Critiques, how do you look at a photograph??

[crownlaurel]

As a beginner myself, I don't attempt to critique anyone unless something really stands out.

Since the lens on my eye is nowhere near sharp, there is no way I can pretend to critique the sharpness of a photo unless the entire image is blurry (assuming I have my contacts in or else the entire world is blurry). I may notice a distracting object but sometimes I wonder if the distracting object is actually part of the story being told and sometimes the photographer is ADD like me and includes distracting objects because the entire world is distracting to us, LOL.

Sometimes I don't like an image even if it was shot by the greatest photographers of all time and sometimes I like an image shot by a four year old with a camera phone.

 

[nomade]

I don't know because it doesn't look like it has to me.
What it appears is being said is that if you bind yourself to a rigid set of 'rules' in Photography you end up producing formula pictures. And if every one is the same you are not being creative. You also shut yourself off from new ideas because you only accept as 'good' images which conform to your formula.
From that it is suggested that if you see the 'rules' as mere guidlines - to be followed, bent, broken or ignored as the situation dictates - then you can start being creative and become receptive to new ideas.
Whether you put emotion into your pictures is up to you but you will find it almost impossible if you just work to a formula. But you will find it equally hard if you don't have any technique*.
If this thread is against anything it is against extremism. There is a lot of common ground between the two poles you mention and that is the area we should be exploring. Instead of being one or the other, be a little bit of both.

Actually I do understand that, and I talked about that, but thanks for the resume anyway...

It depends on why I am taking the picture.

Fine but that is your work in your eyes, but I am talking on other people's work in your eyes...

 

[Hertz van Rental]

I am talking on other people's work in your eyes...

It depends depends on why they took the picture of course.
If they took it for money I would have a different set of criteria to one that was taken for love.
The success or failure of a picture is determined by it's purpose.
A picture may be an original piece of groundbreaking art, but if it was done for a clent who wanted it to sell frozen peas and it doesn't sell the peas then I would judge it a failure in that context.
And contrariwise.