107576 - DPChallenge Forums

12/16/2025 12:08:56 PM · #1

This site is about 24 years old now. It has 107,576 registered member accounts. There appear to be about 30 active members on a weekly basis. I have been gone from this website for quite some time. Upon my return, it's painful to see how this site has deteriorated rather than grown into something amazing.

I have spent the better part of the last 15 years as a social media influencer. Whoever owns this website now has probably missed that bus completely. With a user base as large as this one focused on digital photography, there should have been a LOT of big brand partnerships sponsoring prizes and other great incentives to be an active participant here. Is there some reason this site has chosen not to grow itself? I'm sure the few members who participate here regularly love the small tight-knit community that has developed. That's good for the small tight=knit community but it's bad for the site as a whole.

I have never seen any advertising from this site. Does it advertise itself anywhere like Facebook or Instagram?

Maybe it's happy the way it is. I dunno. I sort of enjoyed the challenges that had hundreds of entries and even more voters casting their votes and comments. The last challenge with over 100 entries in it was in over six years ago.

Are there efforts being made to grow the site or is it just on cruise control until it fades away?

glad2badad

Apple iPhone 16 Pro

Lensbaby Sweet 35 Optic

12/16/2025 12:45:31 PM · #2

Well, they did give the Facebook account away years ago. Silly move for sure.

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

12/16/2025 01:08:18 PM · #3

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Well, they did give the Facebook account away years ago. Silly move for sure.

Gave that away? As in giving control of that page over to someone other than themselves?

vawendy

Sony Alpha a1 II

12/16/2025 01:31:07 PM · #4

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

I think the big issue is the fact that it's so hard to share photos on a photography site. People can't just quickly come in and upload a photo to get feedback, to discuss, etc. Almost every social media/photography site, you can just click a button to upload.

But here, if I want to share a photo, I have to put it in my workshop/portfolio, find the number, go to the thread, find the correct button, paste in the number just to post something. There have been so many times I would like to share something, or post something, and it's just too much of a hassle.

But imagine being a new user -- is it really worth it to try the site when they have to jump through so many hoops? I recommended the site to a new photographer, but when they saw what they had to do to post a photo in a thread, they had no interest.

A photography site needs to make it easy, or at least keep up with what's already out there to entice people. :(

MargaretNet

Sony DSC-RX100 VII

12/16/2025 01:47:28 PM · #5

I think that the real problem is that the digital photography is no longer new. The Internet is flooded with photos, and now, there is also AI.

The big advantage of DPC is that however small it got, however cumbersome it is for the new members to use the site, it still has a community of caring members devoting their own time, unpaid, not so common these days!

I am personally here on ad hoc basis because there is nothing else with such a brilliant original concept of the two young guys. It is true that it could be used to grow membership but, most likely, at the price of watering down its original appeal.

12/16/2025 01:52:09 PM · #6

Originally posted by vawendy:

Agreed. This site is that way by design. Drew and Landon did not want to bear the cost of hosting all those photos. Back then, it was a bit more expensive to do so and they weren't selling memberships at that time. Those times have changed but the mindset of the site has not apparently.

12/16/2025 01:53:26 PM · #7

Originally posted by MargaretNet:

So you prefer the small tight knit community I mentioned. That's understandable too.

MargaretNet

Sony DSC-RX100 VII

12/16/2025 02:02:38 PM · #8

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by MargaretNet:
I think that the real problem is that the digital photography is no longer new. The Internet is flooded with photos, and now, there is also AI.

The big advantage of DPC is that however small it got, however cumbersome it is for the new members to use the site, it still has a community of caring members devoting their own time, unpaid, not so common these days!

I am personally here on ad hoc basis because there is nothing else with such a brilliant original concept of the two young guys. It is true that it could be used to grow membership but, most likely, at the price of watering down its original appeal.

So you prefer the small tight knit community I mentioned. That's understandable too.

Yes, I have never been into photography for money, it is just a nice hobby :)

12/16/2025 02:04:07 PM · #9

Originally posted by MargaretNet:

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by MargaretNet:
I think that the real problem is that the digital photography is no longer new. The Internet is flooded with photos, and now, there is also AI.

The big advantage of DPC is that however small it got, however cumbersome it is for the new members to use the site, it still has a community of caring members devoting their own time, unpaid, not so common these days!

I am personally here on ad hoc basis because there is nothing else with such a brilliant original concept of the two young guys. It is true that it could be used to grow membership but, most likely, at the price of watering down its original appeal.

So you prefer the small tight knit community I mentioned. That's understandable too.

Yes, I have never been into photography for money, it is just a nice hobby :)

Are you the owner of this site? I have no idea who owns it after Drew and Langdon...

MargaretNet

Sony DSC-RX100 VII

12/16/2025 02:10:32 PM · #10

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by MargaretNet:

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

Originally posted by MargaretNet:
I think that the real problem is that the digital photography is no longer new. The Internet is flooded with photos, and now, there is also AI.

The big advantage of DPC is that however small it got, however cumbersome it is for the new members to use the site, it still has a community of caring members devoting their own time, unpaid, not so common these days!

I am personally here on ad hoc basis because there is nothing else with such a brilliant original concept of the two young guys. It is true that it could be used to grow membership but, most likely, at the price of watering down its original appeal.

So you prefer the small tight knit community I mentioned. That's understandable too.

Yes, I have never been into photography for money, it is just a nice hobby :)

Are you the owner of this site? I have no idea who owns it after Drew and Langdon...

Do you want to make an offer?