Assignment's or What

[Barry]

We have noticed a drop in participation in the recent 'Assignment's', this may had been due to either the subject or members just being very busy, as Christmas was approaching, so do we want to continue with these assignment's or do we want something new.

[Stevewebb]

I like the idea of them as it gets me thinking outside my normal subject areas, and will take part whenever I can.

I think perhaps the drop in participation was more due to the season and low post numbers?

[chrisc]

How about: Do a conversion, Color to B&W since a lot of us seem to be playing a bit there anyway?

[Barry]

Ok for now I have set another Assignment, but any suggestions for future Assignments or anything else you would like to try here then let us know.

[rasbury]

I'm all for the assignments for the same reason as Steve.The conversion idea doesn't sound to bad either but would require one image for everyone to work on.

[katynoelle]

I don't usually go for the assignments because I already have so much that I'm working on already! I love seeing what others do with them, though, and they plant seeds of ideas for images at a later date, too. Even if only one person or two people participate...that seems like success to me - it goes into the collective pot of learning that we have simmering here. In other words, if it encourages one person to grow and explore down that avenue (for the small amount of effort it took to make the assignment?) then, that's great! and, then, when lots of people participate, it, also, really spurs others on. Win-win!

[Kit]

I sometimes manage the assignments, depending on how busy we are and on reliable internet connection, as we often stay in real remote areas. But I'm always interested to see what others make of any given assignment, even if I haven't participated. What I would not like to see would be a rehash of another place, where actual competitions became the biggest feature and for me, wrecked what was once a lovely, homely forum.

[Barry]

Welcome back on line Kit, I think that in general we all like the assignments, so as long as members get involved either as posting work or comments, then they will stay. I have also been thinking along the lines of something else to add, and to run alongside these assignments.

What about if I started a thread once a month where we can post our favourite image taken the month before, showing the original shot, how we edited it, maybe if there was a bit of a story about the image or whatever, plus the final image. This does not have to be anything special, just your favourite image taken the previous month.

Any thoughts on this.

[nickjohnson]

Barry, I think your idea may be a good way to go. Speaking only for myself I have to say I hate assignments with a passion. 42 years as a wage slave and now I'm retired – so the free child thing has kicked in big time.
I like your idea of a kind of “last months fav” with a show and tell – SOOC to finished image plus commentary. That has to be, at the very least interesting and informative.
In some ways it's just a small progression on what a lot of us have been doing – in parts – for some time now.

[chrisc]

I've been somewhat reluctant to comment on this thread because I really wasn't sure what I felt until I read Nick's comment and now have to agree with his assessment.

I like the idea of a full process discussion. To a large degree, this is what my students have to accomplish, though with quite a bit more along the lines of working within a artist emulation process. I think Steve (wirefox) is going to have a field day with a couple of my lads who are pretty abstract thinkers.

As many of you are aware, I have been working on B&W conversion to the degree of boring you all to tears, sometimes (I think). One of my students commented yesterday that in reading my threads, he realized learning really doesn't stop, it merely transforms, develops and like a fine wine, ages to its full potential. He thinks I am there, while I've tried to tell him, I am just getting a firm understanding of where I am headed, what it will take to get there and hope when I do, I recognize the setting.

Nick's comments, however intended, my interpretation centers on this continuing learning thread, in that a new person, or observer can discover PP development unlike any other forum on the internet. If we are to grow, it will be by this centering of interest, not through competitions, all gearhead info, or a lot of back patting palabra which permeates most every other forum I've been on.

Geeze, I love to ramble.

[Barry]

I will run both the assignments and the 'last months fav' alongside each other in separate threads and see how they go.

[jjbacoomba]

Love the idea Barry.