Views/Replies ratio, regarding C&C

[LuckySe7en]

I didn't really want to make a thread about this but I feel it's necessary. We all post pictures for C&C and we all want the most input as possible from other members. Why is it that when someone posts a picture for C&C only a few of us reply? A thread can have nearly 200 views with only 5-6 replies. Something isn't right.

Anybody else have any thoughts in this regard?


*oops, I just realized I posted this in the people section, please move if need be*

 

[SCraig]

There can be a number of reasons for that.

First, not everyone specifically asks for C&C on a photograph. If comment and critique are not explicitly asked for then I don't automatically assume that the photograph was posted for that reason, I assume it was posted simply to share a shot someone felt was worth sharing.

Second, it takes time. A lot of people post photographs requesting C&C each and every day. I have a life, I have a job, most everyone here is in the same boat. If I spent 10 minutes a day commenting on every photograph that requested C&C I'd have no time left for anything else. Most of us do the best we can. If it isn't good enough I'm sorry.

Third, some photographs are just so bad that there is really no place to start. Likewise, some photographs are so good that there is really little to be said against them.

And then there are those who can be argumentative when their expertise, at least in their own mind, doesn't receive rave reviews. I just pass them by and keep going.

 

[analog.universe]

I'm not great at giving critique... I look at a lot of those threads, but I only say something if it's something I think I can say well, and that no one else has already mentioned. Many times there's a photo I don't like, and it's not that there's anything wrong with it exactly, I just don't feel qualified to comment because it's not my style. Nothing I say could improve it, because the artist clearly went a different direction than I would.

If I do have something to say I think might be helpful I will, but that doesn't happen as often as it does in the more abstract, not-just-about-an-image threads.

 

[12sndsgood]

there too busy figting about weed in my tresspassing post to look at photos? lol.

i agree. frustrates me when i post something and get one responce and then a very similar pic by someone else goes on to page 2 or 3. makes me feel so unloved lol

 

[Big Mike]

I'm not sure if it's still the case, but at one time, I was lead to believe that the view stats could be artificially high because of search engine crawlers/spiders.

 

[sarahashleyphotos]

There can be a number of reasons for that.

First, not everyone specifically asks for C&C on a photograph. If comment and critique are not explicitly asked for then I don't automatically assume that the photograph was posted for that reason, I assume it was posted simply to share a shot someone felt was worth sharing.

Second, it takes time. A lot of people post photographs requesting C&C each and every day. I have a life, I have a job, most everyone here is in the same boat. If I spent 10 minutes a day commenting on every photograph that requested C&C I'd have no time left for anything else. Most of us do the best we can. If it isn't good enough I'm sorry.

Third, some photographs are just so bad that there is really no place to start. Likewise, some photographs are so good that there is really little to be said against them.

And then there are those who can be argumentative when their expertise, at least in their own mind, doesn't receive rave reviews. I just pass them by and keep going.

With forums like this you wouldn't think that someone would post a photo and not expect any comments on it. That just seems ridiculous to me. Also why do you have to have a negative comment? I think when people tell me what they like about a photo that is very helpful as well.

Anyway I agree OP. I don't understand all of the views and little comments.

 

[LuckySe7en]

Lately I've been putting a little extra efford to reply and give my opinion even if what I have to say isn't good. I think the OP appreciates it either way.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

There can be a number of reasons for that.

First, not everyone specifically asks for C&C on a photograph. If comment and critique are not explicitly asked for then I don't automatically assume that the photograph was posted for that reason, I assume it was posted simply to share a shot someone felt was worth sharing.

Second, it takes time. A lot of people post photographs requesting C&C each and every day. I have a life, I have a job, most everyone here is in the same boat. If I spent 10 minutes a day commenting on every photograph that requested C&C I'd have no time left for anything else. Most of us do the best we can. If it isn't good enough I'm sorry.

Third, some photographs are just so bad that there is really no place to start. Likewise, some photographs are so good that there is really little to be said against them.

And then there are those who can be argumentative when their expertise, at least in their own mind, doesn't receive rave reviews. I just pass them by and keep going.

+1

Agree with everything here. The one thing I want to add is that the worst offenders in the argumentative department are usually not the newbies, imo. No, they are the ones who have pretty much mastered a few parts of the photo equation and are now, in their own minds, masters of them all. Very funny. And sad too considering that after more than 30 years in that business, I still don't think I don't need to learn every day. Believe it or not, I learn something useful just about every time I log in.

Now, that was what I wanted to add. What I would have changed is this: " If it isn't good enough I'm sorry." Since I am not as polite as SCraig, I woud have said: If it isn't good enough fook you. I'm not your $0 teacher.




I'm sorry if sarah ashley doesn't understand this but a number of C&C threads are showing photos of such poor quality and total lack of thinking put into them that they are an insult of sorts. If the authors of these threads were to learn some very basic things about photo before posting, they probably wouldn't post snapshots.

As mentioned, C&C takes time and I see no reason to waste mine on people who can't take theirs to learn the very basics on their own.

 

[Joel_W]

There are over 120,000 members here. Thank goodness not everyone posts a comment or CC.

I post at least one picture thread per week with a max of 6 pictures. I don't expect any CC's or comments. I do thank everyone for stopping by and looking at my work. If they feel they want to comment or CC, it's more then welcomed, but not expected, and then I thank the poster for their input.

I do spend a lot of time CC'ing posts. For those with outstanding pictures, I express that very view, and for those with less then stellar work, I try to explain what I see as wrong or lacking, and how to correct those issues. It's virtually impossible to CC more then a dozen or so threads per day.

 

[LuckySe7en]

As mentioned, C&C takes time and I see no reason to waste mine on people who can't take theirs to learn the very basics on their own.

Now this I agree with 100%.

 

[sarahashleyphotos]

There can be a number of reasons for that.

First, not everyone specifically asks for C&C on a photograph. If comment and critique are not explicitly asked for then I don't automatically assume that the photograph was posted for that reason, I assume it was posted simply to share a shot someone felt was worth sharing.

Second, it takes time. A lot of people post photographs requesting C&C each and every day. I have a life, I have a job, most everyone here is in the same boat. If I spent 10 minutes a day commenting on every photograph that requested C&C I'd have no time left for anything else. Most of us do the best we can. If it isn't good enough I'm sorry.

Third, some photographs are just so bad that there is really no place to start. Likewise, some photographs are so good that there is really little to be said against them.

And then there are those who can be argumentative when their expertise, at least in their own mind, doesn't receive rave reviews. I just pass them by and keep going.

+1

Agree with everything here. The one thing I want to add is that the worst offenders in the argumentative department are usually not the newbies, imo. No, they are the ones who have pretty much mastered a few parts of the photo equation and are now, in their own minds, masters of them all. Very funny. And sad too considering that after more than 30 years in that business, I still don't think I don't need to learn every day. Believe it or not, I learn something useful just about every time I log in.

Now, that was what I wanted to add. What I would have changed is this: " If it isn't good enough I'm sorry." Since I am not as polite as SCraig, I woud have said: If it isn't good enough fook you. I'm not your $0 teacher.




I'm sorry if sarah ashley doesn't understand this but a number of C&C threads are showing photos of such poor quality and total lack of thinking put into them that they are an insult of sorts. If the authors of these threads were to learn some very basic things about photo before posting, they probably wouldn't post snapshots.

As mentioned, C&C takes time and I see no reason to waste mine on people who can't take theirs to learn the very basics on their own.

"Also why do you have to have a negative comment? I think when people tell me what they like about a photo that is very helpful as well."
Was in response to:
"Likewise, some photographs are so good that there is really little to be said against them."

Why not say what you like about the photo rather than trying to only find bad things about the photo? A good critique should mention both the good and the bad.

 

[KenC]

I try to comment on photos that are good, or ones that have some promise, but have a few problems. The ones that are really bad take a lot of time and often are posted in bunches, so they don't get much attention from me. I've had the experience myself of posting a single photo in the General Gallery and having upwards of a hundred views and no comments at all. While I don't comment on even close to all of the stuff posted there, it is kind of hard to understand why no one would have anything to say.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Why not say what you like about the photo rather than trying to only find bad things about the photo? A good critique should mention both the good and the bad.

Agreed.

Unfortunately, some photos are so good that there is nothing to say but "wow" or "great shot" or some other such thing. And I do it often enough but those members often disappear very quickly because the level here is way below theirs and if we try and talk more about the artistry (rather than the technical) we end up passing for snobs...

There is a photog I met through here who posted only once. My response to his thread was one of two and he never posted again. But I got in touch with him because I really liked his work. He now shows/is handle by/in the same gallery I am in. I didn't really have anything to do with it, I just took him to a party where there were industry people including the owner of my gallery...

That was part one.

Part two is that we don't try to find bad things to say. We tend to focus on those because that is where the photog needs the most help. Anything we don't mention, is good. And, yes, considering that most members have no idea who the other members are, it is hard to judge which C&C to listen to. But, isn't that one more thing to learn about photography: how to judge who is worth listening to and who is not worth our time?

Then, there is part three. And that's the photogs who don't deserve a second of my time.

 

[fokker]

Reasons why I'll look at a C&C thread without posting a reply:

- The photo is just kinda 'meh'. nothing particularly good or bad about it, I just don't really care for it or about it one way or another
- Too many photos. usually this is more than 2 or 3. Any more and I just can't be assed writing specifically about each one
- What I would say has already been said, either by another poster or by the OP
- The OP is a known troll or a person who refuses to listen to advice (eg. er11a posts another overprocessed photo)
-

 

[Big Mike]

C&C has been a contentious topic on this forum for years.

One of the issues is that too many people just put up a photo and simply ask for 'C&C please'.
Well, the problem with that, is that without knowing what the intention of the photographer was, or at least what the circumstances were, or anything about the thought process...it's hard to really judge an image beyond the most simple things. For example, someone could post an image that is (in my opinion) too dark...but if that is exactly how dark they wanted it, then my comment wouldn't really be helping them at all.

To put it another way, the more effort someone puts into asking for C&C, the more effort people will tend to put into giving C&C.