"I think this happens a lot. There's a very unique 'culture' here at Photrio and it if one isn't used to it, it can be a little off-putting. I think this is often why we lose newcomers to the site unfortunately."
Oh, no ... well, except for the querulousness, condescending pontification, sheer bloody-minded snottiness; the frequency of uninvited/'volunteer' non-sequiter responses; a remarkably hardcore group of compulsive responders who seem to believe that their 'insights'/rejoinders/wit are an undeserved grace bestowed on the forum which ought to cause a stunned hush to fall.
Maybe it's the average age, now well into the prune-juice/chronic-irritabiity stratum (of which I am a member), but a lot of things are said in a spirit and tone in this heady vacuum of distance and anonymnity that would earn the utterer a shunning if not a kick in the cods if said in person, in meatspace. Thus is it with the Internet, where one may let one's truculence be freely truculent, where jealousies, neuroses, ill-adjuted socialization, ax-grinding and attitude become banners of pride.
There is one truly expert and valued member here who contributes a lot; his style is unfailingly cheerful, positive, helpful, willing, accepting. His shared knowledge - which is vast - is always clad in helpfulness and good humor. And yet, yet, of late, some ill-humored someone with a species of sharp-elbowed wild bug up his nose has somehow found a way to give sneering affront to this chap, and for no apparent cause. Now ain't that just a damned shame.