Mentors Needed!!! - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

06/21/2003 07:52:06 AM · #1

Let me begin by saying that this is a great online community. I haven't been here long but I have become an addict. Aside from that I think my photography has improved quite a bit due to involvement with this site (with the exception of the last 2 challenges). The Critique Club has been a great help and comments given during and after challenges have been super as well. Let me add that the people who contribute to these forums don't go unnoticed either!! That been said, I think it's time we took this site a notch higher and create a Mentoring Program. This would be especially good if a system of Skill Levels is adopted here; it would be a way to keep those in the two lower tiers from becoming discouraged and help improve photography in general.

My idea is a volunteer thing where those who are interested in mentoring be paired for a set time with someone who wants/needs mentoring. Maybe we could use some criteria like above a certain avg. score you qualify as a mentor and below a certain avg. score you qualify to be mentored. How the mentor and the mentored work out the details of their "partnership" would be left up to them. Not only would this be good for the photography, it would make this community even more close knit than it already is; people would get to know and hopefully become friends with people they probably would not of otherwise.

Please, comments and suggestions welcome. I'm out for the day, so if I don't respond, you know why. You can email me if you like as well.

Thanx,

Owen

SharQ

Canon EOS-30D

06/21/2003 08:07:45 AM · #2

Originally posted by orussell:

This would be especially good if a system of Skill Levels is adopted here; it would be a way to keep those in the two lower tiers from becoming discouraged and help improve photography in general.

I am all for mentoring, but wouldn't it be far better to just have people volunteer for mentoring, and then mentees can pick their mentors? On E2, mentors choose the number of mentees they are willing to take on, and then, when your quota is full, that's enough.

I think that would work better than a skill-point-based-system. If people are getting discouraged by all the great pictures posted on DPC, I think they should probably be looking for another website anyway - getting discouraged by others' good pictures is rubbish. Most of the good photographers I know try to copy the work of great photographers, picking up their skills on the way. Then, when you manage to copy stuff, you have the technical skill. What comes next is the creative skill, but that cannot be taught.

I think that - with all the great writing about photography available on the web - a mentoring system is not necessary..

HJ

inspzil

Olympus E-510

Sigma 50-500mm f/4.0-6.3 EX APO RF HSM for Olympus

06/21/2003 09:13:42 AM · #3

Any thoughts about doing it with people from the same state / area? I was just thinking about "matchmaking" the people together. I am not ready to admit that I'm a great photographer. I think I could help out someone who is pretty new to photography in general. I think we need to examine this a little better with some input from the vet's and the newbies. For instance, I don't know how much help I could be to someone with a P&S camera as the majority of my experience is with more "controllable" cameras, for lack of a better word. I think its a good idea, and I'd like to help. Count me in Owen. I won't be making anyone Ansel Adams, but hopefully I can give a good tip or two.

Bob

rogerspaul

Fujifilm FinePix S602Z

06/21/2003 11:35:59 AM · #4

I need HELP! anyone from my area willing to mentor. I'm in Ajax Ontario if you know where that is then your not that far. Lol

Sonifo

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

06/21/2003 11:46:54 AM · #5

I think it is an excellent idea! I think we could all learn from each other no matter what our average score is.

Diversq

Canon EOS-10D

06/21/2003 12:01:13 PM · #6

Great idea, I would love some one on one help from some of the awesome photographers her. Especially in lighting. I have lots of ideas but struggle with lighting them properly.

See what I mean..
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=23694
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=24282

Message edited by author 2003-06-21 12:01:21.

06/21/2003 07:33:24 PM · #7

Thanks for the comments today everyone. Anyone here tonight care to add their thoughts? Cheers

Owen

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm F2.5 ASPH

06/22/2003 05:57:27 AM · #8

Bumping this up for the Sunday crowd. Thanks.

Owen

Olyuzi

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX7

06/22/2003 07:52:51 AM · #9

I think a mentoring program is a great idea...books and other reading material cannot give you the personal attention that another photographer/human being with experience can. Although I do believe that if a student is relying soley on the mentor for basic information that can be got from reading, it will be wasted time.

What will the structure of something like this be? Meeting personally with another DPC mentor who lives in your community to go on photographic outings with or strictly someone to exchange information/critiques and photos online with? Are mentors expected to give basic information that can be gotten elsewhere, or to provide a more personalized form of critique?

Am I jumping the gun here with these questions?

jeff

inspzil

Olympus E-510

Sigma 50-500mm f/4.0-6.3 EX APO RF HSM for Olympus

06/22/2003 09:41:35 AM · #10

Originally posted by Olyuzi:

I think these are questions that need to be raised. I think that the majority of help that I will be able to provide will be mostly in the way of critiques. Equipment problems will be hard to iron out unless you happen to have a pairing of people with same or similar cameras. That may be another basis for putting people together. Honestly, at this point I'm not seeing anyone else jumping up to fill any spots. Hopefully this changes. I'm still willing to help.

Bob

kavamama

Panasonic DMC-FZ10

06/22/2003 09:58:20 AM · #11

Another idea would be for a group of people who want mentoring to take one of the free online courses such as:
Photo Design Institute
or the one at:
agfa classical course
or any other.

Perhaps with the feedback and guidance of some learned volunteers, the emphasis would be on course participance and completion and the teaching burden wouldn't be so great on the mentor/volunteers. The only drawback I can see would be getting the mentorees agreeing upon which course to take! Maybe a separate forum could be established for the communication pertaining to course work if such an approach were to be adopted.

emorgan49

Olympus E-5

Olympus 50mm f/1.8 MF Normal Zuiko

06/22/2003 10:22:43 AM · #12

A bit OT but there have been a gazillion great links posted here over time. Is there a place where we could post a collected list. I think I have bookmarked the lions share of them and I maybe could make a master list.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

06/22/2003 05:31:07 PM · #13

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas today folks. Anyone here this evening have anything to add? Cheers.

Owen

Jak

Fujifilm FinePix S602Z

06/22/2003 07:26:05 PM · #14

I think the GTGs (get-togethers) that have been organized, and those already talked about for the future, will help set up in-area mentoring. I am confident that, for example, if we can get the PNW (USA)/PSW (Canada) GTG arranged, I will learn stuff from others and, perhaps, I can pass on some tips of my own.

wewillexplore

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

06/22/2003 07:36:19 PM · #15

Originally posted by emorgan49:

I'm collecting all the dpc links and photo.net links I can find on //www.makesmewonder.com and organizing them by topic. Maybe we can start a thread that would help this project along - collect all the photo bookmarks from all the users and I'll get them on this site asap.