reza motaghedi Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>There are photographers who do not care about critiques or ratings but I am certainly not one of them. To me it is important what people think of my photos.<br> But I am have always been wondering what conclusion one should get from ratings of his or her photos. I am interested to know you thoughts and ideas about this.<br> Do you think it is better to get 10 ratings, all 5 for one of your photos or some 2 or 3 and some 6 or 7 (on average 5)? I mean if you have two photos with the same average ratings of 5 for both of them but one with higher standard deviation (variability in ratings) than the other, which one you prefer?<br> Is it right to say that if some people really love one of you photos and some hate it is better than when everybody likes it but just a little bit?<br> I guess in the first scenario there are is a segment of people that you can target. I do not mean we should change our style to please a group of people. What I mean is that being known as a very good photographer by a very small group of people is better than being seen as a mediocre photographer or just a little bit good by everybody. After all we cannot be everything for everybody.<br> Any thought or ideas about this issue?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelging Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>I think the people who give me 7's are very smart and the people who give me 3's are not. I know that many people really do belive this, and for that reason I stopped giving subjective scores on PN photos a long time ago. If I like a photo, I tell the photographer what it is about the photo that I like, and If the photgrapher looks like he or she is trying to make a good photo, then I tell them what I would change in a direct way. Otherwise you really do not let the photogapher know what to do more of , or less of, in their photos.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User_276104 Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>I don't submit many photos for critique. I do find that the best way to open up a dialogue on your own photos is to browse "Rate Photos" and leave written comments, not just click number ratings. I think you will find that it generates more views of your photos, and more importantly, written comments.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seismiccwave Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>It is hard to tell because there are so many variables involved in rating. For a given person who rate there will be a variation of emotion from day to day. Some one may rate one photo one score one day and another score a day later. Multiply that by personal believes and multiply that by the number of people that rate your image. You have a lot of unknowns lurking in there to jump to any reasonable conclusion. <br> 10 ratings of 7's doesn't make you a perfect photographer and neither does 10 ratings of 1's make you a bad photographer. Van Gogh's paintings were not appreciated when he was alive.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lex_jenkins Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>I accept them as a gift and as acknowledgment that someone not only noticed my photo but took the time to confirm it. Considering the vast number of photos that receive no acknowledgment whatsoever, it seems ungracious to do any less.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machts gut Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>I don't post many photos for rating, actually haven't done it for a year or so, but I interpret them as follows: Most photos on pn that get very high ratings are photos of girls with large boobs, dramatic landscapes or cats (not so sure about the last one). I dislike many of them. So if I get high ratings I become suspicious and if I get ratings of 3/3 or lower I regard them as a sign that my photos are just the way I meant them to be :-)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjmeade Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>It's interesting to know what people think of my work and I'm always pleased if photos are well received.<br> If I get a good spread of ratings from 3/3 to 7/7, I'm also quite pleased because it suggests I've produced something that's a bit challenging. If the images don't do particularly well and are not up to standard, I'll delete them.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_chartrand Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 Reza, It is more important to get a critique that tells you what is good about your photo and why and what is wrong with it and why. Suggestions on how you can make your photo better is also important to your photographic education. Your reason for displaying your photographs in this forum should be for improvement or to inform others. If you are only after praise perhaps showing an album at a family get-together would be more appropriate. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reza motaghedi Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>Thank you for your responses</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LenMarriott Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>Reza, disregard any rating that isn't accompanied by a comment. I neither seek nor give ratings but will comment if I feel I can be helpful. Best, LM.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewolf Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>Without accompanying critique/comment, the ratings are absolutely meaningless in terms of learning what others think of your work. The only thing that the ratings seem to be good for is potential placement among the "top-rated photos", and can be very easily artificially inflated or deflated by raters bent on moving their shots up and/or your shots down in ratings.</p> <p>The only thing I find useful about submitting my photos for ratings has nothing to do with the anonymous ratings (which is most of them); it is the fact that the ratings forum exposes my shot a bit more, to which a small handful of people will respond with actual helpful critique.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Ingold Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <h1>How do you interpret ratings that you get for your photos?</h1> <p>(a) The check doesn't bounce. (b) I get asked to come back again.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenPapai Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>Personally, I cannot fathom how so many ordinary photos of others get frequent 6/6 or 6/7 ratings. It astounds me and makes the ratings rather suspect. How can a square format of someting circular score a '7' for originality? That is perfect score. Obviously people are WAY without a clue when they rate images so highly.</p> <p>Anyone who cares about quality certainly CARES what others think of their work, of course; unless you are entirely solipsistic or nihilistic (and if you were you wouldn't be posting images on the Internets).</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stp Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>7= I like this photograph and/or I like this subject matter; it's my cup of tea; I would like to take this kind of photograph. 3 = I don't like this photograph and/or I don't like this subject matter; it's not my cup of tea; I would never take this kind of photograph. There may be other things going on in the reviewer's head about why he/she likes or dislikes a photograph, but those reasons are totally hidden from our knowledge by this single numeric rating. There is almost nothing we can gain from it. The numeric rating says far more about the reviewer than it does the photograph being reviewed, and that, in my opinion, is a fatal flaw of simple numeric ratings. Far more useful is a written critique about the photograph and the elements in the photograph that the review likes/dislikes and the reasons why, perhaps with some suggestions of alternatives to try next time.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reza motaghedi Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>It seems most of you are more in favor of critiques than ratings. Of course a constructive critique is far better than just numerical rating but the problem is those who dont like the photo usually dont write any comment and those who like usually write "well done" "Excelent shot" " amazing" and so on. This is not a very helpful criticism.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reza motaghedi Posted March 11, 2009 Author Share Posted March 11, 2009 <p>I see your point Ken. But there are times that we cannot see what others see. You can define everything like that if you want. For example you can call a photo rectangular format of something linear ( could be tree for example) which has been taken one million times before.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_chartrand Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Reza, I think you have hit upon a major problem with the critique forum that I have wondered about for some time. I don't understand why there is not an area for an explanation of the photograph? If we knew what was trying to be conveyed to the viewer, it would be far easier to provide a critique that could be of help. It is not just the technical aspect of the photograph that the photographer may need or want help with. Some of the "artsy" photographs we view with puzzlement or even disdain may make sense if we knew what the purpose was. We could then make an intelligent and helpful critique. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tholte Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 <p>"Without accompanying critique/comment, the ratings are absolutely meaningless in terms of learning what others think of your work." Just the opposite is true most of the time. Most viewers will comment on images they really like but hardly ever comment on photos they don't like or think are boring. It is easier and faster to rate an image than make a comment, especially when you consider the thousands of images that are posted here every day. Think of the rates as comments: 3/3 - bad, very bad photo, 4/4 average photo that anyone with a camera could make with their eyes closed, 5/5 you had yours eyes open and the photo did not bore me to tears, 6/6 really good image, a little more interesting subject matter and you would have a 7/7, 7/7 almost perfect photo and if you cranked out images like this on a consistent basis, National Geographic and Magnum would be knocking on your door. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewolf Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 <blockquote> <p>"Without accompanying critique/comment, the ratings are absolutely meaningless in terms of learning what others think of your work." Just the opposite is true most of the time. Most viewers will comment on images they really like but hardly ever comment on photos they don't like or think are boring.</p> </blockquote> <p>Tim, in my experience so far with PN, I do find the ratings completely meaningless in terms of my being able to learn from them. I've received 3/3 and 7/7 on the same photo... all that tells me is that one person liked it a lot, and one person didn't. It offers no instructive value to me at all. Knowing somebody likes or dislikes one of my shots doesn't help... knowing WHY they like or dislike it is instructive. Ratings alone don't give me that kind of feedback.</p> <p>Also, I have indeed received thoughtful comments on photos that were very unspectacular. While I agree with your observation that most only comment on photos they like, there are a handful of people here who seem to find it a valuable use of their time and knowledge to share their thoughts with us beginners/amateurs, particularly with shots that are less than stunning. These folks (few though they may be) make coming to this site valuable for me in terms of improving my photography skills. I basically have found that, from a learning standpoint, it's necessary to basically ignore the ratings and the "great shot, congrats" type of commentary (with the exception of often trying to figure out why a particular shot was heaped with such vague praise/critique).</p> <blockquote> <p>...7/7 almost perfect photo and if you cranked out images like this on a consistent basis, National Geographic and Magnum would be knocking on your door.</p> </blockquote> <p>I would dispute this notion as a general rule, simply because I've seen plenty of 7/7 photos, including one or two of my own, that wouldn't be worthy of gracing an advertisement in a local newspaper, much less a feature in NG. I've also stumbled upon more than a few rated no higher than 5/5 or 6/6 that beat the heck out of many 7/7s. This is not to say that a search of highly rated photos isn't educational... it's simply to point out that ratings alone don't necessarily lead to any meaningful conclusions about my own work.</p> <p>Additionally (without trying to dredge up the old "manipulated/unmanipulated" debate), I've found that many of the highly rated photos hold no interest for me whatsoever (eg. those that have been heavily manipulated, product photos, contorted naked women with dramatic studio lighting, etc.). The fact that photography covers such a broad spectrum of styles/subjects/practices simply means that I have to wade through a lot of work that simply doesn't help me learn what I'm here to learn, and filtering by ratings offers little help in this regard.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_oconnell1664880348 Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 <p><b>Poster removed for abusive posting. Also, poster has taken on multiple aliases to respond to his own threads.</b></P><p>I don't think this is the best place to get true ratings or critques. While some might be helpful you can also get the jealous ones that will give you a 3 or others that will give you a 7 hoping for a return favor. I think local camera clubs are great. The ones that have competiton night and are judged by people that dont belong to the club. This will give you a true and honest critique and rating of your work. You might get lucky on here but I ould not take them to heart.<br> Good luck</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmeiner Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 <p>While the rating system is perhaps less helpful than critiques, I still find it a useful tool. Personally, I consider the number of ratings a given photo has received and give more weight to the ratings if a considerable number of photographers have participated. There are times that I enjoy quick glances at photos, and give an honest rating, rather than making specific comments about them. If I see what I consider to be a truly outstanding photo (usually 7/7) then I will certainly take the time to view the entire portfolio and give comments on the specific photo and the portfolio.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big_lassiter Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 <p>I generally disregard all the anonymous ratings. When a member directly rates my photos, I go to look at their portfolio. That tends to help me better understand the ratings that I receive from them if there is no constructive comment left. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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