Editing other peoples work

[swmdrayfan]

Can somebody make this (or something like it) a sticky to avoid future problems?

I just had a picture edited by a new member who wasn't aware of the policy about editing a person's work without permission. As a result, Liz (mod) has complimented me on the edit, when I didn't make it. This has happened on occasion to others, and although those people making the edits mean well, it leads to confusion. I don't have a problem with people asking if they can edit a picture to show me a different way of doing something, but some people get pretty upset if their work is edited by others.

Thanks,
John

[JSPhoto]

Hey John,
Can I edit your spelling?

You wrote: TO ANY WELL-MEANING INDIVIDUALS: PLEASE TO NOT EDIT MY WORK WITHOUT MY PERMISSION

When you meant:
TO ANY WELL-MEANING INDIVIDUALS: PLEASE DO NOT EDIT MY WORK WITHOUT MY PERMISSION

JS

[swmdrayfan]

Hey John,
Can I edit your spelling?

You wrote: TO ANY WELL-MEANING INDIVIDUALS: PLEASE TO NOT EDIT MY WORK WITHOUT MY PERMISSION

When you meant:
TO ANY WELL-MEANING INDIVIDUALS: PLEASE DO NOT EDIT MY WORK WITHOUT MY PERMISSION

JS

Arrrrrrrrrrghhhh Thanks JS.....change made.

[JSPhoto]

ROTFLAMO......

Sorry John, I had to do it ;)

JS

[swmdrayfan]

ROTFLAMO......

Sorry John, I had to do it ;)

JS

It took me a few minutes to read it over again, when I discovered the error. I need a proofreader...........you're hired.;)

[JSPhoto]

Sometimes I need one too!

I do agree though, no one should edit a photo without first asking.

So when is the Michigan get together? Actually, I may be heading up that way next month or early May for a couple days, gotta hit Owosso, Chelsea, Springport and Lansing to get some photos and vist my Aunt and Uncle.

JS

[almo]

Can somebody make this (or something like it) a sticky to avoid future problems?

I just had a picture edited by a new member who wasn't aware of the policy about editing a person's work without permission. As a result, Liz (mod) has complimented me on the edit, when I didn't make it. This has happened on occasion to others, and although those people making the edits mean well, it leads to confusion. I don't have a problem with people asking if they can edit a picture to show me a different way of doing something, but some people get pretty upset if their work is edited by others.

Thanks,
John

I haven't always asked, although I only ever did it to people I knew I could beat up if I had too

I don't do it at all anymore though.

[jar_e]

I haven't always asked, although I only ever did it to people I knew I could beat up if I had too

I don't do it at all anymore though.

To be honest, I'm quite honored if somebody takes the time to try to edit...I'm waaaaaaaaaaay to lazy to show the edits I would do with the majority of the pictures. But, regardless, I still would want permission asked before I give let somebody do it.

Think you could take me on almo?!

[almo]

To be honest, I'm quite honored if somebody takes the time to try to edit...I'm waaaaaaaaaaay to lazy to show the edits I would do with the majority of the pictures. But, regardless, I still would want permission asked before I give let somebody do it.

Think you could take me on almo?!

I could kick your scrawny butt...Go to bed young man!

[jar_e]

I could kick your scrawny butt...Go to bed young man!

Oh hush...scrawny is for children, I am an adult (atleast in Alberta) Atleast give me some respect and call me just tall and skinny *laugh*. Bed? Sleep is overrated...especially when a 9 am final is around the corner!

[almo]

Oh hush...scrawny is for children, I am an adult (atleast in Alberta) Atleast give me some respect and call me just tall and skinny *laugh*. Bed? Sleep is overrated...especially when a 9 am final is around the corner!

Ok how is this,

I'll take your tongue and pull it out of your a** you skinny bag of bones. Dosen't your momma feed you? Dang come on down here and after I beat you silly I'll feed you some southern fried chicken and fatten you up a bit.

BTW sleep is for wussies

[jar_e]

Ok how is this,

I'll take your tongue and pull it out of your a** you skinny bag of bones. Dosen't your momma feed you? Dang come on down here and after I beat you silly I'll feed you some southern fried chicken and fatten you up a bit.

BTW sleep is for wussies

Ahahah sounds like a plan almo. I agree sleep is overrated and just plain silly

[swmdrayfan]

So when is the Michigan get together? Actually, I may be heading up that way next month or early May for a couple days, gotta hit Owosso, Chelsea, Springport and Lansing to get some photos and vist my Aunt and Uncle.

JS

I'll be spending all my time in Battle Creek at the Devil Rays games. When you hit Lansing, try to catch a Lugnuts game. They're the Blue Jays low A affiliate.

[srobb]

ROTFLAMO......

Sorry John, I had to do it ;)

JS

Yep, you could use a proofreader, too, JS. That should actually be ROTFLMAO. So am I hired?

Hey, jar_e, how about you are a long, tall drink of water? I have always heard that term used for those of your stature.

[LeeIs]

About editing my work. I could care less. Not a big deal IMO. specially with a tight knit group as it is here. It's always someone I know that usually edits shots of mine, even it itsn't , I don't mind. I probably won't be around to give permission, so it's alright with me.

Worst case scenario, Almo does some edits and ends up pulling Jared's tounge from his ass, I don't see the problem It's entertaining.

[Chunk]

I agree that in this forum it doesn't make much sense to edit someone elses work unasked. In the critique forum, where people are posting their work asking for other's opinions or suggestions, I think that a picture can be worth a thousand words and an edit that illustrates a suggested change is often a more effective way of providing feedback than a confusing written explanation.

I hope that everyone feels free to offer me any suggestions on any of my work in any way they feel best puts the point across - especially in the critique forum but for my work, anywhere they see it. That feedback is what I see as the strongest benefit of this community since I don't have a good source of honest feedback from people whose work I like other than here. It's much better than the "Oh, this is nice, I love it" comments that I get from family and friends or happens in some other online venues.

When someone takes the time to download my pic, work on it, and repost it as an illustration of suggested changes, I think it is a real gift they have given me. I don't always agree that the suggestion is an improvement, but it is nice to see how someone else sees things.

Thanks to all of those who do offer all sorts of feedback, please continue to do so.

[LeeIs]

Well said Chunk. Even if I haven't expressed it well in my post above, I also appreciate the time taken by those that want to illustrate their ideas to me through visuals even if I don't agree with them. Like you said, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words and it's much better to understand what others are saying when they actually show it rather than try and explain it. Especially when it comes to crops. or the " crop above the post to the left and to the left of the post above". etc.

I try not to edit too many people's work (I infact stopped doing it ) because of the sensetivity involved in this issue, but sometimes I wish I could just do it and thus saving me the time to accurately explain it.

[another view]

This thread got a little off topic so I don't think I'll sticky it...

I do agree that it's a personal choice whether or not it's OK to edit someone else's work. Personally, I wouldn't want someone to do that to my shots unless I specifically asked someone to do it.

I think that would be the best policy - don't edit someone else's work unless you know it's OK. John, did it happen here or in Critique (or somewhere else)? I'm thinking that there's a bigger possibility of that happening in Critique by it's nature. Maybe send mtbbrian a private message and ask him to post a sticky about it there.

[Speed]

When someone takes the time to download my pic, work on it, and repost it as an illustration of suggested changes, I think it is a real gift they have given me. I don't always agree that the suggestion is an improvement, but it is nice to see how someone else sees things.

I'm with you Chunk. My PS skills are very basic. I do very little PS work on my shots. Mostly just cropping and/or resizing.

I don't mind someone editing my work to show me how it can be improved. I've learned a great deal about photography here, and I'm grateful to everyone who's shared their knowledge with me. I especially like it when they tell me WHAT they did and HOW they did it.

For sure, we should make sure the individual knows and approves of having their work edited. Maybe we need a guideline that says if you edit someone's work, label it as such, and give an explanation of what you did.

Now if Paul will post that edit he did of my grackle in Nature and Wildlife and tell me what he did...

He emailed me the edit, and it was great!

[adina]

I haven't always asked, although I only ever did it to people I knew I could beat up if I had too

I don't do it at all anymore though.

You can edit me anytime.

[mtbbrian]

I am with you (John, we have a lot of John's around her don't we?). I do not like people editing something of mine and posting it. In my mind it kind of makes it theirs and not mine. Suggesting the changes is one thing and what it is all about of course, but actually doing them bugs me!
It is a personal thing, both the doing it and liking it or not.
Simply asking people not to do it should solve things.
Brian

[swmdrayfan]

This thread got a little off topic so I don't think I'll sticky it...

I do agree that it's a personal choice whether or not it's OK to edit someone else's work. Personally, I wouldn't want someone to do that to my shots unless I specifically asked someone to do it.

I think that would be the best policy - don't edit someone else's work unless you know it's OK. John, did it happen here or in Critique (or somewhere else)? I'm thinking that there's a bigger possibility of that happening in Critique by it's nature. Maybe send mtbbrian a private message and ask him to post a sticky about it there.

It happened in Critique. It's not really a major issue as the guy didn't know the policy. My concern is if someone posts a photo, then 10 people post edits, the original gets lost in the process---somewhere down the line, someone happening upon the thread gets confused and congratulates the wrong person on a great shot, while the original poster gets ignored. If I sound overly sensitive about it...well---I am, because that's what happened in this particular instance with just one edit. Lord knows I need all the help I can get, but I'd rather be in control of how many people edit my work.

[JSPhoto]

I'll be spending all my time in Battle Creek at the Devil Rays games. When you hit Lansing, try to catch a Lugnuts game. They're the Blue Jays low A affiliate.

I'll let you know when I plan on heading up that way John. I want to get there before May though....May tends to get a bit busy around Central Indiana.

JS

[another view]

Lord knows I need all the help I can get, but I'd rather be in control of how many people edit my work.

I can understand and respect that choice. Personally I'm with you on that - I'd rather hear that an image should have more/less contrast or something than have someone just go ahead and do it. It's a personal choice and your signature makes your choice very apparent! Like I said, I think the best policy here and anywhere else is not to edit someone else's work without permission.

[Lava Lamp]

When I first started posting here a couple of people and edited my photos and some posted photos of their own to show me the deficiencies in mine. I think I always had a sense of composition, but people showed me how to handle contrast and sharpness better, in particular. I'm not sure if I could have seen it as readily.

I sometimes edit other people's work on the critique board where I think a picture will tell the story better than my words. I don't do it often and I wouldn't do it just to do it, but I think it is a valuable part of offering a critique at times. Sometimes the recipients seem to truly grateful. CLKunst, for example, had an image that cried out for black and white to me. I showed her a quick change and she loved it and printed her own (better) b&w version adn even got it published.

I myself sometimes feel possesive of my photos, but try to remember that when I post to critique all bets are sort of off. Mostly people around here are nice and if they're not one of us will call them on it, but at the end of the day we want tough criticism, right? That's how we grow. One fo the reasons I don't usually post photos of people I know and care about is that it might be tough to read some criticism in the right light -- i.e., I need to remember that just 'cause the poster doesn't like my photo, doesn't mean they hate my kid.

Anyway, I guess that's a roundabout way of saying that we are all very passionate about this stuff. That's why se post here. And I understand where you are coming from, but I wanted to give you the other side as I saw it, too.