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Valfal / Articles

I think It's Time to Speak...
After seeing several good members and friends close up shop and leave ipernity, I've decided to express my thoughts on this development...

Sure, ipernity has its issues, but what photo sharing site doesn't? I think that the photography community here on ipernity is much more alive and interactive than any other photo sharing site I've visited. Thanks to the many gifted and friendly photographers I met on ipernity over the past 2 1/2 years, I learned more about photography than I ever thought possible. I also learned to leave my fears of the technical aspects behind and explore the artistic side of me through this medium. I will forever be grateful to all of you who share your talent with me, and for the extremely appreciated support you give as I explore what little talent I have for the medium.

I am especially saddened whenever I see any member leave ipernity for Flickr. I still have an account there, but hardly use it except in the capacity of serving as a moderator in one of the largest groups there and visiting my friends in the doll community (the reason I originally joined Flickr). I find the photography community there rather like a large city; cold and impersonal.

It is here on ipernity where I met a photography community that behaves like one. It would crush me to see it die, especially if it's because of members who choose to leave because they mistakenly fear that the "ship" is sinking. When they do that, they contribute to making their fears our reality.

When the IP team updated us on their status, they were honest enough to admit their financial difficulties, and, if you read their message closely, they seem to be throwing out "feelers" to gauge the attitude of the members. If too many of us choose to withdraw the very support that they need to keep this site operating, then the IP team will have no choice but to either close down ipernity or sell it to the highest bidder. That being said, Team ipernity must make the committment to its members who support them to allow us to help them! When many members cannot renew their club memberships because a glitch in the system doesn't allow them to pay, then the IP team shoots itself in the foot!

Does it make sense to throw away a great photo sharing site that even many of the members who left acknowledge has the best interface of any other site of its kind? Or do we make every effort to help preserve a wonderful place to share our photos and hearts with each other? For me the choice is clear. If we who always loved ipernity would stick it out and contribute to saving it through our support, we can keep the community we love in one place, and continue to enjoy operating on the best interface in the cyber world for photo sharing.

And as for Team ipernity, don't let go of your devoted members; show us you care by making it easier to support you!!

17 comments

Stormlizard said:

Your words are exact echos of my thoughts on the subject.

I have never been a member of Flickr, it was one of the sites I tested and rejected when my previous Cyber Hone site owners Multiply gave all bloggers and photographer the boot as they wished to convert the site to an online Shopping Mall in South East Asia.
I found Flickr to be an enormous city filled with cold hearted people. Ipernity on the other hand was tiny but alive, after only 14 days as a free rider I decided to pay for the Pro, (Now Club) membership, I coughed up for two times two years. I had tried twelve other sites, none of them filled the bill.

I carried many ex Multiplyers over with me, nearly all are still here, a few left as they did not agree with the T O S regarding the use of registered or © material.

I have also made several new Cyber friends here.

I have commented a few times on the Team New Year blog adding or agreeing with several suggested methods of keeping the ship afloat.

I hope we can celebrate further New Tears here.

John.
8 years ago

Valfal replied to Stormlizard:

Thank you for your words, John; I hope we can enjoy many more years together on ipernity. It will always be a special place for me, as this is where I discovered photography in all its rich diversity and pleasure :-)
8 years ago

Stormlizard replied to :

Prior to joining Multiply in 2006 the only online friends I had were Japanese Ladies that I helped with British English conversation using Skype, it was through one of that I met a Lady in Thailand who introduced me to Multiply as she required help in setting up a Computer based Learning site for her students at Bangkok University. In order to help I had to be a member of the site.
Multiply was almost identical to Ipernity in functionality though the core was based on a different Algorithm. All I had been doing on MP could be done on IP
8 years ago

Peter Van Lom said:

One thing I have learned is that the world of photo sites is in constant change. And that is quite frustrating sometimes. But I want to say that the IP community is a great bunch of people that make newcomers (like me) feel welcome. It has been the easyest site to start for me til now. And I am having fun. I started on Panramio a couple of years ago, I used a lot of time and effort making a good gallery. Now I am 'dorment' because of the the way Google is treating that site. These days I am quitting 500px because of the constant layout changes and the dynamics of the community. I use 1x too, just to show case my best photos. But I am frustrated a bit because of changes that are discriminating ordinary amateurs even more. There are some other issues too. What I'm trying to say is that I'll give Ipernity a chance but that the discussions and information make me a little sceptical about the future here as well. Hope it ends well....
8 years ago

Valfal replied to Peter Van Lom:

Thank you for your comments, Peter. You verify to me that ipernity is the best photo-sharing site on the internet. I hope the leadership gets their inspiration back to fix the problems that need repairing very soon.
8 years ago

Pam J said:

Totally agree with you Val.

I refuse.. and I was always told it was very rude.. to speak of the Funeral before the damned body was DEAD !!!! And yes.. I am also very aware and realistic.

I have been a major party in keeping another site that was "dead and buried" for the past 3+ years... I DO understand the problems .

The payment thing CAN be fixed ,maybe we need to keep telling them about it(I know some have) but a more concerted effort ?

Like you , I discovered the many years of love of this hobby didnt mean I had to be the best at it. People would laugh with me.. help me.. and maybe I would just once in a while be able to give something back.

I have found friends... I have been able to truly enjoy others photos and talents.

I am NOT going to "the funeral" yet.

I have never yet found that walking away solves a problem.. it just makes it alot harder for those who stay and try to make things work.
8 years ago

Valfal replied to Pam J:

Thank you so much for sharing your perspective, Pam! I couldn't agree more with you! Here's hoping that members stay and that the IP team works to correct problems that hinder ipernity's prosperity.
8 years ago

LutzP said:

Like Peter van Lom I came here from Panoramio as a refugee (with more than 100 others) two years ago after having tried and dismissed some other photo sharing sites. And I fully agree with you, Val. This is in my opinion by far the site with the best user interface and a lot of useful options. And I have met a lot of nice and friendly people and gifted photographers here and enjoy the various competitions and active groups. I would really miss that and I do not see any option. Leaving now or refusing to renew the club membership would be counterproductive. I will renew mine definitely next month and cross my fingers. I'm also willing to pay a little more for the service or even sponsor a membership.

It may be worthwhile to establish a group of concerned users to exchange ideas and to get the attention of the team.

Thanks for posting your thoughts, Val.
8 years ago

Valfal said:

Thank you, Lutz, for sharing your perspective! Your idea about establishing a group of concerned members sounds like a great idea. I think Paul (autofantasia) captured the IP team's attention with his elephant photo a few weeks ago. Maybe a group devoted to trouble shooting ipernity's problems will send a more powerful message to the IP team ;-)
8 years ago

Jenny McIntyre said:

As you know I've been away from Ipernity but that is because I've been very ill. I do hope that this doesn't mean that Ipernity is finishing, because I do enjoy the site and have made some wonderful friends on here too. I just wish that I felt better so I can talk to people here and share their stories and photos. I will be back as soon as I can.
8 years ago

Valfal said:

Thanks so much for posting, Jenny; it is so good to see you again! I hope that you heal fast get get your energy back real quick.

I hope ipernity stays with us for a very long time; like you, I have made many friends on this site, and I would hate for our community to get disrupted.
8 years ago

Heidiho said:

Well speaken, Val !
"Where do we go to ...." - this cannot be the question.
We know Flickr, we know Panoramio, we know 500px, we know XYZ.....
all those are no alternative. We have to save this small, kind, familiar Iper community.
And damned, it's so cheap fee .... every lens is more expensive !
8 years ago

Clickity Click said:

Well written Val. If only the team would/could respond to any suggestions that members of ip have to offer it would give us some where to focus our efforts.
8 years ago

Sami Serola (inactiv… said:

Found my way here! =D Saw this on Explored articles ;-) Well said Valerie!
8 years ago

Valfal replied to Sami Serola (inactiv…:

Just came back to this article after a couple of months, I didn't realize it had been on Explore! I never think of Explore for anything but photos! Glad you were able to find this article, though :-))
8 years ago
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