Positive vibes from this site

[rlemert]

Very often someone new to this site will make a comment suggesting that they find the quality of the photography a bit 'intimidating'. (One comment I read a few minutes ago, for example, asked if everyone here was a professional because the pictures are so good.) I can easily sympathize with this because I too find many of the pictures well beyond what I'm currently capable of.

However, on the other hand I also find this sight makes me feel pretty good about my skills. A couple of the threads I just looked through, for instance, included comments about "don't be afraid to rotate the camera to put vertical subjects in a vertical format." Reading this, I realized that most of the time I do this. I also frequently see pictures posted where I know that I can do better.

In making these comments I'm not trying to put down someone else just because they're still early on their learning curve. After all, my pictures were also pretty poor at first. I'm just curious to find out how many others find encouragement here that "hey, maybe I have learned something after all?"

 

[Designer]

It is probably a natural part of human nature to compare your art with other people's art. I don't know what specific value it has but people do it anyway.

This site is primarily geared toward learning. We learn by reading, doing, receiving critique, and posting what we've learned. Whatever encouragement you can derive from doing all that is going to be up to you. If you take the criticism as a way of helping you to learn, you will learn.

 

[gsgary]

Don't listen to 90% of what they say on here you will hear the same old crap

 

[KenC]

Don't listen to 90% of what they say on here you will hear the same old crap

There is something to this, although I wouldn't set the percentage quite that high, but knowing how to evaluate and filter the feedback is a learning curve all its own. Mostly I think it comes from learning more about the technical and artistic aspects of photography so you have some basis to know whether someone's comments make sense or not.

 

[dennybeall]

The great thing about having people from all over with all kinds of tastes in photos is that you can get opinions that frequently vary widely. Some folks are really technical and if it's in "tack-sharp focus" it's a wonderful photo no matter what else. Some are artistic and look at composition and/or color and texture. Some combine both art and technical.
It's useful to get comments from all of these different people, you just have to have a thick skin and realize that it's all just opinion.
Heck, I wouldn't give you a nickel for a painting of a can of Campbell's Soup but they sell for millions...go figure!

 

[bribrius]

I think it important to understand what people are doing to photos as well. some is skill, some isnt. Ten k in equipment or more definitely doesnt hurt a photo. Nor does exceptional sotfware and pp skills. It might help to see the differences in materials used, just sayn. when it comes to simple composition, the materials used are less of a influence. so if you see a photo remember to compare skills to skills. Not so much the $ invested.

 

[bribrius]

Very often someone new to this site will make a comment suggesting that they find the quality of the photography a bit 'intimidating'. (One comment I read a few minutes ago, for example, asked if everyone here was a professional because the pictures are so good.) I can easily sympathize with this because I too find many of the pictures well beyond what I'm currently capable of.

However, on the other hand I also find this sight makes me feel pretty good about my skills. A couple of the threads I just looked through, for instance, included comments about "don't be afraid to rotate the camera to put vertical subjects in a vertical format." Reading this, I realized that most of the time I do this. I also frequently see pictures posted where I know that I can do better.

In making these comments I'm not trying to put down someone else just because they're still early on their learning curve. After all, my pictures were also pretty poor at first. I'm just curious to find out how many others find encouragement here that "hey, maybe I have learned something after all?"

i would be careful about what i put in bold too. Often people only show their best work. Looks are deceiving. i made the mistake of criticizing a photo on another site thinking the photographer didnt know what they were doing, only to be handed a ration of chit with thirty some odd years behind it and a full established portfolio and a list of photos he had published. i no longer take someones photo as being a accurate representation of who they actually may be as a photographer. Basically i criticized what i thought was a crappy photo without any clue who i was criticizing.

 

[SquarePeg]

"...Basically i criticized what i thought was a crappy photo without any clue who i was criticizing."

Did learning that the photographer who took it was experienced make it less of a crappy photo?

 

[pixmedic]

"...Basically i criticized what i thought was a crappy photo without any clue who i was criticizing."

Did learning that the photographer who took it was experienced make it less of a crappy photo?

A crappy photo is a crappy photo regardless of what a photographers other shots are like.
not every shots a Winner.

 

[Designer]

Basically i criticized what i thought was a crappy photo without any clue who i was criticizing.

So you're saying that you're heavily influenced by someone's reputation to the point of accepting marginal work?

Looking back; did you see real flaws in the photograph? Things like composition, use of light, the frame (crop). Things that are not only subjective to a degree, but which nearly anybody can see is either good or not good.

Try to analyze why you changed your mind, or had your mind changed by someone's comment.

 

[bribrius]

"...Basically i criticized what i thought was a crappy photo without any clue who i was criticizing."

Did learning that the photographer who took it was experienced make it less of a crappy photo?

NO. Still wasn't a fan of it. But it did make me second guess everything i thought about the photo. And i just about choked on that large piece of humble pie shoved down my throat. LOL

 

[bribrius]

Basically i criticized what i thought was a crappy photo without any clue who i was criticizing.

So you're saying that you're heavily influenced by someone's reputation to the point of accepting marginal work?

Looking back; did you see real flaws in the photograph? Things like composition, use of light, the frame (crop). Things that are not only subjective to a degree, but which nearly anybody can see is either good or not good.

Try to analyze why you changed your mind, or had your mind changed by someone's comment.

i have. it makes me experiment more with composition. similar to when i noticed someone using dead space in the foreground rather than creating foreground interest . so i started experimenting with dead space in the foreground. This was the opposite. He placed a tree directly in the foreground actually blocking part of the rest of the shot. why a few weeks back i attempted the same thing with a post on here. which was welcomed with reactions that i need a chainsaw. Dropped a tree right on the third line in the immediate foreground wondering what i would get for comments. And the other day i posted a bw child and truck putting the truck in the foreground oof. Making me think when it is okay to break the rules and for what reason on foreground. In the photographers case, he basically told me he can put the tree wherever the hell he wants and he asked me who the fruck i am to judge his photos..

 

[Designer]

Relax, Brian, I think you're making way too much out of some negative comments. Instead of trying to apply some formula to composition, try to look at it with the other side of your brain, the creative side. Good composition is very rarely in conformance to some "rules". It just takes looking at good art with a critical eye so you begin to see what exactly makes it good art.

 

[SquarePeg]

i have. it makes me experiment more with composition. similar to when i noticed someone using dead space in the foreground rather than creating foreground interest . so i started experimenting with dead space in the foreground. This was the opposite. He placed a tree directly in the foreground actually blocking part of the rest of the shot. why a few weeks back i attempted the same thing with a post on here. which was welcomed with reactions that i need a chainsaw. Dropped a tree right on the third line in the immediate foreground wondering what i would get for comments. And the other day i posted a bw child and truck putting the truck in the foreground oof. Making me think when it is okay to break the rules and for what reason on foreground. In the photographers case, he basically told me he can put the tree wherever the hell he wants and he asked me who the fruck i am to judge his photos..[/QUOTE]

I'm curious if the photo was posted asking for comments/C&C. Not everyone, especially on other photo sites, is looking for input, some are just sharing.

Having difficulty with the new quote function. How do you quote just the last post in a chain?

 

[bribrius]

i have. it makes me experiment more with composition. similar to when i noticed someone using dead space in the foreground rather than creating foreground interest . so i started experimenting with dead space in the foreground. This was the opposite. He placed a tree directly in the foreground actually blocking part of the rest of the shot. why a few weeks back i attempted the same thing with a post on here. which was welcomed with reactions that i need a chainsaw. Dropped a tree right on the third line in the immediate foreground wondering what i would get for comments. And the other day i posted a bw child and truck putting the truck in the foreground oof. Making me think when it is okay to break the rules and for what reason on foreground. In the photographers case, he basically told me he can put the tree wherever the hell he wants and he asked me who the fruck i am to judge his photos..

I'm curious if the photo was posted asking for comments/C&C. Not everyone, especially on other photo sites, is looking for input, some are just sharing.

Having difficulty with the new quote function. How do you quote just the last post in a chain?[/QUOTE]no. He didnt ask for cc. And it gets worse. The photo i was criticizing had already been published. which i didn't know at the time. He did later apologize for his reaction. lol