Yes, internet debates often devolve into non-sense and mudslinging….but they can also inspire action.

I know this current debate as spurred some of the HCSP members into seriously thinking about how they can collaborate in more productive ways than just running an open forum on Flickr.

This would never have happened without Flickr.

I keep tabs on most the well known photography and this permissive dismissal of Flickr and the photographers who hang out there is pretty lame. It really shows a lack of understanding about the way the web is evolving.

And you can see this in the way most photographers use ‘blogs.’ Why do you think you often hear the complaint that it’s one big echo chamber? It’s because photography bloggers have replicated the same model over and over and over again.

When someone gets an idea for a blog, the first thing that pops into their head is Concientious, Soth or one of the other first generation blogs. so they create their blog and harvest their content and ideas from the well known photography blogs. It becomes completely incestuous and predictable.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s certainly some good content being created (I like Shoot The Blog! right now) but for the most part people are lazy and basically have become distributors and not content creators.

How can an individuals understanding and appreciation of photography be so easily determined by the web tools they use? I’ve used Flickr for over two years and I’ve arrived at the conclusion that it sucks balls for presentation, but it’s a great place to meet like minded people and network. Not to mention it’s a good place to find emerging photographers or amateurs who have no desire to play the fine art photography game. And if you invest some time you’ll learn new things….be entertained….get honest feedback…collaborate on group projects….and meet some interesting people.

I’m 31. But I’m guessing the median age of the first generation of photography bloggers is a few years older. You know what? It shows. And it certainly shows in professional photographers who have anxiety over the way the web is changing the game. It’s time to adapt and evolve….otherwise you’re going to get buried by the little punks coming up because they’ve completely embraced the web and are not afraid to experiment with the possibilities.

Flickr is only one community. New communities have popped up and will continue to pop up and evolve. For me, this is exciting. I’m excited to see how artists and content creators will use the web in the near future.

a few photographers whose work I found through flickr…

Hin Chua
Rose and Olive
Raoul Gatepin
Ludmilla Morais
Ben Roberts
Joni Karanka
Chuck Patch
Mark Alor Powell
Steve West
Ed Leveckis
Todd Fisher
Noah Kalina
James Hendrick
JUNKU NISHIMURA
Eddie Geisler

P.S. Stupid Photographer: You should try your schtick in HCSP. Of course, that means you’d have to associate with the plebs, but hell, a little exposure to a few more morons might start you on the path toward authenticity….

Below is a list of some more important, significant photographers who have a significant number of photos in the pool. Some of them would be happy to call themselves a “street photographer”.

Michael David Murphy
Nascar

David Solomons
Brazil

Joni Karanka
Cardiff by Night

Paul Russell
Beside the sea

Raoul Gatepin
Planes

Two of “those” people who suck a bit less than “normal people”.

And I still think that the ‘hardcore’ is just a name. Like 2point8, or am I supposed to believe that the author is always shooting wide open?

My thought about the whole thing (last night, when I considered wading in, and thought better of it) is that people have been able to have threaded discussions in online forums for what, 10 years now? And when I dip into them, I’m always surprised to see how little has evolved.

I’ve been called a hypocrite and a douchebag today, so hey, you make a blanket statement, you pay the price, right?

Hardcore: characterized by or being the purest or most basic form of something : fundamental