What is going on….. ?

Yesterday I was really stumped by what internet seems to do to people, and decided to dedicate a blog post to it and hopefully give my opinion instead of posting it in all the threads going on online on several social sites and websites alike.

 

For me yesterday had some great news, the magazine “light it” was released, this is an awesome magazine designed for the iPad and released by the Kelby media group, you probably know the guys, they are in my opinion always on the cutting edge of what they do and more than often bring us stuff that is ground breaking and setting the standard for the future. And ok I have to add that I’m a bit biased because I’m one of the instructors for the Kelby media group and I consider a lot of them as personal friends, that’s also why I decided to not post in the threads online but keep it focused for myself in my own blog, but feel free to share this link to others and respond on it on my blog or via the social media I share it on.

So what’s going on that really surprised me (or actually maybe it did not)……

 

The internet took away some of the “humanity” in us…..
You know I love the internet, I love the way we can now connect with each other, I love the way I now get my news and my information. One of the disadvantages and sometimes advantages of the internet is that we are anonymous, meaning we can post stuff without looking people in the eye or letting people know who we are. This is sometimes handy, I’ve been on some chatrooms during a live broadcast were I could just participate as a normal visitor, I also sometimes log in under my real name (which I prefer a lot more but sometimes is just not possible any more 🙁 ) the problem with that is that I was immediately swamped with questions, remarks about my work and questions when I would be a guest on that site… let’s make one thing clear I love that people like my work and I never am afraid to answer questions or participate, but sometimes it’s just nice to be there 100% transparent and act like a normal visitor….

 

That being said, I consider myself as a “real” human, or in other words I always respect people to the fullest, I will never attack someone because I’m protected by anonymity, and that’s how I think the internet should work. It’s great to give comments on a shot without people knowing who you are as long as it’s positive but doesn’t have the “weight” of my name, however some people go the other way….. I know (from the people themselves, yes they confessed it a while ago to me) that some people find an enormous boost in confidence to find some of the better photographers on a site and start “flaming” their shots with remarks that (in my opinion) are often more taste related than any thing else. Let’s take a simple example… you post a shot with an enormous lens flare, but it’s a lens flare that’s supposed to be there and is for most people a great addition to the shot, and after some positive reviews the “troll” does his/her work and post something really negative to the post…. the strange thing is that often after that remark the “mood” in the thread will change and people will start being more and more negative often resulting in a thread that spirals out of control often being way off topic, leaving the topic starter with loads of negativity and a thread that is useless…. I know from some of my students that this kind of behavior takes them away from posting on social media.

 

I strongly believe (and learned this the hard way) that one should build some sort of wall around him/herself to protect themselves from the “trolls”, and to be honest sometimes that’s hard, I’m the kind of person that will get 100 positive reviews and one negative and can only concentrate on the negative one…. yeah I know it sounds weird but I love what I do and I do it with passion and always try to be my best, when people burn that down it simply hurts. I know you can never satisfy 100% of the crowd but it’s just the way some people work 😀

 

But what has this to do with “Light it”?
Yeah I know I sort of lost myself there while on the subject 😀
So yesterday the release of “Light it” was there, I’ve been involved in this project as a writer for some time and I couldn’t wait for it to be released. A magazine with some of the best instructors in one publication is of course unique (most magazines maybe have 2-3 writers I really admire and the rest is “ok”) with “light it” there is so much going on and so much possibilities for the future you just have to be excited. I expected a lot of positive reviews on the magazine and of course some people complaining it’s an iPad only magazine, however what happened REALLY stumped me beyond believe. Almost ALL threads you read on the magazine are not about the content but about the fact it’s an iPad app/magazine and there are responses there that are downwards ridiculous and offensive.

 

Now let’s be frank, I know you are in agony when you don’t own an iPad because this is an awesome magazine, but hey that can be solved. Surf to ebay and you can find several iPads for a lot less than they retail for in the shops, don’t buy it just for the magazine (although it will push some people over) but for all the other photography related stuff, when I taught on Photoshop World almost 99% of the portfolios people showed me were on the iPad so there is a huge crowd using the iPad. But I don’t want this to be an iPad commercial, Apple doesn’t need that I think… which brings us to the next point. The magazine was released on the iPad (I think) because it’s the best platform with a great app store, a HUGE photography user base and a system that simply put just works great for a magazine. That being said I do understand that some people would love to read the magazine on their “other” tablets… and of course one can ask, what’s happening however is that the great news which should have been positive all over has turned in downward attacks on Scott Kelby as a person and the Kelby media group as a company. I saw remarks of people saying they would not subscribe anymore or not buy books any more because they choose to release the magazine as an iPad app/magazine…. come on what’s going on ?

 

I have a problem and I hate the world
People who know me personal know I have a problem, genetics hasn’t been nice to me and left me with a weird combination of being tall and muscular in some parts of my body but also with way too much body fat around my belly area, I sport a lot and my self image is that of a sporter and athletic person… however every day I go shopping for new clothes I’m awaked to the harsh reality that I can better be really fat, or I would have to be really athletic. There are NO clothing manufactures that retail in the normal stores that sell anything that fit me. When I buy the “big” people clothes my pants look ridiculous and make me look incredibly much “bigger” than I am… when I try to buy the clothes that fit everything else but my belly I look like I stepped out of a cheap English comedy show portraying the beer drinking stepbrother showing his bellybutton under a dirty t-shirt….. actually the only brand that really fits me is Reebok, meaning that 99% of my clothing is Reebok (via this blog, thanks Reebok I love you guys).

 

So let’s say I go to a restaurant or club and I really want to buy a shirt from that club.
I go the store and I ask them to have a shirt in my size, their answer is…. “sorry sir, we have S, M, XL, XXL, and XXXL but we’re afraid we don’t have your size”. How would you respond if I would start shouting at the sales person, and leave the restaurant without paying and shouting that I would NEVER ever come back ?
Yeah I know that would be wrong, weird and ridiculous.

 

However with “light it” I feel something similar has happened.
“Light it” was designed to be unique, it has a great user interface, a great system to keep updated in the future, it contains video and has many many possibilities for the future. And they choose to release it for the biggest market that’s there, I don’t have numbers for the photography business but from my own experience I think that IF a photographer uses a tablet the chance is that it’s an iPad, in all the workshops and seminars I teach I’ve seen countless iPads and only 1-2 other brands. So if I had to choose a platform it would have been the iPad.

 

Developing an app is expensive, especially when it’s a custom app.
When you choose a platform you choose the biggest one and the one with the most support. Also they set the pricing of the magazine at a very low $2.99 which is ridiculous value for what you get (remember that they have to give a rather large chunk of that to Apple) so I 100% understand their decision, and even if I did not own an iPad I would still understand it. Of course I would ask for them if there were plans to release it as an android version or whatever platform I would be using, when they would say “No” I would of course be disappointed but not in their decision, just the fact that there is no other version planned, I would still love the information I get for free from them and would just hope that one day it would change or when there were more things that don’t work for my tablet I would switch tablets.

 

Some respect perhaps ?
Yeah I know it sucks when you can’t read the magazine because Kelby media released it on the iPad only.
But do realize that those Kelby guys give you A LOT of free information, “TV” shows, free downloads etc. I once tried to calculate how much time I would need to watch (and read) ALL the materials they release for free that is of interest for me, and ….. well I would have to stop my work, divorce my wife and lock myself up in a room for most of the week there is so much going on that’s for FREE !!! that I really have the utmost respect for a company like this (and this was my opinion way before I joined them as an instructor) and even when I would be totally disappointed by them because I’m on an Android system I would not DARE to attack them the way that is happening now in some threads. It’s just a magazine guys (it’s the sexiest and best out there, but it’s just ONE very small part of what they offer).

 

Maybe that’s the whole problem with todays people… we are spoiled rotten with all the free stuff we get and we feel like we are entitled to everything for free or cheap that if we can’t have something because we personally took a decision to not buy an iPad we just try to destroy or attack the whole company that releases it… in my opinion that’s just not done…..

 

I hardly ever “rant” on my blog, but this is something I really had to ventilate.

 

Feel free to comment, flame me or ignore this blog post, I promise I will start sharing some images/videos again starting tomorrow 😀

 

68 replies
  1. Ian Pollen
    Ian Pollen says:

    Well said Frank, could not agree more!
    By the way I’m typing this on an Android phone 🙂

  2. Frans Geurtsen
    Frans Geurtsen says:

    Being “internet connected” since 1995, I can tell you that this is nothing new. On the internet you can be anyone that you want to be. It is the power and the weakness of the internet. You can focus on people that try to flame you, but wouldn’t that be too much credit for them? And honestly, it’s a waste of your energy. In my ideal world, Light it would have been available for my Windows Phone 7 LOL. But it isn’t. But in my ideal world I would also like to have a Canon 8-500mm 1.2 L IS Lens. So whatever you do, we are not in an ideal world. And people who cannot appriciate what they have / what they get will always be negative. And what is a better way to bash /flame someone when you can hide behind your fake identity on the internet.
    We cannot satisfy everyone so why waste our energy for those who will always be negative.
    (But now I know Frank, if I want your full attention, I have to be the one that gives you a negative remark LOL)

    Just keep up whit the good things that you do.
    (And could you ask Scott if Light It will become available for Windows Phone 7? LOL)

  3. Dboyd
    Dboyd says:

    Frank… I personally LOVE your work (reason I follow your blog) and Scott Kelby and his group… well I can’t say enough about them either as they are a tremendous inspiration to us all.

    Hope my simple comment yesterday didn’t come across the wrong way about wishing there was more than an apple/ipad version (Apple products are kind of non-existent in my area), it was meant simply as “hope they come out with more versions so the rest of us can have a chance to see what’s in it”.

    Knowing the Kelby group the magazine is going to be phenomenal and yes… I immediately tried to see if there was anyway possible to view the first edition without owning a pad… no luck 🙁

    Wishing there were more options available isn’t complaining, it’s letting people know that us “fans” like either the author or publisher so much we wish we had a chance to be part of it… hopefully taken as a compliment (ie. I wish you had a workshop within 1000 miles of where I live so I could go is not to be taken as a complaint, it’s simply a statement of envy for those who have a chance to attend a workshop ).

    Frank… you and Scott Kelby ROCK!!!  Wish there was another way for us people without IPads to have a chance to participate in this new “magazine” and hopefully down the road … 🙂 🙂

    Keep you chin up… and congrats on being part of the leading edge ! 🙂

  4. Dboyd
    Dboyd says:

    Frank… I personally LOVE your work (reason I follow your blog) and Scott Kelby and his group… well I can’t say enough about them either as they are a tremendous inspiration to us all.

    Hope my simple comment yesterday didn’t come across the wrong way about wishing there was more than an apple/ipad version (Apple products are kind of non-existent in my area), it was meant simply as “hope they come out with more versions so the rest of us can have a chance to see what’s in it”.

    Knowing the Kelby group the magazine is going to be phenomenal and yes… I immediately tried to see if there was anyway possible to view the first edition without owning a pad… no luck 🙁

    Wishing there were more options available isn’t complaining, it’s letting people know that us “fans” like either the author or publisher so much we wish we had a chance to be part of it… hopefully taken as a compliment (ie. I wish you had a workshop within 1000 miles of where I live so I could go is not to be taken as a complaint, it’s simply a statement of envy for those who have a chance to attend a workshop ).

    Frank… you and Scott Kelby ROCK!!!  Wish there was another way for us people without IPads to have a chance to participate in this new “magazine” and hopefully down the road … 🙂 🙂

    Keep you chin up… and congrats on being part of the leading edge ! 🙂

  5. Morgana Creely
    Morgana Creely says:

    Well said Frank. It sad that people feel free to attack Scott Kelby and his company because  they don’t get what they what they think they are entitled to. The only good thing about trolls is that they are seriously outnumbered by decent people. It’s just that the decent ones don;t make half as much noise.

    A bit thank you to Scott Kelby and Kelby Media for all the great things they do.
    [I don’t work for them – just appreciate all their hard work :)].

    • Dboyd
      Dboyd says:

      Morgana… I had to do some more reading on google+ and other places to see where this whole idea of “entitlement” comes from and still haven’t found anything about it yet except statements like yours in posts.  Do you have a link(s) to share where all this started?  

      I’d love to see what’s stirring everyone up as all I’ve seen so far are people if/when other versions are coming out… but I know I’m missing something somewhere.  Trolls and entitlements… where are these posts… ???

      Next up I’m heading to Kelby’s blog for some read time…  you guys/gals now have me curious about all this 🙂

    • Dboyd
      Dboyd says:

      ha… k… now I found a couple of those posts on google+ … yea… understand now…  🙁

  6. Phruksaphop Srisuk
    Phruksaphop Srisuk says:

    Totally agreed with you, Frank. You and Kelby rock! I LOVE both of your works– I learned a LOT from Kelby and other instructors from theris books/DVDs. Keep up. I have to go buy Magazine now 😀

  7. Josh Voyles
    Josh Voyles says:

    I’ve not read the negative comments yet, but I suspect people who feel that they need to bash Scott or the media group are not professionals in their craft and actually spend more time with the details than the art. I suppose you could say the Scott Kelby has “sold out” or you could say you don’t like his personality, etc…But bottom line…anyone in the spotlight is going to attract negative attention. I remember when Apple was the underdog and only appealed to “the followers and fanboys.” Now Apple is leading the industry….did anything change? Yes, they got better and more popular. It doesn’t mean they sold out or now they suck.

    Kelby Training/Kelby Media Group is well constructed and constantly evolving. Many issues I’ve had have been addressed and fixed. I enjoy the classes and have learned a lot. I’m actually starting to make money and network better because of it.

    It’s really a shame….and more a shame that the comments are only about the fact that it’s on iPad only and not about the comment. I suspect they haven’t even read the content.

  8. Mark Rayner
    Mark Rayner says:

    Well said Frank. 
    as for the new iPad mag. It absolutely rocks and is chock full of useful information for amateur and professional alike. Well done to all involved 🙂 Keep ’em coming.

  9. Juice
    Juice says:

    Frank, people are saying it’s ridiculous because it’s a close-minded attitude to produce it only for Apple, rather than making it work on other platforms. Kelby is an Apple fanboi, that’s not news to anybody, but it clearly affects his business decisions, and people have every right to point out that it closes off a significant segment of the market.

    As for the comments about it being “free” – for how long? It says the first edition is free.

    • Josh Voyles
      Josh Voyles says:

      Close minded? I don’t think so. Apple holds the market share for tablets. And B, I don’t think Kelby wants to mess with trying to develop across other platforms that are prone to bugs and incompatibilities. I think it’s a smart business decision to stick with something reliable.

    • Juice
      Juice says:

      “Prone to bugs and incompatibilities”. The words of someone who doesn’t actually use one, quite clearly, so why say it? If it’s so impossibly hard, how do so many other companies make it work? It’s not about practicalities with Scott, it’s about pure fanboiism. I’m currently a Kelby Training/NAPP subscriber (although I will probably let it laps when it runs out next year), and it’s incredibly obvious. (We’ve got an iPad2 and an Android tablet in the house, as well as two Android phones and an iPhone. My wife is an Apple consultant in her field. I’d say we have a bit of experience across the various platforms.)

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      So if someone says Apple sucks and you love Apple and they release kick butt material you love, you would still stop reading and viewing their material ?

      I think that’s more fanboys behavior than the other way around 😀

      Now before it looks like I’m attacking you, that’s not the reason (I run a friendly blog and I immensely value my readers and contributors, so please don’t take offense) however it did trigger my memory to a post on I believe G+ where someone indeed said he/she was using PC’s and hated Apple but loved Kelby, but BECAUSE he was aiming towards Apple so much he was quitting NAP…. that almost made me laugh, if it wasn’t that seriously sick…..

      As far as I know “light it” is the ONLY think you can’t use when you don’t have an iPad, ALL the other stuff they put out there works on any device, I even believe that they had a lot of heat from iPad users that Kelbytraining was not working on the iPad while it worked flawless on android phones and tablets 😀

      So that remark on G+ really made me a bit sick in the stomage.

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      By they way I think Josh meant by bugs and incompatibilities the porting of the software. I experienced this myself with my app, which is in fact compared to the magazine VERY simple (but it’s still a cool/great app to have with loads of information) and with the iPad/iPhone customers I have no problem at all, however for Android we already had to make 4 versions changes because on SOME devices it crashed, on SOME devices it didn’t close correctly and on other devices the news didn’t show up correctly…..

      We all know that as soon as more and more companies start using the same devices with little changes it will be prone to problems. There is still after so many years software on windows that doesn’t run on certain hardware configurations.
      So I don’t think Josh meant that Android is flawed but that there can be HUGE problems and HIGH costs with this kind of things for very little revenue and you have to wonder if that would be a good business move for a small market share.

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      I think it’s very clear only the first one was free, and they mentioned something in the press conference that there were options for updates in-between like review editions etc. MAYBE and I say MAYBE (and PLEASE do remember I’m just a writer for the magazine so I don’t know ANYTHING about what I’m now saying) there could be PSW edition, or an edition about a new part of kelbytraining or the company, maybe a special edition about a tour that someone does etc. there are so much options and possibilities. They have it in their own app so they can add whatever they want…. Maybe an advertiser will release a whole magazine for free in their app with information about their products with videos, interviews, tips tricks whatever, the sky is the limit.

      And again I REALLY make this up at the moment, I do think some ideas will appear in the future or at least are possible but I really don’t have more information about it that what’s already out there.

      About Scott being an Apple fan boy.
      I think he is a bit the same as me, I could be considered an Apple fan boy, but I also hate the fact I use Apple…. but let’s be honest it’s just the best stuff out there, it always works, runs for hours, has the best system for software with the least problems and the best apps out there…. and yeah it’s an Apple and my house is filled with Apple stuff at the moment, NOT because it’s Apple no because Apple makes the stuff I need and work with……. call me a fanboy…. well ok…. but for me I will switch to another the system the day it outperforms my MBP, iPad or iPhone.

  10. Andrew Macpherson
    Andrew Macpherson says:

    Well said, I now understand why The Grid went off into commentary on unsolicited criticism last night.

    And yes I’m one of the ” lucky” ones who’s enjoying LightItMag immensely

  11. Chris
    Chris says:

    Bravo Frank … well reasoned, and honest. I just hop all the ‘haters’ out there don’t discourage Scott Kelby from continuing to provide us with fantastic training and information

    BTW, your article … sensational

  12. Jewelzdezine
    Jewelzdezine says:

    Great post Frank. I watched the first 15 minutes of yesterday’s press release (I was at work) and was watching the comments come in on the blog. I was floored! First if “you” were there watching the press release, people must have been interested in the mag or why be there. So why were there people posting negative comments? All I will say is this….my daughter wanted a tablet for her birthday. I searched for something cheaper than the iPad and you know what? There isn’t any worth buying! I got her the first gen iPad for around $350! How can you go wrong? I think those posting negative were just there to do that….be negative. I don’t have time for people like that in my life. 

  13. Hessel
    Hessel says:

    Wel said Frank , i don’t have an ipad but now i have see the trailer i specially buy an ipad for this ( call me crazy or wheird , it doesnt mind me ! )
    I enjoy the kelby training and their instructors , great tips.

  14. Garry Harris
    Garry Harris says:

    Hi Frank,

    That post above is very personal and I commend you for writing it.

    The problem I believe is that you and the great guys over at Kelby are ‘leading or bleeding edge’ whatever you wish to call it and like most things in life people are people and will resent things if they feel excluded.

    You all made it perfectly clear that its a ground breaking magazine designed specifically for the iPad – therefore the ‘flamers’ have no justification for their comments although it doesn’t help much when you read such things.

    I first came across your training videos via the Kelby site and the thing which really struck me was your sense of humor so keep up the good work buddy and laugh in the face of the flamers 😉

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      Oh I will keep my humor don’t worry, I’ve been attacked so much in the past on my work that there were times I almost destroyed my camera 😀 but I stuck with it, some called it “stupid” but I stuck with my vision and feel and in the “end” (I hope beginning) it did work out.

      I do think they are on the cutting/bleeding edge however the choice of the iPad I don’t see as that, it would be if they would release a magazine that would ONLY run on the iPad3 64GB with Verizon a day after it was released…. the penetration of the iPad series is so huge you can almost say that if you own a tablet the change is 99% it’s an iPad when working in Photography

  15. Benamoz
    Benamoz says:

    This is the first time I have ever posted on this blog, but am very familiar with Frank’s work and visit the blog virtually every day. I am not sure what all the fuss is about, I am viewing the new “magazine” on I-tunes. Everything I can do on my I pad, I can view in I-tunes on my pc, or my I-pod works for many things also. I think that there are many “working” photographers who are always going to have a certain bias as it relates to one media type or another, such is the case with Kelby Training. I just renewed my membership with them yesterday as I feel that as far as “bang for your buck goes”, your not going to get much better. I am also a new NAPP member and have discovered the billion or so things to play with on that site also, certainly worth the extra $20.00.

    Unfortunately though we live in a “Sesame Street” society, and it has been set in motion since our youth. We all expect to be constantly entertained and educated and the picture had better change every 15 seconds or so or you will lose half the audience! Its kind of a shame really, but its like the line up at Tim Hortons/McDonalds. I want it HOT, FAST, and with a smile on your face, or I will take my $1.79 somewhere else. Well I say, “take your few bucks and go away”. Anything worth something, cost something and as photographers we know that better than anyone else. We will wait for hours in the rain, or patiently for the perfect light, or watch as a city scape slowly comes together to get “that” shot! Gracious, take what works for you and leave the rest. Take care all.

    Benamoz

  16. Barb Cochran
    Barb Cochran says:

    Amen!  I was totally taken off guard by the negativity of the comments.  It’s an amazing magazine.  Kelby group is amazing! Thanks for a great wake up call to a society that has a tendency to be a bit narcissistic and entitled–with the belief the world revolves for them and around them–only.  That’s not how it works.  We need to adapt to the world around us–not the world change for us.

  17. Daniel Lutz
    Daniel Lutz says:

    Frank, you are so right… The trolls of the internet can ruin some of the best sites. Negativity is contagious it’s that simple, just try to follow some sort of a product review, and product… If one person has a problem its not long before they all have one, one better problem than the last one… Now if something works the word is mum, no one can have fun with trying to bash it further.
    I have not been an earlier adaptor of the iPAD but now that I have one, there is no way I could function without one, it’s my life line when I am away from the computer, the stuff the guys at Kelby produce is nothing short of FANTASTIC!
    And I commend them for making the right choice, I look forward to each and every thing they do, your first article is just scratching the surface of this new and expanding field, how else can anyone get so much information in one publication, from the leaders in the industry, from around the planet.
    So now just a FYI I shoot Canon, I love it, but I can also see that you shoot with a medium format digital, I cannot afford one, but should I bash a bunch of threads of people that do use one and no, I do not, same thing with us and our iPADS people see us with them and are just jealous, I have gear envy… Hell we all do!

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      You know when Apple announced the iPad I was SO disappointed.
      I hoped for a notebook replacement and I got was an extra sized iPhone, pffff.
      Until I bought one… Apple always seems to manage to invent something that we never knew we really needed and can’t life without 😀

      I think that with prices coming down on the iPads second hand when the 3 is released a lot of people will be able to buy and iPad1 for little, and let’s be honest you can always read the magazine on a friends iPad.

  18. Anonymous
    Anonymous says:

    Wow, I had no idea that there would be so many negative reactions to this magazine. I totally agree with you Frank. 

    In a (weird) way it must be flattering that so many people want to read the magazine. But why flame a guy/company for his/their choice to release it for the iPad only? Is it so difficult to just drop a line saying “would you please consider a version for my device”?

    I am not going to pretend I know Scott. I got the opportunity to shake his hand once when he signed one of his books for me, that is all. But reading his blog frequently I did notice that he takes comments seriously. (He wrote a post the other day about how he used input from the evaluation forms of a previous seminar to make his next seminar better/include more things a large audience would like to learn). Maybe he will read the requests and reconsider. Maybe not for the next version, but maybe (some time) in the future. I know I am more willing to give my kids a cookie if they ask nicely rather than when they scream “GIVE ME A COOKIE NOW!”…

    I have to say that I don’t like the magazine… I love it! The setup is great. It works perfectly. The content is great as well. I really enjoyed flipping through it and can’t wait to sit down and read all of it. For a Dutch guy, the price is also very nice! 😉

  19. Miles Smith
    Miles Smith says:

    Frank – love your work and thoroughly enjoyed your workshops at PSW in Orlando. I couldn’t agree more with your post. One point that resonated with me was that so many people feel they are entitled to all this free photographic stuff on the web. It strikes me as ironic that all the photographers who are complaining about clients wanting something for nothing are climbing on the same bandwagon. 

  20. Michael Turcotte
    Michael Turcotte says:

    I have only found one review of the CONTENT of the magazine. There were some small screen shots and discussion about the articles. Looks like a nice magazine. I have been expecting this since the iPad was released.

    It is not Scott’s fault I cannot buy an iPad, even a used one.  So I move on to other stuff.

    To the haters out there, make your own magazine for whatever platform you like.

  21. Rob
    Rob says:

    Of course you know the dutch proverb ‘high trees catch a lot of wind’.
    Obviously you are right and attacking the magazine doesn’t make any sense.

    There’s in my opion to much negativity anyway on the internet in forums and other media. And I agree the anonymity doesn’t influence this kind of behaviour positively.

    I think most readers are doing photography as a hobby/passion. So you expect a more positive atitude and admosphere anyway just because of this. But sometimes when I see certain things on the internet I am doubting this.

    Positive and nice people like you are a good influence on many people !! Thanx

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      What people often forget is that there are people behind the magazine, a company like Kelby media group is just that, I never ever worked with a group of people before that are so kind, and passionate about what they do, attacking them is totally different than for example Apple, don’t get me wrong I LOVE Apple but that company is the total opposite of KMG for example I think they couldn’t care less about critiques and probably see it as a “Well ok we heard, yeah we don’t like critique, but hey adapt and you will learn to love it” and to be honest often we do 😀

      What I find so interesting about KMG is that they hear critiques (if there are any) and immediately jump to change it, I think they customer support department is one of the best to work because they are probably relaxed as can be, opposite to Apple where the customer support will have to say, “sorry life with it we’re not gonna change a thing”.

      So that’s why I did the blog post, I know a bit of the inside of KMG and as mentioned those are REAL people and I think for some of them that worked with passion and soul on this image it really really hurts that the majority of the threads were spiraling into negativity only because it’s an iPad app.

  22. Mark Vickers
    Mark Vickers says:

    Great post as always Frank. Anonymity on the internet is a double edged sword, it allows people to speak out on injustice and other issues they might not otherwise be able to. On the other side it allows people to be assholes. As for the magazine it looks good and I have high hopes for it. I have been looking for a good mag more centered around lighting, and knowing someone with your skill is involved makes it all the more appealing.

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      You will just LOVE future editions, I know my articles are growing into something I never did before to be honest, I’ve been given a lot of freedom and every time I check if I did not make it too long or too technical and they love it, so I keep upping the ante 😀

  23. Anonymous
    Anonymous says:

    I have no Ipad, I love Kelby Training, and Kelby Media Group, and personally think they are a fine lot.  I may buy an Ipad someday, maybe not.  Their decision, is exactly that, their decision.  Sure I’d like to see “Light It” and give it a read and I will if I should ever buy an Ipad.  I do not fault them one bit for releasing it as an Ipad thing that doesn’t work with anything else, but I must say that this post is very enlightening as I was beginning to think that I was the only human left who DOESN”T own an Ipad 🙂  Nice to know I’m not as alone as I thought.

  24. Anthony Byron
    Anthony Byron says:

    its everywhere now its very hard to escape. I try to always ask myself would i say this if the person was standing infront of me. Or hwo would teh entire conversation and discussion go.

    should see the slander and bickering going on over the new sony camera release info and the new nikon cameras. its terrible.

    its liek people just can have a ” normal ” conversation ”

  25. james lynch
    james lynch says:

    Hi Frank,

     

    Love your work! Love the post. You said you didn’t have
    the numbers, I work for a company who make accessories for the PC and tablet
    markets so I’m somewhat famiar with the stats..

     

    A quick search shows that as of June of this year that the iPad is currently the dominant tablet device across all geographies, contributing more than 89 percent of tablet traffic across all markets.

    http://m.pluggd.in/non-pc-devices-internet-usage-statistics-297/?maneref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ie%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dstatistics%2Bfor%2BiPad%2Btablet%2Bnetwork%2Btraffic%2Bus%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari

     

    Lot more info there and you can look at stats from
    Gartner and IDC for a more formal report

    it’s unfortunate that it is such work to develop an app for multiple platforms, because that what this is, an app, it’s more than a magazine, it’s more than words and pictures… 

     

    Keep up the great work

     

    James

  26. Steve Trupiano
    Steve Trupiano says:

    Well said Frank!
         I must admit I was one that was vocal about my dissapointment of the i-pad format. I don’t currently own one and don’t plan on it (maybe if I saw one I would change my mind). Kelby training does a wonderful job and has always been at the forefront of bringing us top notch photography media. My frustration evolves around the issue that so much of their concentration seems to revolve around i-stuff. As an almost everyday viewer of the Kelby training videos, my frustration grows as now I can’t even view the training on ie8 without downloading a different browser. My wish for Kelby training is that they take a step back, get their current ducks in a row then move forward. For now,”Light It” is just another great media that I have to miss. 

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      uhu, so we won’t find a:
      PS3, Xbox, Nintendo, PC, Mac, iPhone, HTC, Windows7 phone etc. etc. at your place.

      Because they ALL dictate what you can use on it.
      In other words if you own a PS3 you can’t play Xbox games, but if you own a Xbox you can’t play PS3 games.

      If this is true what you write, you can’t use ANY electronics……

    • Gianmarco Mongardi
      Gianmarco Mongardi says:

      That is incorrect PS3, Xbox, Nintendo, PC, Mac, iPhone, HTC, Windows7 phone all use proprietary formats on the other hand if I decided to create a flash app for use on the windows 7 phone I doubt that anybody would complain ;), by the way what happened to my previous post….it disappeared!

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      Weird, I never delete something so I really don’t know.
      Sorry, must have gone something wrong.

      I know what you mean, don’t worry but like so many people overreact I thought let’s give a reply that’s over reacted 😀

    • Gianmarco Mongardi
      Gianmarco Mongardi says:

      No problem I thought that was it strange…Anyway I was only complaining about the magazine being Ipad only 😀 , Personally I do not read anything on tablets be that an Ipad or a Android….they are just to dam small, but I do read 90% of the magazines that I buy in digital format, on my 23 inch monitor! I guess the Kelby one will not be one of them, what a pity I think I would have loved it.
      As for the insults I do not condone them, nor do I like being called a whiner by Scott ether!
      I grew as a professional in the service industry where the first rule you learn is that the client is always right….even when he is wrong| With all the complaints that Kelby is receiving……..well you draw your own conclusions

  27. Jan Van Steen
    Jan Van Steen says:

    I saw the promotion video from Kelby and the app looks awesome!
     
    I’m disappointed that I can’t run the app, because I own an android tablet. But hey, there are still dozens of books, online courses and DVD’s from Kelbytraining I can get. As you mentioned, there is also a huge amount of free stuff here on this blog and other blogs. So I think all the negative critique is inappropriate. People always want what they can’t have…
     
    Nevertheless, when you see the amount of critique, it’s clear they underestimated the amount of photographers who use android systems in stead of the iPad!
    But still, no one can deny the iPad is currently the best system for this kind of apps and we should be glad Kelby took the first step to develop a unique photography magazine/app that fully supports the benefits of a tablet. Pioneers often get criticized, but it’s them who contribute to progression.
     
    So don’t pay too much attention to it and enjoy the new app 🙂

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      I think most people don’t use android tablets, but use an Android phone or a mac or a PC, and I even think some people don’t use any and are just there to put more oil on the fire. And some will probably own an iPad but just love to “fight” 😀

  28. Gary W. Clark
    Gary W. Clark says:

    Frank, It was Kelby’s treatment of the Android users.  Scott and RC made comments that mocked them, that were belittling and condescending.  Their arrogance led me to cancel my KelbyTraining subscription and cancel my trip to photoshop world.  I will not deal with companies that talk to their customers like this.

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      Hi,
      Trust me their reaction was probably based on the enormous amount of ungroudend remarks and attacks they got and nothing personal.

      I know both Scott and RC and haven’t yet met people that are more nice and respectful to other people, I think something just snapped and they responded that way to the “trolls” and some people got probably got in the crossfire.

      Really I can’t imaging Scott or RC to attack people like you experienced. So please come to PSW and enjoy kelbytraining again, otherwise I have to miss you at PSW. I think this will blow over and the dust will settle soon, it’s I think a lot of frustration from a few sides mostly fired up by some real trolls and some people meaning well got caught in the crossfire but it can never be personal.

      I know the feeling all too well but also think from their side, it’s spun totally out of control on some threads with shouting and attacking KMG in a ridiculous way and I think at one point they just thought “ok we’ll play and respond back in a more cynical way” or in other words at some time you just stop explaining the same thing over and over again.

      I don’t choose sides, please don’t misunderstand, however because I know them personally and knows what makes thick I know 100% sure they will NEVER ever mean harm to someone.

      Hope this eases it somewhat, because let’s be honest PSW rocks !!!!

  29. Chris Rowe
    Chris Rowe says:

    I just think that these days more and more people have come to subscribe to the modified Heliocentric view of the universe where they are actually at the centre of everything and the entire celestial sphere should revolve around them. Anyone doing anything contrary to this view e.g. deciding to only make an app for a format they don’t own should immediately be branded a heretic and be burned at the forum.

    Do I have an iPad? No. Am I going to buy one? No. Am I disappointed that the magazine is only available to the iPad? No.

    Maybe a little.

    It’s hardly the end of civilisation as we know it though is it FGS! Suck it up and move on to, oh I don’t know, the other 1.5 BAGILLION other photography sources out there.

    If you handed out free back rubs and ice-cream someone would complain…..

     

  30. dchalfy
    dchalfy says:

    Dear Frank,
    I have admired your work moreover, you as a person for the last three or
    four years that I became aware of you via Kelby Training and the Kelby Media Group. I am a frequent visitor to your web site and have a high degree of respect for you and your willingness to give of yourself in
    sharing your knowledge with other photographers. I truly hope to have the privilege of meeting you someday. For you, “The Doorhof is Always Open” is indeed, a away of life and I thank you for that.

    I just read this post and although it is three years old, it still have a lot of validity present day. Haters are gonna hate and flamers are gonna flame. It is frustrating and disappointing for those of us that don’t own iPads not to have access to “light it” however, there are many other ways to access the same type of information in abundance over the internet and current books on photography. I believe the Kelby Group made the right decision for them and if it doesn’t sit well with people, either get over it , or purchase an iPad. I tend to agree with Chris Rowe’s assertion of many people subscribing to a type of heliocentric way of life and I see it in the younger classmates of mine in college, as well as other teenagers I encounter. The terms “work for it” and “earn it” seem to be an strange concept to them. These days, many people seem to expect something for nothing, including higher education. It is shocking to me that one and a half semesters into their degree programs and students still don’t know where to point their light meters, or how to efficiently operate their cameras. There is an expectation for the instructor to do it for them (or me, since I am older). Sorry for the rant, but your very well written article has struck a nerve with me in the same way it made you feel.

    On a different subject, I recently purchased your book “Mastering the Model Shoot.” What a wonderfully written guide to the very things I need to learn more about regarding how to work with professional models, as well as coaching clients I photograph.

    Kind Regards,

    Don

    • Frank Doorhof
      Frank Doorhof says:

      Thanks, it’s indeed an older post but still so incredible up to date also 😀
      It’s a shame, I love it when something is free and if I can’t watch it or use it… well it’s something I have to work on 😀

      Thanks for the remark about my book, glad you enjoyed it.
      Spread the word 😀

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