Seriously, why are you here?

[manaheim]

Fairly said, Over.

I'm surprised you're surprised, btw.

We all know the expression "he who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing" and hope that it does not describe us. Yet it's partly because the "price" is easy to figure out, the "value" is much more difficult, and shifts with circumstance. In photographic terms, it's much easier to pick on the technical aspects, while the artistic value is more difficult to discern, especially if one doesn't have the training or experience to recognize the "vocabulary" of the image.

To answer your question, I am here because I find it relatively easy to see things in the imagery of other people, but I become blind and mute when it comes to trying to do the art myself. At least, that's the way it feels to me, and I would like to feel, if not mastery, at least a level of comfort with my creative side. In my photographic journey, I've found that I had some very fundamental holes in my knowlede, and these were causing me to, at best, misread a situation, and at worse, completely blow it. So part of the journey, was to go back and learn some of the fundamentals that i was ignorant of. In my case, I used light, but I did not understand it. Nor did I appreciate how much effort goes into the preparation for taking an image. In various forums, in my club workshops, and in the competitions that I have participated in, I've learned both the depth of my ignorance, but also the paths I needed to follow to at least know the basics. I've learned a lot in this forum, pursuing the links that many posters have given us, and these in turn lead to other bits and (occasionally) founts of information.

As for the critiques, that is a skill-set of its own. We often have a "feeling" about something, but have difficulty putting that feeling into words. Yet that is exactly what a good critique demands, to read the emotional message, interprete it, and then to reconstruct it using the language of words. It's translation, really. And if you know several languages, you know how difficult it can be to capture the essence of a message in one language, and render it properly in another. It ain't easy... And we do need to cut some slack to those who try to do it. Getting it wrong, is part of the journey to getting it right.

This was beautiful.

Ok, I'll shaddap and let everyone yell at me for a while now. lol

 

[Bossy]

Am I, though?

I think, for some reason, that people think that photography is more attainably something you can criticize. I don't know why, but they do.

And yeah you can probably say how lighting in a video affected you, but I doubt you would have the balls to walk up to a professional director and tell him he did it wrong.

I DO completely understand the value of trying to c/c other's work to learn more yourself... but there's a huge difference between "Gee,the white balance looks weird to me, was that intentional? Why did you do that?" and "The white balance is wrong. Fix it."

Hah. If I had the chance, I'd tell a couple directors how they f'd up. Then its up to them *as professionals* to either take my 2 cents or leave it.

Which moves on to phrasing. Its your job as the one receiving CC to sort through and process it. Someone says they love it, next person says its off, 3rd person says its flat out wrong, I'm going to look at my image and see if I agree or if it still stands as a good image to me. Thats the point of CC, to have outside POVs. And if 20 people are saying its flat out wrong, then maybe thats something I really need to look into.

 

[dxqcanada]

"I've giv'n her all she's got captain, an' I canna give her no more." -- Scotty

 

[johnb304]

People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.

 

[cgipson1]

Why are beginners giving CC, though? I mean doesn't that seem just a little weird? "Hi, I just bought a camera and I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing... oh but hey that picture you took is ALL WRONG!!!"

About this question that was brought up... I will say this. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING!

When I am trying to help someone, and make some suggestions on what might help improve the image...... then suddenly four or five people (who admit to being new to photography in their intro the day before) come along... and tell the OP I am working with, that the image is fine just like it is.. and doesn't need any changes. Who is the OP supposed to believe? I feel like I just wasted my time! I find newbie C&C does much more harm then good.... at least when they are C&C'ing another newbie that doesn't know any better!

Comments?

 

[Trever1t]

I'm here for the drama.

 

[cgipson1]

I'm here for the drama.

Yea.. me too, buddy! ( and the likes! Cant forget the likes!)

 

[Overread]

Why are beginners giving CC, though? I mean doesn't that seem just a little weird? "Hi, I just bought a camera and I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing... oh but hey that picture you took is ALL WRONG!!!"

About this question that was brought up... I will say this. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING!

When I am trying to help someone, and make some suggestions on what might help improve the image...... then suddenly four or five people (who admit to being new to photography in their intro the day before) come along... and tell the OP I am working with, that the image is fine just like it is.. and doesn't need any changes. Who is the OP supposed to believe? I feel like I just wasted my time! I find newbie C&C does much more harm then good.... at least when they are C&C'ing another newbie that doesn't know any better!

Comments?

Generally backing up your point with sound reasoning and explanations normally carries ones point over the head of points made without such clarifications. In the end its the photographers choice who they will and won't listen to - sometimes that means you will get ignored. Just gotta get used to that - pick up and move on - you can't win em all and there ain't no point getting bitter about the ones you don't win.

 

[SCraig]

Please keep in mind that one of the "C"s in "C&C" stands for "Comment". Traditionally it is the first "C as in "Comment and Critique". I feel that it is traditionally the first "C' simply because EVERYONE knows whether they like or dislike a photograph simply by looking at it and can comment on what they like and dislike about one. Admittedly it does require a certain level of knowledge to provide useful "Critique" of a photograph however no knowledge is required to "Comment" on one.

 

[Bossy]

Please keep in mind that one of the "C"s in "C&C" stands for "Comment". Traditionally it is the first "C as in "Comment and Critique". I feel that it is traditionally the first "C' simply because EVERYONE knows whether they like or dislike a photograph simply by looking at it and can comment on what they like and dislike about one. Admittedly it does require a certain level of knowledge to provide useful "Critique" of a photograph however no knowledge is required to "Comment" on one.

I've always known it as Constructive Criticism.

 

[tirediron]

Please keep in mind that one of the "C"s in "C&C" stands for "Comment". Traditionally it is the first "C as in "Comment and Critique". I feel that it is traditionally the first "C' simply because EVERYONE knows whether they like or dislike a photograph simply by looking at it and can comment on what they like and dislike about one. Admittedly it does require a certain level of knowledge to provide useful "Critique" of a photograph however no knowledge is required to "Comment" on one.

I've always known it as Constructive Criticism.

You mean, as in, "Constructive & Criticism"?

 

[pgriz]

I thought it meant "crucify".

 

[Bossy]

Please keep in mind that one of the "C"s in "C&C" stands for "Comment". Traditionally it is the first "C as in "Comment and Critique". I feel that it is traditionally the first "C' simply because EVERYONE knows whether they like or dislike a photograph simply by looking at it and can comment on what they like and dislike about one. Admittedly it does require a certain level of knowledge to provide useful "Critique" of a photograph however no knowledge is required to "Comment" on one.

I've always known it as Constructive Criticism.

You mean, as in, "Constructive & Criticism"?

No I mean as, criticism given constructively. There's never been an &.

 

[manaheim]

Does anyone wonder at all why TPF selected Over as a moderator? Man. Someone should hire this guy to be an embassador to a prickly foreign country.

 

[marmots]

Off subject.....rule of thirds in my opinion doesn't always apply.

well i think this is an important thing to think about regardless of whether or not it's off subject


the way i see this, without anyone else's opinion...

the rule of thirds has a lot to do with direction and motion. the only reason one would use it would be to show these things.


for example when i was just starting i posted an image of someone looking dead on, directly at the camera, with no tilt, or anything, and i had it perfectly centered. well, someone on here told me that this was wrong, and i should have them off center. being a newbie, i adjusted it, and deleted the original, without even realizing it looked worse.

i think there are some clear situations in which the rule of thirds doesn't apply, without even seeing the image

but once again, the whole thing about direction is just something i deduced over time. i could be wrong