Jubilant Flickr Comments

[vk2gwk]

Flickr is a very convenient and cheap way to share your photos and compare your own results with others. What strikes me is that there are so many posters on Flickr that seem to collect lots of comments - with all sorts of funyy or horrible grphics - and nearly all these comments are really jubilant about the posted photo.

When I take a closer look at these "most commented" shots I usually find them mediocre or even worse with the odd really good one..
Am I wrong when I consider most of these "comment" and "award" groups on Flickr more or less a "mutual admiration society".....

A few times I commented on technical matters like DOF. Once, when I suggested to use a higher aperture to get some more DOF on a subject the OP replied with: "I got ths 2.8 lens and shoot with it. If I wanted F4 I would have bought a cheaper lens...".... ???

Am I a over critical exception.... ???

[Mevunky]

Nope, thats flickr. IMO you have hit the nail on the head with your entire post.

[neilwood32]

To the OP, you are right.

There is very little point in going on Flickr if you seek to improve your photography or get constructive criticism.

The only way to get feedback seems to post a generic shot of something cute - you will get hundreds!

[AdamC]

Yup, agreed - flickr is mostly a popularity contest - or at least it is if you regularly participate and post in groups. I've found certain people get loads of comments on every photo regardless of whether they're good, bad or indifferent, while loads of really good stuff by others goes unnoticed. I think this probably tends to happen on many sites though - people gain a following, and gain lots of praise even for their less worthy work.

[S7000]

Yup, agreed - flickr is mostly a popularity contest - or at least it is if you regularly participate and post in groups. I've found certain people get loads of comments on every photo regardless of whether they're good, bad or indifferent, while loads of really good stuff by others goes unnoticed. I think this probably tends to happen on many sites though - people gain a following, and gain lots of praise even for their less worthy work.

Have to agree with everything said here.

And, when you do add some proper critique, it either gets ignored or a bunch of negative comments towards you.

[k-lo]

i only use flickr to host my images, screw the comments on them...

[AdamC]

i only use flickr to host my images, screw the comments on them...

Same here. I participated in a bunch of groups a couple of years ago, now it's just an image host for me.