[John B.]

It's nice to be able to block some members. I had to do that with a man on another forum after I commented on a photo. The photo showed a winding stream. The exposure was a slow one to make the water look like it was running but in my opinion it was overdone because it didn't look like water, more like a milky cloud. I was positive in my comment but said it was a bit too milky for my taste.

Another man chipped in and said "It's the current trend in photography, and you need to accept it." I said it just isn't to my taste, and I don't accept it. From there it went downhill as he quoted a magazine to which he subscribed.

I said I don't follow magazine dictates but make my own judgments and create my photos to my taste. Then came the nasty part: "Your opinion isn't relevant, you need to go with the current trend." That got me fired up but I kept my cool and said I will still choose to go with what I like. That made him even worse. Then another member sent me a private message. He had seen all my comments but had the other man blocked. He unblocked him so he could see what was being said.

After a few more exchanges between us, I decided to block him, too. His arrogance and know-it-all attitude was more than I could bear. A while later, though, I unblocked him to give him another chance. Then I saw him going off at somebody else, so he went back to the blocked list again.

When somebody tells me my opinion doesn't matter (even concerning my own photos) and that I need to go by what one magazine dictates, it's time to put that person out of my life. I will comment on other people's photos but I try to keep it friendly, watching my words so as to not cause offense but at the same time offer constructive comments. Unfortunately, those nasty critics who don't post their own photos, haunt every photo forum I've seen. I'm new here and have yet to see those kind of people, and I hope I don't.