Hi All

Thoughts on being a deviant

I have been hanging around this site for over two years now and I have spotted a number of different types of deviants who engage with this site in different ways and want different things from it. I created this list about this time last year and now its time for an update with my newer observations.

I list some of the types I have observed below in what is hopefully a comedic fashion.

I am one or more of these myself. So don’t get all huffy with me because I’ve been a bit rude as I am being equally rude about myself as I am you.

Oh…. And obviously I am biased towards photography.

Professors of Photography - Deviants who feel the need to tell you that your work shares similar themes and styles to the work of Ansel Adams/Edward Weston/Philip-Lorca diCorcia and any other famous photographers name they can conjure up. These types of deviants are also recognizable by their unfortunate habit of always being right about things. A trait which in itself can bring on sudden bouts of verbal or even bloody violence.

Wannabe Picture Editors - Ever opened a news article expecting to see some news but only found a themed collection of images. Ever come across a journal that has so many thumbnails embedded in it that it takes 4 weeks to load up on your screen. Do you receive regular comments from people who have nothing in their galleries but have a favourites folder stuffed to the rim full of everything they have ever encountered.

The False Gods of Photography - Deviants who have read far too many photography magazines and now have a great theoretical knowledge. However actually putting that knowledge into practice seems to have escaped them as they are far too busy telling other people how poor their work is and how much better it would have been if the camera had been moved 4 millimeters to the left and you had jumped 16 foot into the air in order to get the best composition. False Gods can also be recognized by their unnatural fear of noise and their frequent ability to be very rude indeed.

Hyperactive Admirers - Deviants who just can’t help clicking on that icon and telling you how marvelous you are and how great your photography is… (My watch list needs more of these )

Gadget Freaks - Deviants who send all their money to www-photographygear.com in exchange for small bits of plastic they can attach to their cameras. For some it’s more about how well they can pack their gear into their kit bags than the actual activity of taking photographs. You know who you are people and your credit card companies love you.

The T3000 Comment Creator - Do you ever find yourself writing the same comment over and over again… Like some deranged machine that has only been programmed with a few stock phrases… ’Great work bud’…. ‘Fantastic composition’…. ‘Awesome’…. ‘ ’…. ‘Kill them, Kill them All’…. ‘Ctrl-Alt/Delete’ What do these comments really mean?

The l33t Brigade - I iz in ur gallery liking teh art ^-^

The Number Junkies – Deviants who put far too much energy in increasing their number of page views and then deny doing so in as many journal and forum threads as they can find so people can come visit their galleries to express their agreement and push those views up even more. If you keep clicking on the refresh button and publishing pointless journals then your a number junkie. Just deal with it.

Mad Cat Mary’s - It is a proven scientific fact that your kitten is only cute to you and sharing photographs of it with others will only invokes their rage. This is also true for puppies, babies and bah mitzvahs .

Self Doubters - Deviants who create and post the most amazing photographs and never agree when others compliment them. To some this is a worthy personality trait as it’s a sign of modesty. But for those of us who have to work hard in order to create something near decent, it’s bloody annoying and a very similar experience to having your nose rubbed into something soft and smelly.

Porn Stars - Because it’s between your legs does not mean we all want to see it. There is nothing wrong with a good nude…. But being draped across the sofa with your beaver on show is actually porn. Unless the sofa is a rather well upholstered chez lounge and the beaver is wearing a Vivian Westwood hat and reciting aboriginal poetry. Then it just might get my attention.

Members of the dA Framers Guild - Did that picture you took not come out as well as you had hoped. Never mind. Slap a great big chunky frame around it and hey presto... it looks professional and all Arty like.

The misplaced Myspace brigade - Deviants that for some reason confuse deviantART.com with Myspace.com and come here to post all sorts of rubbish including any or all of the following.....

The Toast I had for Breakfast.
My Cousin Kelly's Shoes.
Me on the bus.
My Cat in the microwave
and so on.....

Your arm is not a tripod people.

The Pedantic Police - Yeah so I spelt teh wrong or I used a roughue apostarphy. Does it reilly matter? Do I need telling all the time? Do you not know how annoiying it is to be currected.

Category Bullies - Deviants who deliberately post inappropriate or 'off topic' work in the wrong categories in the mistaken belief that this will get their image seen by more people. Does that really work...No!

Narcacistic Fools - Deviants who take endless amounts of photographs of themselves so they can show others how beautiful they are. The simple truth of the matter is that once you have seen one nipple and buttock, you have pretty much seen them all.

Artistic Title Givers - A snapshot of the sea does not become a master piece because you have called it 'All alone in a world of hate'. If you like the title that much then go and stick it in the literally section.

People that Poke - Ever had a comment that was just plane rude and when questioned as to why they were so rude the person hides behind the excuse that they don't speak very good English...... If thats the case then why learn all the English swear words first?

Art Deniers - Deviants who claim that Art is subjective and beyond their understanding yet continue to post really artistic images. These types of deviants are the most annoying of all as they are both talented and stupid.

Know it all Wise Guys - Deviants that think their witty observations of the world around them are the sort of fun thing that everyone wants to read when in fact all they are really doing is being insulting.

Do these seem familiar? Can you think of anymore? Have I been too rude?

You know I love you all really. If it wasn't for the different mix of people we get on here it would be a very boring place indeed.

Pete