In the words of Neil Diamond lol I thought this might be a good item for discussion as it's been on my mind a little of late...

Basically, having been forced by my feotus to take a step back from the scene here and watch as a spectator, I've noticed things that I probably didn't notice before. One main thing being (and this is NOT to become a "clique" thread) is the fact that we all do tend to bunch about in groups... much like grapes

I don't mean in the nasty sense, but having more time to "browse" I've noticed members on the site I never saw joining or uploading their work?! I've had more time to read through profiles and galleries of people I knew existed but hadn't had the opportunity or time to meet or converse with before. This raises a few questions that others might relate to:

Do you ever feel as though you go unnoticed? Not in terms of critique on images as, let's be honest, that doesn't go down too well so most people don't comment at all lol but I know Paul is addressing this issue in the near future with gallery changes... I mean in terms of finding it difficult to make contact and make friends? Or do you feel you were noticed and people made assumptions about you so you see no point fighting to change their opinions? (as is the case for me)

Do you sometimes feel that as a model/photographer the person you want to work with has a "team" of people they prefer to work, and even socialise, with and therefore feel unable to break into that circle? Is there something we could do to get around that? Or is it that only the people who stalk the site  and say hello to every new member are the only ones who seem approachable to strangers?

Is it that many people don't have much online access? When we do meet ups and events could we send emails to their personal sign-up addresses to make sure they know about the event and don't miss a forum post? Could we do "Folio" events rather than those hosted by individuals (which still are good) but may alienate some?

I just know on other sites there's always this "same faces" issue and I know I'M a same face for Folio! I bore myself lol but I'd love to find better ways to notice other members, see their work and expand my ideas and meet more people (especially newbies who don't think I'm a lunatic... yet!)

You've raised an interesting subject for discussion. I don't know why, but I've always found that models from NI are more interested in working with me than models closer to home and I sometime wish I wasn't stuck so far south!

On a more technical level, I think there could be some improvements made to the site that would help in communicating with groups of individuals. For example, at the moment, I'm trying to organise two very specific groups shoots. I've asked the models concerned to contact me via private email as it's easy to do a group email that way using a distribution list. There is no such facility on folio32, but it is something I would like to see at some stage. Yes, I know there is the broadcast facility, but that sends a message out to everyone on ones friends list and cannot simply be restricted to a specific target group.

Let's see how this discussion develops, as I fear I may have missed the point you were trying to make, so I'll refrain from any further input for the time being.

- Thorsten.

No Thorsten, your point is connected to the "reaching out" element lol in the sense that we should address the barriers we face when organising new shoots with new contacts or indeed, simply making contact by recognising new members or "old" members that we had overlooked. I know I find the browse facility possibly not the best, it decides when it wants to work and is a bit temperamental!

The distribution list would be very useful for photographers and obviosuly I wouldn't have thought of that as models don't often have need for it BUT I do have a hotmail list when I get offered jobs by my England agencies and I can't do them, I pass them on, like I did with the 3 day promo job at the Balmoral show, but I don't know many girls' email addresses in order to include them in that so a distribution list would be great!

Your points are very good Leanne.

Personally, yes,  there does seem to be a 'bunch of grapes syndrome'  that occurs but then again grapes do grow in bunches  .  I think that is just the way things develop...the more grapes that get involved the bigger the bunches.   There are still a relatively small number of very active members here.

What I find is this, and it might sound ironic, is information about what people do and are interested in doing.  Knowing who is 'available', and who is looking or do:  'creative projects',  'paid work', 'group shoots'  even down to who is available for paid work, their styles and rates. 

I blogged awhile ago for models to send me their rates and styles as I find trawling through profiles so times consuming, I just give up and take the dog for a walk!!   I got five replies which I am very grateful for as I now have a start to my own personal database.

Maybe the profile should have, instead of all that my likes, music, blah
blah, blah.....What styles I work to, Whate styles I want to develop, I only do paid work and my rates are, I only do creative projects.  You know more information that can help you locate people, share skills, develop skills, bounce ideas....earn money!

I know there are some extremely talented and creative people out there irrespective of being new or old members, professional or amateur. Bringing opportunities for people to match up with similar people would be good for this site and this could be done through a more focused profile for people to fill in. Actually,  when I first joined I thought the profile box titles were a joke....even if we could change the box titles at least we could outline more of our creative stuff and our work information. 

Hope that make some sense and I am not blethering!


Art

Yes its something I have noticed here but in any club u have the in crowd and the rest. i have been in clubs that i was with the in crowd they liked me i could always go and sit with them and was made welcome ,i have also been at other meetings with other clubs where they all know u name but sit in groups and talk amoungst themselfs u are there but an outsider ,here is no different to any other club or group.

My observations Northern Girls are stone man to get their pic taken.!!!!!!
I think if I lived up there i would be out every day taking pics of models.

As for the clicks(no thats not a miss spell we call them click) on this group well there are certain models going I shot with a,b,c they are brilliant and kind of everyone else is shite and the reverse togs going this girl is bla bla bla the bees knees.

Having said that I believe their are great photographers on this site and one or two reguarded as great who are crap (my opinion).

There are 3 togs here who are as good as anything I have ever seen anywhere, there are a good few good photographers 

As for the models most are very good looking girls if not all but can they model there are a lot who can there are a few who are fantastic in front of the camera and there are others who look like they want to be somewhere else .

Still most people are sociable on site as can be seen by the comments under each person  its still a great site . 

Ger


Ger
   

I agree with Arthur, I'd rather have sections devoted to levels, skills, interests (modelling/photography wise) and availability etc. than books I like to read or music I like to listen to. It would make the site less attractive perhaps to those who see it primarily as a social networking site as their sections are titled similarly. If I try to include all this info in the About Me section it looks really long and might put people off reading it!

Also agree with Nexus, there are people I won't approach and even people I have worked with BEFORE who I feel marginalised by because either they keep a certain group around them or because they continually work with the same people and so I then assume they have no interest in anyone new or with a different look. Do people realise that a bulk of similar names in their gallery gives off this impression to viewers of their profile? I know I've tried to work with people of many different levels and interests and had many more planned before bump, to try to show without words how open I was to anything or anyone new?

Hmmm Interesting ...!

Personally I'm not here long enough or often enough to notice cliques and groups.. I'm sure they exist its human nature and more so on the the internet. Mostly I've found people to be open to my questions, really sharing information and generally accepting critique offered. 

The fact that people have profiles only to be viewed by "friends" only isn;t really the most apraochable way to operate  ... if you do that there isn't really room to complain about bunches of grapes or cliques really ;)

L

Good subject Leanne.

firstly I think that although there are 100's of so called members, many are not active, there is a small core of active members, In the past I have went through the members and having clicked on 20 ot 30 profiles only to see that they haven't been active since they joined or last year I got fed up. possibly there there are many members who feel leftout, but do they make an effort to strike up friend/working relationship with members?

There will always be so called clicks, but its in every walk of life, I have many friends on folio, though It doesnt stop me working with other models you are friendly with others if asked.

There are so many more active models in N Ireland than the South on this site, as already said, if you lived in the north you could probably work with a different model everyday if you wanted, travelling south costs alot of money and even newer models would be asking for travel expenses, so I guess its upto the togs to pay or not shoot, I do wish you guys from the south had more access to more models as there are many fine photographers around.

tim

I just though of another thing

The live chat, I have been here since December last year and still have found anyone alive there....maybe something that tells you when there is someone in the chat room...like you know how many messages you have......as that is a good place to share a few instant words.


Art

That tune from the musical Chicago sums it up for me:

"Cellophane seems to be my name"

Paul T.