1. Welcome to Beauty of Feminine.


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Beauty of Feminine FAQ

Here you can find answers to questions about how the board works. Use the links or search box below to find your way around.

About Beauty of Feminine

www.Beauty-of-Feminine.com is a community of international candid photographers who are dedicated to bringing to you all the beauty of the female form in the highest quality format. Although there are several sub-sections on this board, the main focus is on candid photography.

At its core lies some of the best candid photographers from all over the world, and as such, International boundaries and borders do not exist within this virtual community.

However, as with any Internet-based community, there are certain rules and regulations which need to be observed by all members, and which will – from time to time – need to be enforced by the board’s administrators/moderators.

Please bear in mind that we’re all here for a good time, and our primary aim should always be to actively promote diplomacy and tact in both our actions and photographic submissions.

Beauty of Feminine.com is several communities in one board. Upon successful registration users are granted access to Blond Viking Candids wherein they may post their photographs. Those who donate $20 USD (or the equivalent) are granted access to the Donor's Forum. Donations are accepted through PayPal. You can access PayPal by pressing the DONATE link at the top of every page.

Anohter part of the board is an "invitation only" section called "The Garden" where a limited amount of the top photographers have access. You may find more information on The Garden elsewhere in this FAQ.

AOL Users

AOL users have to click on the 'Remember me' box when they login and they have to not block cookies. This is because AOL changes the IP address with almost every click which logs you out unless you are using cookies.

Our Philosophy

The main philosophy of www.Beauty-of-Feminine.com is to show our admiration of the female form in a positive, non-obtrusive way.

  • Although the "age of consent" varies from country to country, the philosophy of this board is to present females who appear to be over the age of 18. Granted, with our type of photography we generally do not ask for birth certificates, so good judgment on ages should be used. Photos of women appearing to be under the age of 18 will be removed by the moderators.

  • No nudity! This includes body painting photos where the nipple is exposed, and also includes "oops" type of shots where genitalia may have been accidentally exposed. There is a little more leniency in the Donor's Forum; however good taste should always be applied.

  • No upskirts! We consider these disrespectful and against our philosophy. There are several sites on the Internet for these type of shots. This is NOT one of them. This includes the accidental "oops" shots.

  • You may publish only shots you have taken yourself. We realize you may have a desire to participate by posting others shots. This is absolutely not allowed.

  • We consider ourselves to be a family within this community, and as such, should afford every member the utmost respect and courtesy at all times. This should be reflected in the tone and language used when posting / replying to a post.

  • We help newcomers with their shots all the time, and there is a section for members to ask questions or request help. One of the things we’ve found is that there’s no such thing as a silly question around here, so please don’t be afraid to ask. If you know the answer to a question answer it! Giving new members blunt answers like "search the forum" is not encouraged - please effort to answer the question. Remember--you were new here at one time.
  • I can´t see any photo attachment.

    Although you are registered, you need to post at least three comments to be able to view attachment images. Present yourself, comment on your favorite’s photographer, etc.

    Rules & Regulations

    No personal attacks!

    Though we encourage members to engage in healthy debate, we do not condone personal attacks on members. Ideas can be disputed or challenged, but attacks on a personal level are unacceptable and when they are discovered or brought to the attention of the Administrators/Moderators, will be dealt with accordingly. Ideas can be attacked, but individuals cannot. Likewise, we will not permit or tolerate "stalking" or any other form of harassment toward other members.

    No upskirts, no nudity, no photos of those appearing to be under 18 years of age

    This is discussed under the philosophy of the board.

    No foul language

    Please respect our female counterparts. We don’t accept rude descriptions of female body parts. All languages have more or less nice words for a derrière or breasts. Keep in mind many of our ladies come to this board to see their photographs.

    All types of profanity are discouraged on this board. Use of profanity could result in action up to and including banishment.

    Official Language of the Board

    English is the commonly accepted language for posting comments. We have many members here for whom English is not their first language, and we will endeavor, wherever possible, to help out with translations. If you don’t speak English at all, however, write your thoughts down in the language you're most comfortable with.

    Members are reminded that sarcasm and attempts at being witty may not be understood by members and may in fact be taken in a way not intended. Always remember the way of communicating on this board is through writing and what you write may not be taken in the same context as if you spoke it.

    Religion and Politics

    No topics on politics or religion are allowed on this Board because we are an international Board with many different opinions and beliefs. We have members from all over the world with many varying views on these subjects so these discussions are better left elsewhere. Although we do have a chat board and a forum to discuss non-photographic topics, understand the main focus of this board is photography.

    Advertising other web sites

    You may not advertise other websites on the board except with permission from the administrators or moderators. Links to sites such as Wikipedia or camera sites are allowed when they contribute to the context of the post.

    How can I get upload rights?

    Due to our ongoing costs for servers and bandwidth we are unable to give attachment rights to everyone. However - we offer a limited number of attachment space to those that donate the equivalent of $20 USD. Contact one of the moderators in case you are interested or just click the DONATE button. Please note changes need to be made manually, so there may be some time before you are able to use the attachment function.

    Donations

    Contributing is an important part of this board. Contributions include posting high quality photography; commenting on the photography; and monetary contributions.

    There is no advertising on this site; you will not experience "pop-up" ads. We have worked hard to make this board an enjoyable experience for those visiting.

    Monetary contributions are very appreciated. Through these contributions, we are able to pay our server and storage costs. Without contributions, this board would not survive. No member on this board is paid for their photography nor are the moderators/administrators compensated for their work. Every cent dontated to this board goes back into the upkeep and survival of this site.

    Contributions through Paypal are preferred. To donate, please click Here

    Those wishing to contribute but not able to do so through Paypal are asked to contact a moderator to make necessary arrangements for their monetary contributions.

    Please note: When you make a donation, access to attachment rights and the Donor's Forum are not given instantaneously. We must manually change your settings and this may take time. Your patience is appreciated, as are your donations.

    THE GARDEN: What it is, How to become a member, how to remain a member

    Entry to The Garden:


    The Garden is a place for the "elite" photographers to meet.

    Anybody can nominate another member of the board for The Garden, which should be done in a PM to one of the moderators. The moderators will have a NON-BINDING discussion regarding the member and present their recommendation.

    A one week discussion period will be held in the "New Members" section of The Garden before the nominee is put up for a vote. Members should read this discussion before casting their votes. This discussion will also include the moderator's recommendation. Moderators presenting their personal opinions should state this.

    A nominee should have at least six months of posting on the board. This length of service should be used as a guideline; however there may be times when a well established photographer who is new to our board but has established a reputation elsewhere may be considered with less amount of time. Also, a newer member whose photography exceeds the standards may be considered. Before nominating a member like this, the nominator should consider the potential commitment the nominee has towards the board.

    The quality of the nominee's photography should remain the highest weighted factor when members cast their vote. However, members should also consider the nominee's perceived board demeanor and "social competency" (as the individual member defines this) as factors in determining how they vote. Also consider the nominees commitment to the board as you define it.

    Once a voting poll has been posted, it will remain open for one week or until the nominee has achieved 50 percent plus one "yes" or "no" votes from ALL Garden members. If a nominee is voted in, there will be a 30 day trial period; after this time, another vote will be conducted. If the trial member passes this vote, they will become a full member of The Garden and allowed access to the more personal sections of the board.

    Expectations of A Gardener


    Through the voting procedure, the member will have already established their competency in photography. It is expected that a Garden member maintain (or improve) this photographic competency no matter what section of the board they post in.

    Members of The Garden will be considered leaders of the board. If offering comments on another member's photography, any criticism offered must be in a helpful, constructive and respectful manner. NEGATIVE COMMENTARY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM BY A GARDEN MEMBER. There is grey area here, so members should think twice before hitting the "submit" button when offering criticism.

    Members of The Garden should consider themselves as part of the legislative faction of the board. Members are expected to vote on all polls presented to them in The Garden. This includes but is not limited to voting for new members and voting for the photos presented for nomination to our "museums" (Hall of Fame, Promised Land, etc.) While it is recognized members may occasionally be prevented from voting, the expectation is for members to vote regularly. Members should cast their votes in a fair manner without regard to personal prejudices. Not participating in polls will not be a sole reason for banishment from The Garden, but will weigh heavily during the evaluations.

    It is recognized that due to the relatively small membership of The Garden, some members feel their best work can be better recognized in other areas of the board. Therefore, there will be no minimum requirements for posting photos in The Garden. Members should be reminded, however, that participation in the Garden and in the open areas of the board will be a major factor for them remaining in The Garden. Contributing can take many forms--through commentary, through photography, through participation in discussions and in the voting process, and through "behind the scenes" work that helps maintain or develop the board as a whole.

    The photographic standards for posts within the Garden will be determined by the membership itself. Each member may define their own personal standards of what is to be presented photographically in The Garden. However, there are guidelines which must be maintained. Posts or photos where a child is the main focus will not be tolerated (with the exception of photos/portraits of a member's own family). Nude photography should be presented in an artistic, respectful manner. Blatant voyeurism will not be tolerated (voyeurism for this purpose will be defined as purposely hiding photographic/video equipment for the sole purpose of obtaining material where the person has an expectation of privacy).

    Remaining in The Garden


    Participation will be a key factor in remaining a member of The Garden. As stated above, participation can take part in all areas of the board and is not limited strictly to activity within The Garden itself.

    As stated above, participation includes photographic presentation, commentary, voting in polls and "behind the scenes" work. Current and future moderators/administrators will be considered as contributing "behind the scenes" and the standards for them will be maintained through the moderator's group.

    Each January and July (effective January 1, 2013) the moderators will evaluate each Garden member's contributions to the board. If it is determined the member has not participated/contributed or met the expectations presented above, the member will be dismissed for a period of at least three months. After three months, a current member of the Garden may present the former member for reinstatement by sending a private message to a moderator. As with a new member, the moderators will hold a non-binding discussion regarding the former member and present our recommendations to the board. Moderators presenting their personal opinions should state this. The current Garden membership will then vote on reinstatement.

    Should a Gardener decide to leave on his/her own accord due to personal reasons and is in current good standing, they may be reinstated to membership by the moderators without a vote upon returning.

    The moderators, at their discretion, may also evaluate a member at any time of the year. This evaluation will be triggered if a moderator feels a Garden member has not lived up to the expectations presented here. This includes but is not limited to participation as a whole. The evaluation may also be triggered by a member's demeanor (or perceived demeanor). Reinstatement procedures are as listed above.

    Tips for New Photographers

    The senior members of this board have many years of experience in the special type of photography we present at BoF. Please take a little time to read some of our tips for new photographers.

  • Practice, practice, practice! That means shooting everything--still life, nature scenes, architecture. This will help you understand your camera; experiment using different settings on your camera--see how adjusting the speed or aperture correspond to each other and how they effect the overall feel of a photo.

  • Blurred shots are blurred shots. DO NOT TRY TO EDIT - Trash them!

  • Always try to be very selective. Don´t post similar shots--shots taken at rapid fire and posted as such make for a boring and repetitive thread.s

  • Dont be satisfied with the first angle you have. Walk a bit. Go a little to the left, right, forward... find the better angle to frame it.

  • Try different styles, and soon you will develop a style of your own. You may want to emulate your favorite photographer at first, but try doing different things--different angles, orientations and distances.

  • Never take constructive criticism as a personal matter. As mentioned before, there are many members of this board that have been shooting this style of photography for years. A philosophy on this board is to help others improve their photographic and editing skills.

  • This board features many tutorials and advice from photographers. Take some time to read the "Tutorials and Help" section for assistance in photography and editing.

  • And last but not least. Our main rule here is: Quality vs. Quantity. What does that mean? Sometimes 1, 2 or 3 photos can tell an entire story better than a "mass grave" of photos that are similar.

  • The Hall of Fame, Promised Land, Shambala and Distinguished Threads Sections

    We have several forums where we recognize the "best of the best". We lovingly call these sections our "museums"

    Promised Land

    The Promised Land is where we recognize the best photos published in Blond Viking Candids. Photos are voted on by members of The Garden, and are "candid" in nature.

    Threads of Distinction

    This section is devoted to the best threads on the board. Threads are voted on by members of the Garden, and may come from any forum on the board. "Threads of Distinction" appear in Blond Viking Candids, the Donor's Section, and The Garden.

    Moments of Glory

    This section recognizes the best in "non-candid" photography. It includes posed shots, nature photography and other artistic photos. Members of the Garden vote on these photos.

    Shambala

    This section recongnizes the best photos posted in the Donor's Section. Photos are voted on by members of The Garden.

    Hall of Fame

    This section is available to Garden members only, and is the "best of the best" of the photos posted in The Garden. Members of the Garden vote on these photos.

    How a photo becomes part of our "museums"

    Any member of the board can nominate a photo or thread. Nominations can be sent to any moderator or member of the nominating committee ("blue" colored member). Please include the URL of the thread the photo comes from.

    The photo or thread is then voted on by the Nomination Committee. This committee is made up of all the moderators and administrators of the board, as well as volunteer members of The Garden.

    Should a photo or thread pass this process, it is voted on by members of The Garden. If two thirds of those voting cast "yes" votes, the photo or thread is then highlighted in our museums.

    Technical Requirements

  • The minimum requirement for file-size is 1024px X 768px with files not bigger than 2400 px X 2400 px and/or 1 MB – anything larger won't be accepted.

  • No Cell Phone or Low Quality photos

    This is a High Quality photography board, and in our experience even with today's quality options, a cell-phone does not produce shots that are worth posting. If you’re serious about contributing to Beauty of Feminine, please consider purchasing a ‘real’ camera, it doesn’t need to be a DSLR, but the quality of images taken will be much better. One of our abiding philosophies has always been “Quality V Quantity” – we’d rather see fewer High Quality shots than a whole bunch of Low Resolution ‘pics’. Feel free to ask for advice and recommendations in the relevant section, we all started out somewhere and enjoy sharing our knowledge.

  • Technical Requirements for posting photos

    The easiest way to post photos on this board is through attachments on this site's server. However, due to the costs of running the board, you will need to make a donation to the board to gain attachment rights. See the Donation section of the FAQ for info on donating, and see the tutorials in the Tutorials and Help section on the board for help in using attachments.

    If you don’t have attachment rights, you can use one of the many hosting services which are available free of charge. We recommend http://www.imageshack.us or http://imagevenue.com/ or imageshack.com

    Check this tutorial: http://www.beauty-of-feminine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466 and/or Mate’s profile: http://www.beauty-of-feminine.com/forums/member.php?u=89
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