I'm telling you

[Seefutlung]

You are very privileged then ... I usually come home and look at my images hitting my head uttering again and again "Alex, you idiot, you could have done that better!"

*sigh* I'm with you Alex. I'm always looking to ways to improve ... whether it be in the camera or in post processing ... always trying to be super critical of my snaps.

Gary

 

[Seefutlung]

I know what you are talking about.

Remember saying "I know this is a bit grainy since it was severly underexposed, but what do you think about it apart from that."

And then you get some one-line replies saying "This is way too grainy dude!".

ahhh ... that would be me ... Master of the Obivious

Gary

 

[amandakifer]

If someone doesn't want anyone to comment on what could have been better... and you know what could have been better.... why are people posting them in a critique forum? I know it is hard to heard bad things about something someone has put alot of time into... if you don't want to hear it don't post it. Just my opinion.

 

[skieur]

Believe it or not I agree with the man above me. I tend to crop when I edit aond maybe lighten or darken it. The main reason is just so that the poster can see a different way of seeing the subject.

Not to the other part, I have gotten critique like, "there is a tent flap growing out of his head." Yeah he was walking by the tent and I was more interested in him and his costume than the tent flap at the time. Besides it isn't supposed to be a portrait, I didn't pose him. It's meatball photography. Do what you can with what you got.

I am on the far opposite end of the spectrum. Meatball photography seems to me to be in this case an excuse for sloppy attention to framing or angle or lack of attention to detail. You work with what you have, but you control everything possible to get the best photo possible. The work of even some of the best photojournalists was way beyond meatball photography into the artistic range. Part location, part pre-planning, part best equipment for the job, and part a very good eye made for better quality work than meatball photography.

skieur

 

[Seefutlung]

If someone doesn't want anyone to comment on what could have been better... and you know what could have been better.... why are people posting them in a critique forum? I know it is hard to heard bad things about something someone has put alot of time into... if you don't want to hear it don't post it. Just my opinion.

Many people just want an "Atta Boy!!!!" and think that constructive criticism is an attack upon their person and react, often, violently against those who only wish to help the poster grow and expand their photographic skill and image quality.

On the flip side I've also seen people critique poorly, attacking the person not the photo and provide wrong information. I have found better critiques from those with more experience and skill than those with little. And I have found that the more experienced and skilled the poster the more receptive to constructive criticism. Often I won't say anything at all because I just get tired of attempting to encapsulate my critique in politically correct language that I just move on.

Gary

 

[mysteryscribe]

I know we disagree, but I think you control what you can, when you can. Then you have to take what you get. I couldn't ask the man to stop cause he wasn't posing for pictures..

I doubt those photo journalist in irag are too concerned about exact framing when they are in a firefight. If you are shooting a general passing out purple hearts in the hospital, yeah they do try to control everything. More than any wedding I ever saw as a matter of fact. I have never been to Iraq but I saw how it worked in Asia when I was a kid.

It works like that for me in a wedding situation. If you are posing people on the pretty bridge there probably isn't a lot of excuses. If you are shooting picture from the balcony during the ceremony, you take what you can get.

If you are shooting pictures of the bride and groome cutting the cake, then yeah you dont have much excuse for a piece of decoration crossing their head, but if you are shooting mom and dad dancing and just when you take your shot a hand gets on the back of his jacket, and the dance is over, I personally don't ask them to pose for me again. It's called candids.

Here again I know we see things differently but thats how I see it, and you see it your way. There is nothing wrong with disagreements at all.

 

[mysteryscribe]

I can agree with Gary as well. It's hard to phrase things so they don't hurt someone else's feelings. Lot's of people get married to their shots and feel about them like family. Don't dis my family kind of feelings. I generally take criticism well as long as the person giving it doesn't go on the attack.

As you say there is a fine difference between attacking an image and doing a critique. Some people haven't learned to do a gentle critique. And someone also pointed out we have to remember we weren't there when it was shot. We don't know the circumstances.

They probably should go back to the formal detailed scientific critique forum. But they should also have a peer to peer critique as well. If you want to hang it in a museum go to the formal scientific critique, but if you just want to shoot better pics so the sister of the bride will think you are an artist go to the peer to peer room.

Then of course we will need to but a big heavy lock on the door to keep the critique givers of the scientific room inside so they don't wander out when they get bored.

As Cindy (elisa pet) said once and I paraphrase. Some see it as art, some see it as science, ( this is my part) and some just take pictures the best they can with a little of both. I think the idea of the formal critique room is needed again just to get the right people together.

 

[mysteryscribe]

Had another thought... The church is tiny and they have those ten candle type holders three of them. They want their pictures at the alter, guess what? You ARE going to have a candle coming out of someone's head. If not on the small groups, then when you get that thirty five person wedding party on three rows, that's what I call meatball photography.

And sure as hell someone will say, there is a candle growing out of their head. Duh you werent there dude. I personally am NOT going to tell my customer that she can't have her pictures in front of that beautiful mural of jesus saving the lost lamb because it will make the shot less than artistic. Some folks might but not me, I'm going to take the money and run.

 

[crownlaurel]

I SO want constructive criticism. I want to learn and the ability to get close to people who are really good just isn't there for me. I've really enjoyed reading how to improve and I've even gotten a kick out of being told I must have given my four year old my camera. Though I can take it, I wonder about some of the poor folks who can't. So many people these days went to the Simon Cowell School of Criticism and forget that "constructive" criticism means offering ways to improve, not just pointing out what's wrong.

Speaking of things coming out of people's heads, I am teaching VBS this week and I set up a piece of paper with bulletin board decorations (sports theme). I planned to take the kids' pictures in front of it to make them a scrapbook page. I tested it on my son (who is a bit older and taller than my class) and he stood in front of a cheerleader and he had two pompoms growing out of his head.

 

[mysteryscribe]

I bet you a hundred dollars those kid's parents wouldn't have cared they would have loved it. I have a picture of my grandson on the easter bunnys lap, The easter bunny is growing out of his head. My son and law and I both laugh at the picture but my wife and her daughter the boys mother and grand mother think it's adorable. Somebody should tell the easter bunny about composition. But since they paid ten bucks a pop for that shot, I don't expect her cares a whit.

 

[ksmattfish]

We need a gallery with rules that say DO NOT COMMENT UNDER PENALTY OF DEATH. Something along the lines of, I'm just putting this here to show you what I do, and I don't give a crap what you think. If you can't say Awesome Dude then stay out.

That's called a personal photo album. I think that if someone has posted a pic here, then you can post just about any comment that is relevant to the photo, Mystery. Of course, then they can post their opinion of your comment. Don't post pics or comments if you can't handle disagreement.

 

[mysteryscribe]

That's called a personal photo album. I think that if someone has posted a pic here, then you can post just about any comment that is relevant to the photo, Mystery. Of course, then they can post their opinion of your comment. Don't post pics or comments if you can't handle disagreement.

You know I think you are right.....Words to live by. Thanks Matt I needed that.