Why so few women doing macro?

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Macro_Cosmos
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Post by Macro_Cosmos »

Simply because they aren't as interested.
One may also ask why there aren't many people at all in this niche of a niche market. It's highly technical, barrier of entry isn't at all low, and requires a lot of dedication. These are things not found in your average Joe.

I can also give an explanation with regards to IQ but I think it's better to not get caught in that. (Why are most CEOs and prisoners men? This can't just be a matter of interest...)

Everyone with an interest in this field regardless of innate features are welcomed anyway. I've explained this hobby to friends, they applaud my dedication, haha.

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Adalbert
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Post by Adalbert »

Hello everybody,
The question is why so few women are active in the forum.
Maybe we are not polite enough (don't greet in the threads, don't give compliments, etc).
BR, ADi

Deanimator
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Post by Deanimator »

If I had to bet money, there are probably tons of women doing macro photography, but in academic and industrial settings such as biologists and industrial engineers. They would tend to interact with in-house subject matter experts and professional societies rather than public forums. They would be effectively invisible to people like us.

JohnyM
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Post by JohnyM »

Well, i dont know industry, but not sure what to think of science.

In my faculty there are 2 mans and 4 womens doing macro/micro photography. Other departments we work with do look similar in those proportions, althrough there are more male professors and more female doctors.

For science, commonly published images are of VERY VERY VERY low quality. Ie: often printed as something around 2cmx3cm in grayscale.
So 1 of those mans, and 4 womens are taking stereoscope / microscope photos, but when there is something "serious" - im the "go to" guy.


Practical science photography in mine POV:
-Printed publication could use in 90% cases thumbnail images, and in 10% cases - websize images.

-Posters and presentations oscillate around websize image.

-Analysis software often needs large, good images. When software is done with it, some images are forever stored, never to be looked upon again. 1-3 "lucky" shots are getting resized to thumbnail and printed.

-Online publishing accepts much better images.

-Highest IQ images are required when Professor is going to visit his rival/research partner/both and is going to brag about.


I wouldnt consider most bio-scientists as macro/micro photographers. They want barely acceptable image that was obtained in most hassle-free way and have a scalebar.

Olympusman
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Women and macro

Post by Olympusman »

It may also be that men are more likely to putter around in their workshops building macro rigs than women do. As we have seen in our equipment and techniques forums, we men have come up with some pretty innovative rigs.

Mike
Michael Reese Much FRMS EMS Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

In the above-average school where I was today I asked how many of the 950 girls were doing Physics at "A" level - the national age 18 exam.
The answer : "One".

Shocked, I asked why on earth there's only one.
"Because there IS " was the answer to that. And another teacher forcefully said "YES".
I guess I would have flunked Venusian logic, but it may extend to macro photography.
:smt102 :smt102
Chris R

Beatsy
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Post by Beatsy »

ChrisR wrote:...I guess I would have flunked Venusian logic...
Well to be honest, I'd be worried if you didn't flunk it. Martian logic is proper logically logical logic - the Venusian stuff has too many subjective elements for my taste :)

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

I noticed a difference when I was writing some technical manuals, and it was very useful. Male approach is to show a front panel and define all the buttons. Female approach is to say what you do to make it go.

So, do you prefer a manual or a womanual? Both are useful. Men obviously wrote the Stackshot manual, for example. :roll:
Chris R

Beatsy
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Post by Beatsy »

Well being part of the (male) system doesn't help. I want to know what all the buttons are for, then I'll figure out what they do in my own time. But the girly approach is much better for getting the job done. Just doesn't do much for the male ego I guess :)

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Sounds about right.
Woman presses button and makes it go.
Man peers at manual and sneers that it was the wrong button actually .
Chris R

JohnyM
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Post by JohnyM »

Actually, it's the other way around.
Woman is more likely to read WHOLE manual before using the equipment.
Man is more likely to give it a go, and only look at bits of manual only if he cant figure it out.

I know that's true in my manly case :lol:
Only exception is when i order some toys, and cant wait for them to arrive, so i at least download instructions and read them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EknWzynlZAY

Beatsy
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Post by Beatsy »

JohnyM wrote:Actually, it's the other way around.
Woman is more likely to read WHOLE manual before using the equipment.
Man is more likely to give it a go, and only look at bits of manual only if he cant figure it out.

I know that's true in my manly case :lol:
Only exception is when i order some toys, and cant wait for them to arrive, so i at least download instructions and read them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EknWzynlZAY
I actually enjoy reading the manual first. Once. Whenever I get a new gizmo, I dig the manual out of the box and read it cover to cover. Then I get the gear out, put the manual away and generally never look at it again. Google works quicker for any specific snags or difficulties. But that one read-through plants little seeds of knowledge which aid the subsequent fumbling my way through...

JohnyM
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Post by JohnyM »

I guess we are all different. Ie: I have whole shelf of unused, book-size sony camera manuals, once could say brand new :lol:
I love that feeling, when after using a piece of equipment for years, you discover a new function, only to find out it was all in the manual (but that might be exclusive to Sony :lol: )

ChrisR
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Post by ChrisR »

Long flights are good for reading camera manuals...
Manuals can be a testosterone activated weapon of war. Real men don't need to read manuals. Only real men can really understand manuals.

I can think of many more cases of women not needing to know what all the buttons do for their cars & cameras (so don't touch it you might break something).
Cameras are getting difficult though, where a little button invokes monochrome portrait mode with glowing hightlights, turns the flash and autofocus off and sets the lens wide open. And there's no little button to put it all back again.
Chris R

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