No, Mother Raphaela, if you're talking about the Plant Photos Forum, I don't think that will work. The threads in that forum are comments about database images and are tied to those images. I don't think you can start new threads in that forum in any other way.

The Garden Photos Forum shouldn't be used for this purpose either. It's a "garden tour" forum, and people wouldn't necessarily go there for photography tips.

This would have to be a separate forum, specifically intended for photography questions and tips.

MR, no arguing or bad feelings here. It is just each person voicing how their mind sees the big picture. No pun intended.
That is how we do things here. More heads/ideas coming together makes for a better end product.

No Garden Photography Forum yet. What you are seeing is just Garden photos. It does take some work on Dave's part to make things work correctly.
But we still need to go through the process of seeing things from all directions.

Zuzu we cross posted. Thanks for the explanation on those two forums.

I seem to be a little late to the party, but I'm definitely in the camp of "would like a photography forum." Hopefully we would be able to get some of the people that take such wonderful close-up photos to help out there... but so far I haven't run into any other areas where members aren't more than willing to share their knowledge

We just need to have a meeting place.

We REALLY need a Garden Photography Forum. Sure, we can ask questions about cameras and photography on threads of other forums .... but then it's off-topic of what the thread is meant for.

And it gets buried. How would anyone know where to find it?

No offense taken, it just is the way things work on ATP. One of the managers has to agree there is a need as Dave did on Ferns, then a Forum is created. We need to convince them of the need.

I think it could really be "value added" to draw others to the site if we make it easy for those who need some help or have an interest in sharing to find it easily. This has been done on the threads associated with a couple of the Articles written on this subject, but there is so much more that can be said. Not everyone comes to ATP or a new plant addiction with a full knowledge of how to maximize their enjoyment of this wonderful hobby.

Sort of how Lynn said, about Tools, we need to think of Photography as a garden tool. And no I do not think we should move this discussion to that forum.

A How to Photograph Plants forum would help do that.

Thank you @Zuzu for clarifying how the other two forums are being used.

I think Dave sets up a new forum once it's clear that it will have a lot of "action".

Some temporary gathering place helps to make that obvious, and if it collected a bunch of links to other threads and articles, it helps. And even if a separate forum doesn't occur right away, that temporary gathering place IS still a gathering place.

For example, ask a question in Ask A Question Forum ... then add a link to that thread in the gathering place.

Find articles about how-to-photo, as has started here on this thread, then collect those links into one post or article or blog entry.

To me, finding those links seems hard, since what would you search on?

Another possible "gathering place" would be an article. Add a comment under an existing article, and start collecting links and tips in that thread.

That's not a good final solution, as Lynn said: "There are so many topics pertaining to photographing plants that it might be difficult to find the information you need if it is all in one thread. ".

But once some "meeting place" stimulates enough interest, Dave will probably set up a forum.

I think that the main reason NOT to create forums too freely is that when there are too many forums, each forum gets very little traffic. Then the whole website feels empty and dull. Kind of like what happened to cable TV after there were 200 channels. None of them had enough watchers, and now all we have is "reality TV" and re-runs of old shows.

DG started creating forums at the drop of a hat, and then I had a list of dozens of forums, none of which had more than one post per month.

I'm going to be a little snarky and open myself up for?????????............we all love our own pictures. They are like our children or pets but since pictures are not now approved by a moderator {which I love} there are some pictures now that are posted that are so out of focus that they are hardly recognizable. In an ideal world we would all strive to improve our photographic skills. I would love to do so. Now I'll get off of my high horse.......

Marilyn, here are the links to go with the articles you found:

http://garden.org/ideas/view/D...

http://garden.org/ideas/view/r...

http://garden.org/ideas/view/g...

http://garden.org/ideas/view/p...


Also:

http://garden.org/ideas/view/S...

http://garden.org/ideas/view/B...

Thanks so much Rick. I am so enjoying reading all these posts. Now if I can just get my camera to cooperate.

Darn! Lost another post!

Anyway, you're very welcome.

If, when you read those Articles and the threads under them, if you add a post to each thread, asking the people already watching those threads if THEY would ask or answer questions in a dedicated garden photography forum, and give a link back to this thread, maybe we will get enough groundswell of interst right here to justify its own forum.

My tip #1: Goodwill usually has used camera tripods for $3-$20. ANY tripod is lots better than none. I used a little duct tape on one and now it's great.

My Tip #2: Try some of the other "pre-set settings" in your camera besides Normal, Outdoor and Macro. You never know!

My Tip #3: Most photo software has some "auto-correct" feature. If you open a photo with that software and click the button, it may improve that photo. If you know as little about photography and cameras as I do, it USUALLY improves it. But if the color becomes less accurate, that might be bad.

Does anyone know a way to defeat the blurring caused by wind and flowers nodding and swaying? I usually try the "anti-hand-shaking" setting, but that doesn't always help enough. Just wait for a less windy day?

Here we go!

http://garden.org/forums/view/...

You're the best, Dave. Thank you so much!

I look forward to this forum!

Thanks!

He certainly is.

Now it's time to start populating that forum.

I'm in the middle of writing an article concerning the basics of garden photography. I was planning on finishing and submitting it after everything gets safely tucked into the greenhouses by the end of October.

Wow, can't wait to see it Anne.