Is Your FB Group Friendly?

Photo of photographers on June 1st Toronto Photo Walks group

I am a co-administer one FaceBook group (The Bronte Astronomer) and I am a member of a whole bunch more private and public FaceBook groups on a wide variety of subjects where I carefully publish some photos and offer comments and encouragement (especially on the sites for new photographers).

A lot of the public groups remind me of the Mad Max movies. Post a photo there and be prepared to be publicly eviscerated. Doesn’t matter how perfect the shot there will be someone who thinks they should offer you their opinion of how they would have shot it.

Also all groups have rules and ways of doing things. Some groups I swear are run my former public school teachers who won’t hesitate to verbally slap you over your knuckles with a wooden ruler if you step out of line. It can be hilarious to witness.

If you’re shooting images that might be controversial such as protest shots or gay-positive images or politically inclined images be prepared to be on the receiving end of some pretty horrible (and often illegal in western countries) language and accusations.

While most private groups aren’t really private when they have thousands of members but curated by self-appointed administrators who if you’re lucky are benevolent dictators when it comes to “their” rules, I find it best to open your own gallery where you can control who sees what and who gets to post a photo or a comment.

Photography should be fun and nobody has the right to tell you what to shoot and how to shoot it.