insulting flickr-comments?

Thardy said:
Totally agree with one addition. Social networking implies that one has at least rudimentary social skills.
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True. And you do find that with your contacts and folks with whom you develop a relationship. That 's really the social networking aspect. I have several RFF->flickr contacts, street photography contacts, and many local-to-me contacts and it's always very civil. Outside of that, it's still just the internet wild frontier.


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Online Gallery Devoted to Photo Criticism:

photoSIG: photoSIG is a community of photographers and photography enthusiasts, ranging from amateurs to working professionals. photoSIG members may critique photos that have been submitted by other users and may also submit their own photos for review by the community. (www.photosig.com)
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Online Gallery NOT Devoted to Photo Criticism:

Flickr: Flickr - almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing application in the world - has two main goals:

1. We want to help people make their content available to the people who matter to them.

2. We want to enable new ways of organizing photos and video.
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This might tend to explain why the occasional wandering 'provocative' comment is responded to with less than enthusiastic tones.
 
I think what basically happened was the ethics of reciprocity at work: a person critiqued somebody's work was "boring," and the recepient of said critique was pissed off. It's as simple as that. Insulting comments on Flickr? Heck, that's old news. And one that exists on almost all forums. Has anyone checked the Magnum blog lately?

Thing is, everything's subjective. Find someone's stuff not up to par to your exquisite tastes? Leaving that dude's gallery is just a click away. Why waste your time provoking him & wondering why he gave you a provoking response? And if you do get the urge to enlighten someone, sending a private message is, for me, the ethical thing to do.

Just my 2 cents, and peace brothers & sisters :)
 
Speaking personally I would be very careful about offering adverse criticism of someone's photographic efforts unless they have specifically requested it.

I have stopped posting at one Leica based forum because it was frequented by a bunch of smart alecks who enjoyed taking a rise out of Leica photographers and had a habit of offering severe and uninvited criticism tantamount to abuse of their photos. On the other hand when I have asked for criticism, a critical response is fair especially if people offer it seriously and fairly.

I can understand his response in part therefore as your criticism may have offended him. Perhaps his response was a little intemperate but then you have to expect that sometimes.
 
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Thank you all for the comments and insight in your points of view.

I just kicked that guy out of my comments and also blocked him. It's not that he's a real stranger, but someone who's posting photos and participating in discussions. The "worst" thing is that he's from my town and has another hobby that I do in common.:rolleyes: So that sucks a bit more than somebuddy from elsewhere in the world.

Anyway, it does not matter that much. Okay, maybe to that exstant that I made up a topic about it here. But that's it then. :angel:
 
listen_to_yourself.png

(courtesy of http://xkcd.com/481/)
 
It is very tough hearing criticism from anyone. The artist has to put his ego aside when hearing critcism of his work. Flickr is a sort of everymans websight. Snapshots as well as fine art photography reside there. If a person (and this is very rare on Flickr) asks for a critique I will offer. I would avoid words like "boring or banal" , as they are sure to set an ego aflame. I generally praise what I like and try to say why I like a particular photo. What I don't care for on that site is when people will send some logo from a group but will make no attempt to say what they feel. I think they are just looking for praise for themselves and join groups that say "List one & comment on 3!" I list but I never comment unless I want to.
 
sepiareverb said:
flickr is for fawning.
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I use flickr for discovering really good pictures, not for critics. I don't comment photos just to please someone. Amazing how many comments some female photographers get.

Before I switched to flickr, I was active on a photo critique forum. I left, because it was almost impossible to get real critiques for my photos that helped me improving my photographic skills. Even there it was mainly about positive feedback.

I criticised only pictures where I could find at least one positive aspect. e.g. "I like ..... but you could do .... better".
 
It is not that I can not bear criticism. I very well can. But therefore I usually don't wish others to hell or something like that. :D:cool:
 
Ignore him! People sometimes ask me for criticism which I am reluctant to give. When it happens they often show to me several really good photographs with one poor one in the group. After commenting positively on the majority I will explain how the poor one does not work. They become irritated and defend that one more than listening to the positive comments. He asked. He received his answer.
 
Yes... Thank you oh Anonymous Internet.....

Yes... Thank you oh Anonymous Internet.....

1) People say things on the internet that they would never say in a room full of people....
2) Reactions are immediate and often negative
3) Even comments that face to face would be fairly placid are taken with the most negative undertones
4) Civility on the internet is built over time and unfortunately our interactions with people happen in nanoseconds
5) the mildest unasked for criticism is harsh and elicits anger

Try walking up to a stranger standing with his friends in a neighborhood you have never visited. Offer some well meant advice on how he could improve his appearance, posture, or the wheels on his car. See what happens. Thank god you were on the internet!!!!

Forums often have galleries, albums and a separate critique forum. My plan... Never Offer Criticism unless it's in the critique forum .... Just Never.

I have a friend who is an art historian. He is also an accomplished photographer. He also belongs to many judging groups for photographic and art events. Each first Monday of the month is competition night at our local camera club. It is well attended. Mike had recently joined, and when the club found out his history, they asked him to perform the critique function on competition night.

The first image was judged anonymously by three judges as usual, and then Mike got up to do the first critique. As he spoke, you could see the 50 people in the room slowly transition into a medieval mob of peasants, with torches, wooden pitchforks, axes and ropes. Simply unbelievable...

How dare this interloper come into the "Good Ol Boy" midst of this event and harshly criticize on of "Their Own"?

Sorry, I want none of this. Criticism given in the kindest way is always a deal breaker amongst strangers.
 
tom.w.bn said:
I use flickr for discovering really good pictures, not for critics. I don't comment photos just to please someone. Amazing how many comments some female photographers get.
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I have been pleasantly surprised. In two years on Flickr, I have sold several photos for magazine covers and inclusion in textbooks and other things, enough to pay for a new Sigma SD14. I did not solicit any of the sales - the buyers found me through my photos on Flickr. I would not recommend it as a business model, but considering I just post my photos, tag them, and leave them, it's pretty cool.

Before I switched to flickr, I was active on a photo critique forum. I left, because it was almost impossible to get real critiques for my photos that helped me improving my photographic skills. Even there it was mainly about positive feedback.
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I think I know the one you mean. I left for the same reasons.

I criticised only pictures where I could find at least one positive aspect. e.g. "I like ..... but you could do .... better".
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On the website I think you mean, I tried to give honest critiques, negative as well as positive, and I did not mind if someone tore my photos up, as long as they could give me some idea as to why they did not like it, other than 'boring' or 'it sucks'. But as you said, it was all about 'rate my photo 3tu and I'll do the same for you.' What's the point to that?
 
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I personally would not worry too much about jerks at flickr making insulting remarks. Some people are just jerks, either full-time or occasionally


Off-topic

Ming, is your avatar picture Lavrenty Beria, by any chance? If it is, the merciless part fits
 
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