david morgan

Thanks John, none of the reviews mentioned the absence of a v/finder. I will not be buying.

I have been looking around for a digital compact and the Canon IXUS 90 IS was well received by some reviewers. It doesn't get a mention here, what's wrong it?

All the low raters have left, REJOICE! REJOICE!

Thank you Justin. I will be meeting the owner of the restaurant in the next few days to thrash out details. I am grateful for your advice.

Someone has offered to pay for my images for use on a restaurant website.

I don't know what to charge per image, can someone help?

That's far too simple Ben, LOL

Philip

 

A simple solution to solve the anonimity versus credibility problem would be to add the

rater's personal overall rating alongside the rating given. It would preserve the rater's

anonimity whilst giving the person requesting the rating an idea as to the ability of the

person rating his or her work.

 

Receiving a number of 3/3 ratings from members whose work is rated 5/5 overall would suggest that you need to raise your game . Similarly, receiving ratings of 7/7 from raters

whose personal overall rating is around 4/4 would suggest that you should not become

too excited about the quality of your work.

 

I think PN could become an excellent learning medium if we are able to learn from qualified

teachers. As it stands the rating system has no value since raters lack credibility. My idea

would establish credibility.

You received 5 anonymous ratings? Congratulations.

Thanks Dave, on my way over to take a look. Dave

Thanks to all who responded to this thread. I note that little reference was made to the rating system which is no surprise.

 

The advice is perhaps best summed up as > Ask, Comment, Contribute.

 

I would perhaps add ''Choose your teachers well'' In other words,

find the photographs that strongly appeal to you personally and

follow those photographers, study their technique and follow their example.

 

Thanks again.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of PN with regard to helping

people who are new to photography?

 

Should PN be regarded as a form of academy for photographers?

It was mentioned before. Don't waste your time. Just take photographs. This site is about the in crowd who lick each others arses. They don't want change, they don't want you or anyone intruding on their little world.

I have said all I want to say about ratings.

Good question Matt. We would be obliged to start with current personal ratings imperfect though they may be. Gradually the hate raters will tire of being reminded of their low standing each time they hit someone with a brace of 3s and realise that their evaluations are being ignored thus negating the purpose of their attacks. They will in time disappear allowing a more accurate picture to emerge.

 

The hate raters hide behind anonimity and members have no idea as to

how much credence to afford a low rating. My suggestion allows for the rater to remain anonymous but gives the rated photographer a clue about the standing of the rater. It's not an earth shattering change.

I have just seen this evaluation of one of my photographs and reproduce it here as an example of what I consider to be a benchmark in the critique process which is useful to the beginner or more experienced photographer. I do not disdain low ratings, I value them but would prefer a comment to accompany them or an indication of the rater's personal skill level.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/4868359

Thank you Stephen for your considered response, you make some valid points. You make however one crucial error, I do NOT wish to return to the old method. I do NOT wish the abolition of the rating system.

 

On the contrary, I wish to retain the rating method with some slight

improvements. Just to restate my proposed solution, I would think it a good idea which would help those who see the rating system as a measure of their progress in photography if the personal rating of the rater or a symbol denoting the rater's standing was added alongside the rating that they have given a photograph.

 

If the rating system is not of use to the beginner as a gauge of his or her progress why have a system at all?

 

The comments of mine that you quote were made in response to some

gratuitously snide and insulting remarks made on this thread. Am I not allowed to to defend myself and engage in the normal cut and thrust of life on a forum. Would you not respond in kind?

How about rating within category with symbols of standing for the raters? Raters choose which category or categories they wish to rate.

They will not see categories in which they have no interest.

John, please try to understand. 'ANONYMOUS' ratings are worthless

because it's like having your exam papers marked by an unqualified teacher. You may pass or fail the exam but you will never know what the true verdict should have been.

 

As I have said before I couldn't care less what the raters on this site think of my work. In a few minutes time I will be ringing a Gallery owner to see if my photographs have sold. If there are no sales, that will concern me. Making a living from photography is when you learn about how good you are. The transition from hobbyist

to professional is a massive step.

 

Having said that I do not want to lose touch with the hobbyist side of photography and for that reason I would like to see an effective

rating system in place. If you're going to have a rating system let it be one that does what it sez on the can or drop the whole idea.

 

The current method is a joke. The sychophants and nay sayers are trying to defend the indefensible and I predict that they will be ignored and a new system imposed pretty soon.

I am saying that all anonymous ratings, high or low, are worthless to anyone wishing to learn the true worth of his/her offerings.

 

How difficult can it be to understand that very basic statement?

We?

Except that some of us are aware of our shortcomings.

Hi Ben, I remember you joining just after me, you seem to have become a big noise on the site. Can't think why, your photos are nothing to write home about.

Well Caleb Conduit, I have spent some time looking at your ''work'' and one of your shots would perhaps pass muster for inclusion in a family album comprised of shots of family and friends. The remainder could best be descibed as a load of pretentious excrement. Please feel free to directly rate my work, it should create much amusement.

Wanker.

I don't care if I receive ratings of 3 or below, they would be useful to me if they came from a photographer whom I respect.

 

I have no time to see if I should respect your opinion or not but thanks anyway.I'll check your work when I return.

Brian : Clearly, in a political election the public vote on a huge range of issues and cannot be expected to to be well versed on every single issue. PN, however is specifically a photographic website for people who are interested in taking photographs. The voters on PN range from the novice to the expert and no one is suggesting that anyone should be denied a vote but if photographers are to learn they need to know about the standing of the person they are learning from. Look at it as if it were a school or college. A mathematics

lecturer with zero qualifications in Mathematics would be a candidate for dismissal.

I am not calling for the dismissal of a poor ''teacher'', I merely need to know the credentials

of the person marking my work.

 

I can only speak of my own experience with the response of low raters, and they are

usually first up to knock my work.