Critiques and feedback requests

[casey_pullar]

Earlier I posted a question in another forum and it was suggested I

pose the same question here.

 

"Help with critique's

 

I am fairly new to photo.net, and am very impressed with the high

quality of photography I have seen. Since I am new here, I am still

not clear on the critique vs leaving a comment on a photo. I have

posted a few photo's for critique and have received mixed reviews

which I expected (7's - 3's). If someone deems a photo worthy of a 3

or lower, it needs improving in their eyes and I respect that

opinion. What confuses me is that when a person leaves a 3 or lower

in a critique, shouldn't they leave a comment as to what makes it

worth rating so low? I am looking to improve myself in regards to the

quality of my photo's and am finding it difficult when there is no

actual feedback on how I can improve. This is a quality sight, and I

respect what others have to say, I just wished I knew how to solicit

feedback without sounding pushy. Any suggestions would be greatly

appreciated."

 

 

Is it possible to ad a comment field to the critique field? It really

wouldn't be that difficult, and those that are looking for honest

feedback will understand what is lacking or what they did well when

requesting a critique. Afterall, part of a "REAL" critique is

feedback.

 

Thank you

Casey

[root]

I can see why some sites require you to build up credits in the

form of constructive feedback on other images before you can

upload your own . . . . . . . . . . .

[phule]

<em>shouldn't they leave a comment as to what makes it worth rating so low? </em>

<p>

Casey,

<p>

In the real world yes. In the virtual world. It doesn't work anyway.

<p>

A couple points to consider: 1) There are thousands of photos uploaded every day/week/whatever to photo.net. There is no way your work (or anyones work) is going to get the critiquing it needs. 2) A while ago, photo.net required a comment if you were going to give a 1 or a 7. The only thing this resulted in was a lot of people got 2's and 6's without any comments. 3) If you're actually getting comments, you should feel lucky. Most don't get any. 4) photo.net is not a site for professional critiques. People will comment when they want to. If you want to email people and ask them why they gave a x/x rating, you can, but it's usually better to not even think about ratings. They're an arbitrary number and don't provide any information.

[casey_pullar]

Thanks Rob. After reading these and other posts, I agree. At the end of the day, it really is my own opinion on my pictures that counts. I will "go to school" with my camera, and take loads of pictures and learn. I have noticed too that it doesn't hurt to be proficient with photo shop. I appreciate your time in responding, and wish you all the best.

 

Casey

[frank_whittle1]

Tend to agree with you Casey. If people think my shots are rubbish, that's fine, so long as they tell me why they are rubbish, and what I can do to prevent them from being rubbish, that's even better. For me, having started late at this, this site is a big step up, there is some seriously good stuff here, so I'm keen to glean anything I can from the "professionals", But as you said, feedback is in short supply. It's not exclusive to this group, it's the same problem in all groups, guess we'll have to grin and bear it! :-(

Frank

[root]

I probably wasn't clear. You're both interested in getting

feedback . . . . so how about giving first. Find some uploads that

interest you, rate them fairly, and try to talk about them. That

alone will improve your work. Why should anyone spend time

thinking about your images when you may not care much for

their approach to photography?

[casey_pullar]

Carl,

I understood exactly what you meant, and have done a little of that. I am still in the learning process through all of this, and am not schooled in the fine art of photography, as so many of you are. I have posted a couple of feedback responses as you mention. I agree with you, everyone needs to start somewhere. I guess I will venture out and get the water out from behind my ears. I just hope that my limited eye can be of help to someone who has been at this much longer. Thanks for the feedback everyone, it has been very helpful.

 

Casey

[beamer]

I haven't been here at photo.net very long either, but have discovered that paitence is a virtue here. What I have done is gone to some pictures where there are numerous ratings (30 or more) and make a shortcut on my browser of the list of folks that contributed a rating. You click on the number alongside the ratings and the list will appear. I then have gone one by one through the contributers to that one photo and checked out all the work within these links. There is an absolute gold mine of photos here. You wait till you see those that take your breath away or make you say wow or what ever other feeling inspires you and respond with some thought to the whys and why nots. After a while, again paitiently waiting, you will start to get some feed back. Of course, I found it does help to provide something that someone else like besides you. I have learned so much in throwing out a picture to have it critiqued and learning from what little response I managed to get.

 

Good Luck

 

Beamer

[frank_whittle1]

I have already rated several photos, I think it is generally understood that these ratings are personal ratings and not necessarily professional comments. As regards commenting on photos, I don't regard myself as highly qualified in the photographic field, ( or indeed qualified) so I don't feel that my comments would be of any great assistence to any aspiring amateur like myself. However, even after only a short while here, it's evident that there are some very proficient photographers here, people more than capable of providing enlightning comments. If it's the case that they choose not to give feedback, then so be it, as I said, we'll have to grin and bear it.

[mottershead]

I think people are missing Carl's point. Commenting on other people's photos on photo.net isn't just some kind of strategy for getting comments back. If you take the time to analyze why you respond positively to a photograph and try to understand how it could be improved, and put that it words for the benefit of the photographer and others who might read your comments, you will find that it helps your own photography and your ability to see the good and the bad in your own photographs, especially if you choose subjects and styles in which you are interested.

 

Before commenting, if you also spend a little time determining whether you are commenting on a photograph where the photographer is apt to comment on your photos, then you may also get a thoughtful response in return. If your aim is to exchange comments with other thoughtful people, then it is somewhat a waste of time to comment on photos from people who don't comment on photos, or who write uninteresting or stupid comments. There are a lot of great photographers here who like to collect compliments (as their due, I suppose) but don't give much in return. Unless you are the sort of person who likes sending fan mail, writing comments on those photos is a waste of time. Also, if your aim is learning, I wouldn't waste time rating and commenting on people whose only interest seems to be to get high ratings and syrupy compliments in return for the same. photo.net makes it relatively easy to do a little research on the other members, and it is worth doing so if your aim is learning.

[beamer]

I'll try this again as the server went bonkers last time I responded to you. What I think is that you have feelings, and these feelings that you ahve towards a certain picture can be valuable info to a fellow photographer, evnn if you feel you aren't that good a photographer yet.

 

You know what you like about a picture, or maybe not. But if you study that particaular picture enough time, you will hopefully start to realize what it is that draws you to that particular picture. Maybe it's the clouds or the lighting or the shadows or the texture or the colors. What ever it is, let the person know who took the picture. After a while, you will be able to recognize what it is that you like easier, because you hve practiced at it, kinda like riding a bike.

 

It can't hurt, as far as I can tell, it can only help. As long as it is from your heart and truthfull. Of course, if you think the picture stinks, I personally don't respond to that. There are plenty enough good ones out there to respond to.

 

They in turn, hopfully will leave comments on pictures thay like of yours, and so it goes.

 

Granted I have left probaly 60 to 75 comments and have gotten maybe 10 back, so the ratio isn't real good, but I am hoping it will improve.

 

I am the eternal optimist, however.

 

Beamer

[frank_whittle1]

Only been here a short time but already the critiques are quite amusing. I've been getting some reasonable feedback, ie, all fives and sixes in the latest case, and then suddenly a two and a three. ;-) Thinking that this guy must be capable of some seriously good stuff, I wander over to his page to see what I can learn, and surprise, it's absolutely rubbish! I like to look and see what other people are doing, and I think almost without exception, the lowest marks come from the people capable of the poorest work. Odd! If it were the other way around, it would make more sense.