Something is bugging me. Why so dead around here?

[Arctirus]

I stopped posting here for a while and have only started again in the past week. Frankly I left because I was completely bored here for many of the same reasons Todd brought up. I got tired of reading post after post of photos of someone's children or pet. On top of that I got very tired of the overwhelming positive feedback for boring, unartistic, ineffective photos. A critique isn't a critique if everyone says "wonderful photo!". So for a while I started posting at Fred Miranda forums. People tended to be much more professional there but I also got tired of being lost in the crowd so I came back. I used to feel bad giving negative feedback here as no one else seemed to ever do so. Now I just the the bad fly out with the good.

[McMadCow]

I've been thinking quite a lot along the same lines recently. I try to comment on as many images as I can, but too often I don't want to say things like, "this picture bores me". Just as the posters above me I don't claim to have any special skills when it comes to photography, but I do know what moves me. Lots of times people will post interesting photos that capture really neat moments and are full of emotional content, and all they hear from reviewers is things like, "You cut off an arm" or, "The left-hand corner is overexposed" or my personal favorite, "Your composition is too centered". So the result is that people get their otherwise fantastic pictures shot full of holes because of minor flaws that are INHERENT in many styles of photography. I think the overall effect is that many repeat posters tend to submit images that are sterile and lifeless, yet follow the "rules". Rules are meant to be broken, people. I'd rather see some soft-focus street scene with under/over-exposed areas where the photographer catches an interesting moment posted here rather than a perfectly exposed and composed image of their grandkid. I'm not as impressed when a photographer pre-prepares all the details and then takes the image as I am when I see a picture that captures an amazing moment despite all of the challenges. I wonder how many of Cartier-Bresson's photographs would get ripped to shreds by reviewers on this site for their alleged "flaws".

[mtbbrian]

My personal favorite comment...
"Great Pic! Congratulations on the Sticky!"
Why is it a great pic?
Brian
Done Ranting, Thanks!
;)

[another view]

A critique isn't a critique if everyone says "wonderful photo!".

Agreed. I always found it easier to help someone if I knew why they wanted a critique (does the composition/movement/photoshopping/whatever work?) rather than just showing the photo. The few times I get over there (it seems overwhelming if you don't go there often), I'd rather help people where they want help. And sometimes I just don't have anything constructive to say. I don't feel that "nice shot" is a critique.

I guess if you post one in critique and try to critique even just two or three other shots, then you're giving more than you're taking. I should try to start doing this more often but time is limited and I really haven't been as much lately.

[mtbbrian]

As much as I love this community, I post stuff on other forums.( I know, I know...) I do this for lots of reasons. Some are specialized reasons to my work, i.e, my Holga stuff.
But I also like a second opinion.
But, we need to take the time to leave as detailed of a "critique" as possible.
Feedback isn't bad if it is constructive.
I for one feel no matter how "experienced" you consider yourself, you have something constructive to say.
Brian

[jar_e]

Brian,

I think that there's nothing wrong with posting something even if it doesn't construct. Some pictures, everything else has been covered, so I'll just add great picture or point out a minor thing that hasn't been recognized. We can construct things, and critiscism is fine as long as you give reasons for your answers.

Jared

[mattp]

I agree with a lot of the points McMadCow made about criticism here.

I've also recently discovered Flickr and that has been taking up a lot of the time I spend on the web now. I like the fact that with Flickr there is no 'obligation' to comment at all, but when people do come across my photostream they can at least consider the photos in context. Rather than trying to simply assess a single shot they can see what else I've been doing, and that will hopefully help them understand what I'm trying to achieve, and where I've got to in terms of improving my eye. It is quite a release not to watch one of your shots reach the bottom of a page with perhaps 30 views and 1 or 2 comments, and with that sinking feeling realise that once it goes to page two the likelihood of ever seeing it again is remote! In fact one of the first shots I posted on flickr quickly become one of my most viewed and favourited, and I remember thinking that it received no comments at all when I tried it here - you can just never tell!

I'll certainly keep an eye on this site as there are a number of good photographers here, but it suspect it is going to take up less time in future.

regards

matt

[another view]

Rather than trying to simply assess a single shot they can see what else I've been doing, and that will hopefully help them understand what I'm trying to achieve, and where I've got to in terms of improving my eye.

That's a good point - if I see a shot from someone who's work I know, then I can probably give a more helpful critique.

I'm not the expert in how to do this - (paging Almo!) but I think you could set up your own gallery here and have a link to it in your signature (which shows up at the bottom of your posts). That might be a similar way to do what you're looking for.

Almo has this set up, and he has a reply above. Click on the link in his signature to see his gallery.