Passion-4-Pixels shutting up shop (not now)

[Wazza999]

Just got a message that P-4-P is closing down, the site was my intro to web photography forums back in 2003 when it was associated with the MCC, so it's sad to see it close. Must admit I've been inactive in all photography forums but always thought I'd get back. Ah-well thank goodness Ausphotography seems to be going strong. Must be a time consuming business being a site administrator. I tips me hat too all involved in such sites, I edit my camera club newsletter and that's about all I can manage!
Regards Wazza

[ricktas]

If this is true then it is sad to see a great Australian forum disappearing. P4P is regarded as an 'institution' by many and has been around in one form or another (it started life as an off-shoot of the Melbourne Camera Club), for quite a long time.

[Kym]

They have been struggling for a while. Quite sad.

[jjphoto]

If this is true then it is sad to see a great Australian forum disappearing. P4P is regarded as an 'institution' by many and has been around in one form or another (it started life as an off-shoot of the Melbourne Camera Club), for quite a long time.

Yes, it started with the MCC but not sure which year. It's interesting that some forums prosper, grow, whilst others diminish and ultimately vanish. I have no knowledge of forum psychology but the P4P forum was quite popular whilst it was with MCC and I was certainly an active member at the time.

I know of another forum which was very busy and popular for a time, an automotive photography forum, but is virtually dead these days (members have simply drifted elsewhere rather than dissapeared altogether). I wonder what makes one forum work and another, well, not?

JJ

[jjphoto]

finger fault

[dbax]

yeah P4P has been around for a while, I don't think it ever really recovered from some "troubles" a few years ago.

[Speedway]

I have been member of P4P for quite a few years and found this site through them, while sad to see it go the writing had been on the wall for some time. After Peter took over the site a large number of people seemed to blame him for the problems the site had been going through, but the fact was the MCC didn't want it anymore and Peter rescued it but it never fully recovered. I for one am very sorry to see it go.
Keith.

[kiwi]

Yes, it started with the MCC but not sure which year. It's interesting that some forums prosper, grow, whilst others diminish and ultimately vanish. I have no knowledge of forum psychology but the P4P forum was quite popular whilst it was with MCC and I was certainly an active member at the time.

I know of another forum which was very busy and popular for a time, an automotive photography forum, but is virtually dead these days (members have simply drifted elsewhere rather than dissapeared altogether). I wonder what makes one forum work and another, well, not?

JJ

To answer your question, I think its the maintaining of posting activity of the moderation team and you need about 20 others that post lots that makes the most difference

[Fantasyphoto]

The driving force behind P4P was Kevin Power of the MCC, unfortunately Kevin had to stand down from P4P due to health and personal reasons around 4 years ago and the site was then saved by the current owner, Peter.

Due to some mis information, Peter was blamed by some for Kevin's departure which was not true and many members left the site as a consequence.

Sadly Kevin Power passed away around a year ago as a result of his illness.

[bobt]

yeah P4P has been around for a while, I don't think it ever really recovered from some "troubles" a few years ago.

It didn't. Unfortunately a once excellent site, it effectively started decaying once Kevin left (which was a rather odd circumstance in itself). It was taken over with the intention of making it a money spinner, which was never going to happen, and the inevitable rot set in due to a number of inappropriate decisions and philosophies. The end was predictable, inevitable and a waste of a once fabulous site. I spent a lot of enjoyable times there in years gone by, and still miss it. It once had the sort of atmosphere money can't buy, and felt like "home".

[Tannin]

Oh dear. What a shame to see it go.

[Speedway]

Bob T firstly I wouldn't call cancer rather odd circumstances and it was never taken over as a money making exercise unless you call trying to save the site that. It’s a pity that Kevin never revealed his reason for dropping it as this would have taken away you and others reason for knocking Peter for trying to save the site and maybe it would still be the great site it once was.
As for the inappropriate decisions would that have anything to do with the post you made that Peter removed as inappropriate and you continued the argument till you finally quit the site because peter would not back down to the relief of a number of members.
Keith.
PS the decision to close the site is still not final.

[ricktas]

Please do not bring animosity between P4P members onto AP. Feel free to discuss P4P and the wonderful site it is/was, but I see no benefit to denigrating the site, the owners(any of them) or any issues that have/have been perceived to occur on P4P.

I will remove any future posts that are comments that denigrate anyone, Kevin, the MCC, Peter, or any members

[bobt]

Bob T firstly I wouldn't call cancer rather odd circumstances and it was never taken over as a money making exercise unless you call trying to save the site that. It’s a pity that Kevin never revealed his reason for dropping it

Of course I would never consider cancer to be an "odd circumstance" and it is provocative to suggest that I would. Anyone's cancer is a sad thing, and until reading this thread I was totally unaware of Kevin's situation. Whilst I could quite readily substantiate my views about the site's demise, that would be somewhat pointless. It is perhaps an indication of how pivotal one person's influence can be when the passing of one person can have such a dramatic influence on a whole community. Perhaps someone will emerge who can re-create the site, but it needs to be someone whose overall abilities embrace a wide range of technical and interpersonal skills. Such individuals are sometimes thin on the ground.

[Kym]

Some have received an email from Peter @ P4P yesterday that it will continue albeit with reduced galleries and no competitions (no comps til next year).

The email also explains a bit about what happened in the past (and hopefully clears up some misconceptions) and notes the passing of Kevin Powers last year (RIP).

We normally don't discuss or promote other forums on AP, but this thread was based on two emails from P4P (one in May and one yesterday).

Each forum has its own culture and philosophy, and as a result people's needs may be met differently.

We wish Peter success with P4P. :th3:

[ricktas]

Having read that email this morning, I too (as always) wish Peter every success with the site. I see no positive in actively and publicly making negative statements (or generally allowing them to appear on AP) about any other photography forum and the way it is run. Each of the forums has its own style, rules and members. Certainly there are cross-overs between members, posts, etc. But every one of these sites brings something for its members and offers them what they want. If one of the forums doesn't suit someone, move to another. Dragging dirty laundry up on one forum about another, or something that happened on another is not valuable to either site.

I wish Peter every success.

[Peter_AUS]

Thanks everyone for your well wishes, and yes the site is staying around.

P4P started back in 2001 as far as I know was a yahoo group at first and then moved to a website through Gary who was associated with The Melbourne Camera Club but as far as I know wasn't really connected to them as an official site of theirs. It was run freely by the benevolence of Gary who used a computer that was left over from something he did for a company. The hardware over time became old, unstable and the software running on it, was never updated from when it basically was first installed apart from minor adjustments to the gallery for competition purposes. When I came along at the request of Kevin himself, I think he picked up other members from other sites and invited them to join, I noticed that the software was very old. Offered my services to try and assist him, I joined I think in late 2005. Over the period of time between 2005 and 2007, I had not a lot of dealings with Kevin and had approached him about updating the server. I received vague replies and at times none, thinking that he must be travelling etc. with his job or photography, not knowing him well, really I had no idea.

Mid 2007 things with the computer had gotten to a point where I was sitting watching it stopping and having to restart the server, every 10-20 mins for 12 hrs a day just to keep in going, and basically in June 2007 I had had enough of it.

In September 2007 The Melbourne Camera Club approached me at direction I believe of Kevin as being interested in keeping the site going, which I was, an agreement was reached and the rest is history really. After that time, I heard from Kevin maybe once wishing me all the best and that was the last I heard until early last year I was made aware of his illness.

Did I try and make the site pay for itself, yes I did, has it, no it hasn't and all the time doing so on a part disability pension as well, which basically paid for the site to run and my own access to it from home.

There was never any malice against Kevin from me, nor was there any intention to do so, but there was and still are a group of individuals that want to believe differently and always will. There has ever only been two people who had their accounts terminated in all the time I have been associated with P4P, apart from the spam registrations that all websites get, I am sure Rick and Kym can attest to that fact with the membership here. I elect to keep a restrictive hold on the membership, as I have found that works best for me dealing with the running of the site, which I do the majority of myself.

I hope that clears up some misconceptions about the past. For now P4P will stay and continue on as an informational and helpful site to those that want to be associated with it.

Like Rick I don't malign any other sites or people on P4P as I don't feel that does any site well if they do.

Good luck Rick hope that the site remains stable with your tweaking and movements.