On Mon, 17 Jul 2006 00:17:20 -0400, (Arch) wrote:

I occasionally butt in on a thread at another fine forum that includes
pics and words. I do not post pics, but I feel comfortable there because
of so many rcw alumni who know I mean well so they suffer my posts
gladly like old friends do. Not so with my last intrusion there which
was mis-taken as an insult and provoked a derisive retort that implied
that words posted with never a picture are suspect.

Snip

I can understand that a few might feel that if you choose not to picture
your work, you must have something to hide and nothing to offer.
Conversely a few might assume that if you post continuously, you must
have a need you are trying to fill. Not many turners, including me,
accept either premise. Pics are just an option.

Snip

As always, I invite your thoughts, pro & con, mild or strong. Assuming
of course, that you and I have the foggiest notion of what I'm musing
about.

Hi Arch-

I don't know about the particular forum you're talking about here, but
I can tell you that I don't have any pictures of my stuff- whether
someone else likes it or not, I just don't own a camera, and the
couple of short times in my life I've had one were painful episodes
where I learned anew that I am *not* a photographer.

Now, there may be any number of other things going on that provoked
your spat on the other group, but it might be worthwhile (if it's
still being discussed or comes up again) to point out that an ability
to make something out of a hunk of wood has little or nothing to do
with being able to take a picture of that object. When I've tried it,
I end up with snapshots that show the general shape, but precious
little else- including the proper color. Perhaps a more expensive
camera would do the trick- but I look at it in the same manner I
consider all my purchases. Which is to say, before I go and blow any
reasonable amount of cash, I sit down and get my priorities straight
first. Once that happens, the new camera goes somewhere down near the
bottom of the list along with any other number of toys that might be
nice, but don't really matter much in the grand scheme of things.

I guess that's just the long way of saying that while I think my work
is up to snuff when it comes to sharing, my photos of it are not.
Seems like a shame to exclude (or attempt to exclude) someone from a
social group because they are lacking a skill that has very little to
do with the subject in question. Unless you're in direct violation of
the stated rules of the forum, I'd just let it go and not lose any
sleep over it- could be the fella that got on your case was just
having a bad day, that happens to the best of us.