Announcing Photo Critique Circles

Brian/services@photonet,

 

Sorry to bring this up again, but I actually have not posted any of my previous images for critique requests (except for removing the tick on the "i do not want to submit this photo for critique" box while uploading the images). I am still unable to use those images (all my images) for the circles. Does it have to be a new (recently - as in some cut off date) image to be eligible for critique request in the circles? It may be related - or just another unrelated issue but on my workspace under the 'your critique circles' heading, it says that you are not currently a member of a Critique Circle. Is this the right place to address this issue - or should I be using some other forum??

Sorry for the bother.

 

Thanks,

 

Deepak.

I'd like people's thoughts (your's included Brian) as to the direction of the critique/suggestions/discussion: <p>Do we want to keep our critique limited to the photographic process and technique "in the field" or at the time of exposure? Or do we additionally want to consider discussing and suggesting ways of improving upon the image post-shutter click as in traditional or "moderate digital" techniques like burning/dodging. contrast/tonal adjustment, sharpening, etc.? <p>Sure, we'd all like to create masterpiece chromes that just roll out of the camera but there's nothing wrong with improving or correcting a chrome or negative either in the "printing" process (which to me would include presentation on a computer/web site as a digital file). Sometimes just a little tweak can either make up for a mistake in photographic technique or help correct for the limitations that may have existed such as the film's latititude, the lighting situation, etc.<p>So, do we want to discuss how an image file could have been improved upon in the "digital printing" process? Or do we want to instead limit ourselves to discussion of what "field techniques" should have been used to make the chrome/neg better? Or both?<p>Thoughts?

Richard,

<p>

This is the point I raised in

<a href="/photodb/photo?topic_id=1481&msg_id=003bzW&photo_id=851564&photo_sel_index=0">this comment</a>. I think we should discuss both but separately.

Brian,

 

Removing my critique requests (there are 2 of them in the past week)so that I can repost to the circle would be good, thanks for doing this.

 

-Niranjan.

I'm feeling just the opposite of Michael Spinak... I mostly shoot scenics with a few other things here and there. While I do comment on non-scenic images in the general critique forum, I'll only do so when I can think of something to say. If I stare at an image a while and can't think of a comment, I move on.

 

Now I find myself in a critique circle with all sorts of images. I would like to comment on every one, but there are some that I simply have no idea what to say. I don't mind expanding my range somewhat, but in things like portraits, I tend to be completely out of my realm (very grateful I'm not in Karsh :). I would be more comfortable in a scenic-oriented circle.

 

For future circles, I'm wondering if it could be like signing up for classes in high school. You see the list of circles and submit your top three choices. First come, first serve, giving people their first choice as much as possible until the circles are full.

Michelle, I am a poor guy who was forced into Karsh circle :-(.

 

I found people shooting portrait/fashion/nude/street have different tastes and styles than landscape/still/abstract shooters. I consider myself being the latter. However, since I am in that group, I would try my best to bring my own fresh view and style into it. I would try my best to find some good people photographs to share without people. I don't want to force myself into their styles but learn from them. It is not easy at the beginning because many of the photos posted there are just not my type and I don't know how to comment. (Instead, I slipped to other circles to write some comments ;-). I will see how this goes in the future.

S - Yeah, I've seen you pop up in the other ones. :) Well, I'll comment on as many as I can, but the ones I have absolutely nothing to say I'm afraid I'll have to skip. I should be able to find something to say about most of them, though. And I'll keep up with my commenting on the unloved pics at the bottom of the critique forum. :)

Brian, is <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003cXP">this list</a> of circle members still up to date? I'm just wondering how many people are still in hiding. The Stieglitz circle seems to be functioning fine anyhow, but the more people the better. Thanks for this great improvement!

Is there a wait list to join one of the Circles? I've sent several requests since Monday and haven't heard anything yet.

If you consider the task, it has to be a slow process putting all of this together for our enjoyment. Each application has to be read and considered. They probably then should look at each of our image sets to get some idea of our interests and aptitudes. It's got to be complicated. And an additional workload on top of normal operations.

 

Have patience. I don't envy them the task they've set before themselves. It's almost like a human resources decision in each case. Give them the time to make good decisions.

Robert,

 

We said we were going to launch them each week, and we're about to launch the second wave of them. We have another 80 requests since last Monday. It does take time. One of the biggest problems is that people send us their requests from different email addresses than they used to register for photo.net, and it is time-consuming to figure out who everybody is. Eventually, we'll have a web user interface for signing up that will make it easier all round.

Guilty. I did send an email from work as well as from home. Sorry for the confusion. Also, sorry if I appeared impatient... and thanks for the responses.

-Rob

This looks like a great idea, and I just sent my application!