Are you prepared to say you don't like someone's pictures?

[Sparrow]

That's why I am saying that at least I have a to see what kind of pictures you prefer, you like or praise, not necessarily take. You may not be photographer at all, as long as you possess a visual culture and certain general cultural baggage.

Precisely! One doesn't necessarily need the ability, but without it one must at least have a credible reputation ... it cannot be done from a position of anonymity

 

[Fedupwithdigital]

Here's my rule of thumb: post your work on Internet forums.

Seriously, though, there are some simply awesome photographs posted here. So awesome, in fact, it's quite offputting to someone like me. Just look at the gap between me joining RFF and actually posting anything in the gallery. But hey, you only live once. And I've found that plucking up the nuts to post some pictures has actually forced me to look at what I'm shooting, how I'm shooting it, and why I'm shooting it, a lot harder.

 

[daveleo]

Translation

Translation

I decided to work up my own little code for criticizing other peoples' photographs without hurting their feelings.
Here is a partial list of the words I'd use versus what is actually on my mind . . . .


Fascinating = WTF?
Dynamic = you shook the camera?
Exciting = you dropped the camera?
Has a character = the lens had smudges on the glass?
Has a glow = It's blurry and over exposed.
Lovely = Another pleasant picture of another pleasant subject.
Wow ! = Yet another picture of a chick with no clothes on !
Great capture ! = You left your camera on the cafe table, pointing to the steet with the intervalometer set to fire every 15 seconds.

 

[L David Tomei]

Photo forums are not good for commenting / critiquing pictures.
Almost no good comes of a public, shared exchange of commentary and the follow-up commentary about the various comments being made, revenge remarks, then the lens used, the DOF, the "ambiance", the dynamic . . . . whatever.

Nothing but trouble and bad feelings or fake, undue praise, etc etc.

People should post their stuff in the gallery and let others view and move along without engaging in debates on how good or bad you picture is.

If I ever need to comment on a piece of work, I'll send a PM and avoid a debate about it.

Personally, I limit my critiques to offering compliments or nothing at all. If it's from a professional, then I would wonder why their photo would be hung out there to attract criticisms from others who are often unqualified to offer meaningful technical comments. The number of "views" that an image attracts is a more reliable measurement of a photograph IMO. A critique from someone who can't produce consistently good images themselves does little good.

 

[Ezzie]

..........
I've decided not to comment on others work unless I have something good to say. For the most part art is a matter of taste and I really only know what I like.

Agreed.

And who am I to critique other people's work anyway. In what way am I (better) qualified to give critisism? Why would anyone care about what I had to say anyhow? It's the internet. Ask yourself these questions first. I do.

 

[scottsa]

This premise is a bit precarious, really.

If you are not specifically asked to comment, and you don't like a piece, then move on. To do otherwise is often crass and inviting of criticism and retributions.

Silence is a very powerful motivator for a lot of people.

Anyone with a shred of intelligence, that posts an image they're proud of and receives zero feedback but also sees others actively commenting will realize their work is missing something... including an audience.

If you are not asked, but it is implied or simply like this site where you have the opportunity to comment, you are still best to walk away from the piece, or collection, and let the view-count versus silence speak you. This also leaves room for others to step in.

If you are specifically asked, then honesty is the best as long as you are respectful and, above all else, realize you are not the keeper of all that is aesthetic.

If you believe the sun will go out if you sit down, then you are best to walk away in all cases else bear the wrath of others.

If you feel compelled to comment, and you just cannot walk away, or it is a new person, a fresh upload of their latest work, then you need to step back and look at all the work, or a representative sample, before commenting.

There are extremely few instances where it is, in my view, useful or appropriate to tactfully state the work is not to your taste.

A scenario might play as follows:

"Of the work you have presented I don't find this example to be your strongest or nor to my taste and aesthetic. In real life I've not been attracted to large piles of fresh fecal material and I'm not familiar with anyone other than my dog that is.

That said, you've done an admirable job of accurately exposing and rendering their likeness so if your goal was for a visceral response, then you have succeeded well.

If that was not your goal, then you might try applying your skills to the creators of this material, preferably biased to the intake end, while going about its or their day. Failing that, you might try different sources and situations for more fertile material"


There are caveats because there is usually someone, somewhere, that is either ignorant or itching for a fight. Indeed, some people make a hobby of classless rhetoric, abuse and more.

Other instances exist that don't always fit either. Typically those are situations where differences in language, culture and/or social abilities are foremost. Those are all independent, by the way. Furthermore, some days people find fecal material in their cornflakes, don't have a camera at hand to document it and it all goes down hill from there.

I regularly see work on this site and elsewhere that is either not to my taste or demonstrates any number of flaws and weaknesses. But I am fully aware that the few images I have posted include some degree of deficiency. After this many years, I've managed to learn how to reduce that number.

More common, though, is for more work to be posted that is decent to exceptional. Those are situations where divide and conquer is a good approach where "there is room for improvement".

All in all, if someone takes the time to post a work or comment, they deserve respectful consideration. Personally, I prefer to hear people articulate what it is they like, or not, about a piece or why they think it works so others can better understand why certain choices were made.

To close, it is important to realize that perceptions and perspectives change thereby changing how we react to our environment. Some images take time to understand or appreciate so a first response may not be indicative of what you may think days, weeks or months into the future.

Of course there are also situations where the subject matter is rhetorical, humorous or spoofing. The work you have deemed unpleasant and plan on commenting may later be discovered to be bait you fell for it with serious commentary and the like.

More could be said, but I'll leave space for others to comment upon later.

 

[Sid836]

When I come across a photo that I don't like, I just don't say anything, do not rate it. This is because I feel I have not reached to a point of delivering something of constructive there since I am still in the process of learning (and it is most likely that even the worst that I don't like is even better than my best shot).

 

[emraphoto]

This premise is a bit precarious, really.

If you are not specifically asked to comment, and you don't like a piece, then move on. To do otherwise is often crass and inviting of criticism and retributions.

Silence is a very powerful motivator for a lot of people.

Anyone with a shred of intelligence, that posts an image they're proud of and receives zero feedback but also sees others actively commenting will realize their work is missing something... including an audience.

If you are not asked, but it is implied or simply like this site where you have the opportunity to comment, you are still best to walk away from the piece, or collection, and let the view-count versus silence speak you. This also leaves room for others to step in.

If you are specifically asked, then honesty is the best as long as you are respectful and, above all else, realize you are not the keeper of all that is aesthetic.

If you believe the sun will go out if you sit down, then you are best to walk away in all cases else bear the wrath of others.

If you feel compelled to comment, and you just cannot walk away, or it is a new person, a fresh upload of their latest work, then you need to step back and look at all the work, or a representative sample, before commenting.

There are extremely few instances where it is, in my view, useful or appropriate to tactfully state the work is not to your taste.

A scenario might play as follows:

"Of the work you have presented I don't find this example to be your strongest or nor to my taste and aesthetic. In real life I've not been attracted to large piles of fresh fecal material and I'm not familiar with anyone other than my dog that is.

That said, you've done an admirable job of accurately exposing and rendering their likeness so if your goal was for a visceral response, then you have succeeded well.

If that was not your goal, then you might try applying your skills to the creators of this material, preferably biased to the intake end, while going about its or their day. Failing that, you might try different sources and situations for more fertile material"


There are caveats because there is usually someone, somewhere, that is either ignorant or itching for a fight. Indeed, some people make a hobby of classless rhetoric, abuse and more.

Other instances exist that don't always fit either. Typically those are situations where differences in language, culture and/or social abilities are foremost. Those are all independent, by the way. Furthermore, some days people find fecal material in their cornflakes, don't have a camera at hand to document it and it all goes down hill from there.

I regularly see work on this site and elsewhere that is either not to my taste or demonstrates any number of flaws and weaknesses. But I am fully aware that the few images I have posted include some degree of deficiency. After this many years, I've managed to learn how to reduce that number.

More common, though, is for more work to be posted that is decent to exceptional. Those are situations where divide and conquer is a good approach where "there is room for improvement".

All in all, if someone takes the time to post a work or comment, they deserve respectful consideration. Personally, I prefer to hear people articulate what it is they like, or not, about a piece or why they think it works so others can better understand why certain choices were made.

To close, it is important to realize that perceptions and perspectives change thereby changing how we react to our environment. Some images take time to understand or appreciate so a first response may not be indicative of what you may think days, weeks or months into the future.

Of course there are also situations where the subject matter is rhetorical, humorous or spoofing. The work you have deemed unpleasant and plan on commenting may later be discovered to be bait you fell for it with serious commentary and the like.

More could be said, but I'll leave space for others to comment upon later.

shame can also be an inhibitor of creativity. the homogenization in photography is prolific

 

[scottsa]

shame can also be an inhibitor of creativity.

... so too can fear and misunderstanding which are related to uncertainty.

the homogenization in photography is prolific

Homogenization, as you put it, is as much cultural (macro or otherwise) as it is anything else. Both are products of experience and fall [within the shadow of ] influence(s).

The question, then, is if "blending" or "unification" through a form of "screening to break down larger components, where they exist, into more consistently sized elements" is inclusive or obscuring?

That is to say do comments "cut to size" or do they simply churn into obscurity?

To what influence do comments, positive, negative or otherwise result within this context?

Will these [comments] become a form of censorship and/or induce conformity?

Is this "homogenization" based upon a common or a mythical aesthetic?

This thread started, third person, about potentially posting comments in the form of "I don't like your pictures".

Would this be an element of the screen which ultimately influences the process of "lowest common denominator"?

 

[scottsa]

... I presume the most gifted members here never post their own work. What would be the point?

Credibility, inspiration, example, leadership, fellowship, gauntlet?

 

[Cyriljay]

Diplomacy can be used.

"Your image looks nice. If you don't mind, I would recommend to crop the top a little so that more emphasis ....."

Some thing similar that could perhaps to the eyes of the viewer than the creator!😀

 

[rizraz]

I try to constructive, photography is very subjective..... what I like may not be liked by others and vis versa......

 

[waltereegho]

Just because I have a clear opinion on something, doesn't mean that I have to voice it. Unless someone is really asking for critique, I keep my negative evaluations of their work to myself. Why waste time and energy on stuff that I don't like?

 

[Spanik]

Don't comment on anything and don't post any either. I don't see any reason for it. To like something or not is so personal that it just doesn't make sense to write it down. Museums and galleries are full of stuff I don't like.

 

[DNG]

I try not to critic too much. If I like a photo, I may say so, most of the threads are not critic threads anyway. They are very Topical, and Sample like. Lens samples, theme oriented etc.

 

[aeturnum]

I posted with the understanding that, "...if the photographer is looking for a critique" was added to the end of the question. Giving a critique out of place is a good way to upset a whole bunch of people, even if the critique is well-founded and productive. When friends post their pictures on facebook, I don't troll through them talking about poor lighting or framing, or whatever because who needs that? However, if anyone asks me what I think of an image, I'm happy to tell them where I think it could be improved.

Of course, the quality of my opinion is in no way guaranteed. I find that taking my own advice can make my work substantially worse. 🙂