validity and usefulness of photo critique

[RdEoSg]

That's pretty funny! And yes it's true there are professors and then there are professors! Thankfully I had some pretty good ones.

 

[BrianShaw]

That's pretty funny! And yes it's true there are professors and then there are professors! Thankfully I had some pretty good ones.

so did I... he wasn't one of them!

 

[RdEoSg]

I'll never forget the critique I got for my final in one of my photo classes. It was an art class where as I was actually a communications major for Photojournalism and didn't want to be there.. We are all sitting in class going around the room looking at the work. Now this was senior level university class mind you... so the professor gets to my work and sees the images literaly falling off the board because I had done a crap job spraymounting fibre prints.. she took one look and said. I think we can all agree this is the absolute worst piece in the entire room.. Next! This was after she spent a good 10-15 minutes per piece for everyone else...

But hey. I knew it was and she was right.

 

[FrankS]

I think we should separate the act of taking photographs (including developing, printing, etc.) from that of showing photographs. As is the case for Frank, taking photographs is something that I do for myself. However, showing photographs is something different. So when we talk about photo critiques, I think it is also important to think about the venue in which those critiques are offered and in which our images are shown. Some venues are private. So, for example, it would obviously be inappropriate to walk into someone's house and inform them that the image hanging on their wall could have been greatly improved had it been cropped slightly differently or had the powerlines not been in the frame. But when we display our photographs in a public forum that is populated by a wide range of people with widely varying photographic skills and interests - such as a gallery or RFF - I don't really think that we can say anymore that we are doing it purely for ourselves. By showing images publicly we are communicating with others. And I'm not sure it's fair to start the conversation and then cut it off arbitrarily. As has been said many times in this thread, we certainly do not need to accept the responses of our critics. However, do think that all who view our images - be they professional photographers or rank amateurs - have a right of response.

Agreed, and I do have a gallery knowing that others will look and are invited to respond. Like I said, I am happy when a picture gets a positive comment, but I'm not posting pics in order to ask for suggestions for improvement, simply to say: here are some of my photos, this is what I'm about.

 

[FrankS]

Chris, it sounds like it would be a good thing for everyone for you to try one of these photo critique groups.

 

[Rafael]

I'm not posting pics in order to ask for suggestions for improvement, simply to say: here are some of my photos, this is what I'm about.

Fair enough.🙂

 

[RdEoSg]

Chris, it sounds like it would be a good thing for everyone for you to try one of these photo critique groups.

sounds good though stupidly I have no idea where these are on this site. I'm still working my way around here!!

 

[FrankS]

Looks like you'll have to wait for photo critique thread #4. Once it's posted by Ray, just one one of the first 5 members to join in.

 

[RdEoSg]

ah I see what you are talking about. Ok sounds good. How often do they have them?

 

[RayPA]

ah I see what you are talking about. Ok sounds good. How often do they have them?

I just opened another one. Critique #4. 🙂



.

 

[amateriat]

With the brick layer analogy where the critical defect is noticed by the novice, this would be akin to an experienced photographer creating a considered portrait where a telephone pole grows out of the subjects head. Such basic mistakes just shouldn't happen.

Unless, of course, the juxtaposition is deliberate. 🙂

The problem is, some people will look at this picture and say (if I'm lucky) that the photo seems somewhat in the vein of Erwitt et al; if I'm unlucky, they'll say I must have been seriously impaired/stoned/out of my krell to make something like this and have the cojones to actually show such an "accident" to people.

And, for what it's worth, my favorite photography critic is A.D. Coleman. There have been critiques of his that I have strenuously disagreed with, but the man knows his stuff and has earned my respect. Besides, if I agreed with any one critic all the time, I'd get a little worried.


- Barrett

 

[Finder]

There are good critics and bad critics. Good critics are the ones you agree with. Bad critics are the ones you don't.

 

[nomade]

I like those hpoto critique threads because, there ain't nothing better than a small group to build something constructive for all the participants, there's a chance for everyone to express himself and freely discuss with almost everyone and share his views...Cause in large groups, discussions, or debates, usually are reduced to a small limited number, and could turn into a conversation of 2, with all the others left without interest...

And your work won't pass without getting a constructive comment in the end, great work Ray...You are my hero 😀 😛

Cause you know people don't grow or developpe their sklills, without being involved in things like that, anyway.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

There are good critics and bad critics. Good critics are the ones you agree with. Bad critics are the ones you don't.

Not necessarily true. Glenn Gould was a good critic of music, and a very harsh critic of Mozart. I agreed with him, yet I like Mozart, and Glenn Gould.

 

[Finder]

Not necessarily true. Glenn Gould was a good critic of music, and a very harsh critic of Mozart. I agreed with him, yet I like Mozart, and Glenn Gould.

You think Glen Gould was a good critic. You agreed with him. How does thet contradict my statement?