***New Beginners Section - POLL, PLEASE READ***

[centroid]

Yep, 32 voters out of 1693 members is an incredibly poor response. If my maths are right, then that's just 1.9% of our membership.

Apathy ?

Perhaps there should have also been a 'middle ground' option, for those people who don't mind either way. ?

Dave

[Vega]

Maybe 1661 of our members consider themselves pro imagers

As an afterthought, maybe some members are missing this thread as it's in the 'important topics' section (sounds stupid I know). But it could be that some members automatically browse down to the normal topics section wrongfully assuming that they've already read all of the important topics. Just a thought

Matt

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

I think a lot of us don't know if we count as novices either. I consider myself fairly low ranking but have managed some images through pure luck that I'm very proud of. I've had some POTW as well, but that doesn't mean I'm not a novice. I've not voted as I don't know if I qualify to vote.

If poked, I'd vote for an all in the same place system so that all DSO images are in the same area. My take on it is, all images are good if you can tell from the image what its supposed to be, kind of like a small kids drawing. Getting any kind of image impresses me to be honest.

What has happened here many times is somebody posts an image with a subject like "my poor go at M42", then somebody tweaks it and the original poster replies "wow! How did you do that" and then everybody learns a bit. My point, on this bit of the ramble, is that there are so many things required to get a really good image, it's almost guaranteed that any image will have something wrong with it. If its processing, it can be fixed here, if its alignment then the imager can get help with that.

POTW doesn't depend on the absolute image quality, rather the relative image quality based on the kit, the experience level of the imager and the framing etc. so why should the image section be different?

Kaptain Klevtsov

[centroid]

Valid comments indeed KK.

Dave

[SteelRat]

There are only options for 'yes' or 'no'. I could take part if there was an abstain option :oops:

[Dangermouse]

As someone who has only ever posted 1 afocal moon picture I think I count as a beginner. I voted no for the following reasons. I think this site already has enough sections and one of the reasons for the low vote maybe to do with this, everybody has their favotite sections to look at and may have missed this thread. I enjoy looking at all pictures to compare what is possible with different equipment and would look at both sections anyway. I am sure it would not happen here but there is a risk that the beginners would get less help from the experienced as the experienced people may not vist both sections. Finally as others have said when do you stop being a beginner, most humble folk would probably stay too long in the beginners section and would it be a beginners section then? Finally would you become a beginner every time you got new equipment?

[Ant]

Ok guys/girls voting has been locked!

After 2 weeks of voting we have had 46 votes... Not quite the turnout I was hoping for.

But with 26 votes (56%) for NO, a new section for novice images will not be created.

Ant

[philsail1]

Can't remember if I voted or not? Anyway, if I haven't voted, sorry it's took me so long!

I personally vote "no" for a "beginner's" section. I feel that the section that already exists for newcomers is adequate enough, and clearly generates an excellent response from the more experienced among us, in giving time and assistance to newcomers' questions and queries.

I feel that yet another section may only add confusion to the forum - in that it might be duplicating or overlapping other sections, and be "offputting" to newcomers.

regards,

philsail1

[dynamo hum]

I came to this thread too late to vote, but speaking as a newbie and having looked at the excellent comments that members leave regardless of how experienced the poster is I would have voted No too. I've run similar surveys for a photographic board I manage and the general consensus is that beginners learn faster when mixing it with the 'pros'. I guess the main factor is getting people to post who would othewise feel intimidated. Having such a welcoming bunch of 'old timers' (no offence ) is much more likely to encourage beginners.

[Jamie]

Having such a welcoming bunch of 'old timers' (no offence ) is much more likely to encourage beginners.

Cheeky git!!!

I am only 97 and 3/4 too.......

[thing]

No from me, but then I'm an expert now with my 7 astro shots in total........... 8)

Can't see the point of another section, if you have a DSO photo, post it in the DSO section, that's what it's for. It doesn't say 'The Reasonably Good DSO Section Where Blurry Image Takers Will Be Exterminated' does it. My photos are as exciting to me as anyone elses, yes they are Rubbish in comparison but then I've just started. If they are still Rubbish in five years then OK maybe I might not post them.