Locking a thread for sharing pics?

[Tash]

Hi guys - just thought I'd throw it out there....
I wanted to share some pics here of some work I just did - but I have yet to watermark them, so it started me thinking about a secure thread so we know we are only sharing with each other and not the Lurkers so much? This would only be for us sharing and not for when people ask for design help.
It was just a thought so if you disagree - please say so...
It just seems people lifting other peoples images is getting to be more and more of a problem of late, and if there was a secure place here to share it might make people feel more inclined to share their professional shots of their work.
Maybe I'm just getting more and more paranoid in my old age...lol

- sorry I have just realised this post is in the wrong place, but I had the page open to post my pics and then decided to post this instead.

[Mandi from Tazzie]

I think that's a great idea Tash a safe place to share... hope Metina see's this would like to hear her take on it.

[nancy!]

i agree with you Tash. not that i think my newbie work is worth to use for others, but i often decide not to post pictures because i don't want kids to be seen by anyone anonymous.

[AUSSIE3070]

Tash - I understand where you're coming from . .. can I ask you to clarify:

- is this because you don't want people to be able to cut and paste and use your image or store your image?
- is it for the purpose of getting advice and you wouldn't want your idea used? Or would you still be ok for people to "use your images as inspiration"

It would be good to make absolutley clear what is and isn't ok....If you haven't already it's worth presenting to Metina as an idea. good luck

[Tash]

No Aussie - I'm very happy for all FPF members to save anything I paint into inspiration files for themselves to paint, I'm very flattered when anyone finds anything I do inspiring.... lol
I just know there are a lot of lurkers here, people who don't actually sign in who come here and gleam a lot of information and ideas from us, and even worse some people who have gotten images from here and used them on their own site. Most of my pictures aren't of anything too special to me but a lot of us have started recently taking some more professional shots of our work and I would hate for these to be used by someone else.
Even watermarks don't stop people taking them.
It's not even just for myself so much as I think we have some really fantastic seasoned artists here that are kind enough to share their work with us and would like to see it safe.....
as well as it being motivation for the people to actually sign up.
....... now if I could only get the 100's of others who are signed up but don't speak up to speak... then life would be perfect! hahaha
I thought I would ask what other forum members thought before asking Metina.

[JBM]

I think it's a really good idea. I don't flatter myself that my efforts are worth stealing - hopefully one day! But I think that it would be nice to have a place just for forum members to share as there seems to be a pretty tight core group and it sorta seems weird that lurkers and randoms can just cruise the pages. Imagine being at a dinner party and not saying a word to anyone? I sometimes think lurking is a bit like that. I've only been painting since October but joining in, piping up and sharing on the forum is the no 1 way I progressed.

[IamGinaW]

Great idea. Most of the forum is open for anyone on the Internet (and the search engines) to see. This is a good thing for us most of the time because it helps with our website rankings as well as the ranking for this site. ...but there are some things I'd rather keep to just forum members.

[Laurie Shoultz]

Hi Tash,

First I want to thank you so much for all the inspiration I have gotten from you and others on the forum. I did lurk myself for a few months before I joined, and would certainly have joined much faster if that was the only way to gain all of the treasures to be found on the forum. So I think thats a great idea.

I paint at a flea market every weekend, just got cards made, and I'm still a little scared to do parties. I have to say a lot of my inspiration has come from the forum. I have been educated on the ethical side of face painting. I went out for the first few weekends with absolutely no examples. I waited until I had my own examples before I was able to make my display books and boards (which I learned how to do here on the forum). While at the flea market, I have met quite a few face painters who use other peoples photos. I have encouraged them to take their own. We are trying to arrange a jam at a park to paint and take photos (I have also seen examples of release forms on the forum).

I love face painting, I am totally addicted and dedicated to becoming better. This site is precious. I am so grateful for Metina and all who contribute. I am confident that what ever comes of this thread, yet another person will understand how much integrity matters to becoming a professional face/body painter.

I can't wait to see your new ideas. I am going to try to post my work this week. I'm kinda technically lacking. Thanks to everyone who contributes.

[SuzySparkles]

If we lock a thread it just means that nobody else can comment on it. You can actually still see your picture though, right click and save. There is a member on here... I think it is Punky, who saves her picture in such a way that if you try to print it out or something like that, that is makes the image look crappy... I know I have a inspiration book of printed out images and hers always look crappy, lol!! Perhaps you could ask her how she does that.

[MonsterKat]

I know I have seen in other forums (a parenting one for example!) where there is a section where only members with 10+ (or 20+ ect.) posts can view the threads so that there is a good chance that no 'lurkers' can view the posts so if members wanted to post personal pics (or ones with their kids for another example, or even job info ect.?) then it may be more safe?

[Metina]

The only distiction I can make in the threads is members vs. non-members. There are loads of members who still lurk and don't post so I don't think there is much I can do.

How can we help you with the watermark thing? I have photoshop elements which was only about $100 and it does one fine.

What programs do you have access to so that we can offer you some advice?

-Metina

[IamGinaW]

If we lock a thread it just means that nobody else can comment on it. You can actually still see your picture though, right click and save. There is a member on here...

I think she means make a private forum (like the "Where's the Beef" forum) that is not visible unless you are logged in as a member. She used the term "lock" to mean set to private.

Metina, I know that a lot of members don't post and are still "lurkers" but I would feel a little better about one forum that was not open to the entire Internet, if you know what I mean.

I know in most phpBB forums there is a way to make a forum only open to members with a certain amount of posts. Let me know if you want help with that. I've run a forum like that before.

[JBax]

If it's not possible here, You can create a facebook album and restrict who gets to see it. I block my bodypainting from my co-worker friends like that (long story). You could set up a friends list and make an album only viewable by folks on the list.

[Tash]

I got my man to watermark them for me with photoshop.... it's just a pain to do, so it got me thinking about perhaps having a "professional shots" thread that was locked to only members... but as Metina has so kindly pointed out there really is no difference between the people that don't sign up and the people that do but stay lurking..... except they can read the 'Beef' thread.

It was just a thought..... I completely understand it's not doable.
It won't stop me posting here.... love this place too much!
xx

[Guest]

Watermarking is actually not that hard - I do it in MS PictureIt.

It is work to mark ALL your photos, sure, but if you are going to post them anywhere it is just something that needs doing.

[AUSSIE3070]

I would hate to see people having to go to other places such as "Facebook" and lose the correspondence that happens here! As Tash said, that would be sad as she loves it here too.

I guess Metina could make it so that only Members can see anything - but as Metina said . . . it won't stop Member Lurking . . . it was worth the discussion Tash - thanks for bringing it up.

[AngieAnders]

I would love to see a more restricted section of the forum. I'd really really love it. I think it would be great if there was a section that only members who've posted a certain amount of posts could access, so that those who can get in are known to us or have a history here on the forum.

It could be called "The Pros Forum" or "The Secret Cave" or something similar...

[wmeventservices]

I love this idea!

[Tash]

hmmmm - I'm starting to wonder how many of us would pay a membership to Metina for having our own little " Secret cave".
There is a very close net group of us on here that love sharing with each other..... I know I would happily pay $20-$50 a year to be a member of this group... or more considering what I get out of it is literally priceless.... and considering all the prizes she gives away on comps and things I'm sure she could put this membership money to good use....
It won't be long before this place is literally the best place to get information on Face painting anywhere on the net..... if it's not already.... and that's gotta be worth something!

I would be worried that we might decide to stop sharing outside of the thread.... but I would think our inherent need to help others would mean we would always offer help and share designs.

[Guest]

Well... I would not pay. If it isn't free access then I can't be bothered. I don't pay for anything on the internet (I do not shop on the computer and I don't use paypal or anything like it either).

The purposes of forums and chats, I thought, was free sharing and interaction. Yes there are lurkers, users, and idiots everywhere, but mostly it is good.

Most forums have "members only" areas. I think this is enough of a segregation. If you want to be exclusive you could, for example, open a Google Group by invitation only - it has been done before, and I'm sure will be again.

IMO - if you don't want to share with everyone and anyone, don't post it.

[Tash]

yeah it's the 'and anyyone' bit that gives me trepidation....
but fair enough.... it wouldn't work without you Shannon! lol
I agree that forums are for what you thought...... but to me this forum is so much more then that.... it really is priceless and I would feel quite lost without all the lovely people here.... so to me it's worth it......
I guess we could give you a membership as a present?.....lol

Did you not pay for your Domain name? Website? and things of that nature on the net?
Just curious.

[Metina]

I will look into if there is a way to allow only members with certain numbers of posts into a section. I think that is a great idea and no I would NEVER charge!

If this is possible, how many posts would you say 100, 500? Not being a smarty pants, just really want to know. It seems all on this thread are over 1,000.

-Metina

[JENDZS]

Just my 2 cents - As a relatively new member, with 2 jobs, 5 children, 2 dogs and a husband, it would take me years to get to 1000 posts! I certainly don't want to be known as just a lurker, but there are times when I come on the forum and have time to just look and "be in awe" of all the great artwork! I would love to take the time to comment on each one, but other than to say "WOW" I feel as though I don't have much to offer.

I am part of the forum to learn - and let me tell you, I have learned a lot and wish I was in the position to teach others, but I'm not there yet.

All that to say that even though I have less than 100 posts, I am not here to just take...if I have something to "give" I absolutely will!

-Jen

[Tash]

Thank-you for chiming in Jen.... it's really important we consider all the members... whether you have 1000 or 10 at least it shows you are chiming in when you can and that counts for a lot.
We have on last look 3633 users... the most people online at one time was 102 and about 37 here online now as I'm writing this... 13 registered, 23 Guests, 1 hidden ( ?) and 2 bots...... so at any one time there seems to be more strangers then locals and the percentage of people that actualy post out of the 13 registered is probably around 10%... the last post I made with pics had over 100 views in one day and 13 posts...

I'm so grateful for people like yourself who decide they might not have too much to contribute but decide to speak up anyway and let us know you are there........ when I fist came here I felt the same as you.... but as I chatted away I learnt things and now am able to pass them on!

Metina I"m thinking by 50 to 100 posts we should know this person pretty well no?
I know we all have over 1000 but that's cause we are gasbags! hahaha
IDK what does everyone else think?
Thanks so much Metina for taking this idea on board - at least to suss out if there is a way or not.
x

[bkchappie]

I am coming out of LURKDOM! I dont post because I dont have a camera and I am really not computer savvy (but I do try to learn). As another new member stated we have learned etiquitte, would never use someone's work as our own on display, enjoy looking at others artwork and copying it and making it our own. I thought the purpose of this forum was to exchange ideas whether or not we are part of the usual group of posters. This sounds very clickish,like high school, and me and many other good people/painters will be excluded. Also the purpose is to promote the shop, where I do buy my paints and supplies.
As for posting pics with your children, I agree they need to be protected.Maybe, we all can find a solution together.
bkchappie the Lurker

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