To comment or not to comment...that is the question

Hi all.
I just had a few thoughts about commenting on photos, and would like your input.
When I post a photo (Though I've only posted a couple, Im fairly new) I like to get comments...the only way I can advance in my technique, is to have others tell me what Im doing wrong, and how to do it better; or to tell me that what I did worked for that particular shot. I have appreciated every single comment I have received.

That said, I am a beginner in the technical side of DSLR photography. I know artistically what looks good to me, but as far as exposure and perfect f-stops, I am still learning.
So...do I have the right to comment on other's photos? What technical advice could I possibly give to someone who is much more knowledgable than I? Sometimes I will be looking at a photo, thinking about how I like it, or dont like it, but I wont post, because what do I know? Then I feel bad for looking at everyones posts, and not commenting.

I guess my question is, should I comment on photos or not?? Is my beginner-outlook opinion worth a comment to a seasoned professional?

Always feel free to comment. There are different aspects of photography which you have mentioned. The technical side and the artistic side, if you like the way the photo looks artistcally speaking, you can comment in that respect, if you feel that there is something wrong, say so also...without being overly critical...The nature of this, is that comments help the photographer get better...I for one love the positive, but really appreciate the negative because it forces me to look at my work more and more...an another set of eyes always helps

So post away and enjoy what we have here!!

say it as you see it. if you make a comment that goes against what the photographer was trying to do or against something that was actually positive, somebody else will pick up on it.

getting comment from every experience level is helpful, as often clients will be at your level or under, rather than industry leaders

Whilst you may not have the experience to comment on technical issues, that shouldn't stop you doing so on the artistic side. Go for it.

When I post something, I try to qualify my comments, if appropriate.

In this thread https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=170941
for example, I stated:

If I am just saying "I really like your photo" then I don't qualify it.

If you like it, say so & give the person a well deserved <bump>. Otherwise, don't say anything that you can't back up!

You might try spending a few weeks with the "Sticky"s at the top of the forums, too.

The worst that can happen is that you will make yourself look a muppet. But even then you will still learn from other peoples reactions to your comments.
Although there are some fantastic shots on this Forum I don`t think there are too many "Seasoned professionals". I have learnt by asking questions and some have been extraordinarily stupid, but I have still learnt.

As someone once said "I may not know much about art, but I know what I like" - If you like something say so and maybe elaborate on it saying what in particular catches your eye etc. but on the other hand, if you don't like a particular shot or composition explain your reasoning. At the end of the day art of any sort (including photography) is a personal thing.

By all means give it to them. I do it all the time and don't know anything. No seriously, a lot of times there are more than one person who can learn from your suggestions, not just the person who posted the image. Others who view it may be even more inexperienced than you are and would miss out on your advice.

I always appreciate a comment and often the less 'informed' the better ... at least the poster then says what matters, ie whether they just likee or not likee. I also like funny comments and friendly ones from people I like.

Thanks everyone!

We have a rule in our photo club that we always use the positive side to relfect our opinions. It's quite easy to do...

Feeling: Needs less sharpening

Best: "I like this image but would like it even more if the sharpening was reduced. I originally used too much sharpening but have found a new workflow that gives better result. Maybe try this ..........."

Worst: "Your picture has ugly sharpening halos."


As you can see, "Worst" offers an opinion but with no resolution. If you hate sharpening halos so much why not assist in reducing their appearance?

Worst is the quickest and easiest to type and express. Sadly it is human nature to take this shorter route. I do it every day. I try my best to not do it on forums since it gets you nowhere.

When I post a picture, I want "Best" and I want to learn. We all shoot and psot process differently and I'd like to hear opinions that are constructive. I sometimes look for threads with zero posts to try and bump them with a positive comment. Time constraints usually prevent a response such as I'm typing now but a couple quick words can help you pass on knowledge to someone that can use it.

I feel like we should all have the right to comment on anybody's photos. What looks good to one person might not look good to another person and vice versa. With that said, I also feel like if we post photos, we should appreciate comments on the photos, even if they are not what we want to hear.

Now, if someone just comments on one of my photos and says that it looks like crap, oh well... their opinion. However, if someone comments and says that it looks bad because I use too much sharpening, I underexposed, etc., I greatly appreciate that, because like you, I am learning. There is a large number of people on the forums here who have been doing this way longer than I have and I can learn from their experiences and their comments on my photos.

Another benefit of commenting on photos from some of the more experienced shooters here is that you can ask questions about how they achieved something that you liked about the photograph. Many times I've just stated that I love the photo and asked how the shooter got that result. Most people are more than happy to share their knowledge, especially if you state that you have enjoyed their work.

cfpackerfan, Thanks for posting this and thanks everyone for your responses
I'm often intimidated because I am SOOO starting out that I wouldn't even be able to offer suggestions on how to make the photo better .. so I either don't post or post on the ones I like and say something like "great photo" which is sort of dumb because I'm not telling the photographer something they don't already know.

Maybe the more I read, the more I practice and the more I learn I will feel more confident - for NOW I will try and explain why I think a photo does (or doesn't) work for me, in the least technical way possible