Author Topic: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com  (Read 13037 times)

Offline Tomas

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What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« on: August 07, 2016, 08:36:11 AM »
Ye olde Tomas here.

I am wondering. My intention of posting on this site is to strive to produce pictures that suites my own taste. I like to go an extra mile and climb stupidly op steep hills for THAT angle etc. Nowadays i dont do that anymore, have a drone for that, and a 3-year old boy to live for.
All the same i am wondering. Do you post just do dump 40 a day, or do you post just a few that you are proud of?


I am just wondering. I dont have anything to offer really. My pictures looks the same most of the time.


Tomas

Offline Pier Master

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2016, 09:54:04 AM »
Hi Tomas, post quality, not quantity... which is why I haven't posted anything for a while!

Regards, Brian.
Blistering barnacles...

Offline Frank Buckley

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2016, 11:02:12 AM »
Hi Tomas, I think that you post great photos. Please keep them coming.
Regards Frank

Offline jadran

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2016, 11:44:08 AM »


Within the beginning period of my membership to this site ( I have joined on 20/12/2011), I was regularly commenting photos on the site (maybe some times too often, and maybe sometimes even too much).

Once, the Webmaster Mr. Ken Smith contacted me by a PM.
His PM to me was in overall very polite, however, stressing exactly these words:
Why don't you sometimes post your photos and let other people comment them!

I explained to Ken, that I don't posses any photography equipment, and moreover,  that I'm a pensioner, and can't afford myself to buy any of such !!

Nonetheless, Ken insisted several more times: Post your photos .........
Finally, I gave up with my resistance, and bought myself a simple compact camera Nikon COOLPIX S9300 in January 2013.
That's how started my photography & photo posting opus on this website ..........

My very best regards to all the members of this esteemed website, and especially to the author of this topic Mr. Tomas Ostberg-Jacobsen, and of course, with a very special respect, to Mr. Ken Smith,
Jadran



... got married to ships

Offline husni

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2016, 12:38:33 PM »
Hi Sir(s)

when i am join in 2008 as nasution, actually this site very useful to find data or pic of the ship before i attend the vessel (ie.before master or Captain send particular,ETA etc). I buy smartphone and 70usd camera for upload and share to members.
the 70usd camera now broken when i am falling down to sea and now using litle bit only 'good camera' plus smartphone for spotting. Very sory if sometimes poor quality and not enough for site standard and also my comment make all of you incovenience
that's only to show this my hobbies

i am nothing

my best regards to all members and you Mr.Tomas

Husni


Offline Ken Smith

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2016, 03:13:11 PM »

Hi Jadran,

I note your comment with regard to our discussion some time ago and that you were at the time struggling a little and is why we had that discussion but I have to say you have moved on now with your photographic input to the Website so well done.

Picking up on Tomas's comment I have often quoted his Slogan " Post Quality and not Quantity" but I guess that I am guilty of sometimes overdoing it, I have always had a habit of posting three of a ship ie Bow/Profile/Stern when it is possible to do so, many years ago I had received requests for the Profile shots from members who enjoyed them.

However, in view of what Tomas is saying and I do agree with his sentiments I will cut back on my postings from now on and especially if I have a photo already on the Website, I have to confess that I was responsible for cutting back from Six to Four on one given Date.

I sincerely hope that members will pick up on this slogan of "Quality and not Quantity" I certainly intend to from now on.

Kind regards to All
Ken
......

Offline pieter melissen

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2016, 05:33:23 PM »

1. Not more than two pictures,of a ship
2. Taking into account the amount of pictures already on the site of the same ship under the same name
3. Looking whether other posters may have already put more or less the same shot on the site as I took (which happens very often with pictures taken as we speak)
4. Check whether there is something interesting to say about the ship
5. Check whether there is some interesting to say about the location or the conditions of the photo
6. Check whether there is something to say about the photgraphic aspects of the photo.
7. Check whether the quality can be further enhanced.
8. Post.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2016, 05:52:46 PM by pieter melissen »

Offline simonwp

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2016, 01:59:17 PM »
I'm always interested when this topic is periodically raised on this forum. Sometimes I wonder why people post repeated shots of the same ship from the same place, and often seem to compete with each other to get their shots onto this site as soon as possible. I was at Maasvalke a couple of years ago when quite a few photographers were there. Every time a ship went past we would all take our photographs, but I noticed several photographers would then dash back to their cars. I initially wondered what they were doing as the rest of us stood around chatting. They were trying to upload their photographs to this site before anyone else. As we were all stood fairly close together when I got home and checked I found there would be three shots of the ship from photographer X, then a series of identical shots from photographer Y, then again from photographer Z, all posted within minutes of each other. All very good shots, but I wondered "What are they adding to the site?"

Anyway for me, no more than one shot per ship per photography ship, and don't post if I've already posted a good shot from the same place previously. From the popular places don't post if someone has already posted better shot. I've posted a lot of old scanned photographs and slides, but I don't post these if their is better coverage already on the site, unless there is something significantly different about my shot, e.g. no coverage at a particular port, or no underway view.

When looking at photographs, while I do like good, clear shots, I also like to see shots that are a bit different, not just the usual three or four angles passing Maasvalke or similar. I don't mind a bit of foreground or background if it adds a bit of context to the shot, especially objects that are part of a ships natural environment such as tugs, pilot launches, buoys, and, yes, even seabirds!!

Offline Captain Ted

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #8 on: August 08, 2016, 04:24:55 PM »
good day all

All your replies and agreements and not agreements sound good and not

We should take a little into account that not all spotters live in fjords of Norway or close to Maasvlakte
in NL or on the elbe river at Hamburg, where naturally photographers attracted to and through that a
kind of congestion seem to happen.
I know that I am fortunate that I can take pictures usually always in different places also when of course
the nature of the vessel and trade area let me call ports like New Orleans more often then others.
However I would like to point out, that some photographers make lengthy trips, even vacations to be
for a while in areas where more ships are present and then they getting told,   Nope can,t post this because photographers posted this vessel already.
In my opinion, accept the doubling up from different photographers for that very reason as long it,s not more than 4 as it is now. To those who consistently uploading the same tug or a vessel calling the same ports,, well I might have also somehwere in my 20000 plus pictures some doubling, but uploading those on purpose again and again,,, whats the point of doing so ?
But making the superior quality the only or main consideration, or that a shot exist already will not do good for the site in general as it is easy to start here, also when one does not have a Canon 7D with a 100-400 oven pipe as lense.
I think those who pushing for such matters in specific are a little off from the message this site had initially,,go by our standards and you are welcome.   

No offense to anyone, just my opinion
 
NOW!!!,,,if we could get rid of the sailors,,how safe shipping would be !!!!!!!!

Offline simonwp

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2016, 06:33:33 PM »
You make some interesting points, captain Ted, and they expand the discussion as to why members take photographs of ships in the first place. For me firstly I take them for my own pleasure. If i make a big shipping trip (not many these days), I get as much enjoyment from planning the trip, looking at the photographs when I get back, identifying them, sorting and cataloging them etc, as I do actually taking them. Posting on here, and other places is secondary to those things, my main purpose is not to take photographs specifically to post on here. That's why I'm happy not to post if a better shot from a similar angle by another photographer already exists on here.

However, i do know some members who's main purpose is to take photographs to post on here, and like to see their photograph tally rising, and the number of hits they get. That is their choice, but it's not for me, I wouldn't get much pleasure from that.

I spent many years working in the shipping industry both ashore and afloat, and enjoy the marine environment in general, so I guess, in basic form I more interested in the ship than the photograph, whereas it seems for many members it is the other way around they are more interested in the photograph than the ship, i.e. if they go on a trip they like to take lots of photographs, and are not too interested in the ship in it's own right. Both points of view are equally valid.

An example might be someone taking photographs of a LPG/C carrier, taking several of it passing them, without actually looking at the ship, except through the camera lens, whereas I might just take a couple, to allow me enough time as she's passing to actually look at the ship in detail, perhaps to see what sort of discharge manifold she had. It's what gives you personally enjoyment that counts.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2016, 06:43:09 PM by simonwp »

Offline pieter melissen

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2016, 07:37:24 PM »
SimonWP: I also take detailed shots of the loading/discharge manifolds of tankers and when your picture has sufficient resolution, you can see many more details than with the naked eye...Anyway, you do make some very valid observation, and I could only laugh about your experiences at the Maasvlakte. (Perhaps we should allow photos to be posted two days after they have been taken ). Your description about sorting and cataloging pictures corresponds greatly to what I am doing, they are my pictures and I want them to be properly sorted out. Each ship gets her own directory and when I arrive with another shot of the same ship it will go there, and from time to time the directories will be checked on redundancies and lower quality shots. 

I have also given many of my shots to Auke Visser who is doing a great job with his tanker and bulkcarrier site. I find that my shots are more useful and better documented there than they are here.

Why I actually post here is because when I was looking for pictures of certain ships (starting roughly five years ago) I found this site, and downloaded the ones I was interested in. As I have, like you Simon, a reasonable collection of older photos with negatives (which I stopped xpanding in 1989) my idea was not only to take but also to give. I am happy when people like my shots, but it is not my primary purpose to find happiness here. It is a give and take. And as I post slowly it will take a while before I run out of very old stuff, and by that time my digital shots (as of 2012) may also have become old but as virtually everbody is a photographer these days, the share of original shots will be far less.   

Offline Dеnis

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2016, 07:57:01 PM »
I can understand Tomas if his question directed towards a couple of members on here who literally dump whatever they saw today, interesting or not, everyday even if they already have tens or more pics of the same vessel during various weather.

I, when I was posting mine pics, didn't care of whether there are hundreds of (maybe better) shots of same vessel already on site.  I see an interesting for me ship in my port that I'd like to document the viewing & have in my collection.  I'd walk hours to the spot & try my best to get many 10-20 pics of that ship, soon I review all of them, select better ones, enhance & post as much as it's allowed (4) if they all are great for me.  Why?  As a sort of "presenting the best of this ship by me" & being proud I have it in my uploads as well.  Maybe mine photos of that ship are not the best & not up to everyone's taste, but I just HAVE to post it, cause I spent time & efforts making a photo of that ship!  Of course I'm not gonna post one & the same ship over & over even if it's only I can see it in my hometown, unless the photo is remarkably better than those of it I already have...  I wouldn't even try making a photo of the annoying ship eventually too.  Wouldn't intend posting a boring (in my view) photo of a boring ship too - to avoid the annoyance enhancing it & stumbling across it in my gallery.  I wasn't in the race to be the top poster on here, cause I can't simply dump 40 raw photos per day - I'm very pedantic about certain stuff & I'll go enhancing each photo, although slightly & barely noticeable, to the point I'll be erasing birds in the sky who are just some 5x5px in size! xD

Hopefully my example answers something.


Btw, Tomas' case is different.  He needs to post only 1-2 photos of this or that ship, because those are automatically excellent thanks to his location & no need to post 4 photos of that ship or 1 of that ship from some different date, as those photos would be very identical.    Not like how it's here when there are barely any vantage points left, or seeing a certain ship is the only instance, or having an ability to go around the ship making equally good photos from many angles.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2016, 08:09:14 PM by Dеnis »
Regards,
Denis

Offline lappino

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #12 on: August 08, 2016, 08:54:57 PM »
My 0.02$: I like taking photos of ships. Posting them on line is just an afterthought.

I am blessed with my location, my workplace, and a "can do" attitude to take the shot I want; I have plenty of opportunities to post photos of ships during their construction, and I also choose my vacation spots based on ship spotting possibilities.

I envy "regular" seafarers, though, for their ability to see much more.

I usually post only one photo of a ship, although there are exceptions. Also, I don't see it as a contest of uploading the greatest number of photos, and I enjoy seeing other people's photos here.

Cheers

Vlad

Offline Marc Pingoud

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #13 on: August 08, 2016, 10:30:48 PM »
Easy question...
1st: I'm proud of every "shot" (and really like it by myself) , which I post here... :-)
2nd: See the comment (and the photos ) of Tomas...
Kind regards - Marc
One hand for myself, one for the ship - and one for my camera!

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Re: What is the purpose of YOUR posting on shipspotting.com
« Reply #14 on: August 08, 2016, 10:45:12 PM »
My purpose is to enjoy a retirement time hobby.  Each evening I check the Sydney Port Movements site to see what is scheduled for for the next day.  Sometimes there is nothing, as Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) is not busy with ocean going ships.

Fortunately I live within 10/20 minutes of about a dozen camera locations, many elevated and most looking south with the sun over my shoulder. That, earlier pics, and other activities helps me plan my day. Better than going to work!   Commuter ferry trips can offer opportunities.  I sometimes forget my golden rule about my camera "Don't leave home without it" - an regret it.

I treat my album as one of thousands on a site which is a collection of albums.  I therefore do not allow other members photos to influence my selections.  I do enjoy looking at other's photos, advancing my knowledge of geography, noting composition and other skills, and exchanging Comments with members.  Communication opportunities are a major strength of the site.

My personal guidelines, rarely varied except for good reason are :
.Upload only one shot per ship per day
.Ensure each shot has a different location and/or angle and/or background than others of the same vessel
.Delete earlier uploads if I capture a better one from the same location and/or angle
.Make use of Sydney Harbour features, while keeping them from being background clutter interfering with ships masts etc.  There are not many locations from which only water and sky can be shown.
.Endeavor to keep Harbour traffic like ferries and work-boats out of the frame

Because of the wonder of rechargeable batteries and SD card sizes, I often take 40/50 shutter clicks from which to select one pic of a moving subject.
 
The remarks of others on this thread make interesting reading.  Thank you Tomas for starting it.

 

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