something to consider when critique other peoples photos

or when you are receiving any in return.

I was just visiting Luminous Landscape and read the newest article.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com …/From-the-Big-House.shtml

I thought it rang true for some of the people that are asking for comments with the photographs that they take.

I thought it was interesting that the original writer was going on about creating art for nothing that just the feelings that you wish to convey in your art.

I think it's important for those that are wishing for critique on your work, be careful in taking in the responses that you get. You may just take them to heart and never try again. It is important that as a photographer we seek to full our own goals about what we wont the photograph to say, rather than trying to meet someone else's.

That article was kind of strange, IMO. If you truly want to improve, then ask for others to critique your work so you can get better. There are a number of experienced photographers on this forum who are more than willing to help the novice. Critique is just part of the learning process and is really a positive thing in terms of growth as an artist.

that's true up to a point. But I often see that the people are asking if the a photo is good or not. While there in many cases there is something technical about the photo that can improve.

While critique is an important way of learning how to improve ones photography skills. However I think some may take to much of it on board and lose interest in photography.

As a artist however one must produce work for oneself rather than for others. I think that may be the most important thing he is saying.

but I have just had a thought. I wonder if he is writing it to narrow down the number of people trying to make money out of photography?

You can't be that thin skinned if you ask for critique. As for making money, I have my own definitive style, but I also try to please the customer. And any artist will do the same thing if they truly want to market their work to the public. You have to make it marketable to your audience.

Any effective critique should focus on the positives, while offering suggestions and solutions for correcting the negatives. I know I have been guilty on a couple of occasions of saying "That picture does nothing for me" or "That shot just doesn't work for me"...without taking the time to explain why I don't like it...or offering a suggestion on how it might be improved.

Critiques are very difficult to offer to people that you don't really know where they are coming from. I imply this in a photographic sense...meaning not knowing the message they are trying to convey. We often see a picture by a famous artist that has some glaring technical flaw and yet say..."Oh my...what a great picture". Yet if Joe Average were to submit the same image we would say...."What on earth were you thinking? There is no focus to that shot."

Go figure...

liza wrote in post #2298725
You can't be that thin skinned if you ask for critique. As for making money, I have my own definitive style, but I also try to please the customer. And any artist will do the same thing if they truly want to market their work to the public. You have to make it marketable to your audience.

Liza, how much of your style do you compromise when you are trying to sell to a customer. isn't the customer coming to you in the first place because they like your style? are you not selling art based on what they wont, rather than the artiest style that you have got?

Woolburr wrote in post #2298751
Critiques are very difficult to offer to people that you don't really know where they are coming from. I imply this in a photographic sense...meaning not knowing the message they are trying to convey. We often see a picture by a famous artist that has some glaring technical flaw and yet say..."Oh my...what a great picture". Yet if Joe Average were to submit the same image we would say...."What on earth were you thinking? There is no focus to that shot."

Go figure...

Strange isn't when there are two standards for people. If you are well known then artist then anything can you weather good or bad would be selected and hang on the wall. However if you are unknown then you just have a undeveloped style. So if you are unknown and what a style that's or own what do ya do?

As I said, it's just something to keep in mind.

Woolburr wrote in post #2298751
Any effective critique should focus on the positives, while offering suggestions and solutions for correcting the negatives. I know I have been guilty on a couple of occasions of saying "That picture does nothing for me" or "That shot just doesn't work for me"...without taking the time to explain why I don't like it...or offering a suggestion on how it might be improved.

Critiques are very difficult to offer to people that you don't really know where they are coming from. I imply this in a photographic sense...meaning not knowing the message they are trying to convey. We often see a picture by a famous artist that has some glaring technical flaw and yet say..."Oh my...what a great picture". Yet if Joe Average were to submit the same image we would say...."What on earth were you thinking? There is no focus to that shot."

Go figure...

Dan - I don't think it's all bad that you post "that photo does nothing for me" type critiques...I think that can be a very valuable comment! The most interesting photographs ALWAYS elicit some sort of emotional response. When some of us take photographs of people close to us, we might feel something in the photograph because of our connection to the person and not because of anything that is actually in the capture. I've seen quite a bit of "this is my favorite shot of my (insert family member or friend here)!" comments attached to boring pictures. If the person asks for a critique, they should be prepared for honesty. Just my 02.

In a critique, one should be brutally honest, and one asking for help should want that kind of candor. BUT, maybe it should be on the technical, mechanical aspects, not the artistic aspects? AND, one should not listen to people like me, I can neither take a great photo and know it, and I can only say if I like a photo or not. A guy like me might look at a world famous photo (Ansel Adams?) and give advice on how it should be improved, yet I don't have a real clue. Anyway, I don't have a real clue what I am even saying now, except honesty is the best policy. Most times, I like pictures others take, and I love that they are willing to share. If Picasso showed me one of his paintings, I probably would have told him... gee, people's faces don't have straight line like that, use more curves!

nzl-g3user wrote in post #2302089
Liza, how much of your style do you compromise when you are trying to sell to a customer. isn't the customer coming to you in the first place because they like your style? are you not selling art based on what they wont, rather than the artiest style that you have got?

An example would be a wedding photog with a primarily photojournalistic style shooting posed formals at the request of the family. Another would be for a parent who's present at a photo shoot posing their son or daughter instead of allowing them to pose naturally, which actually happened to me today. Sometimes you have to give a little for the customer because they're paying the bill.

That essay was brilliantly scary! Critics: "failed" artists. It did neglect to mention how artists and photographers are often biased towards their own photos because of selective perception and rationalizing past actions to avoid cognitive dissonance in self-evaluation. In this case the criticism can be very real (if the goal is for the art to appeal to *others* not the artists personal creative pursuits), but the photographer/artists refuses to accept honest accurate criticism.

My essay is much shorter:
http://www.palm-springs-photography.com/philos​ophy.html

I have one that is longer, but it may put people to sleep. Discusses the Dada movement, a famous Picasso quote, etc. Pm if interested.

Critic: Someone who knows where we are going to but doesn't know how to drive the car.

JaertX wrote in post #2302139
Dan - I don't think it's all bad that you post "that photo does nothing for me" type critiques...I think that can be a very valuable comment! The most interesting photographs ALWAYS elicit some sort of emotional response. When some of us take photographs of people close to us, we might feel something in the photograph because of our connection to the person and not because of anything that is actually in the capture. I've seen quite a bit of "this is my favorite shot of my (insert family member or friend here)!" comments attached to boring pictures. If the person asks for a critique, they should be prepared for honesty. Just my 02.

You bring up a valid point. I still think that to be fair...you need to explain a bit further as to why "that photo does nothing for me". Perhaps it is a technical flaw or maybe the subject just isn't of interest...but we typically have some reason behind our feelings.

I would have thought that if the subject isn't of interest then what's the point in saying something? unless there's a technical fault with the image. Which then one should explain on how to make it better.

I think that frankly honest is one think, brutally is a whole other thing. Also, it does no good whatsoever to say that something does not work without offering a suggestion as to what might make it better. Pointing out trouble spots with out any solutions is like the person in the lens forum offering advice on lenses they have never owned, not worth much.

nzl-g3user wrote in post #2297896
As a artist however one must produce work for oneself rather than for others. I think that may be the most important thing he is saying.

this is laughable. Art is also to a LARGER degree marketability. I have friends that are professional artists. If they created only for themselves, they would be out on the street. art comes from within, but hopefully speaks or moves those removed from ourselves. Art is communication at its highest form and to talk to yourself would be foolish.

Lisa, I agree with your above post 1000000%