Full memebers messing around with their rights

Hi!

I am using airplane-pictures for a while now and it is i.m.o. the best site for aviation-photography. The screeners here do a great job, they are real professionals who know photography very well. I don't know whether I'm the only one who think so, but the quality requirements for uploading pictures are much higher now, compared with one or two years ago.

And it is bothering more and more that certain full members keep uploading pictures that wouldn't even have been accepted one year ago. I don't want to judge full member in general, I also don't think that certain full members are constantly uploading low-quality pictures. There are just a few images that really don't deserve to be on aap.net.

I have tried to contact team@airplane-pictures.net but nobody has answered my E-Mails. So I now want to ask here, whether some people agree with my complaints about the following pictures or whether I am too strict with these pictures.

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/510139/g-fdzb-thomson-thomsonfly-boeing-737-800/

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/508955/oe-lgp-austrian-airlines-arrows-tyrolean-de-havilland-canada-dhc-8-400q-dash-8/

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/520163/american-airlines-boeing-757-200/

http://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/522092/hb-ijm-swiss-airbus-a320/

Thank you very much!

David Pauritsch

Sorry, what???

The screeners on this site are by far the worst I've ever seen. It says creative aviation photography - that's not what they are good in. They are kind of the bad guy from next door. A couple of years back the site was much better. You had some pictures accepted and they didn't complain about every sh*t. At a certain level they have to accept that you don't care about their opinion in every aspect.

They might think they are something special - but they aren't. Don't forget; there's just nobody else who wants to do this job. It's just the role as a screener that gives them respect not the photos they take. Being a screener doesn't mean you have skills. Although this is said the whole time. That's not the case for sure.

I am not a newbie who's complaining about some denied pictures - I've been a member for many years now until I quit a couple of weeks ago. There's just nothing really positive on this site anymore. It might be because there too many members so every photo is being uploaded...

Something should change!

Best regards,

M.

@David: I'm sorry to say that but it's not your job to complain about anything. Some guys will call me an a**hole for saying this (please go ahead and do so but this is my opinion!) but go through your photos and tell me what's special about them. Of course the quality motive-wise is always up to the photographer as well as the creativity - cold coffee for sure. But still - check them out and tell me.

This post has been edited by pl6txx on 11th February 2015 - 13:55

I agree that something has to change. But I disagree with your opinion about the screeners. They don't reject pictures because they don't like you, they don't want to offend anyone. The pictures are just not good enough.

But the full memebership thing has to change.

It is impossible for someone like me to become a full memeber.

Reaching a ration over 0.7 is very difficult nowadays because the screeners are much stricter than they were three years ago.

And uploading three eyecathers is impossible. There is no definiton for an eyecatcher, so there are no rules that have to be fullfilled to get an eyechatcher. I uploaded pictures that would have been an eyecatcher three years ago (compared with the old ones), but nowadays they only select 2-3 eycatchers a week and it is insanely difficult to get three eyecatchers. Certain full member just have three eyecatchers from 2009, when the restrictions were not even remotely that high!

Becoming a full member is nowadays nearly impossible.

This post has been edited by David Pauritsch on 11th February 2015 - 21:07

It's not. You are a newbie, so how can you know that?

I'm at a certain level, I've been with a German-wide known photographer for several months so I know how to set my camera. I'm not asking for anyone's opinion to upload something if I am a member for many years (incl. 3 eyecatchers...)

It's not about your skills, man! You just need to have an idea, set it up, edit and upload it. That's it. The idea is most important thing to get an eyecatcher. Of course this is a personal thing but usual they aren't nominating some regular stuff.

Btw how do you want to set up certain rules for ECs? That would mean some people know what you're going to upload way before you take the shot. Magic, magic...

M.

This post has been edited by pl6txx on 11th February 2015 - 14:15

But this post wasn't about the screeners, it's about the full memebrship thing.

I used to think so too, but if you just look at the screeners's comments and then at the pictures, in most cases they're right. Little re-edit then re-upload and you're done!

And if they don't, appeal it!

This post has been edited by David Pauritsch on 11th February 2015 - 14:20

Just fyi the account doesn't exist anymore so how should use it for texting?

Good for you if you don't complain about the screeners - I don't have to be a part of it anymore to impress somebody or what else, sweetie.

This post has been edited by pl6txx on 11th February 2015 - 22:48

David I can't speak for the rest of the team but when I screen I screen to accept each and every image I view. Unfortunately that can't always be the case, some have to be rejected for various reasons. I do my screening on a calibrated monitor but quite often I will also look at the image on two other (non calibrated) monitors and if I can see the same problems then I'll reject. So I don't reject on a whim.

I would be one of those FMs with 3 eyecatchers from 2009. Would I get an eyecatcher now? Probably not, so I do consider myself very fortunate. Yes getting FM status is nice but it isn't the end if you don't make it. The one thing about A-P.net is that you don't have to wait 2 or 3 weeks to get an image screened, for the last month or more the queue length hasn't risen above 1 day.

Policing the FM uploads is a problem and none of us will try to hide the fact. Yes some questionable images do get uploaded and we remove them but some do slip through. At the minute it isn't an exact science and we are discussing ways to make it better.

Members also point out that some sky shots get accepted or uploaded by FMs and theirs were rejected. Sky shots will be accepted under certain circumstances, news, rarity etc. but like the questionable images some do slip through.

Yes I would say quality requirements have got stricter over the years but I don't believe they're any stricter than Airliners or JP. We have seen a constant growth with new members joining every day with 100s of image uploaded. Are we perfect? Absolutely not but we're constantly striving to improve.

Okay...

This post has been edited by David Pauritsch on 11th February 2015 - 21:08

While Martin or myself try to respond to every genuine email there are times that we don't access the team emails on a daily basis and by the time we do the inbox has been flooded every piece of junk email imaginable. Unfortunately some genuine emails have got lost in this junk and been missed. If that's the case with yours then I can only apologise.

Thank you very much!

"But the full memebership thing HAS TO CHANGE.

Becoming a full member is nowadays nearly impossible."

Totally agree with you...

Yes, because only the best should have this privilege.

Hey David,

Don't like my AA 757 shot? I'm sorry you don't have the skill to pull off a great photo :-)

This post has been edited by Jan Jasinski on 11th February 2015 - 19:19

If you take the 757 as an example you neither have them...

I like most of your pictures, but I don't base my opinion about this picture on previous pictures.

It is too dark, it is blurred and digital noise is visible.

This post has been edited by David Pauritsch on 11th February 2015 - 21:09

uh, you're just 16, eh. Maybe you should just grow up a little and we can talk again in a couple of years. Both pictures have about the same amount of noise - one big difference: Jan's photo has been taken with something like ISO6000+ and yours looks like ISO100. I don't know who you think you are trying to talk with the old ones and presenting sh*t over here. I believe there are better ways to push your career.

Dear Jan,

do you honestly think, that your AA 757 photo is GREAT?

I would say, that it is a very good example of photos, wich should be deleted immediately.

Or, even better, full member should not upload it, because it is REALLY POOR.

And your reaction to David´s post is inappropriate.

Best regards

Marcel

Should this be an excuse? Is his picture now better just because he took it with ISO6000!? I didn't notice that it is "professional" to take pictures with ISO6000+ nowadays, even at night time...

HAHAH, "career"...this is aviation photography. It's a hobby, it's supposed to be fun. I don't make pictures because I want to be the best one...there will always be one who's better than me, you and Jan... Does this mean our work is worthless? No it doesn't! So please stop insulting people in such an arrogant way...

Marcel, have you seen the conditions the photo was taken in? I'd like to see you trying to attempt something half similar to that. My photos are 100% quality, and I make sure of it.

Only because the conditions were poor desn't meen the picture is good... We all have tried to take good pictures under poor conditions, it nearly never works.

Do you honestly disagree that there is digital noise visible? Do you disagree that, even though you tried your best, the picture is not 100% quality?

This post has been edited by David Pauritsch on 11th February 2015 - 19:51

Then show off something, young padawan. The photo is better because he managed a shot with ISO6000 that has the same amount of noise as yours with ISO100. It's like having a drag race with a Golf GTI against a Porsche GT3. If you're able to win this you're good. It's not about winning of course but still an example.

Of course it's just a hobby, but I don't mind making some money for the time being spent at some airport.

You're treading on very thin ice, dude.

Dear Jan, imo you are one of the best photographers on this site but the AA757 is definitively not ap.net worthy.

The conditions can't be an excuse for bad quality (expect rare things...) and there are panning shots on this site which are not blurred and have less noise...

Regards

Nice said Michael, thanks for the information!

About Jan's picture: Really, in my opinion it deserves to be on this site. Ofcourse if we talk about quality it isn't the best shot but Please, look that ISO etc.... Even for professionals it stays hard to make such pictures... No doubt, this shot is awesome and welcome on this site!! Good job Jan!

Have a Nice day,

Kelyn

He has many pictures with 110% of quality... But this...i.m.o. it's not enough, especially not for a professional like him!

This post has been edited by David Pauritsch on 11th February 2015 - 20:35

Read through my posts once again and you might find out why I don't have any pictures on this site anymore. All about reading.

@H 330 H

Requesting one of my pictures in order to leave an extremely arrogant and offending comment... That's pathetic.

If you have to tell me something, do it here...

Personally, I think that Jan is one of the best photographers on ap.net.

Looking at his 757, I think it is 100% ap.net worthy. Ofcourse the quality isn't reallt stunning like all his other pictures... But photographing a rotating plane at about 150 kts on 1/20 is really really hard. I bet you/we can't get that quality.

Besides that David, why are you screening others pictures? You say that becoming a full member is impossible... Wel it isn't, but you have to screen your own pictures first, instead of screening pictures from full members whether they should be on ap or not.

And yes ofcourse, I also see pictures from full members which were rejected if uploaded them. But sending emails to the team won't help I think.

Have a nice day...

Jelle

I agree with Jelle.

My thoughts were more about the other pictures I have mentioned.

But you both are right...I shoud get my one pictures fixed before talking about others.

Thank for the kind comments. The only thing wrong with the 757 shot is the blurry nose, but it is barely enough not to share IMO. Surely some Japanese photogs could pull something off like that at 1/10th or something, but keep in mind they are mostly all using panning heads. I shot that handheld. Besides, its the atmosphere of the images etc. There are numerous shots I could point out that are spectacular, and yet they have a clipped sun, or blurry section, but you ignore those facts because the whole of the image is what makes you view it.

I agree that there are FM's who use up the privilege of uploading what they want, but I in general respect the quality. If I don't think it is worthy to share, then I won't. I could upload tons of photos I took that are decent, but they just aren't special which is why they remain on the hard drive.

I used to be a screener here on A-P and am a full member. I retired from screening due to family commitments but in time I will return when I can dedicate more time to the site. I am currently uploading images from my tour in Afghanistan of which I have 1000's but I am submitting only the best and nothing that I consider sub standard or that may contradict images rejected by non full members.

I am afraid that I have to agree with David and his comments regarding the images noted. They are all substandard and I would have rejected each and every one of them if I had screened them. With regard to Jan's in particular, the image was shot at ISO3200 with a 1/20s shutter speed, hence it is blurred and noisy. An image such as this would be worthy if it was not blurred but in its current state I would have rejected it, apologies if this offends you Jan but you are far too good a photographer to be uploading such a sub standard shot.

H330H, if you do not upload or contribute to this site anymore, why are you still here?

Regards

Andy

There wasn't anything better to do this afternoon.

Best regards!

Some comments and observations:-

From Ranger703: "H330H, if you do not upload or contribute to this site anymore, why are you still here"?

Very well said! The guy (Marvin My?) has gone, yet he re-appears under a new name only to stir up trouble.

From Jan Jasinski: "I agree that there are FM's who use up the privilege of uploading what they want, but I in general respect the quality".

As a FM you should respect "the quality" all the time and not "in general" as and when it suits you. That picture of the 757 is sub-standard and you know it. You hide behind "the conditions" and say "I shot that handheld". Let me tell you, if any Ordinary Member uploaded a sub-standard picture like that 757, it would be rejected. Digital noise is a big reason for rejections as you very well know, yet you flaunt your privilege as a FM and upload it - not good!

Can this topic be extended to screeners? Because in this case it is curious/funny how a screener can reject pictures based on some "mistakes", and when you take a look at his gallery the last pictures have the same "mistakes" as yours, being all those pics completely acceptable. Then, if you highlight that comparing pictures trying yours to be accepted, the answer is somethin like "leave me alone, I can do it and you can't" but said with kind words.

Is there anything wrong comparing accepted and rejected pictures? If I see a picture in the gallery quite similar to mine I want to know why the first one was accepted (from full member or ordinary member) and not mine, as simple as that.

What I mean is that is perfectly fine being a tough screener, you can set the standards any height you want, but please be coherent and don't upload pics that would never achieve those standards that you are asking for. Wouldn't that be messing around with FM rights?

PS: Let's play, try to find the very noisy/blurred pic uploaded by a FM some hours ago. Hint: 5D MkII and ISO 1600. Enjoy ;)

Guys, come on.. Start looking at your own pictures first, before you judge others'. I am an FM for only 3 months and I worked hard to raise my standard over the last couple of years.

Let me teach you a lesson which I learned: Life is more than becoming an FM..

Cheers,

Attached photos:

I think you AP.NET members should stay off the forums and just go spotting. Stop being little girls about all this stuff and just do your own thing. If you ever hit FM, someone else will complain about your uploads. It's a routine circle, no one is ever happy.

@Marius: that's none of your business - I'm not stirring trouble; that's my opinion and I couldn't care less whether you like it or not. Just get back to your own stuff..... -> 'Start looking at your own pictures first, before you judge others'