When C&C is requested.

[KmH]

This came up in another thread and Craig mentioned there used to be a critique forum that ultimately tanked years ago.

I listen closely when I get a critique from a more accomplished artist. I learn more that way. I listen closely to less accomplished artist because they may show me a new way.

Let the discussion begin.

 

[Garbz]

Sorry what was there to discuss? Is critique a good idea? Should we bring back the forum?

What is the purpose of this thread?

And the critique forum was abolished, but critique itself wasn't. If you want critique post in the beginners section, or a relevant gallery pages and ASK for it.

 

[LaFoto]

The Critique Forum didn't work THEN, and Critique Forums don't work NOW (on other photography forums I know), for in the end everyone comes round to every forum to speak their piece, qualified or not, no matter where, so why have a SPECIAL forum where the very same is being said in the end as is being said (or at least could be said) in all the other forums.

Post your picture, ask for C&C, better even: ask specific questions you are curious about and then any of the forums here should work.

 

[bjorkfiend]

...

 

[Moglex]

Most TPF members regard EVERY thread as a C&C thread. Posting a picture and saying 'C&C Please' does nothing around here. If you post it, regardless of intent, you will get C&C. That is why something is needed to separate real C&C requests from the rest. Whether that is a forum or a designation or merely enforcement of a "don't C&C unless it's asked for" rule, I don't know. But the "open season" that is going on around here make me, and many others, not want to post photos at all. Isn't it odd that nearly 1.5 million members (384 were simultaneously online at the time of this posting) can only muster a dozen or so photos in the "non-beginner" sections over the period of a few days?

Maybe the site needs a 'My photo's are/are not OK to criticise' tag to go with the 'edit' one.

 

[JerryPH]

- Most people admit that they are not qualified to CC a picture.

- Some people who are not qualified do so anyways.

- A few who are qualified don't even have calibrated monitors and shouldn't be irrespective (at least from the WB brightness, etc... perspective).

- The ones who are qualified, have calibrated equipment may not understand what the shooter's goal or point of a shot was from the perspective of the shooter, rendering it a bad or improper C&C.

All that said... good CC is hard to come by. Personally, the best person to critique one's work is yourself. Beginners do not really care much about calibration, white balance or the zen of photography... tell them it is blurry and needs cropping and and they are happy and gain something. Short of that... things fall down fast after that.

This is mostly why good CC is difficult to find.

 

[TiCoyote]

The way I see it, there are two reasons I might post a photo:
1. I'm proud of it, and I want to learn how to make it better. I'm showing you the extent of my skills, and I want you to help me extend them further.

2. Something went wrong, and I can't figure out how to fix it. Again, I'm hoping to develop skills.

In both cases, I'm posting because I want feedback. I love compliments, but if I want to become a better photographer, I need criticism as well. If I just wanted people to "ooh" and "aah," well then I would just show the photos to my mom.

That being said, I'm sure there are people who want to post and do not want C&C, and I'm sure there are a variety of reasons they feel this way. Also, it's hard to give good, constructive feedback. Nobody wants to hurt anyone's feelings, particularly a stranger or a respected colleague. Comments can be misconstrued and discussions become volatile quickly. Also, what "I like" is subjective, and will not always be productive information.

Personally, I want detailed comments about what works and what does not, and why. Suggested alternative can be helpful, but this is not always the case.

 

[bjorkfiend]

...

 

[Moglex]

It seems to me that there is a misconception that a photography forum is, by default, a haven for technical knowledge. What happened to the community aspect?

I a computer programmer and own a software company. I spend 14 - 16 hours a day writing and reading technical and legal documents. Photography is my hobby and, though I want to do it well, I don't always want to study. In the event that I find time to take pictures, and some come out well (by my standards anyway), I might want to share my pride with others. That can't happen on TPF unless your work is absolutely spotless. Even then it's often met with "not my style" or "boring, everyone is doing it..." comments. I, personally, haven't had a problem with unsolicited critiques as most of mine have been offered with thoughtful maturity. However, I can hardly stand to browse the forums most days because of the downright crap posted throughout.

What's so wrong about wanting to share your feeling of accomplishment with your "friends" on TPF? Do your call your RL friends egotists when they proudly share a crappy painting to you and take offense when you critique it?

So, seriously, the site needs something like a 'My photo's are/are not OK to criticise' tag to go with the 'edit' one.

If people are being put off displaying their photo's that's an answer.

Another would be a forum for people to post pictures that they do not want criticised. So if you post it in a normal forum it's open season but if you don't want cricisim there's somewhere to go.

 

[LaFoto]

That can't happen on TPF unless your work is absolutely spotless.

I don't see that happen in today's threads on here, either.
Actually, my feeling is that unless you are a total beginner doing all the usual beginner's mistakes which are easiest to point out for every "one-eyed among the blind", your posts pass by totally uncommented (0 replies). You get NOTHING any more. No friendly, communicative comment, no positive critique. No negative critique. Only silence. That's been my own experience for the entire past year and is putting me off posting here at all (and somehow you can tell I used to LIKE posting here).

I'm not saying my photography is spotless.
But after so and so many years of taking photos, I can no longer claim to be the absolute beginner who needs guidance in the world of photography.

Which has gradually placed me in the land of "nobody".
I have given so many comments. Sooo many.
I get nothing in return from this forum any more.
The conclusion I draw from the usual 0 replies-posts I keep getting is that my photography must (!) be the most boring of the whole wide world ... I'm on the brink of calling it a day here on TPF. After all those many, many years...

 

[bjorkfiend]

...

 

[Moglex]

Which has gradually placed me in the land of "nobody".
I have given so many comments. Sooo many.
I get nothing in return from this forum any more.
The conclusion I draw from the usual 0 replies-posts I keep getting is that my photography must (!) be the most boring of the whole wide world ... I'm on the brink of calling it a day here on TPF. After all those many, many years...

I think people were put off providing critiques because there always seemed to be a post floating around moaning about people saying positive things about photo's that were less than 100%. Obviously one doesn't want to be saying negative things all the time and it's good to be able to say something nice but not if you are then yourself criticised for not being sufficiently critical.

 

[NateS]

I don't see that happen in today's threads on here, either.
Actually, my feeling is that unless you are a total beginner doing all the usual beginner's mistakes which are easiest to point out for every "one-eyed among the blind", your posts pass by totally uncommented (0 replies). You get NOTHING any more. No friendly, communicative comment, no positive critique. No negative critique. Only silence. That's been my own experience for the entire past year and is putting me off posting here at all (and somehow you can tell I used to LIKE posting here).

I'm not saying my photography is spotless.
But after so and so many years of taking photos, I can no longer claim to be the absolute beginner who needs guidance in the world of photography.

Which has gradually placed me in the land of "nobody".
I have given so many comments. Sooo many.
I get nothing in return from this forum any more.
The conclusion I draw from the usual 0 replies-posts I keep getting is that my photography must (!) be the most boring of the whole wide world ... I'm on the brink of calling it a day here on TPF. After all those many, many years...

I'm the same exact way. When I post new photos, I usually post them here and one other forum. Most cases I always get 2-4 times the amount of replies on the other forum and quite honestly, there are a lot more advanced users on the other forum than on here.....they still comment and/or critique though.

 

[DRoberts]

First off I have to laugh at comments like Jerry's about who is qualified to give crits...Critiques are nothing more than personal opinions of how a (in this case) photo stirs emotion to the individual. Therefore anyone is "qualified" to give a critique. I have seen photos that had many, many, technical flaws but in the case of specific photos those flaws are what made them great photos.
Now if a person wants advice on how to improve a specific element of a photo, such as lighting, or DOF, etc...then yes, it would be better for someone with more experience to address that issue. But overall critique can come from anyone, even someone who doesn't own a camera. Why should we be so arrogant to assume that only a professional photographer has the right to tell someone that a picture would look better cropped different, or that it is under/over exposed? Anyone who looks at it will have opinions and regardless of experience those opinions many times give the photog a new concept or idea to work with.
To me this is the main problem with this site and one that bothers me the most...to many big headed people that look down from their high thrones of photography excellence and sneer at the common people who wish to participate.

 

[bjorkfiend]

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