Re: Ideas about our carbon web site

Hi just wanted to add my too cents to this topic.

It's true, its unfortunate but this site is dead. It is a good reference but the good information is hard to find, especially after sorting through each year's archived data.

I have two suggestions. First pictures and more pictures. If this is a site about photography, what happened to the photographs?. Allowing those of us who are learning the process to post own own failures and view others successes would be extremely useful. (and a big draw for coming back)

Second. Most of the activity in the last year has been about commercial projects, books, workshops, etc. I'm not sure that kind of marketing has people busting down the doors to check the site out. Something else is needed.

Sorry, guess I have more than two suggestions. When I found this site I came looking for two things: a community of people who could help me learn this process and once I had learned it, some people with whom I could share work and ideas. In that regard I would suggest the new site make a semi serious attempt to explains the basics in some depth. Many newcomers find detailed information on pigment, sizing papers, the effects of humidity and a million other bits of info on carbon hard to find. Lets not get crazy but how about a section on reversal or enlarged lith negatives that leads one into carbon? How about a section on sensitometry that explains how to use a step tablet and chart your own curves? How about anything that will keep people coming back for more information? Obviously this would be a lot of work- have the newbies write the sections under each link and have the experts correct them. (sort of like Wikipedia) Perhaps it won't work-but the idea that information will d
raw people to your site is the key stop here.

This site can and will attract people if you first teach them the process, after that they will keep coming back for more information and to share. After that you can look for them to sign up for workshops and buy products. Otherwise, you just end up with a few guys who already know the process and have nothing to say to each other than " Hey, I just got my book published" (no disrespect intended, I have a few of those books and they are great)

Hope I didn't step on any ones toes, just wanted to share my thoughts..

Peter.
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Received on Mon May 28 13:47:50 2007