Big cars Big Boobs and Intellectuals

I used to do a fair amount of critiquing images because:
- I learn from critiquing
- I want to help
- I though if I give c&c then others will give me c&c when I post the photo

I don't do a fair amount of critiquing images anymore because:
- I run out of patience. Too much times I wrote composition blah blah, blown out highlights blah blah, posing blah blah...
- the monitor on my job is dark and a bit weird so I might be completely wrong when c&c because I'm not seeing the picture as it is
- the picture I opened needs lots of work and explaining why it needs lots of work would take my time and I don't have that time often anymore
- the picture is really not interesting, nor I see that the photographer thinks in an interesting way (totally subjective)
- I don't spend that much time here anymore
- and recently I c&c a photographer who posted a photo out of his usual comfort zone recently and he didn't react well... I can't deal with that anymore.
- I run out of patience . I want to be nice, but sometimes I just can't be nice so I skip
- and sometimes, especially lately, I completely disagree with others who commented on the picture "oh very nice" -when posing isn't flattering at all f.e. but I don't want to cause tension so I leave
 
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I don't offer actual cc much anymore because what I say is usually ignored by the OP who will then take the same advice I offered, from a more prominent member and I think to myself in a sarcastic voice - yeah, that's what I just said -- you're welcome. Another reason is, in my opinion, the better photos here get ignored or ripped apart much of the time anymore and the lesser shots that hold very little artistic value are gushed over like they are some priceless piece of work.. So I've gotten to saying "very nice" if I like something or I just take the easy way out and click the like button.
 
If you're a pretty girl, you'll also get more replies. :D

Or post photos of pretty girls. Paging Trever1t!:congratulatory:

I look at tons of pics here but, am extremely limited in experience and comment very little. Mostly I look at the photo then read the critiques and go back to see what I missed. I find it very helpful and have had many "Oh, I see" moments.
 
Good thing there is no rule that we have to give critique. Good thing there is no rule on how we give critique except that we should try not to be rude (not that tough for most). Good thing there is no rule against lurking and taking the good, leaving the bad - for FREE. Good thing there is no rule that I have to come to TPF to learn photography. Good thing that if I don't like it, I can start my own forum and make all the rules.

Good thing there is coffee and kitties and birds and light. .

Have a great Labor Day weekend and thank you for your support.

Bartles and James and Sam Adams.
 
IMHO there are folks that ask for C&C and welcome it and are thankful for the opinions expressed. THEN there are others that attack and argue about the opinions expressed and disagree, sometimes hotly, about the opinions expressed. The person that provided the C&C gets less likely to give their opinion.
 
I know I did not critique the Tractor shot, but I think that post had plenty of comments.
A good title helps and I like some words to go with the photo.

But like if I go to an exhibition, I may only feel moved enough by a couple pieces to put together some critique. And at an exhibition the artist may only hear my critique if I know them or if they ask me directly.
 
Well, I grade papers for a living and sometimes I just don't have it in me to give more feedback :boggled:

Other times, just as others have mentioned, I either don't have anything to say, or it's already been said, or I don't have time, etc. And I rarely even open, much less comment in, threads that are about subjects or genres that I'm not interested in - like portraits - or that I can't really offer useful advice for - like Sports. And I'm sorry, all you Macro photographers, but there are only so many bug pictures I can handle! :1398: And sometimes, I want to comment but don't have time at the moment and then when I DO have time, I've forgotten. At times I'll keep the thread open in another tab so when I get back to the computer, it's a reminder to make the comment that I wanted to make.

What I will do when I have the energy and time is to find a few threads that have no replies on 3rd page or so of the Active Topics. If there's something I can say - even some small thing - I'll make a comment, thus giving some feedback and a bump. Often I've seen this result in more comments.

And I do think people who are more "noticeable" because of a higher post count or participation in different threads tend to get more comments than those who don't post as often. It can be harder to post feedback to someone new, not because the critique itself is harder or that we're unwilling. When we get to know someone's work or personality, there's a certain short-hand that can be used, a routine to settle into. We have a sense of who can handle a harsher comment, who will not take any negative comment well, who already knows a lot of pp techniques and will understand a shorter comment referring to those techniques, and even what that person is normally capable of and whether that picture is on par. With someone unfamiliar or even semi-unfamiliar, I at least (can't speak for anyone else) feel like I have to explain a little bit more, or be more careful about how I phrase things because I don't know how they'll react yet.

And there's my 2 cents, offered hours after I first read this thread :D
 
You're asking the wrong person. I rarely get an "I like it" or "I'm not feeling it." I've come to the conclusion that I just don't know what people find interesting enough to comment on.

Personally, a lot of the time, a photo is either just...bad...and it would take a whole essay to critique it.

Other times the photo is good and I just don't have much to say other than "Looks good."
 
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I thought awhile before answering this, but a few more posts motivated me to add to this thread. I don't look in all the galleries. There are some genres that interest me and some not so much. Sorry, but the unrelated titles drive me crazy. If the title says purple zebras, I want to see purple zebras. This board has posters with a wide range of abilities. So sometimes I look at an image, and it's not bad but it's not good either. Just meh. But it often doesn't interest me enough to post because it's not a technical issue but something subjective. Then there are the ones that are really bad. Those are hardest to cc because you don't know how the person is going to react to critiquing, especially if there are a lot of things wrong with it. It's get worse when you have a not good image, with other posters telling them how nice the image is. I recently gave a pretty technical critique on details of a not bad image, and the OP and others just made excuses. So it makes you wonder "what's the point?" I know people make "friends" here, but telling them an image is good when it isn't won't help them develop their skills. And if you critique a "regular", it better be positive. I've already got a couple of stalkers that go after me in most every thread now. So there's always that. And if the image is really good, there's nothing to critique. So that's why in general, I look at a lot more images than I critique.
 
Some people who post here are more popular with the masses and will get more hits and more people ready to comment.

This is true in all aspects of life
 
Some people who post here are more popular with the masses and will get more hits and more people ready to comment.

This is true in all aspects of life

Since you made this point of some people who are more popular getting more responses, I'd like to add that in many cases, those members who are more popular, I call them members of the "A Crowd" get CC'd with "Fabulous", "Best Yet", "Great image", remarks no matter how bad the photo may be that they posted, simply because of who they are and I'm sure it sends the wrong message to new members and those still learning. Sorry, but I've been wanting to say this for a long time now.
 
Some people who post here are more popular with the masses and will get more hits and more people ready to comment.

This is true in all aspects of life

Since you made this point of some people who are more popular getting more responses, I'd like to add that in many cases, those members who are more popular, I call them members of the "A Crowd" get CC'd with "Fabulous", "Best Yet", "Great image", remarks no matter how bad the photo may be that they posted, simply because of who they are and I'm sure it sends the wrong message to new members and those still learning. Sorry, but I've been wanting to say this for a long time now.
Ok, well I do leave a lot of "great shot" style comments myself, but they are not undeserved.

My own photography is posted mostly in the wildlife category and those are the shots I feel most comfortable in leaving comments.

But wow, look at the guys and gals that post stuff there.. Just off the top of my head, Coastal and MSnowy, Jaca and his better half, Brian, Baturn, Westernguy, Fitbmx, TheNevadianstig, Hunter58, Darkshadow, Mattis and on occasion OldHippy, acparsons and Brainieck and several others I probably should have mentioned but didn't.

You look through these folks pictures and frankly it's amazing that a lot of them are not employed full time by National Geographic or someone similar. The level of talent there is just astonishing. So yes, I do often end up just remarking on what a wonderful shot it is, but that's because it really is a wonderful shot.

Sent from my 306SH using Tapatalk
 
Why is it that when I post things here and this is especially true in the case where I'm looking for advise or critique do I get loads of views but very little actual advise. To be fair its not just me, or thats what I tell myself, others have the same problem its great to get 20 million views but only getting 4 comments is aggravating.
For me, there is much in the way C&C is being asked for. IOW: if the poster has stated his intent, his methodology, and posts the image with the EXIF, I'm much more inclined to delve into it.
 
BananaRepublic said:
Why is it that when I post things here and this is especially true in the case where I'm looking for advise or critique do I get loads of views but very little actual advise. To be fair its not just me, or thats what I tell myself, others have the same problem its great to get 20 million views but only getting 4 comments is aggravating.

As far as critique goes...the culture at TPF has changed over the last two years or so, from being a place with about fifteen active people who would offer C&C on almost every photo, down to a site that has maybe four or five people who will consistently and frequently offer C&C. The rank and file people who used to offer C&C, often with the caveat, "but I'm a beginner, so take my C&C with a grain of salt," type of disclaimer. I personally think that ANYBODY should feel free to say what he or she thinks about a topic, a picture, a set of pictures, a series, whatever; all opinions should be welcome in a place like this. Getting C&C from newbs,beginning level, intermediate, advanced, old hand level people--it's ALL good.

What's toughest I think is responding to either your friends, or to the top dogs...every once in a while they will post something just outrageously stupid, or maybe even pretty bad. What to do then? TPF has become more politically correct, and few people are willing to offend now--which is different from how it used to be. People are less-willing to talk about pictures, and how to make them. More people seem to reserve saying anything, for fear of offending or hurting feelings.

More people want atta-boy! type approval, and post one or two times, looking for congrats and advice, then they disappear. If they get honest C&C that offends, they may flare out of control.

Another thing...over the last couple of years TPF has grown smaller, more club-like, less of a downtown shopping mall, and more of a KOA campground...you're only doing about one post every two days...not gonna see as many replies with that level of visibility as for people who are more well-known and well, more popular.

This might all be nonsense--I am only HALFWAY through Coffee Cup Number One for today.So, brain is only maybe in 2nd gear (and it's a 5-speed...).
BananaRepublic said:
Why is it that when I post things here and this is especially true in the case where I'm looking for advise or critique do I get loads of views but very little actual advise. To be fair its not just me, or thats what I tell myself, others have the same problem its great to get 20 million views but only getting 4 comments is aggravating.

As far as critique goes...the culture at TPF has changed over the last two years or so, from being a place with about fifteen active people who would offer C&C on almost every photo, down to a site that has maybe four or five people who will consistently and frequently offer C&C. The rank and file people who used to offer C&C, often with the caveat, "but I'm a beginner, so take my C&C with a grain of salt," type of disclaimer. I personally think that ANYBODY should feel free to say what he or she thinks about a topic, a picture, a set of pictures, a series, whatever; all opinions should be welcome in a place like this. Getting C&C from newbs,beginning level, intermediate, advanced, old hand level people--it's ALL good.

What's toughest I think is responding to either your friends, or to the top dogs...every once in a while they will post something just outrageously stupid, or maybe even pretty bad. What to do then? TPF has become more politically correct, and few people are willing to offend now--which is different from how it used to be. People are less-willing to talk about pictures, and how to make them. More people seem to reserve saying anything, for fear of offending or hurting feelings.

More people want atta-boy! type approval, and post one or two times, looking for congrats and advice, then they disappear. If they get honest C&C that offends, they may flare out of control.

Another thing...over the last couple of years TPF has grown smaller, more club-like, less of a downtown shopping mall, and more of a KOA campground...you're only doing about one post every two days...not gonna see as many replies with that level of visibility as for people who are more well-known and well, more popular.

This might all be nonsense--I am only HALFWAY through Coffee Cup Number One for today.So, brain is only maybe in 2nd gear (and it's a 5-speed...).
"TPF has become more politically correct . . ." I think there should have been a trigger warning before that inflammatory statement. It is clearly a micro-aggression!:1219:
 

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