Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Some may wonder why on earth someone who hosts a photography website would allow controversial social or political debate? folk can get offended and turned off, so why do it?
You may notice that I personally am not passive and even actively participate in a confrontational discussions. For example the thread following Jim Galli's statements in support of Israel was made electric when he then adding the notion of "Jews as God's chosen people" that he monitors and favors. Why on earth would I get myself dragged into such a debate at all? What possible value is their in going over the relationship between religious beliefs and genocide? On the face of it, it seems foolhardy and risks alienating everyone here!
The background to allowing such posts and discussion is as follows. When the wonderfully popular pro forum run by Rob Galbraith was at it's end of life, it became hostile to discussing all sorts of subjects folk were interested in from camera rumors, technical/scientific backgrounds of tools we use to political subjects that burnt people up. A lot of folk were banned at that time and the place imploded because of censorship. It was sold and became first fee based, essentially selling our contributions and next a sales platform for gadgets for optimizing color!!
OPF was started in reaction to this as a free open international photography forum nurturing olks individual photographic journeys on their own terms. To deal with controversy, we segmented off an area of risky discussion called Uptown where you might get enriched or insulted or else find a great bargain lens or else get ripped off and lose your money, all at your own risk. This works but from time to time, really prickly subjects are entered and that scares me. Still we allow! We as photographers can, from time to time allow such outlet for passion and rational thought. Hopefully, others reading the entire discourse will be able to better sort out their own views on the topics tackled.
Once someone I greatly respect, (for his photography, generous sharing and teaching), opens a salvo covering my own religion and Israel, which I value dearly, I felt compelled to respond with kindness and firm confrontation, putting this racently-found championing of my own people in its proper context. This and other political and social topics can inflame and annoy. So what's the value?
Perhaps it will inform our paths in photography and how we approach others, we cannot predict, but at least it's separate from the main forum and if folk wish, they can easily ignore the section.
Still I hope it is a positive quality of the OPF community.
Asher
You may notice that I personally am not passive and even actively participate in a confrontational discussions. For example the thread following Jim Galli's statements in support of Israel was made electric when he then adding the notion of "Jews as God's chosen people" that he monitors and favors. Why on earth would I get myself dragged into such a debate at all? What possible value is their in going over the relationship between religious beliefs and genocide? On the face of it, it seems foolhardy and risks alienating everyone here!
The background to allowing such posts and discussion is as follows. When the wonderfully popular pro forum run by Rob Galbraith was at it's end of life, it became hostile to discussing all sorts of subjects folk were interested in from camera rumors, technical/scientific backgrounds of tools we use to political subjects that burnt people up. A lot of folk were banned at that time and the place imploded because of censorship. It was sold and became first fee based, essentially selling our contributions and next a sales platform for gadgets for optimizing color!!
OPF was started in reaction to this as a free open international photography forum nurturing olks individual photographic journeys on their own terms. To deal with controversy, we segmented off an area of risky discussion called Uptown where you might get enriched or insulted or else find a great bargain lens or else get ripped off and lose your money, all at your own risk. This works but from time to time, really prickly subjects are entered and that scares me. Still we allow! We as photographers can, from time to time allow such outlet for passion and rational thought. Hopefully, others reading the entire discourse will be able to better sort out their own views on the topics tackled.
Once someone I greatly respect, (for his photography, generous sharing and teaching), opens a salvo covering my own religion and Israel, which I value dearly, I felt compelled to respond with kindness and firm confrontation, putting this racently-found championing of my own people in its proper context. This and other political and social topics can inflame and annoy. So what's the value?
Perhaps it will inform our paths in photography and how we approach others, we cannot predict, but at least it's separate from the main forum and if folk wish, they can easily ignore the section.
Still I hope it is a positive quality of the OPF community.
Asher