Reply To: Fauxtogs who should end up on the main page…

[JanJan]

I think there is a saying that actions with the best intentions don’t always result in a good thing, and this is the case.

I feel really bad for bringing up to Shelby’s attention on her FB page that one of her photos landed on the main page. I didn’t expect it to cause this much chaos to the point where OnePissedOffMomma wants to move out of her small town. I’m hoping that there are other reasons why she wants to move out and not just this one alone. I apologize to the webmaster that this one little action caused the boards to be out of control.

Posting the link on Shelby’s FB was a way to give her feedback on her photos. It was not my intention to be mean or vicious. I know that if one of my photos landed on the main page, I surely would want someone to tell me. Ever since I found out about this site, I’ve been very neurotic of doing a good job on my pictures that it will never land on the main page.

Her father responded to my posting and obviously, he took it personal. He thought it was a personal attack on him and his daughter, and explained to me that she loves photography, and it gets her out of the streets, out of doing drugs, etc. and basically said that who posted it was “just jealous”. In response, I complimented his daughter that it’s great she’s doing something she loves and she should continue at it, and complimented him on supporting it. I told him he was a great father. But I also told him that one should NOT take the site personally if their photography ends up on the website. I told him along the lines of “as a new photographer, if my picture ends up on that site, it tells me I need to improve.” But unfortunately, her family didn’t listen to reason and logic and chaos ensued.

YANAP was not wrong for posting her photo, because I’m sorry to say, it’s atrocious, along with her other work. I honestly don’t see anything visually appealing to her work, but I say that with no offense to her personally. I was hoping that it would bring her back into reality and show her that if she continues this path of photography, she will not be successful.

However, it didn’t help that when her and her family members went on this site, they saw people shit-talking about where they come from, how they talk, and the comments about subject in the photo. I know many of you found their responses to your critiques appalling and rude, but talking shit about their education level and constantly calling them rednecks and inbreeders on the forums was stooping to their level. You have to remember that regardless if I have brought it to their attention or not, they probably would have found out about it anyway!

I sincerely apologize to OnePissedOffMomma that this site and my action has brought any grief.