Let me pre-empt this by saying I am as far away from an expert as it is possible to be, however there are times when I see a lovely photograph ruined by one small detail for me, again re-enforcing it is a personal opinion so others may quite clearly have stated that they really like the shot. How would you feel if I said "I love your photograph but... this didn't work for me"...?
To clarify:
I have looked at a lovely self portrait this morning, really lovely, but there is one detail I felt detracted from what could be a stunning picture, it was something in the composition that I really didn't like, take it out and "wow"! So now I feel I can't comment at all because it would be a half truth about whether I like it or not...
I was just curious what others thought because I actually don't mind if someone says "liked this but not this about your picture, have you considered..?"
How many would be offended and how many would take it for what it is, personal opinion and perhaps, just maybe an idea worth thinking about??
The question has to be "do we really want critque"?
Hey ya. Well, it is your personal opinion. As long as it is delivered nicely, I would be glad to know what didn't work for you. I'm here to learn and considering your opinion may improve my photo. :-)
I know what I like - but I dont know what others like and I truely want to hear other peoples opinions.
I think it is really important in self development and improvement to have others open your eyes to a slightly different way of seeing / interpreting things.
I would just find it confusing. How can you say you love something and then say it didn't work for you. A photo is either good or it's not. I would just stick to pointing out what you didn't like in the photograph in that case.
@mej2011 an example is one I have looked at this morning, a gorgeous self portrait, really lovely, but there is one detail I felt detracted from what could be a simply stunning picture, it was something in the composition... so yes I do love it except for this one "thing".
@michellegaynor - I understand what you are saying, I just ,I guess for me, if I found one thing that I didn't like about, could no longer say that I loved it. Again, just a personal choice though. I personally feel that any constructive criticism is good, I wish more people on here would offer it and would not be offended if you stated something that I had created was not "working" for you.
I think if it's delivered in a nice and polite way then that's fine and I understand where you are coming from, love has many degrees and everything is also a personal choice. Hope that makes sense, still sleepy eyed here but a certain young man demanded his bottle of morning milk.
I dont mind it as long as the commenter gets it across in a nice way :) being rude about it is certainly not the way to go... and of course nobody wants other people to dislike something about his/her photograph... but understand that art is art. there are so many different kinds and styles and subjects and processing techniques... we all have opinions of what we think is beautiful or not so pretty in our own eyes. we each see art in a different light. some will like a photograph... and others wont. I wouldnt feel too bad after somebody says they dislike a certtain something in one of your photographs... it may bother you a bit... but realize there are a ton of other people who would disagree with that one person...
what matters is that YOU like the photograph. you took it... and if you like it, youre happy :) plus its great because on here, luckily, this site is full of more kind people than I can count and more than likely... you will recieve a TON more likable comments than bothersome ones... :)
@lauren211 it's not me Lauren... I have looked at a lovely self portrait this morning, really lovely, but there is one detail I felt detracted from what could be a stunning picture, it was something in the composition that I really didn't like, take it out and "wow"! So now I feel I can't comment at all because it would be a half truth about whether I like it or not...
I was just curious what others thought because I actually don't mind if someone says "liked this but not this about your picture, have you considered..?"
How many would be offended and how many would take it for what it is, personal opinion and perhaps, just maybe an idea worth thinking about??
@michellegaynor - Ahh okay. sorry about that... somewhere I misunderstood... I still stand firm to what I said though :) thats what I think and I personally dont mind either!! hmm. guess we'll see what others think!
I love it when some of my followers suggest something...it's all been done in a constructive, supportive atmosphere. I've asked for critiques in my profile - so some have done just that. Sometimes it gives a whole new view to the scene which I had not considered. Part of my learning curve which I'm enjoying.
I'm fine with that sort of thing. It can at times be very helpful, because it can show me something I would not have otherwise seen (like trying to proof-read your own writing - you miss things like spelling errors because you see things as you think they are rather than as they really are). But also, I've gained a good awareness of my work and so can discount pointless crit when it pops up, without feeling offended by it. I know that a lot of crit is just opinion, and some of it is uneducated / uninformed opinion at that, or could even be so simple as a misinterpretation of intent (like, "That toy dog ruins the mood of the image." "Ah, the toy dog is the whole point." - you get my meaning). And, of course, many photos are made to document something, and the beauty / balance / general rules don't apply, because it isn't about photographic prowess but about a moment that needed to be kept.
And even if I disagree with a crit, I may still learn something from it. Like a recent photo of mine, someone suggested I should straighten the image. I believed it was straight, but went and checked it with a grid and got Koshi to check it too, and it was confirmed to be straight. But there is a slight illusion of a lean because of a lean of a pole and because of lens distortion (wide angle lens combined with a low-angled shot makes vertical lines lean inwards at the edges) - I could go and use the free distort tool in PS to make all the "verticals" vertical as though I'd used a TS lens, and that's something I can keep in mind for occasional moments where it might seem necessary or beneficial. So, in this case it isn't an accurate crit, but it is still in some way helpful. If nothing else, it made me look again, and see better!
All that said, I don't ask for crit on my photos (on 365, that is). Photography pays my bills and feeds my family, so I'm confident enough in my work that I don't feel the need to ask (though someday I might if there's something bugging me and my usual forums for crit are unavailable). I also understand that I, and my work, may intimidate some people and they may be afraid to say something in case I tell them they're wrong (and truly, I sometimes might do just that - but not because I'm defensive or simply being mean or ungrateful). There are certainly people here qualified to crit my work, but they, like I, are unlikely to be seeking it here - 365 has a different purpose (a more personal one) for me.
So as a general rule I don't crit people's photos. If they ask for it I might, or if they continually ask questions or show indications that they are trying to improve their skills, I might. But if they are just sharing their life there is a good chance they don't want criticism. That's probably more to the point than a general polling on what is suitable - treat every case individiually, to determine if they are open to it before giving what could be unwanted advice. There's nothing wrong with saying what you like about a photo, and leaving out the rest, or simple, general comments like "I love almost everything about this photo!" - that leaves it open for them to ask what you don't like, should they wish to.
@jinximages LOL you are a politician!! "I love almost everything about this photo"!
Thank you for your comments and you are right, I assume because I am here to improve and grow and am happy to get peoples crit/opinion that others are too and quite likely many are not, perhaps are just here for the fun of it (which it really is) and documenting. That is why I haven't commented on the picture in question, but still asked the question.
I'm always happy for critiquing its the way you can learn and adapt.. especially of the portraits I am putting up because that is now my job! If I do something that you can improve with a bit of advice then I am all for it because then at least my clients will be happy
I would *love* some critique - I don't get any! I think it may be because people think I am just taking silly photos and writing funny captions so don't really want someone picking holes in my composition or whatever because that isn't what my project is for. This completely isn't true, and I would be thrilled if someone suggested a way to improve something on my photo.
I think, as for leaving critique on other people's photos, it depends a bit on the context. If the photo in question has loads of comments, and the photographer has replied to them and is clearly comfortable with things, rather than being grumpy or defensive about anything. Not that that is the most important thing - you can still leave critique anyway, but I think a bit of background info might help. (Like reading their bio; if they talk about how much they want to improve then definitely go for it!)
For me, the thing to do would be to leave it as a suggestion "Why don't you try this in B&W", "Have you tried using an off-camera flash", etc, rather than saying "I don't think the lighting in the works so well" or even things like "I love this photo, but for me I think it is spoilt a bit by the streaker in the background". As a teacher, I am always hearing people saying how you should give feedback as 'does' not 'don'ts'.
I would love for someone like @jinximages , (whose photos I absolutely adore!) to leave feedback on my photos. I sometimes spend ages on composition, or waiting for the right moment at a sunset, or driving miles to find the right place. Despite it being very silly, I take my project very seriously! I really want to improve, and I am definitely going to keep going next year, but with 'real' photography. I would really like to know what is good/bad about my photos, because I don't know anything about technical things, and it would be great to have someone say "Why didn't you put Greg on the other side to even it up a bit more" or suggest things to do with lighting, camera techniques or whatever. Nobody ever does that, and it makes me a bit sad. :(
I wouldn't be offended if someone left constructive criticism on one of my photos . And someone did once on a moon shot ages ago but then they deleted it after posting it , I had to check my emails to find out what they had written . And it was good advice , maybe they thought I would have been offended , who knows !
I have a few followers who suggest little tweaks and changes - often things I haven't though of doing ie, closer cropping, b&w conversion etc. Often I'll go away and try out what they have suggested and sometimes i agree and sometimes i don't - NOT TO SAY THEY WEREN'T RIGHT, but more because it's a=my personal preference. But it does help you see how others' view things and their preferences. TO be honest if a critique is delivered in the right way i'm sure most people will be OK with it - if you are worried about offending why not ask the person if they mind critique before giving it - especially if it's the first time they've had contact with you. The "good news - bad news-good news" strategy normally works in these situations!!
@michellegaynor Oh goodness, don't call me that! ;) Haha! If you write such a thing (I love almost everything...) best not to italicise the almost - do it on the everything instead. That way they'll only read into it if they really want to, and can ignore it without feeling bad about it if they don't. Hmmm, now I really do sound like a diplomat. ;)
@katiegc24 - I'm following you now! While I'm not here much at the moment, I'll be back sooner or later and will gladly help you out. :)
I personally wrote into my "about me" that I appreciate and welcome critique to make sure I get it. I often still don't get it and it bugs me, because I really want to improve and sometimes it's small details I've just not considered. Sometimes I put up two versions of shots in my albums and let the community on here decide which one is better or I expressively ask them for their opinion in the caption. Generally @janmaki is one of my best critics - he is constructive, polite and has the best ideas! @cally also gave me some great ideas and sometimes I even change the shot with picnic online and integrate the critique. So, in my opinion, critique only makes us better. As I know you're very polite and nice there should not be any problem! Hope that helped ;)
michelle, i haven't read all the replies ... BUT ... there used to be a thing on the discussion boards similar to the browse and pick, but you would go to the last poster's LAST photo and critique it .... i LOVED it ... and have been thinking for a week or so to start one up again.
the idea is that you must use the person's MOST RECENT photo, and you MUST critique it. its simple.
you should start one ;-)) its a great tool :)
but for this question, yep we do want it, most of us ;) i just read a little of what jinx said, and yep it IS like proofreading your own writing...we can all use some help :D
@jannaellen Thanks Janna ! :-)
I personally have no problems giving critique/opinions or getting them. I'd like to give&get more in the "365 spirit" (=polite, supportive, positive...) but sometimes it's just easier&quicker to give the "wow nice shot" -recognition (which is kind of equivalent of FB liking to me).
I would be more than happy for you to point out anything that doesn't work for you in my photos. Ultimately I'm the only person who needs to like my photos but if someone can open my eyes to other possibilities or ways to improve my shots then go right ahead.
I don't mind it at all and in fact a couple of my followers do so occasionally. I self critique a lot of my shots as well though and state what I'm not happy with etc
As has been mentioned, 365 is a very supportive community and is certainly geared towards the positive comments. I haven't really given much critique but that's only because I haven't really been invited to do so and given the nature of the community I don't want to step on anyones toes. More than happy to do so should someone request it! :-)
Generally, it's not offensive if said in a sincere way. If you have good intentions with whatever you say/do, then I see no problem. But as Jinx mentioned, this project is really quite personal to some people; more about memories and emotions than actually producing perfect photos, so I would suggest to keep it friendly :)
I wouldn't mind at all. I would rather people were truthful about my shots. When people leave nice comments I start getting lazy and just shoot but if I've been given constructive criticism it makes me think about my next shot and then hopefully better myself so as much critism is welcome for me.
I'm not very good at giving it though as I don't like hurting people's feelings plus I'm never sure if I'm right or not as I'm far from pro too and still learning what I should be looking for.
I wouldn't mind that at all! I've been waiting for over a year for someone to look at my pictures and say, "this could have been a little better if you'd tried..."
I agree with @jinximages in the fact that if a person puts on there that they want to have constructive criticism, then I would give it to them. If it isn't noted on their about me or the picture or I hadn't been asked, then I wouldn't. On my album, if I haven't specifically said that I want a photo to be critiqued, then I am putting it up there as more of a personal photo journal and I don't want any judgement or ways to improve the photo. Some people really use this site as a way to grow their photography and seek that sort of thing out. Others, like me, are just here to document their life through photos and enjoy the positive criticism free environment because we are critiqued all the time in other areas of our lives. I guess, bottom line to answer your question is that if someone wants to be critiqued, they will ask and I would totally feel comfortable making a statement at that time like the one you mentioned, "I loved it, except this one part you could fix to make it even more amazing." If they didn't ask, I'd either not comment or only focus on the things I like.
I personally would appreciate constructive crticism. Sometimes I know a photo isn't great, but I don't know how to improve it. Suggestions would really help. On that note, it doesn't mean I'll always agree with some ideas, but I'll certainly put thought into any critique I received.
@michellegaynor I've seen you give feedback recently about a lighting issue in someone's self portrait. At the time I thought you were spot on, very tactful, and I'd have been grateful for the observation, had it been me.
Ok my two cents on this subject: I personally do not mind at all if people give constructive critiques on my images.There are many people on this site that are truely gifted photographers like @jinximages and @mattyb that I have learned so much from. While the majority of people here are ametuers, like myself, I still value their opinions, and am grateful that they took the time to offer their insight. Will I change a photo because of something someone else has said- maybe, if it is a technical issue, more then likely I will just keep it in mind for the future. I think of photography as an art form, and like any other form of art it is visceral. How I feel about a photo may not be how someone else feels, but it doesn't make either right or wrong. Being able to receive feedback, good or bad, and either learning from it, or being able to recognize it for what it is (someone else's opinion) is a life skill that many people struggle with. For this reason I am selective on who I might offer a critique to. I still take the time to look at the photo and critique it as I feel critiquing a photo is also a valuable learning tool.
completely agreeing with Janna @jannaellen Always welcome critique and suggestions and of course we all like getting favs and nice comments but id love to learn more and there are here some amazing photographers that id wish i could learn from! :) and as long as we remember that people write their personal opinions and we dont have to agree with it or get offended that its all good i suppose.
I would welcome the critique -- sometimes someone tells me something that I never even thought of, and it makes my photo a thousand thousand times better. Why wouldn't I want an opportunity to improve? If I disagree, I'll just ignore the crit.
i would welcome critique as well, again, as long as it is done in a kindly manner. i would like to go into photography as a business within a year or so(i know i have much to learn) and would really love the talented artists and professionals to let me know where i can improve:) this site is a wonderful forum and can be a great place for inspiration and education:)
Unless the person wants an honest critique, I've found that people often gloss over the nice things you say and get hurt by the one mention of something negative. So I abide by the old adage -" if you can't say something nice, say nothing."
constructive critisism is all good, I would never be offended if someone told me how I could improve a shot, but then I am my own worst critic anyway. always have been a bit of a perfectionist :) If people never tell you that something does not work then you will never know how to improve your shot.
I personally do not want critique. I am hard enough on myself without others chiming in. It is very subjective and a lot depends on how much time you have, what camera you have, software, and where you live for that matter. Be gentle folks.
I feel critique is valuable, if everyone keeps saying "lovely shot", gets a bit boring and I dont learn anything! It would be great to be able to look back and see how far I have come and that will only happen if I get some critique! SO pleeese critique me!!!!!
I would really like critique as I want to improve. Another site didn't offer what would improve or what I could have done different but just said "that's what happens when you use.....". I thought that was obvious and would have liked a recommendation to try. Some shots are just fun candids and I realize they are not great but still would like to know how I could have improved them when taking or in PhotoShop/Picnik.
I would really appreciate the feedback, but I think that this great community is more geared to positive comments. I once put a photo up on critique-me, but all that happened was that it somehow made it to popular page and no feedback on how to improve. Very strange! But I do love how nice everyone is :)
Interesting reading. Personally I am a complete amateur and don't have any fancy equipment or software to improve my shots. I take photos for my own pleasure, but trying to get them better focused, more interesting angles etc. They are all SOOC. Critique would not really help me very much under those circumstances.
I did see some critique on another site, which did not seem to make sense, (not on one of my photos, but a friend's). They wanted her to chop a stalk out of the bottom of a photo, which would have left three flowers with two stalks (it *irritated* the person!). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that ;)
A suggestion: why not put a line on the bottom of your description if you would like your photo to be critiqued. That way folks would be able to offer constructive comments without offending anyone.
@carebear Doesn't that just show what a lovely community we have here :)
@michellegaynor last time i made a comment someone didnt like (not even their photo)i got stalked and bullied buy a couple and if i answerd back was threatend ..so i dont say nothing if i dont like it i just ignore it
The first sentence in my about me sentence says "Critique encouraged" so that people know they can critique me. Its the best way to learn for me and people like @janmaki have continuously tipped me on certain things that I didn't know were an issue until then...I am always hesitant, however, to critique others because I am such an amateur and not sure if others welcome it. Maybe you could put something like that in your about me also. I always look for that :)
It truly depends on the photographer--I tread with caution because there are a lot of people on here that just want to document, take photos or are looking for a community (but not necessarily for critiques).
I sort of feel that if I want a crit then I will ask for it as I post. I never ask for a crit though , not because I think that Im great, but because most what I put out there is never technically good anyway, and most of my shots are just fun. and why would someone want to crit that.lol on the other hand when people ask for a critique I ask them what they want me to critique them on,, if I dont know what they are going for, I could say well the ski wasnt blue enough, but that could be the one thing they are happy with ..
So most times I wont offer a comment either with a request unless it it specific ..and then also most times I cant offer a critique because I dont know what the hell Im talking about....
It seems that most of the people here are here to become better photographers, and as much as praise is wonderful, polite critique is good. How else would we ever grow?
I don't mind critique, but I do not edit my photos. I know mine aren't the greatest, I feel if I sat and edited my photos each day, it would take away from what I really "saw". So maybe, I could show off a bit more, but I'm just a simple girl. So I prefer no critique at all.
The issue with that would be, not everyone wants you to critique their work. Sometimes I may do something that others may not like. I would have to answer the critic with a "I meant to do that". lol!
Art is subjective, we will not all agree. Many of us dream of being pros, well, then we have to get used to other people's ideas too. I welcome opinions, because I am interested in how other people think.
i make boring comments like "nice" or "great shot", but when i do, i mean it. and if it's a really exceptional photograph, then i gush over it. if i don't like a photo i just don't make a comment. first, i'm an amateur; second, beauty is subjective. if anyone would critique my project, if i think it makes sense and positive, then i take note and maybe heed the critique or advice, or maybe even ignore it.
in any case, as with some of the members, my photographs are all SOOC as i am not very technologically inclined to do any processing. the only processing i do sometimes, if you can call it that, is to reduce the size of my photographs so i won't have a hard uploading it.
I would love suggestions on how to improve the photos that I take. I will not offer suggestions unless it is explicitly asked for. If there is something I liked I will mention those aspects.
look for pics with the critique-me tag, all ppl that use it are ready for some tough love. For me personally since I'm by no means a professional either if someone that knows a little more can help me improve give me tips and tricks they've learned along the way, then it's very very welcomed commentary :)
It depends on the person as to how they will take it but I've had people say, "great shot but I would have done"....etc. I don't take offense. I'm doing this for fun and to create a photo journal of my year. I think people are looking for advice if they are doing creative shots and putting them on here. As long as you're nice about it, I'm sure it will be well received.
I myself love to get feed back from others.... perfesional or not I like hearing others views on my photos. There is always room for improvement, even if you don't agree with what they've said it's nice to hear their veiw. I think one of my favorite threads has been "critique me".
I'm trying to learn, so I welcome suggestions. I had an artist friend look at some of my photos a few days ago and he had a little criticism for almost every one. I must say, it was a little discouraging, but it also made me look at the photos differently. On the other hand, I made a comment on a friend's photo suggesting I would like to see the photo taken a different way with the result being that I felt I shouldn't have made the comment. You never know .... I agree that it depends on the person and that we all look at "art" with a different set of eyes.
Honestly, I think I would feel inadequate if someone commented that they didn't like my photograph or that it didn't work for them for whatever reason.
My photos are just family snaps (mostly) and I put them up to share, to be enjoyed, a project to complete. My 365, my year. I love it when someone really likes one of them, and I do try to make them good, but certainly wouldn't like critisism unless I specifically asked for it, as that's not what I am here for.
I wouldn't dream of doing it on someone else's photograph either, unless, again, it was asked for.
I would welcome critique comments on my pics, as long as it was in a polite way. I have had a couple of critiques and have found the comments really helpful and in no way offending.
I would love it it someone would critique my photos or tell me what they didn't like. I think that helps you improve...That is something that I don't care for about this site, no one ever says they don't like something about my photo. It is always "This is so great!" or "Love this!" I would absolutely LOVE critique and suggestions.
Such a personal question! I think that our reaction could be totally different from everyone else's. Personally, unless someone specifically asks for a critique, you can probably bet they don't want one LOL. Now, if you know the person really, really, well and you know they would take it with the spirit it is intended, then I'd say go ahead. I'm not really here for critiques and when I do want one I ask for it. I pick apart my photos enough so I am not sure how I would feel if someone else did it without an invitation to do so.
@michellegaynor Before I am constructive of photos, I try to get a feel by what they post and how they comment. The key is not what you say, but how you say it. I have seen some of the criticism out there and some is very supportive and other times it can be downright rude.
For example, many times I think a watermark goes a bit too much in size, color or placement on a photo. I gently say something like "wow, I love the color and placement of your flower and it could be such a powerful photo. I think that the watermark being placed next to the flower is taking away from the power of the photo, I like how you did the watermark on such and such a date."
That way, I started quite gently, offered that I looked at all their photos, and say kindly how it could be different if it was removed.
I am in a field where critique is expected, so I actually have taken all the helpful suggestions made and I will tell you that they made enough of a difference in the photos. I also have one person that sends me constructive criticism through the facebook grou
I love and truly appreciate all of the wonderful comments people have left on my photos, but would be just as appreciative of some constructive criticism. The encouragement on this site is so inspiring, but I feel I could learn a bit more if I had things pointed out by others regarding what to improve on.
I would always appreciate any constructive criticism. Photography is an area of my life I most definitely want to improve on. This project is full of wonderful and creative photographers to learn and gain knowledge from. On the flip side...... What I really don't understand is how our photos can have comments about our "editing" when we in fact haven't edited... Maybe I'm being too sensitive... It just seems like the hard work and dedication we put into our photo's shouldn't be taken away by assuming that it has been edited... : )
When I comment on others photos, it is because I really like something in their photo, and I say what I like about it. I am learning about photography and so when I see photos that I like I look for what's good about it. I guess that for me, encouragement is more important than constructive criticism. In the future, that may change when I am more secure in my photography. You should probably look at what the person is asking for in their comments or their profile, before critquing their photos.
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I know what I like - but I dont know what others like and I truely want to hear other peoples opinions.
I think it is really important in self development and improvement to have others open your eyes to a slightly different way of seeing / interpreting things.
Rach
what matters is that YOU like the photograph. you took it... and if you like it, youre happy :) plus its great because on here, luckily, this site is full of more kind people than I can count and more than likely... you will recieve a TON more likable comments than bothersome ones... :)
I was just curious what others thought because I actually don't mind if someone says "liked this but not this about your picture, have you considered..?"
How many would be offended and how many would take it for what it is, personal opinion and perhaps, just maybe an idea worth thinking about??
And even if I disagree with a crit, I may still learn something from it. Like a recent photo of mine, someone suggested I should straighten the image. I believed it was straight, but went and checked it with a grid and got Koshi to check it too, and it was confirmed to be straight. But there is a slight illusion of a lean because of a lean of a pole and because of lens distortion (wide angle lens combined with a low-angled shot makes vertical lines lean inwards at the edges) - I could go and use the free distort tool in PS to make all the "verticals" vertical as though I'd used a TS lens, and that's something I can keep in mind for occasional moments where it might seem necessary or beneficial. So, in this case it isn't an accurate crit, but it is still in some way helpful. If nothing else, it made me look again, and see better!
All that said, I don't ask for crit on my photos (on 365, that is). Photography pays my bills and feeds my family, so I'm confident enough in my work that I don't feel the need to ask (though someday I might if there's something bugging me and my usual forums for crit are unavailable). I also understand that I, and my work, may intimidate some people and they may be afraid to say something in case I tell them they're wrong (and truly, I sometimes might do just that - but not because I'm defensive or simply being mean or ungrateful). There are certainly people here qualified to crit my work, but they, like I, are unlikely to be seeking it here - 365 has a different purpose (a more personal one) for me.
So as a general rule I don't crit people's photos. If they ask for it I might, or if they continually ask questions or show indications that they are trying to improve their skills, I might. But if they are just sharing their life there is a good chance they don't want criticism. That's probably more to the point than a general polling on what is suitable - treat every case individiually, to determine if they are open to it before giving what could be unwanted advice. There's nothing wrong with saying what you like about a photo, and leaving out the rest, or simple, general comments like "I love almost everything about this photo!" - that leaves it open for them to ask what you don't like, should they wish to.
Thank you for your comments and you are right, I assume because I am here to improve and grow and am happy to get peoples crit/opinion that others are too and quite likely many are not, perhaps are just here for the fun of it (which it really is) and documenting. That is why I haven't commented on the picture in question, but still asked the question.
I think, as for leaving critique on other people's photos, it depends a bit on the context. If the photo in question has loads of comments, and the photographer has replied to them and is clearly comfortable with things, rather than being grumpy or defensive about anything. Not that that is the most important thing - you can still leave critique anyway, but I think a bit of background info might help. (Like reading their bio; if they talk about how much they want to improve then definitely go for it!)
For me, the thing to do would be to leave it as a suggestion "Why don't you try this in B&W", "Have you tried using an off-camera flash", etc, rather than saying "I don't think the lighting in the works so well" or even things like "I love this photo, but for me I think it is spoilt a bit by the streaker in the background". As a teacher, I am always hearing people saying how you should give feedback as 'does' not 'don'ts'.
I would love for someone like @jinximages , (whose photos I absolutely adore!) to leave feedback on my photos. I sometimes spend ages on composition, or waiting for the right moment at a sunset, or driving miles to find the right place. Despite it being very silly, I take my project very seriously! I really want to improve, and I am definitely going to keep going next year, but with 'real' photography. I would really like to know what is good/bad about my photos, because I don't know anything about technical things, and it would be great to have someone say "Why didn't you put Greg on the other side to even it up a bit more" or suggest things to do with lighting, camera techniques or whatever. Nobody ever does that, and it makes me a bit sad. :(
@katiegc24 - I'm following you now! While I'm not here much at the moment, I'll be back sooner or later and will gladly help you out. :)
the idea is that you must use the person's MOST RECENT photo, and you MUST critique it. its simple.
you should start one ;-)) its a great tool :)
but for this question, yep we do want it, most of us ;) i just read a little of what jinx said, and yep it IS like proofreading your own writing...we can all use some help :D
xx
I personally have no problems giving critique/opinions or getting them. I'd like to give&get more in the "365 spirit" (=polite, supportive, positive...) but sometimes it's just easier&quicker to give the "wow nice shot" -recognition (which is kind of equivalent of FB liking to me).
As has been mentioned, 365 is a very supportive community and is certainly geared towards the positive comments. I haven't really given much critique but that's only because I haven't really been invited to do so and given the nature of the community I don't want to step on anyones toes. More than happy to do so should someone request it! :-)
I'm not very good at giving it though as I don't like hurting people's feelings plus I'm never sure if I'm right or not as I'm far from pro too and still learning what I should be looking for.
@michellegaynor I've seen you give feedback recently about a lighting issue in someone's self portrait. At the time I thought you were spot on, very tactful, and I'd have been grateful for the observation, had it been me.
@michellegaynor thanks for starting this discussion!
I did see some critique on another site, which did not seem to make sense, (not on one of my photos, but a friend's). They wanted her to chop a stalk out of the bottom of a photo, which would have left three flowers with two stalks (it *irritated* the person!). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that ;)
A suggestion: why not put a line on the bottom of your description if you would like your photo to be critiqued. That way folks would be able to offer constructive comments without offending anyone.
@carebear Doesn't that just show what a lovely community we have here :)
So most times I wont offer a comment either with a request unless it it specific ..and then also most times I cant offer a critique because I dont know what the hell Im talking about....
in any case, as with some of the members, my photographs are all SOOC as i am not very technologically inclined to do any processing. the only processing i do sometimes, if you can call it that, is to reduce the size of my photographs so i won't have a hard uploading it.
My photos are just family snaps (mostly) and I put them up to share, to be enjoyed, a project to complete. My 365, my year. I love it when someone really likes one of them, and I do try to make them good, but certainly wouldn't like critisism unless I specifically asked for it, as that's not what I am here for.
I wouldn't dream of doing it on someone else's photograph either, unless, again, it was asked for.
For example, many times I think a watermark goes a bit too much in size, color or placement on a photo. I gently say something like "wow, I love the color and placement of your flower and it could be such a powerful photo. I think that the watermark being placed next to the flower is taking away from the power of the photo, I like how you did the watermark on such and such a date."
That way, I started quite gently, offered that I looked at all their photos, and say kindly how it could be different if it was removed.
I am in a field where critique is expected, so I actually have taken all the helpful suggestions made and I will tell you that they made enough of a difference in the photos. I also have one person that sends me constructive criticism through the facebook grou