Goodbye to all my Friends.

[Rodbender]

Yes it has come to that regrettably. This was for many years the best photographic forum on the web. Sadly it seems to have run out of steam. I have been a member longer than my profile shows due to a user name change. I was here almost from the start. Stephen, God rest his sole, was a member of the Tiscali Forum and I followed him here soon after he became modulator. In them days this was the forum to belong to if you were into photography. Since Stephen passed away I have watched this forum gradually diminish. Despite trying to help by being as active as I could, this forum now seems to have been deserted. The modulator has not logged in for months now and the main Admin has not responded to PM's I have sent, so what's left. A ship without a captain or second mate is not one I wish to be on as a passenger. So my friends it's goodbye and thanks for your company. I'm closing my account here at the end of this month. I have a small photographic forum of my own and I will be channeling all my energy into that from then on. Many thanks to those who have also supported this forum. Great shame it's now near the bottom of the hill. I would like to stay in touch with you, so if you feel like a chat please do so by email at [email protected]. Bye.

[Caz]

Well that's a shock (although not surprising). I must admit I don't pop in every day, but I do try to check in a couple of times a week to see if there's been any posts. Until last night, there'd been nothing for several days, then saw you'd won the Transportation challenge and then - this.

You're right: the forum has been a lot quieter in recent years, although there was a slight flourish earlier in the year. I don't know if it's affected the M4/3 as much? I never met Stephen, although he was a moderator when I joined in 2008 and was very helpful. I only managed to get to one meet up - everyone else with their m4/3 or dslr's and me with my little Canon powershot!

I think the problem nowadays that so many people belong to photography groups on other platforms (Facebook in particular - I belong to several vibrant groups on there), then there's Mee (although I think those groups are struggling due to Covid-19) and, of course, Instagram - which is becoming the most popular. Even the forum for the Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers is on Facebook now, and their last post on their dedicated members-only forum that wasn't by the Society itself was in late September.

Wising you well for the future, and I hope you find somewhere that's more lively for you.
Carol

[Rodbender]

Thanks Carol for your kind wishes. I have built a few photographic forums in the past, two of which are still running. I built one jointly with Gary and he is still running it. I also have a photographic forum which needs livening up, so will have plenty to do. Yes we are up against it with the likes of Facebook, but for the dedicated photographers, not the snap happy phone users, there will always be a place for forums for keen hobbyest.
Keep up the good work, I too earned a living years ago from what you do.

[Thai-Mike]

It is sad but what should I say as a member trying my best to keep this forum alive. But sadly it is very frustrating indeed and I do understand why are you go separate way. . So I have to look up for a new place to participate, even I am just a hobbyist in photography.

[patmoore]

Social media have grown so much over the years and the impact on forums such as this is profound. I ran a forum for a recreational ski race program for years. The organizers shut it down directing folks to the Facebook page. There are some very good Facebook pages (New Zealand Photography Group is a good example) devoted to Photography but I prefer the more intimate contact of a forum. We'll miss you Rodbender.

[Rab]

I have to confess that it is quite some time since I last dropped in. To be honest not doing much if anything with the camera. Have spent all summer (what there was of it) redoing the hard landscaping of our garden including the building of a 42 foot long U shaped planter round the 3 sides of a raised patio. Next year will be building a summerhouse and raised pond in the lower part of the garden. With international travel so difficult we can't get out to visit son in Sweden or daughter in Australia - she can't even travel from Sydney to Perth to visit relatives there - and having a chronic lung condition I am more or less confined to barracks until some real control is achieved over this virus.

Hope you are all keeping well and good luck to you in whatever you do....
Rab

[mikew]

Sad to hear but understandable, Thai-mike and i joined a while ago and we had plans to try to invigorate it, life got in the way though with lockdown and health problems it just never happened for me.

[Rodbender]

Well things have not changed here so as stated this is my final post. I thank all who I have had the pleasure of meeting here and for the good times I have enjoyed. Great shame it has come to this, I would like to stay in touch with you so why not look me up at Digital-Pictures.freeforums.net By for now. Ron.

[mike_j]

As another long term member, though in recent years a largely absent one, I am sorry to see the apparent end of the forum. Best wishes and happy snapping

[selenajain]

Sorry to see you go, Ron – your passion and wisdom have meant a lot here. Wishing you great success with your new forum, and I’ll be in touch!