Photography Forum, What's the Point?

DreDaze wrote in post #18564157
there's not a single photo in the world that everyone likes...so how do you decide how much weight to put behind those that don't like something...

It'd give me things to consider. I may ignore them or think what they say is stupid, or what they say might give me ideas for things to try next time. Sadly no-one's made any comment at all about any photo I've posted. Maybe that in itself is telling me something.

Pippan wrote in post #18564160
Sadly no-one's made any comment at all about any photo I've posted.

That is no longer true!


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Tom Reichner wrote in post #18564174
That is no longer true!

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Thank you Tom, and a very nice comment it was, while reminding me of the importance of complementary colours.

Pippan wrote in post #18564029
But it would be helpful to find out why people don't like it.

Nobody likes a critic. Isn’t that how the saying goes. If I want someone’s (negative) opinion about my work, I’ll ask for it (and I’ll do it in the Critique Corner forum). Don’t mean to sound high and mighty, but I know what I like about the photos I share with fellow enthusiasts. There will always be someone who finds a flaw or doesn’t like it. I’m not trying to satisfy them.

I once posted a critique to a photo, mistakenly thinking that I was in the criticism forum. It did not please the original poster, who was quite direct about it in reply. I only critique shots that are in CC or if the original poster in another forum explicitly states that he/she welcomes criticism.

As for myself, I generally only post photos in CC because I welcome the insights of others.

If someone posts a photo and does not ask for C&C, I will not say anything.
If I like the photo I press the like button.
If the photo has issues (exposure, composition, other technical issues) I don't press the like button.
If the poster asked for C&C, I may respond if the photo interests me. If I have no interest in the subject matter then critiquing or commenting on anything would not be useful in my opinion.

As for photos I post, I do not mind constructive criticism, whether I ask for it or not. It might be a good idea to put something in my signature to that effect

DreDaze wrote in post #18564157
there's not a single photo in the world that everyone likes...so how do you decide how much weight to put behind those that don't like something...

I can't interpret the absence of a Like, and I get lots of those! When interpreting Likes, I take into account who the Liker is. A Like carries more weight if it comes from someone whose work excels at the same qualities I try to achieve.

I don't think what general public "likes" represents anything valuable these days. Honestly, I'm finding most of modern "liked a lot" photography next to distasteful and weak.
For example, this is with many likes and it comes as first result under google search for Japanese Street Photographer.
https://www.flickr.com​/photos/megane_wakui/
But, IMO, this is the Japanese modern and also classic street photography from Japan, yet, I have to spend some time to dig it with Google:
https://www.flickr.com​/photos/junku-newcleus/

I often struggle to understand how photos with thousands likes comes on Flickr. And before I started on Flickr same was on 500pix. I actually knew one top photog on 500pix and never understand why and what for. Maybe it is better on Instagram, but instead I spend few years to find photogs I like on less crowded forums and then they write something positive about my pictures it means a lot to me.

kf095 wrote in post #18564455
I don't think what general public "likes" represents anything valuable these days. Honestly, I'm finding most of modern "liked a lot" photography next to distasteful and weak.

Well, you know, you can buy likes. So there's no way of knowing. But you're right. They're basically meaningless. Yet I see kids on other forums asking what they can do to get more likes.

I have an Instagram account with a few pictures on it. I have one like -- and it's me because I hit the wrong button one day. Boo hoo for me.

I wonder what accounts for the green cast in a lot of the shots in the first link that you posted. The tilted ones caught my eye in the second link. I know that it was all the rage among cheesy wedding photographers a few years back. But it drives me nuts. The NY Times has a photographer on the Sunday Society pages that can't hold a camera level. The freaking NY Times!!! What's the world coming to?

joedlh wrote in post #18565048
... The NY Times has a photographer on the Sunday Society pages that can't hold a camera level ...

In that case, I'm almost a professional!

I think the forum is generally very courteous, especially to beginners. I've seen some shots that have been very poor, technically and artistically, we all know the ones I mean, and not only has nobody commented on it, they've received likes, because the person is obviously a beginner, and encouragement is what's needed. Conversely I've seen shots that personally I really liked that have been ripped to shreds, just because what they wanted to achieve is different to what you wanted the shot to do, that's artistic difference, you'll never agree on that.

Tee ones that crack me up are the journalistic ones where people criticise something in the background, what's the photographer meant to do, ask the 70 strangers in shot to reply the last 30s of their lives, knock the ugly building down, ask the train to back up and have another go....

A public forum is not the place to complain about receiving feedback, that's a forum's fundamental purpose. Forums also appear to be among the last of the slowly evaporating communities where artists and technicians can actually get intelligent comments. Facebook is a worthless mess as is Instagram, Flickr and 500px.

Everything should be fair game in a technical/artistic community. Too many mediocre "artists", myself included, get head pats for objectively bad output that should have been deleted while the card was in the camera.

POTN is, on average, civil compared to FM. Although, there are more self aggrandizing egomaniacs with legions of devoted fans on FM that go out of their way to piss people off than here. The 'no comment' crowd set themselves up for the backlash they receive. If they took unsolicited criticism with a hint of humility and grace rather than being colossal douches about it they'd at least have a shot at earning the critic's respect. A bad attitude toward criticism invites hostility.

So yes, more C&C please. Keep the tone light, the criticism technical and we'll all get along fine.

s1a1om wrote in post #18563039
A discussion recently broke out on the "Show us your setup and final result" thread and I thought it warranted further discussion. ....

Osa713 wrote in post #18562615

Thanks but I didn’t post the setup for feedback/critique, it looks good to me and I achieved my goal. a

And I was taken aback by that kind of aggressive response. In my mind the entire point of a forum on photography is to get feedback from other people in order to get better at photography. .....

So that's the thing about life , love and forums. we all have different ideas about how things should go. It's clear from the many varied replies in this thread that not too many people think in perfect unison about how things should be. This being an international forum it should come as no surprise to see so many varying opinions and beliefs.

I certainly don't see the quote you posted as hostile, just a different viewpoint to yours. I do however bet that seeing their reply outed here might put Osa713 on the defensive. I am sure that kind of public flogging is not what many think to be the point of a forum on photography.

john crossley wrote in post #18563371
I think that if you post an image on a public forum then you have to accept any comments, good, bad or indifferent, whether asked for or not.

I do tend to agree, but this would include the comments stating that someone is not looking for critique, no?

No one invited me to the party lol.

It’s really not that deep, some responded to my photo nicely and I responded nicely this really doesn’t need another thread.

I guess it’s all about perception....