UPDATE: iPhoneography at Macworld 2013

Many of you may have read my previous post relating to the all-day iPhoneography event being held next year at Macworld 2013, and that I, along with Marty Yawnick from Life in LoFi would be doing a joint presentation about the origins of iPhoneography. Sadly following a number of recent events, which has culminated in a hate campaign against the iPhoneography word/term/brand, which I have taken as a personal attack on me (after all, I created the brand), I have taken the decision to withdraw from the event. I must at this point say, this decision has nothing to do the Dan Marcolina, Marty or the event organisers, as there is a bit more too it. The snide comments and negativity have in part given me some health issues, which in conjunction with other events have lead me to make this decisions.

In addition to withdrawing from the Macworld event, I have also stepped down as one of the judges for this years Mobile Photo Awards, as one of the other judges was at the forefront of this anti "iPhoneography" hate campaign.

From a personal point of view, I am sad at all the negativity I am seeing from some circles in the "mobile photography" community towards iPhoneography, and even sadder, that I don't see an end to this negativity.

Comments

[John]

Why quit because of negativity? Positively rise above it! I regret your decision. If you believe in something, believe in it. I have followed you and this blog for a long time. I have been inspired and encouraged by your writings. I still am!

[Olf]

What??? I had no idea this was going on. I'm very sad to hear it. This blog is one of my favorites. I have followed you since the first months. You have been a major source of inspiration for my mobile photography hobby.

[Editor]

Thanks guys. There is a bit more too it. The snide comments and negativity have given me some health issues, which in part have lead me to make these decisions.

[Mike Hardaker]

That's a great shame. However, I think you should remember that there are many of us who find the term "IPhoneography" to be enormously helpful and are extremely grateful to you for both coining and popularising it (and, of course, for much else...).

[Matthew]

Jealousy breeds contempt my friend.

Just keep doing what you're doing (great work) and keep you chin up mate!

[bbcversus]

Its sad to hear that, but remember we will be with you no matter what others say. And also remember: haters gonna hate!

[Dave]

This is very disappointing. I've enjoyed your blog for a long time. Please don't get too worked up over cockroaches who want to tear you down! Be strong. All the best.

[Dave Weekes]

This is shocking to me! First and foremost I hope that the health issues are not serious. Secondly, I really hope that this doesn't stop you from continuing your blog and enjoying being part of all facets of this creative expression that has brought us all together. It still amazes me that in our world today a single word or term can lead to so much negativity.

[imransyed]

I absolutely love this blog and what you have given to this world (iPhoneography), this is the damn best thing to happen for ages now. Keep up your awesome work on this blog and anything/everything related to iPhoneography. Cheers Glyn!!

Dogs always bark....it's their virtue, so just dont give a tiny rats @rse to these ppl...!!

[StickyNotesQuotes]

I would like to say turn that negative into a positive I've learned so much from you on this journey you started don't quit. This right here can only make you and us stronger iPhoneograpers. Keep your head up!

[gregp]

Sorry to hear this news, but I say, F them all! If it weren't for iPhoneography there would be no "Mobile Photo"s to Award. The iPhone is where the art of camera phone pictures flourished, and this blog gave it a home and put it on the map. As Mathew said in another comment here "Jealousy breeds contempt my friend." so don't let the bastards get you down.

[Michael]

I too have been following your blog since the beginning and have enjoyed watching it grow in quality, stature and respect, in not only the mobile photography world, but the greater photography community. Despite how it is glamorized in the media, it is never easy to be a leader, and you Glyn, are a leader. You took on the mantle and lead. And inspired. And educated.

But as a leader, like all leaders, you are a target. Those on the vanguard always get hit. The middle is safe. It's the place where the majority spend their time. It is also from where you find the negative comments are coming from (if they are coming from a leader then it's from someone quite insecure). It is so easy to stay on the sidelines and throw insults and disparaging remarks at those who are leading, making things happen, and creating something new. It is much harder to take an idea, a dream, a passion, and turn it into a reality. History has filled our libraries with volumes of evidence of visionaries who have suffered through the same kind of negative campaigns and prevailed.

We all fight our battles in our own way. And you must choose how you will move forward. But as you do, keep in mind the milestones you have achieved along the way. And know that you have a legion standing beside and behind you. We are with you.

[flavio gori]

iphoneography is my best inspiration source for my iphone photo knowledge and pictures. i usually share this url in my facebook wall.
don't give up!

flavio

[Marie Whitehead]

So sad you have had to go through this. I have learned so much from this site about iPhoneograpy! Thanks for all you have done to encourage, inspire and teach about all things "iPhoneography"!

[Knox Bronson]

Glyn - I am sorry to read this. I heard that you had pulled out of MacWorld from Dan Marcolina yesterday. I thought the storm had blown over.
It is clear to me from the comments here that you have a lot of support from a loyal and well-deserved following. As I have mentioned to you, we must force ourselves to focus on the positive if we can. The positive being the communities which have coaslesced around our respective sites. You have a wonderful community it is clear.
It is a travesty that the these no-talent Twitter nobodies - the two-hundred person echo chamber that is the "mobile" twitterverse - can wreak such havoc with their chickenshit bullshit.
I don't know what to do about it, myself. I am counseled by friends and associates to "take the high ground" and not get involved in the battles even when I, as you, have been attacked and libeled online.
Last year, after the jackals, many of the same people you are dealing with now, destroyed the museum show I had worked a year and a half to put together, one of my front teeth snapped off. I told my dentist about what had happened and he said the stress of that could easily weaken someone's system enough for that to happen. So I can relate to the health stuff to which you refer.
These guys don't create anything: they just jerk each other off online - and think they matter - and then attack and subvert those of us who have actually done something.
Don't let the bastards get you down.

[David Schuster]

Sorry to hear this. I did not know there was such a controversy concerning iPhoneography. I know wonderful people like you, Knox, and others who have been the ones who have inspired thousands of people to explore their creative life. For me it's not a name or specific movement, although I love the iPhoneography space, but about creativity and remixing life in a creative way and sharing that with others. If there is any way I help let me know.

[Daniel Berman]

Obviously, I'm sorry to hear of your health issues. That's never a good thing. Although, on the topic at hand I really feel, as most do who understand the entirety of this situation as opposed to those who chime in without a clear picture, that the "war on iPhoneography" is much ado about nothing. Glyn has contributed a great deal to the medium and don't know of anybody who would disagree.

Nobody attacked Glyn. One person, a respected person, wrote a blog post suggesting that iphoneographers should be proud of their craft and not be afraid to call themselves photographers. That's it. No attack. No denigration of a brand. No "twitter jackals" in the words of one poster above. Be proud of your craft because an iPhone is a real camera. I really don't see how that was ever construed as a personal attack. In any case, I believe people should stand up for what they believe and be adults about it. Keep our commitments, rise above the noise and act professional.

[Robin Scanlon]

I am sorry to hear that the voices of a few can have such a negative effect. Love your blog...love iPhoneography. It's accessible to the amateur and opens up many possibilities for the pro photographer. Keep on!!!

[Editor]

Dan. At no point in my post did I mention anyone else's blog post. As you know the anti iPhoneography campaign started with an out of the blue, unprovoked and out of context tweet saying "iPhoneography is just as ridiculous as Nikonography". This provoked an exchange of tweets. The blog post you refer to then followed one week later, and whilst it has some positive comments, the author states "I never have been happy with the term iPhoneography and never used it actively myself". Strangely, this statement comes from someone who had recently been featured on the iPhoneography blog, and was happy to be referred to as an iPhoneographer, had joined The iPhoneographers Network, and had been using the iPhoneography hash tag on a social photo sharing network. Then whilst checking the timelines to respond to this comment, I discover only a week ago the following out of context tweet from the same person: "I see more and more people and website avoid using the term “iphoneography” or “iphoneographer”. We are heading to the future."

If this isn't an anti iPhoneography campaign, then I don't know what is, and this from "a respected person".

[Daniel Berman]

I understand you perspective Glyn but I just don't see how you construe any of it as a personal attack. Again, the important issue here seems to be your health and I truly hope that is resolved as soon as is possible.