| Online Forums: For ‘Em or Against ‘Em?
By William Foster
Remember when we referred to the “Information Superhighway?” Well, we now call it “the web,” but the shorter moniker doesn’t diminish the truth behind that original name.
It wasn’t that long ago when, if you needed help, you were limited to what you could get close by. The typical sources were other photographers, camera stores, and to whomever else they could direct you.
Information At Our Fingertips
These days, the information that was once somewhat elusive is now easily found in online forums. They exist for almost every hobby and profession, and fortunately for us, photography is no exception. In fact, with the number of digital camera users in the world, one or two forums isn’t enough to represent the breadth of knowledge out there.
A cursory search of the internet turns up no fewer than ten popular forums and of those, four major players cater to varying levels of expertise. They are www.dpreview.com, www.sportsshooter.com, www.fredmiranda.com and www.robgalbraith.com.
The Good
One of the greatest benefits of forums, both collectively and individually, is the number of users. Each forum has thousands of them willing to share words of wisdom. This willingness to share puts to rest any debate about the photography industry being tight-lipped with advice for other photographers.
There are several other benefits such as immediacy of information and varying points of view. At any time, there can be hundreds of users reading the forums. Frequently, when a question or problem is posted, replies pour in within minutes.
On several occasions, users have posted questions during a shoot needing an urgent reply and received one, thus saving the day. An interesting or hot topic may open the floodgates for replies and draw responses for days or weeks. These different responses allow readers to determine for themselves what advice works best for them.
The Not-So-Good
As with all great things, there are a few pitfalls. The main one is the potential for bad advice. Only one of the four main forums has an application process to weed out the inexperienced. That means anyone can join and post to the remaining three. This increases the likelihood for poor advice and information that can be flat out wrong.
Read the posts carefully and determine what is right for you and your business. That may mean consulting an attorney or accountant for important questions. It should go without saying that legal, tax, or business actions should not be based on what you read in a forum.
Coming Up
Next month, we’ll review each of the forums. In the mean time, check them out. They are a valuable resource. |
