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

Agreed Mike.... My idea of pure beauty is a newborn baby, bare skinned with a beautiful light flowing over him...... Perhaps add a mother nuzzling him with her cheek and it becomes exquisite... this is MY opinon...

Others may say a sunset, or landscape.... Steve Parr may say 5ft 10 125 pounds large breasted, small hips, longs legs...... etc...

We are all different and the critique most of us are asking for is composition and lighting in a portrait/glamour situation....

In a landscape, beauty can be in composition and also subject matter as the subject truly makes the portrait.... I'm rambling... it's my specialty

It's easy to respond to a question like "How's my lighting?". That doesn't require discussion of the model.

But when someone says "Isn't my model gorgeous?", he should be prepared for answers along the lines of "No, she's not". Without expecting answers like that, the question is rhetorical, and probably shouldn't be asked in the first place...

That would be great.

If she looks like my Dad, though, then I should be permitted to say that.

But people simply can't stomach negative comments about their subjects, regardless of the validity of the comments...

Well perhaps you could comment something more diplomatic like, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and she isn't really my first choice in models". You can be friendly and honest without being rude... I have no idea what you must have gone through on your thread, but it sounds like it got ugly... Sorry to hear it.

Oh you're a funny one... such a typical man... I suggest you only look at the glamour work of Charleseu, or whatever his name is... He is right perfectly up your ally.... then you can surely spare yourself from looking at less than perfect women with very little clothing on. (LOL)

I said something which, I thought, was quite diplomatic, and I was quite polite about it; nothing even approaching "rude".

People jumped all over me for it, saying I was hurting someone's feelings. Hey, hurt feelings are a very real possibility when the request is for honest comments...

Okay, a woman looking like my Dad is probably a pretty extreme example and, thankfully, that's not yet been the case.



I'm not saying that a subject (man or woman) has to be drop-dead gorgeous, but there are certain expectations if someone is described as "attractive". If those expectations are from from met, shouldn't the photographer be clued into that?

I went looking for your comments but were unable to locate the thread to which you are refering. My guess is that it could be the case of the web not expressing our words as we write them. The readers took offense and the snowball effect began.

It was quite some time ago; maybe a year, at least.

Perhaps it was the fact that the web got in the way, but people would do well to realize that it goes both ways. I wasn't being rude at all; merely stated my opinion about the model. If we're honest, there's more to a picture of a model than background, clothing, or lighting. "Negative" comments seem to be most welcome with regards to those, but never with the models.

Normally, the models are, well, models. Sometimes they're not, though, and saying that shouldn't be construed as offensive or rude.

As for other areas of photography, I post a completely honest opinion, only because I hope others will do the same when they comment on my photos...

Of course, you must remember that not all posters are professional. Most of the time the model will be a wife, family member or very generous friend.

Judging from postings, it seems that when a model is gorgeous, everybody will state so. So, even by not saying anything you will most probably communicate your negative appraisal.

On the other hand, we all have that capacity to abstract. That means that for a very close relative (wife, daughter, etc) we are able to forget the not so attractive face and concentrate on a nice cheekbone, body or evocative smile. Not to easy to do for a casual looker.

So, you may be doing them a favor by commenting use of light, focus or DOF to enhance that particular trait. You may even comment to put the COI on the flower behind the model (just joking).

I agree that comments should focus on photography issues with 2 exceptions: (1) posing abilities and (2) expression that does not correspond to photo mood. It is the job of the photographer to get the most of his subject's characteristics and by commenting it you are telling him what he should be doing better next time.

Granted that the person who made that very unwise question "Isn't she gorgeous?" is asking for it. And I would say that an honest opinion in that case is very called for.

Just my thoughts on a very old thead.

I'm quite new, and I'm glad to hear that all comments are generally welcomed.

I've always thought that, as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the truly talented photographer can bring that beauty out for all the rest of us to see.

If the photographer hasn't brought it out, I'd ask (in a non-sarcastic way) what it is that the photographer thinks is beautiful, then (if only I knew how), I'd suggest ways to portray that element.

Of course, this doesn't help you if the model is Steve's dad .