Critique Forum

Hello! I think it was Marc that said something like this a while

back; as wedding photographers we will never get great ratings at PN

for our work. I think it stinks!

 

I posted some new shots to my portfolio, not for a critique request

necessarily, but just to display, for my fellow wedding forum

junkies, and I got some idiot who displays nothing of his own, who

went through my most recent folder and trashed it. I understand full

well that anybody can come along and critique at PN, but COME ON!

 

Sorry to vent, my photography is certainly not the most original

thing to hit PN, but I find it just horrible that some are

so...what's the word? Anyway, the shot in particular was one of my

most difficult situations with backlit glass, 3 stop difference

between outside and in, and I couldn't use flash--"The Vows".

 

I have noticed that not many from this forum take part in the

Wedding/Event category of the Critique Forum, is it because you have

given up on the system? I'm beginning to.

I didn't even know there was a Wedding/Event critique forum. I personally try not to focus too much at studying other wedding/event photos for fear that I will try to copy someone else's ideas. Instead, I look for new ideas in landscape and candid street photography in the regular critique forum. I know some of you may disagree, but that is just my approach. It is especially hard when looking at wedding images like Marc Williams portfolio, and not go crazy trying to figure out how he did it, and then try to go do exactly what Marc did. I appreciate his and others fine works, but I feel the need to find my own style without borrowing or stealing ideas from other wedding photographers.

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On the other hand, I have stopped using the critique forum as much since they redesigned the image display page. My rants on this subject <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009B0p">can be found here.</a> Raj, one of the PN site developers, has informed me that we can expect to see a modification to the image display page so a user can customize its look, choosing either the old "verbose" version, or the new "enlarged image" version (with technical details hidden from view.)<br><br>

Lately I've been getting a lot of inspiration from viewing the BW galleries of Bruce Barnbaum. (barnbaum.com) I really like the textures and almost low key exposures in many of his prints. <br><br>

I know what you mean about other PNetters trashing your images with low ratings. One thing you can consider is to turn ratings off when submitting new images. Or if you want ratings, submit them to photosig.com for ratings, where the rating system is much more controled IMO. I do, however, thing PN forums and the quality/expertise of it's members beats anything out there on the net! I owe my entire wedding photography success to the passionate members here on Photo.net. It's like an online university! I love it!

Melisa,

 

If you have a question about shots you took at a wedding, you are FAR better floating

them here.

 

Plenty of excellent Photogs around that can actually HELP as opposed to just giving you a

meaningless score for Originality....

 

jmp

Melisa, I think you have identified the problem with displaying your work on

forums such as this in your second sentence. You are exposing yourself to

exactly the type of idiot that you describe. Unfortunately, by posting your

images you are inviting comment by such people, whether you want the

feedback or not. If you are looking for inspiration and ideas to expand your

wedding photography, then look around at some of the more successful

wedding photographers around the world and the work displayed on their

websites. For real, meaningful critique, try entering your work in high-profile

competitions that are run by the various associations that exist for

professional wedding photographers. That doesn't mean that you have to

limit yourself to your home country, the world is a very small place and many

associations have overseas categories. Hopefully, you will avoid being

distracted by the no-hopers who have no credibility, simply by broadening

your horizons. Good luck.

 

Steve

Melisa, Don't take it personally when your wedding shots don't do well in the critique forum. Most people are just bored to tears when they see most wedding photos. For an image to get high ratings, it would have to be out of the ordinary and have a universal type theme. Most wedding photos are just too personal for the masses to appreciate. I am not a wedding photographer but I love the Wedding/Event forum. The people here seem to be the most helpful to one another and the least cynical.

Wedding pictures are too personal for the public to appreciate.The only ooh's & aaah's we worry about are from the brides.

 

For an outsider viewing these type of pix,it is like watching a movie without having the prior 20 year "backstory".

Thanks guys, I know I'm just being a girl about this, but I still think the system is a little messed up. This website has the best knowledge base that I've found and I've learned so much here. That's partly why I've tryed to display here, I have actually enjoyed some of the critiques because they do help, but some like I've said, are simply ridiculous and uncalled for. I think if you are going to rate someone very low, you should grab some balls and leave an explanation. These "anonymous" ratings from people, after looking through many of there own portfolios, have shotty work themselves or nothing to display. I've submitted shots to other areas and won some competitions, but a lot of the places I've found are mostly pats on the back, which is nice so I usually hit there after a good bashing here.

 

John, for me to display any photos here at all, I'd have to use a folder from the portfolio which was what I was trying to do, until that guy hit it. I generally only enter my child and landscape photos here, because people here seem to appreciate those more, I'm sure if I shot nudes I'd make it to the Top Photos.

No Melisa, not nudes, photographic sofa paintings.

 

I was once miffed when a notorious critic systematically went through my PN portfolio and

sunk every rating ... until I saw the God awful windmill shot he had rated with double 7s.

After laughing my rear off at having taken this seriously even a little bit, I just ignored his

anonymous gnat, and those like him, as the price you pay to store images here.

 

Wedding work can transcend what it is, but that means nothing when it's put before the

greatest common denominator to be judged... which is almost a literal definition of

mediocre.

Melissa, I like your portfolio and think that it expresses your positive, caring personality.

 

Hey, nice fish! -- I'm not afraid to submit mine....

 

"Brandon's Dad"<div></div>

I saw a photo of Niagra falls in the daylight with a blue sky get a 7 for originality here.

This is the most photographed site in the world. Probally millions of photos have been

made that looked exactly like it. Being original doesn't mean something is good anyway.

 

Most critiques here are too vague to mean anything. People just right "I like your work".

Very seldom do peole explain what they like/dislike or offer ideas for improvement.

 

I don't display much wedding work here because I'm here for fun, I have my web site if

someone is that interested in weddings. I don't click submit for critique because of the

above reasons. I post more because on the rare occaisions I do critique something any

more I want them to be able to see a little of my work if they wish. These are more for fun

than pro work.

 

If you don't want blasted here and there don't submit or ignore low ratings with no

reasons given.

I hear you Melisa. Part of the problem is weddings themselves, and having to work within the confines of the event. It's not too often you can take absolute control of the scene and "create" this fine art image that has never been shot before. There's so much to do with execution that I figure that most people who have never shot a wedding wouldn't appreciate some of the "rare" wedding photos that do get posted here.

 

There's also the apples to organes comparison of fine art/landscape photography to wedding photography. Though I wonder how long before a "wedding photographers"-only critique forum would devolve into snobbery and elitist rankings. I know this has been hashed out before, but I would like to see more increments in the rating scale, and it would be more accountable for people to have names associated with their ratings (imo).

 

If it's any consolation, I've always liked your work :)

To reiterate others. Your pics are good! As you know most of the industry dollars come from portraits or event work, so they're viewed as 'Plain Jane' stuff.

 

In the end, if your customers are happy and you're proud, then who cares what others think!

 

What follows is how I rate my performance:

 

The cry factor. So far this year I made three people tear up...in a good way. (No quality complaints have been rec'd...yet!) One lady cried from a 13 x 19 pet portrait, and one other was from a slide show DVD of a funeral & wake I shot at Arlington Cemetary for free that included a collage of old family photos and a selection of his favorite music. (The latter probably does not really count given it was the widow...though she did tip me $500) I did it for free because it was the first time I'd ever tried doing a funeral, he was a distinguished vet, and my grandparents are buried there.

 

On one other occasion, some friends of mine where having marital problems. I gifted them a fifty page custom collage album from a holiday party last tear, a three day Mardi Gras event I shot with pics of their extended family and fiends, and the 4th of July party. Shortly thereafter their daughter told me the hostilities had ceased in part due to the album showing how much they have together as a couple.

 

The other thing I hear the most is "You?re the hardest working wedding photographer I've ever seen." and "I've never seen photos that are as crisp and detailed." I do admit that I bust my a$$ to compensate for not being the most talented guy on the block.

 

So in closing, listen to your customer comments. Receiving reprint orders is also a good sign. Referrals are another good gauge.

 

Take what people say on photo.net with a grain of salt. Lastly, I also admit to being unfair and overly critical of others and on this forum at times! One time I slammed a Swiss guy who posted a nude B&W photo that was OK, but completely lacked any in creativity in lighting, pose and background. Let's not even mention what I said to Alan White last week.

 

Casey

"Photographic Sofa Paintings", is that what that's called?

 

Nice fishies, "Brandon's Dad"!! Muskegon River in Michigan? I'm up in Traverse City, that was on West Grand Traverse Bay, used to spend my summers trolling for lake trout and salmon, been driving the boat since I was 5 so my dad could set the lines. Good times!

 

"Casey", it sounds like your making some beautiful memories, keep up the great work.

 

Thanks to everyone for your kind words re: my work and for telling me, in a nice way, to toughen up. It is appreciated. Take Care!!