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Top 10 Most Annoying Critique Comments


jimg

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I posted a semi-humorous post (I hope) on my blog about the <a

href="http://www.jmg-galleries.com/blog/2007/03/18/top-10-most-annoying-photo-critique-comments/">

Top 10 Most Annoying Photo Critique Comments</a> and have been surprised at the

number of responses I've received. I know that several people here have taken

part in photo critique debate here or elsewhere and I thought I'd share as it

might be of interest.

<br><br>

In retrospect "annoy" might have been a bit too harsh of a term, but c'est la

vie. It's all meant to be good fun to spark debate. I know this has been debated

in several forms here still as time has shown I think many of the same issues

plague us all. Anyhow for those that know me you'll be able to detect my biting

sense of humor.

<br><br>

I should note... sure its easy to rattle off a Top 10 get a bunch of feedback,

but what can come out of it that will help people and move others away from the

typical forum debate on critique quality?

<br><br>

I've settled on pursuing a series of blog posts highlighting various photography

terms. Some will be basic and others will be a little more obscure. My hope is

that people will not only learn something new but incorporate it in their photo

forum experiences. Perhaps it will provide new insight, raise questions or just

create deeper dialogue.

<br><br>

First up...<br>

<a

href="http://www.jmg-galleries.com/blog/2007/03/21/photo-term-series-post1-aerial-perspective-disambiguation/">Aerial

Perspective (disambiguation)</a>

<br><br>

Regards<br>

Jim

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crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that

way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it

that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop

it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way

crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this

way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it

this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop

it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way crop it this way crop it that way

crop it this way crop it that way

We didn't need dialogue. We had faces!
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Actually, I would tend rather agree with your prior correspondent, Richard, who said,

 

"I appreciate everyone who comments on my posts. No matter what they say, at least I know who is looking. I?ve noticed that some will post an image and get 200 views, and only receive a comment or two. I consider that to be annoying."

 

It is pretty easy to ignore the "wow" comments, and those that have no constructive input. But I'm just an amateur (or worse, a "hobbyist") and I figure that there are a lot of people out there who know more about photography than I do, so maybe I should at least consider what they say if they suggest "move left" or "crop like this".

 

I guess this is different if you are an experienced pro, but then what else can you expect if you post a shot to be criticised by a bunch of amateurs like me? Ultimately, an open critique forum is like anything else on the net, a gem here and there with a lot of BS in between. You have to be able to sort the wheat from the chaff without losing sleep over it.

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I don't mind "I like it", It's a lot easier to write and read than "well balanced compositional elements with lighting that brings out the tonality of the subject".

 

The one comment that really wound me up was on a documentary shot, someone suggested I pasted father christmas over the subject of the image.

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if you read that someone suggests you get your money back by returning your camera, you are encouraged to have a stroke...

 

but in my real world experience:

 

someone suggested that her husband had speculated that I had made a composite image (it wasn't) of my dog standing in the water in front of my house on Georgian Bay as several trumpeter swans swam behind him.....this was literally a once in a lifetime event and I was lucky enough to have a bunch of cameras loaded and ready to go and to have the swans stick around for over 30 minutes.....the suggestion that I faked the image by making it from two separate shots did not help my high blood pressure that day

 

I once suggested someone crop out a distracting and extraneous radiator from a shot of Leica photographer legend (I didn't know who he was) and for my well intentioned trouble, I got obscenity laden emails, several, I forwarded them to abuse moderation here and the guy who had a few other episoded under his belt was banned.

 

So saying "wow, I like this," may not be such a bad idea if in fact you do like the photo.

 

comments are hard to make perfect......which reminds me of something which I try to apply to my photography ---- "I used to be a perfectionist, but I wasn't very good at it, so I had to give it up."

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I enjoy getting all comments, though I haven't had many despite submitting 3 for critiques. I

understand everyone has different levels of experience, and I appreciate everyone trying to

advise me, or tell me what I'm doing wrong or right, or just letting my know they enjoyed my

photo.

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every critique is a gift. I think that is true and more so getting something is better than nothing. Still I think we all strive for solid feedback when we post. In an ideal world those commenting would have enough time to elaborate on their thoughts.

 

Thanks to those for commenting and I'm glad the post was well received.

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Jim, I agree with you but I also strongly disagree with you. I've complained empty super polite comments myself but you list such things in your blog (e.g. 4 and 5. shadow/hilite) which in 95% of cases can be analyzed relatively objectively. What matters is that there is genuine content in the comment, that it is not just a hook for one's own photos, not a polite hello, not a tailender comment, but argumented review. Sometimes though, a photo is of such beauty and of such hi technical quality that you can only say something pretty simple. Everything else would be ... sort of too much.
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Jim, I went to see your portfolio to give you some piece of a comment on detailless shadows or blown hilites. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a photo I could have pointed out having either of the problems. Yes, it is down to the photography style and genre.
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Sice the time in which I was learning to play violin, I know that even the harsher critique (I don't include here physical punishment, of course ;-) ) can be useful, at least if it makes you thinking about it -and about you and your work.

 

 

Back to the reality, "this picture should be sharper" is something that I really prefer not to hear/read.

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I have to say, being a hobbyist with high aspirations, I appreciated even the most subtle comments because a boost in confidence is just as good as technical advice (at least to me it is). When someone rates or comments on something I did i usually check out their portfolio to evaluate their tastes or skill level, so any kind of input I find useful. What I find annoying is when you get poor ratings ( I know I shouldn't take them seriously, but I do) and there is no explanation as to why I recieved such a rating. Another thing, it would be nice if people critiqued subject matter that is familiar with their own line of thinking. I try to avoid rating or commenting on subjects I know nothing about.
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