Faq

[rtphokie]

I'm thinking we need a FAQ for the photo board. Something that would answer many newcomer's questions.

Any ideas on what to include? I'll start us out:

• How do I post of photo to the board?
• Where can I print a photo or get a CD burned with my photos in the parks/resorts
• Is ____ allowed in the parks?
• I need to replace my camera, what should I buy?
• How do I take pictures of fireworks?

others?

Many of these are already answered in existing threads (some of which are sticky), and we can summarize in the FAQ and point to these threads for more details.

 

[RBennett]

I had a similar thought a while back and thought it might be helpful to tell people what to look for in a camera, rather than a specific camera. That way later on they can know if a larger sensor is better or worse, or what megapixels will be sufficient. Basically a way to educate someone about camera hardware, rather than just throwing suggestions at them.

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Maybe include links to a website that will provide Side by Side comparisms...

 

[rtphokie]

I had a similar thought a while back and thought it might be helpful to tell people what to look for in a camera, rather than a specific camera. That way later on they can know if a larger sensor is better or worse, or what megapixels will be sufficient. Basically a way to educate someone about camera hardware, rather than just throwing suggestions at them.

Excellent idea a "what to look for in your next camera" thread, might be worth making sticky

 

[rtphokie]

Maybe include links to a website that will provide Side by Side comparisms...

Something like dpreviews.com feature search or did you have something else in mind?

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

I would like to see:
How to blur your backround and how to blur your foreground added
I swear I have asked both these questions at least 3 times and have been asked the same by others alot.

 

[Frantasmic]

I suggest looking into a sub-forum for the photography board. However, having looked at other forums here, many people don't really know what a sub-forum is or don't know that vastness that is the Dis.

Anyway, a sub-forum with photography how-to, recommendations, technique, etc and a forum for posting pictures.

It seems about every couple of weeks, someone is asking for recommendations on a specific camera, usually a point and shoot,which most people here don't use as their primary camera.

Keep it general, as other posters have indicated with what to generally look for in a camera, whether it is a point and shoot or a dslr.

 

[WDWFigment]

I suggest looking into a sub-forum for the photography board. However, having looked at other forums here, many people don't really know what a sub-forum is or don't know that vastness that is the Dis.

Anyway, a sub-forum with photography how-to, recommendations, technique, etc and a forum for posting pictures.

It seems about every couple of weeks, someone is asking for recommendations on a specific camera, usually a point and shoot,which most people here don't use as their primary camera.

Keep it general, as other posters have indicated with what to generally look for in a camera, whether it is a point and shoot or a dslr.

No offense, but I really don't like the subforum suggestion. With a forum that is already a niche topic to begin and one that only receives updates to around a "page full" of threads per day, compartmentalizing those threads even further is only going to dilute traffic. Right now, with all of the photography threads in the same place, you get (for lack of a better term) cross pollination. People know what threads will interest them from the topics, but might also click on another thread out of sheer curiosity, and end up contributing something worthwhile.

If you create multiple sub-forums, people who think they don't have interest in a particular topic (honestly, I don't think I'd ever open an equipment suggestions forum. However, as is, I will occasionally open one. I'm sure at least some others behave the same way.

Creating sub-forums is really only pragmatic when new topics move so quickly in the main forum that further organization is needed. I don't think this forum is anywhere near that point. Just my two cents.

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

No offense, but I really don't like the subforum suggestion. With a forum that is already a niche topic to begin and one that only receives updates to around a "page full" of threads per day, compartmentalizing those threads even further is only going to dilute traffic. Right now, with all of the photography threads in the same place, you get (for lack of a better term) cross pollination. People know what threads will interest them from the topics, but might also click on another thread out of sheer curiosity, and end up contributing something worthwhile.

If you create multiple sub-forums, people who think they don't have interest in a particular topic (honestly, I don't think I'd ever open an equipment suggestions forum. However, as is, I will occasionally open one. I'm sure at least some others behave the same way.

Creating sub-forums is really only pragmatic when new topics move so quickly in the main forum that further organization is needed. I don't think this forum is anywhere near that point. Just my two cents.

Holy massive Pickiness (sp) lol!


But I agree noobs like me wont bother putting too much effort into the search functions. Keep it simple with links is my suggestion...

 

[disneyboy2003]

I like the FAQ sticky idea.

However, maybe it's just me, but I never really find myself clicking on any sticky threads on any other message board, except maybe on rare occasions when I'm bored. I know that those sticky threads are there, but I just never bother to click them.

And I've seen on other message boards where the sticky threads are on a specific topic, like "How to buy your first dSLR" or something like that. And despite that sticky thread, there are always new threads that get started "How do I choose my first dslr?!?!?!" Y'know what I mean?

Like I said, I like the FAQ idea, but I'd hate for all of us (or whomever) to put so much time and effort into the FAQ, only to have few newbies read it.

On a side note, are some of the sticky threads on this board in need of some clean-up? I don't recall having any recent Photo Editing Contests, for example, but there's a sticky thread at the top for that!


Yay! My 450th post!

 

[rtphokie]

I like the FAQ sticky idea.

However, maybe it's just me, but I never really find myself clicking on any sticky threads on any other message board, except maybe on rare occasions when I'm bored. I know that those sticky threads are there, but I just never bother to click them.

And I've seen on other message boards where the sticky threads are on a specific topic, like "How to buy your first dSLR" or something like that. And despite that sticky thread, there are always new threads that get started "How do I choose my first dslr?!?!?!" Y'know what I mean?

Like I said, I like the FAQ idea, but I'd hate for all of us (or whomever) to put so much time and effort into the FAQ, only to have few newbies read it.

On a side note, are some of the sticky threads on this board in need of some clean-up? I don't recall having any recent Photo Editing Contests, for example, but there's a sticky thread at the top for that!


Yay! My 450th post!

Sticky threads are great for increasing the visibility of threads that are important but don't get many follow-ups.

You read my mind on the cleanup, I hope a well organized FAQ could point to some of these existing sticky threads (there is some good advice in there) and I'll also reach out to Master Mason to see what plans are for the editing contest.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I think that a FAQ is a grand idea. The problem I can see is that it will become one big unwieldy thread as people post frequently and infrequently asked questions to, wander off onto side issues, etc. My suggestion is that the FAQ be a closed thread in which the moderators just add links to existing threads on frequent topics. The FAQ would function more like a thread finder.

 

[Uncle Greg]

Personally I find it odd that the Disney Picture of the Day thread as well as all the various park photo threads are buried in some sub-forum of Theme Park Strategies that includes things like alphabet games.

But what do I know...they show lots of views.

 

[Gdad]

Any kind of sticky What Camera- or What to Look for in a Camera- type thread will get outdated pretty fast- just sayin'.

 

[rtphokie]

I think that a FAQ is a grand idea. The problem I can see is that it will become one big unwieldy thread as people post frequently and infrequently asked questions to, wander off onto side issues, etc. My suggestion is that the FAQ be a closed thread in which the moderators just add links to existing threads on frequent topics. The FAQ would function more like a thread finder.

You are right that a long thread on tips,what kind of camera to buy, etc. might make interesting reading for some but not everyone. I was thinking of a thread for gathering this information, there are a lot of people who frequent this board with a lot of good ideas and information. Pros and amateurs a like. Once folks have had a chance to weigh in, boil the information down for easy reading to a faq that can then be posted as a sticky thread.