... Magick Michael aka zhounder

Weekly orgies with myself and all the female members...

And if that is not possible, more volunteers to write tutorials and such for the resource center. Personally I am too involved with other projects to write new stuff from scratch. However, I would be glad to answer questions, edit and generally help others create some new content for the Learning Center. However, I can guarantee that my first idea would be more fun ;-)

I am a very new member but I enjoy this forum a great deal. I frequent several forums but find Poser forum and this one to be my virtual home. I will say that the mods here at the Photography forum are a class act. You should be proud of what you have achieved. As the word gets out, people will flock here due to the sites friendly nature. Improvements; its hard to think of any but anything that gets people working together for a common goal is worthy of attention. Perhaps having a workshop environment once a week or once a month could be rather enjoyable. Different people could host different sessions depending on strenghts. An assignment could be given where everyone interested could post their images on a particular theme and then everyone could critique them. This would create a real time working situation were many forum members would be focused in on this. This would create a powerful means of instant feedback with the ablility to try different things based on the real time critiques. Keep up the good work and thanks for what you have done here.

I guess it has been only a year. We've done quite a bit in that year. Worn out several moderators. Each of us has improved. Some folks have slunk off to new challenges. Thank you, everyone.

This forum gives me such a warm & fuzzy feeling inside- such a wonderful group of ppl & you mods are the best!! I can't imagine trying to keep up with other forums, outside of this one & the galleries, photos to take & edit, e-mail, new progs to learn & just life's daily routines (ecspecially with dial-up...sigh) hardly leaves time to sleep #~o

Well I'm glad to know some people are happy....I wish more people would have given their opinions or ideas. @Michael that's a great idea but is limited by the software being used by Renderosity. @Dobby....why stop at once a week? Everyday is better...but of course we don't want to wear you out....heh! @Misha.... :~* @Cynlee...hugs! and yup I don't have enough time in the day to keep up with all the things I'd like to do either...so I just hang out here...for the most part. Does anyone else have any ideas or thoughts on what we could do for improvements...I'd love to hear them.

Things seem to be working pretty well... a) I've noticed up-ticks in the Forum participation whenever the mods (or designated flunkies) make a conscious effort to weed through the Gallery and make comments encouraging folks to stop by the Forum. This practice seems to work. b) The Forum posts are quite fleeting. Fifteen minutes of fame at most. The "Search" does work, but not sure most folks use it. I've been trying to think of a FAQ, or some way to cross-reference the threads, but have not come up with anything illuminating. Ideas? c) The people that stay here seem to like it here. Some that have gone off... well, just as well. There have been several valuable contributors though that have dissapeared. Not sure if the mods can send them a note to find out why? d) I sense that some folks here, while not exactly wanting to be professional photographers, would like to start getting a little income from their addiction. A Resource column??? e) Cat of the Month Contest!

Actually the Forum FAQ page needs updating. I am sure that after a year some of the info there is outdated, and I can see that the image links are dead. @Misha... What would you want in a Resource Column?

Not really sure. Needs some brainstorming. Anything from: "Is there a Market for postcards/greating cards?" To: "Do limited series (like your paper strip shapes) sell?" Pricing, opportunities, equipment, restoration, model releases, printers, stock photos... Lots of possible topics. Amatures often miss even asking the right questions. We maybe have a couple folks here who would like to earn their living through things photographic. We likely have many more who would just like to see the hobby break a little more even. Best hearing from some of the other folks.

Honestly I would love to make a living "through things photographic" but A) I don't think I am that good, and B) I have no info on how. "B" would be helpful to know more about. "A" I think the forum is helping quite a bit so far! Magick Michael aka zhounder

I have a question. Who is Dobby?

[I'm really hesitant to make too many suggestions here, as the mods are doing exceptionally well as is. This place has a flavor quite different from the other photo sites. I just threw off some quick ideas because 'Chelle begged. I'll do quite a lot for begging... Other things may be a much higher priority. Though the Cat of the Month seems a sure thing!] Don't be concerned about Dobby. If he gets out of hand, just tell him to go punish himself. If he REALLY hets out of hand, throw him an old sock.

Dobby is the self proclaimed house elf of the Photography forum.....reading thru previous posts you may be able to figure out whom it is..... FWIW.....I know that starshuffler has the FAQ update on her list of things to do. I'm sure we can provide a link in the resource center for those threads that seem especially informative or helpful...that would be good Misha...when I have a chance I will have to go thru the threads and make up a list....unless someone has oodles of free time and would like to volunteer for the chore... :~) I don't have the knowledge myself to make a Resources Column...maybe someone...(hint, hint) would be willing to work on one, but I'm a clueless one myself when it comes to that sort of thing.... I know that there was talk of putting together a list of great off site photo URL's......seems to have been forgotten about....

We are the forum, we rock. ...don't even remember how long I have been here, from Alpha, Syyd and Colm times. RR is my home in the net and this place is my room. ...so, does it make you guys as my roommates? Absolutely nothing to complain. Well, we could have nude female(slenko, read, female) of the week competition...? .n