Blog Notes: TOP Turns Four

Rather incredibly (and by incredible, I mean difficult to believe), TOP turns four years old on Saturday. I think I've mentioned before that when I started doing this in 2005, my ambition was to keep it going for a year, and, frankly, at the start, I wouldn't have given a farthing for the chances of that. And yet here we are, still chasing the great white squirrel.

To date, there have been a few dozen shy of 3,000 posts, well over 21 million visits to the main page, and very close to 50,000 comments.

Now, I hate to do this to you, I really do, but you know what's coming: as I always say, it's time to buy yourself our birthday present. If there's something you want from either Amazon or B&H Photo, you must* buy it for yourself. Look, you have to do something to support TOP and help pay for all the good free stuff you enjoy, right? So if there's a book you want, or a lens, or a CD, anything, I'm sorry, but it's your duty; you really have no choice—your hands are tied—your obligation as clear as...optical glass. And if your spouse or partner, child or parent complains about you spending money, well, you can tell him or her in good conscience that you didn't want to buy yourself a present, but you had to, Mike forced you to.

Mike with hottie and tool of trade in front of TOP World Headquarters

Meanwhile, I'm going to take a couple of days off. I won't be slacking, however: I plan to use the time to finish up this year's "TOP Ten Cameras" list. This time, though, I'm trying something different. I know we all just love the cute way that the "top" in "top ten" matches the site's acronym, but let's face it, the concept of the "best" cameras is incredible (and by incredible, I mean lacking in credibility. Kinda silly, in other words). I'm planning to try a new format for it, too. Hope you'll be entertained, and possibly even enlightened.

Okay, mostly entertained.

And Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate it—what the heck, even if you don't.

Cheers,

Mike, TOP's Chief Artificial Coffee Creamer Officer**

*(I kid, of course. As I also always say, you're always welcome here whether you buy anything through our links or not. Especially if you are un- or under-employed, my thoughts are with you this Thanksgiving, and please keep your money for more important things. You can catch us when prosperity smiles on you again, as surely it will.

I'm very grateful for all the support we get from so many people. TOP has felt the economic downturn but is still surviving. More than 270 people "subscribe," i.e., give a recurring donation of at least 25 cents a month; a number of people have sent cash "tips"; somewhere between 1% and 4% of our readers have bought things though our links at least once; and various "Friends of the Site" have made donations in kind of everything from professional advice to equipment loans. Plus, we have some great advertisers. And let's not forget the many individuals who have written the guest posts or the great comments that add so much to the conversation. I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.)

**

ADDENDA:

 

Out-of-camera JPEG version

 

Mike K2 filter version

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(P.S. There are sometimes some hidden jokes on the site that I put in just to amuse myself. People hardly ever notice. Hit the permalink for this post and check out the URL....)

Comments

[Player]

Congratulations Mike!, on your fourth anniversary. And "thankyou" for all the enjoyment and education that your great site offers. Also, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. God bless!

[Dean Johnston]

Hey!

I keep wondering when your next birthday is.

You see, if you type "The Online Photographer" into a Google search field, you only get as far as "the onli" before Google suggests The Online Photographer as first choice, exactly one above The Online Bible (and three above The Online Candy Shop). When you follow this, one of the top hits is always "The Online Photographer Turns One."

Anyway, enough rambling and happy birthday.

Dean

[Rory]

Chief Artificial Coffee Creamer Officer* - I see you're a Dilbert subscriber Mike!

My brother is living in the US for a year, and I think he might be willing to bring me home a nice lens for Christmas. I'll make sure to buy it through your links, once I work up the courage to commit to it...

Happy thanksgiving to you, and here's to the next four years :)

[Marty McAuliff]

Potty trained and *still* not potty-mouthed!
Happy birthday TOP.
M.

[Dave Polaschek]

Happy birthday, Mike!

[Dennis]

Thanks for curating such a lovely website!

[Rick]

Mike:
I'm glad to be a supporter and subscriber, but I haven't had much need to buy anything photographic this past year. Pretty much have everything I want.

However, after reading this post, a little lightbulb went on over my head. Maybe I don't buy much from B&H right now, but we (I, my family and business associates) do buy a lot of stuff for other purposes through Amazon. Everything from computer equipment to auto parts to farm supplies.

Call me dumb, but it just never occurred to me that you could get credit for all that stuff if we used your link.

Is that correct? Is that the way your agreement with Amazon works? If so, there may be other "dummies" like me who just never thought to do that. I know that I will now if TOP benefits from it.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[Nature Lover]

I must admit that I am amazed at the fact that the purchase rate for readers here is less than 10%, even given the economy.

Nature Lover

My Motto: Pancake whatsa pancake?

By the way love the Jpeg: my kinda processing. Although coulda been a little cooler.

[Neil "The Wheel' Clarkson]

Mike:
Thank-you very much.

[Mike Johnston]

"it just never occurred to me that you could get credit for all that stuff if we used your link. Is that correct? Is that the way your agreement with Amazon works?"

Rick,
Yes indeedy. Anything you buy from Amazon, a few pence go into my pocket as long as you go there from TOP's link when you order and buy.

Thankee,

Mike

[Dennis Mook]

Happy Birthday TOP and thank you Mike. When my wife objects to me buying photo equipment, I tell her I'm helping to support a friend in Wisconsin! How can she deny me the pleasure of helping a fellow human being?

[Mike Johnston]

"When my wife objects to me buying photo equipment, I tell her I'm helping to support a friend in Wisconsin! How can she deny me the pleasure of helping a fellow human being?"

Dennis,
Egg-ZACKLY. That's the idea!

:-D

Mike, PRPE*

*Photo-Related Purchase Enabler

[Bahi]

Many happy returns, Mike, Ctein and all the other contributors, and a Happy Thanksgiving to you from London.

[Joe Dasbach]

Farthings to you, Mike!
Dollars, too!

[Amin]

Congratulations and thanks Mike, Ctein, and everyone else who helps make this the best (or at least my favorite) photography blog in history.

I'm happy to continue to support your efforts in any way I can, even if it means I have to buy myself something that my wife strongly feels I do not deserve.

[photogdave]

Congratulations on a successful and worthwhile endeavor.
All the best in the future!

[Dickon Whitehead]

I love the detail in the painted muslin backrop but do think the artist could have used better colour correction for his flourescent studio lighting.

[Roger Bradbury]

Life running The Online Photographer obviously suits you as you are looking better than ever in your latest picture.
And if that hottie has a sister I'm moving to America!

I would have bet more than a farthing, at least a groat on you making four years. Well done. I recommend your site to lots of other snappers.

[John Roberts]

I have come to the conclusion that the internet too easily becomes a black hole for time, so I have tried discipline myself to only spending time at worthwhile sites. Happy Birthday to one of the very few sites (addressing any topic) that I check daily.

[Mark Walker]

Fantastic and much appreciated effort, Mike.
If I was richer I'd subscribe at a higher rate as this is far better than any printed photo magazine.
(Sorry to say that in my opinion 'Black and White Photography' magazine here in the UK isn't half as interesting as it used to be, coincidentally, before you left, and the only other periodical worth looking over every few weeks is the British Journal of Photography. In fact I think it would be true to say that photo magazines in general are increasingly samey and simpering towards their principal advertisers and utterley overlook the really interesting things, particularly, for example, in user experience and software).
Sorry, went a bit off track, suffice to say that you really are providing a great source of er.. technotainment, funducation, edufunment, dusted with poigniancy, worth every penny.
Kind regards, Mark Walker

[Bill Symmons]

Happy Birthday Mike. Now you are off the potty and toddling here's to many more.

[Scott Jones]

Just bought a $2k+ monitor through your link. Thanks for all you do.....

[Kevin Schoenmakers]

I'm a recent convert to your blog, Mike. Your style is refreshing compared to how other photography-related websites treat the subject (IE, measuring the amount of milliseconds a camera takes to turn on and focussing obsessively on lens sharpness).

I hope you'll be able to continue for many more years.

[Svein-Frode]

Best website on photography ever! I've followed you writing since the Sunday Morning Photographer. May you keep on for four more years!

[Rob Atkins]

Congratulations Mike. You provide us with something we should all be thankful for.

May we all have our great white squirrels to chase.

Rob

[Keith Loh]

Hey Mike, I've asked everyone on my blog to buy ME a book through one of your links. So you get your Amazon pence and I get books. That should work right? ;)

[Cateto/Jose]

Happy Birthday, Mike: congratulations for a job well done, and for making your passion so transparent to readers.

I know this is little compliment, but let me say that there are two reference photography sites I visit at least once per day. TOP is one of them, since I discovered it.

(The other, in case someone cares, is www.dslrmagazine.com, in Spanish, and no, I have no relationship with its author, in any way).

[Chris (Sugden-Smith)]

Well done Mike, just keep going, because you also help keep me going.
Thanks also to Ctein and Carl Weese, as well as the TOP 'staff' of thousands.
By the way, what does it feel like to be Four Again ?

With best wishes
Chris

[Kent Anderson]

Mike, I just subscribed to your site. I can't imagine doing that at any other blog. Keep up the good work!

[charlie]

Happy Birthday TOP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG2NL72DhqA&feature=player_embedded

[Igor]

Thanks for this online miracle

[Ron]

Ordered Christmas presents for myself (Joe McNally's books!) from Amazon through your link. I wish your site many more years of continued success!

[Jacques Pochoy]

Happy Birthday Mike,
I don't post often, but do read daily TOP ! Living in Paris, I don't use Amazon or others related sites as I have the luck to have everything at my doorstep, but I promise I'll find a way to subscribe for this fourth year... As, after the "potty training", I suspect the toddler will start exploring the world... !

[John Taylor]

Ah now we can look forward to "The Terrible Fives" (the sequel to "The Terrible Twos") :) Happy B-day TOP

[John Gillooly]

Congratulations and thank you for a great daily read. I try to link through your site for all of my amazon purchases so hopefully it has benefitted your efforts a bit.:)

[William Furniss]

Thought I might indulge in a little personal Christmas shopping and remember you mention a book called Truth/Beauty a while ago (feb this year), it was about $40 at the time, its is going for $245 now! Should have taken your advice at the time it was given.

[HughofBardfield]

Many Happy Returns Mike! The cake is in the post...

[Robert Billings]

Hi Mike,

Thanks very much for an informative and entertaining website. I am a regular visitor and glad to contribute what I hope is my fair share to the tip jar.
As my daughter would say, you are "keepin' it real".

[Yvonne Cunnington]

Congrats, Mike. I did as I was told and just bought myself an Amazon present. Here's to your fourth anniversary!

[Joe McAllister]

Best to you Mike. Here's hoping you can go on forever, never having to fall on your knife. Love ya!

[Francisco Cubas]

Congratulations Mike, and many thanks.

TOP has played a major role in my education as a photographer. Reading your blog is like listening to a great friend. A pleasure.

Thank you again, and best wishes for you and your family.

[Riley]

Happy 4th Birthday!!

[Peter Robinson]

You persuaded me Mike. I really do need that new Blu-ray player after all. Hope a little benefit comes your way.