Hi Stephen,
Yes there are always a few who somehow feel that some "handle" adds humor are makes things a little more laid back. The opposite! only by knowing that the person you are talking to is real and stands by their good wishes, opinions, advice etc, that one can be relaxed at all. We are all here for two reasons: 1. to hang out, stretch our legs and share some of the things on our minds and then, 2. moving to the real serious part, help each other recognize, nurture and develop our individual vision and then the technics to make that appear as an image worthy of coveting.
This is in fact, a very intimate place, with close quarters. One needs to know who is real and what people mean if anything.
One learns by getting to know real people and following their questions, responses, off the cuff remarks, insight and so forth and hopefully see their work too.
Obfuscation is usually, but not always, for nefarious reasons. That's why we want clear open forums. Our premise is that for the most part, setting a high clear standard from the outset, will have people show respect for others and their work.
Things aren't always that easy!
Yes, we already have people who got saddled up with various cowboy or trucker "handles". Michael Tapes now has to spend his precious time to track down each and every one to have them change to real names. It's that simple. There are no rules except the ones that are obvious human values of looking someone in the eye and saying "It's me, how are you?", not, "Who are you?"
Now concerning some possible rooms for limited access. I have been thinking
about this only because someone was worried that if we discussed fees or insurance or other such commercial issues that clients might see.
I don't have an easy solution except that obviously people could send private emails, as in when someone rents a camera, a model or gets hired for a job. If there developed an overwhelming need from working photographers to have a private forum just for discussing insurance, for example, then that would be fine, perhaps. To discuss fees, however, that, I believe might in fact be illegal.
There are always conflicting attitudes. Those that want access and those that want to be "exclusive".
However, after considering everything it is our firm goal, intention and plan to be open, free and to not delete professional threads. The very first step ti this policy is the introduction, "Hi, my name is Asher Kelman, and what I say counts." that has to apply to everyone. Or else?
Or else, we are dancing in some "drunken masked ball" in 14th Centrury Venice, with our gondoliers outside, waiting, marking time on black, sewage-polluted water, watching the dark rats appear for a moment, spraying spirochete-laden urine as they scurry by.
Now you wouldnt take advice from anyone at that masked ball, would you?
Asher
