What are your photography pet hates?

[xpatUSA]

PS ye could pretend yer a New Yorker, if ye can master that gruff, disagreeable, pained expression that they all carry like their (fake) Vuittons.

Not to mention that atrocious accent which, I've read, can worm dogs ;-)

[William W]

Interesting thread.

My Wife and younger Daughter enjoyed reading it very much.

Noteworthy to the discussion is that the former is a Psychologist, the latter a student of Psychology and Criminology. That’s not stated to affect the membership, it is just a factual account that the both were really professionally interested in what Photographers ‘hate’.

I forged my answer before they read the thread, so my answer comes without any bias from either of their comments to me.

Firstly I don’t do “hate” all that well. It is simply a word which is very very rarely used by me and not really permitted to be used in our household. It’s not because I take any lofty position – I simply think that some words are cancers unto themselves and also unto their users, and “hate” is one of those words.

So, whilst I at times allow myself to be annoyed by some people’s words and deeds, I am usually very careful not to express that I "hate": those actions; those words; or (especially) those people.

One thing that at times I do allow to annoy me, is the attitude of some Photographers who ask for an opinion and then get all bumped up and grumpy when an opinion is forthcoming: this is especially so in internet forums which are dedicated to critique. Sometimes the Photographers who post images in those forums are neither seeking critique, nor comment other than accolade which they themselves consider as suitable. And sometimes I do allow that attitude of other Photographers to annoy me.

All the other stuff so far mentioned on this thread - I don’t allow it to annoy me all that much at all.

As for I-pads and camera phones stuck up over the heads and all the pushing and shoving to get the picture: that of itself can sometimes be The Picture:


The Moaning of Lisa

*

And drunks can make a very powerful Subject:


Stage Door – Sydney 1976
(Kodachrome)

WW

All Images © AJ Group Pty Ltd Aust 1996~2015, WMW 1965~1996

[Andrew1]

There are a few that others have already put here that top my list. I'll add...."That's a great picture, you must have a good camera."

[Black Pearl]

....and

Forum members with a list of their kit in their signature - ARGH!

Heavily processed Tone Mapped images being clumped together under the generic term HDR. Actually heavily processed tome mapped images full stop - hideous eyesores that they are.

FB groups/Forums that insist on detailed EXIF/Shooting Data being included with every shot - a pointless exercise that so called experienced photographers think will help new starters but invariably what happens is said new starter copies religiously and then can't understand why their image is completely different.

Basic questions to FB groups/forums that could have been answered in thirty seconds with Google that invariably lead to the most complicated thread with frankly baffling points of view.

And along the lines of the above - answers to basic questions in FB groups/forums where the person doesn't actually know the answer but for some unfathomable reason feels the need to have a guess any way.

Members of FB groups who don't use the search function so lead to the same question being asked (sometimes) a dozen times per day.

Narrow minded moderators on brand specific FB groups who delete any post where another brand is recommended as being a valid purchase when a member asked what would be the best choice for xxx. For example Nikon make some nice cameras but they don't make the right one for everyone - or there wouldn't be dozens of other brands - so when someone asked "What should I buy" you have to have an open mind and not censor suggestions.


Ps. I've just been booted out of a very large Nikon group on FB so I'm getting some of the frustrations I've had with it off my chest. Should have left ages ago but I just couldn't let the noisy minority have their way. Honestly some of the posts and answers would leave me staring open mouthed at the screen desperately trying to figure out what the hell the person was sniffing.

For example; "I have a D3200 ($400 camera) with a kit lens and was thinking of getting a 55-200mm or a 55-300mm ($400 lens) which would you recommend?" Within a few posts someone would tell them they had to buy a 70-200mm f2.8 (a $2000 lens) because anything else was pointless then someone would come along and say they'd be better of with a used 80-200mm f2.8 (still a $1000 lens) but when it was pointed out that it wouldn't AF they would come back with "Well its best to learn how to shoot manually) which would lead to suggestions like a 50mm 'because everyone should have a prime lens' and before long the thread was so far away from the original question about a basic (budget specific) mid range zoom that the original poster must have though (as I did) the world had gone mad.

[William W]

^ Hilarious.

(understood it has serious points - it is the method of expression of those points that is hilarious to me)

[John 2]

Interesting thread.


..........................Firstly I don’t do “hate” all that well. It is simply a word which is very very rarely used by me and not really permitted to be used in our household. It’s not because I take any lofty position – I simply think that some words are cancers unto themselves and also unto their users, and “hate” is one of those words.

All the other stuff so far mentioned on this thread - I don’t allow it to annoy me all that much at all. ..................

I can relate to that Bill. Hate is such an introverted emotion in that most of the time, the subject of that "hate" is unaware of it's existence. The only person that it affects therefore, is the hater (if that's a word). When it comes to the "other stuff", are we really saying that there is never a sunset, an HDR image or a selective colour image that has some merit. To me it's not those techniques that are the problem but their gratuitous overuse. And when people walk in front of you, disappointingly it's down to thoughtlessness or bad manners and sadly just part of life. I don't know how many times someone has done that to me when I am stood back scanning a supermarket shelf for instance. Being philosophical rather than hating is a better bet for me.

[James G]

William, John, thanks, you make a fair point, in truth I do honestly find some things and some people very irritating, but despite being a grumpy old man, I do not hate anyone.

I would also say that in fairness to the 'spirit' of this thread, it is healthy to be able to 'vent' occasionally in a safe environment.

One of the great virtues of this forum, as opposed to many others is that the members do not take themselves too seriously and do explore the ridiculous aspects of our peculiar obsession with a degree of humour.

[MrB]

Yes, perhaps some respondents should be a little more philosophical with regard to the title of this thread. It is pretty obvious, from the majority of the posts here, that the word "hate" is being used in the sense that the examples given, are those things that we find to be annoying, irritating, a nuisance, careless, disrespectful, thoughtless, etc.

Cheers.
Philip

[russellsnr]

Have to reply to this.
Not really a hate more a frustration.
Google+ and other sites that have sections for all types of photography with the options at the side that say Share your Photos and Discussion so you click on discussion and what do you get Photos Aaghhhh
So many people who seem to be desperate to show images they post them anywhere.

Russ

[Downrigger]

Being philosophical rather than hating is a better bet for me.

For me, Bill and John are spot on. So often that which annoys us is that which triggers a sense of our inner fears about our own inadequacies.

[rpcrowe]

Let me try one more - the last one from me, I promise.

I love to photograph when I am traveling! However, I hate cruise ships because the ship most often disgorges you (along with a couple of thousand other tourists) in late morning and you need to be back aboard before the light starts getting good. I have taken one cruise (Venice to the Greek Islands and back) to make my wife happy. Having experienced both, I would far rather undergo another dental root canal procedure than go on another cruise!

I also dislike (not hate - that is too strong a sentiment) guided tours when I have to keep up with the group! An example is in Athens, Greece; the Evazone Guard was just getting ready to change and the tour was getting back on the bus to drive somewhere else. My wife was responsible for booking that tour and I had to go along with her. I ended up with about twenty or thirty shots of Athens, when I would (if on my own) have shot several hundred or more shots! However, I am sure that photographers who delay the tour to take pictures are listed as "hates" by tourists who love guided tours...

[Saorsa]

Let me try one more - the last one from me, I promise.

I love to photograph when I am traveling! However, I hate cruise ships because the ship most often disgorges you (along with a couple of thousand other tourists) in late morning and you need to be back aboard before the light starts getting good. I have taken one cruise (Venice to the Greek Islands and back) to make my wife happy. Having experienced both, I would far rather undergo another dental root canal procedure than go on another cruise!

I also dislike (not hate - that is too strong a sentiment) guided tours when I have to keep up with the group! An example is in Athens, Greece; the Evazone Guard was just getting ready to change and the tour was getting back on the bus to drive somewhere else. My wife was responsible for booking that tour and I had to go along with her. I ended up with about twenty or thirty shots of Athens, when I would (if on my own) have shot several hundred or more shots! However, I am sure that photographers who delay the tour to take pictures are listed as "hates" by tourists who love guided tours...

I don't hate cruise ships but I understand your frustration. My wife and I cruise but I was also a sailor and we would often charter a boat in the BVI or elsewhere. The cruise ships dock at about 7 AM and leave around 5. Believe me, the islands don't start getting interesting until the sun goes down.

[chauncey]

A friend once advised me..."sometimes you're the statue and sometimes you're the pigeon".

[russellsnr]

Let me try one more - the last one from me, I promise.

I love to photograph when I am traveling! However, I hate cruise ships because the ship most often disgorges you (along with a couple of thousand other tourists) in late morning and you need to be back aboard before the light starts getting good. I have taken one cruise (Venice to the Greek Islands and back) to make my wife happy. Having experienced both, I would far rather undergo another dental root canal procedure than go on another cruise!

I also dislike (not hate - that is too strong a sentiment) guided tours when I have to keep up with the group! An example is in Athens, Greece; the Evazone Guard was just getting ready to change and the tour was getting back on the bus to drive somewhere else. My wife was responsible for booking that tour and I had to go along with her. I ended up with about twenty or thirty shots of Athens, when I would (if on my own) have shot several hundred or more shots! However, I am sure that photographers who delay the tour to take pictures are listed as "hates" by tourists who love guided tours...

Now if you had come to the best Greek Island you could have had a FREE tour on your own (no wife she would be on the beach) in a car with no other tourists and going to places that tour coaches cannot get to so next time book RHODES!!!!
Russ

[shreds]

Dislikes:-

1. Overdone tone mapping....glad I am not alone in this view

2. 'liking' everything on Facebook or unexplained comments such as 'nice' on forums. Neither have any meaning.

[TheBigE]

Interesting thread...for me it was a bit like a car wreck, in as much as I wanted to look away, I just kept reading...and much to my efforts to withhold posting, alas I have succumb to my desire to post....

Much like previous individuals, I do not like the word 'hate', again not grand standing, nor putting those down that do use the word, but for me it is too strong of a word. It conveys emotions that I do not prefer to have in my life. I honestly can say that I do not 'hate' anything, and it is even hard to type the word. There are things that I would prefer not to do or partake in, but it is different than hate. I guess in some ways I am splitting hairs, but I digress.

For me, what I find a bit disturbing is the end all question of "Which XXXX Camera, Lens" should I buy, and the belief on other forums that you can buy a camera and equipment and be this excellent photographer. I have tried to put my two cents in on these topics as a newbie, but the cycle always repeats and eventually there will be another similar question.

Frankly, I know there is a need to vent and that is healthy for people, but that is generally not part of CiC. That fact is one thing I really enjoy about CiC (see what I did there, a little turn around....) is that it is filled with very knowledgeable individuals, that give you honest and helpful feedback. That is of course if you do your homework first. Putting a bit of effort into your question/thread will reap great benefits here and generally foster a great discussion. Trying to end positive....but...just...can'...stopping...watchin g....

[davidedric]

I am another who wouldn't say hate.

One thing that irritates me intensely (not here, thankfully) is when some person replies to an inexperienced poster with a mixture of ignorance and prejudice.

Outside of photography, one thing I do hate is bullying, in any of its many forms.

Dave

[William W]

. . . It is pretty obvious, from the majority of the posts here, that the word "hate" is being used in the sense that the examples given, are those things that we find to be annoying, irritating, a nuisance, careless, disrespectful, thoughtless, etc.

Indeed.

For clarity - The intent of the thread was absolutely understood by me.

However, using that word does have a very marked affect on me.

Therefore, in the spirit of the thread (as you pointed out - "things that we find to be annoying, irritating, a nuisance, careless, disrespectful, thoughtless, etc. . ." )

The use of that particular word is a definite on my list.

***

. . . I would also say that in fairness to the 'spirit' of this thread, it is healthy to be able to 'vent' occasionally in a safe environment.

One of the great virtues of this forum, as opposed to many others is that the members do not take themselves too seriously and do explore the ridiculous aspects of our peculiar obsession with a degree of humour.

Indeed. I concur strongly enough, to note it.

WW

[Dave Humphries]

Having been here (at CiC) a while, it is interesting reading the various responses from members, usually in differing geographic areas and cultures, on the semantics of the thread title.

The thread was started by Louise, living in the UK.

In the UK, I would suggest that the phrase "pet hate" is commonly used and in such use, the second word is not interpreted as strongly as it would be when used alone. I suspect that this is especially so of those (like me) who have not resided in other English speaking countries and become aware of other culture's sensibilities.

They perhaps use the phrase "pet peeve", which I'd suggest (as a phrase) is little used here, although I'm sure it would be understood by most - it currently doesn't (in my experience) crop up in conversational exchanges.

I can also appreciate that for anyone to whom English is a second language might translate the two words separately and therefore attach more significance to the h-word than is intended by the common usage of the phrase in the UK.

That said, perhaps as a culture, we do use the h-word rather too freely to describe things that are "annoying, irritating, a nuisance, careless, disrespectful, thoughtless" (to re-use Philip's list), for one thing it is easy to spell and quicker to type (or txt or msg) than those other words.

In deference to other cultures and not wishing to be misunderstood, I'm sure I recall at least once in my time here, I have changed my own use of the phrase "pet hate", or had to explain it.

On a purely literal plane of thinking; it is interesting that no-one has suggested that it doesn't refer to feelings about another person's pet but now I'm just being silly.

To conclude; I am simply making a generic observation and explanation in this (off-topic) post - things differ and we should also appreciate that the use of language evolves over time - I'll try to use "pet peeve" myself in future.

Personally I concur with many peeves already expressed above, although I do try to be considerate, tolerant and not over-react to any given situation.

I enjoyed the Chelsea/Tony Northrup video, I don't know how many they squeezed in to that (hundreds), but sure, I have heard a few while shooting - there's just no answer to most!

[MrB]

...That said, perhaps as a culture, we do use the h-word rather too freely to describe things that are "annoying, irritating, a nuisance, careless, disrespectful, thoughtless" (to re-use William's list), for one thing it is easy to spell and quicker to type (or txt or msg) than those other words...

Attributing a quote to the wrong member - it was actually my list!



Cheers.
Philip