Is this the most overused word when critiquing a picture?

This is a bit of fun but with a possible serious side. There is one word that keeps cropping up and is used with such abandon that it has almost lost meaning and that word is…..

Distracting

“That is an excellent shot of the shooting but I find the shadow of the tree on the left of the grassy knoll a little distracting”

"That is a great shot of the winning goal but the guy in the bright shirt (10th row up & fourth in from the left) is rather distracting"

"The model looks great and the lighting is fantastic but shadow cast by her foot on the backdrop is very distracting"

Am I the only one who is irritated by this?

Are there any other words that annoy you?

Or is it me?

Yeah.. it's a bit of a buzz word. A bit detracting really. I think it comes from camera club and photo magazine judges. Everyone else says it as well to appear a bit more intelligent.

neil_r wrote in post #2625607
Am I the only one who is irritated by this?

Nope. I find it very distracting as well...

Personally I find the use of the word distracting to be well... distracting.

I had better add a clause here for the funny bone amputees, Im kidding, joking, making an attempted funny

I think it's just someones way of drawing attention to something in the image that pulls the focus away from the intended subject.

For words that annoy me, not one in particular but a string of them can do it..
your cheque is in the post
I need you to come down and sign this
wow thats a big camera can I look through it.
and my personal favourite... I didn't touch a thing it just stopped working.

Ill have to agree with Pete on this one. Some use it to sound more intelligent or to appear they know what theyre talking about. Its just one of those quirks ya gotta get used to around here. Another thing I notice is when some are critical about a part of the photo thats 'blown out' or 'hot' and will often times try to correct the photographer on it, but if the whole picture is looked at, those areas can work for the photograph not against it. To me some 'hot' spots on a peron can look good for the photo. Thats just me though.

I think "exposure" or some variation of it is over used, at least my myself it is...LOL

superdiver wrote in post #2625851
I think "exposure" or some variation of it is over used, at least my myself it is...LOL

I can understand that. At least when I say "exposure", I mean it in the strict sense of the word, I don't just mean it as another word for "shot"...

Pete wrote in post #2625865
I can understand that. At least when I say "exposure", I mean it in the strict sense of the word, I don't just mean it as another word for "shot"...

Yes! Example might be, 'I love this exposure, I wish I had been there at this time as well'.

At least we don't "make" pictures on this forum.
But I do find that our bokehs are often too creamy.

No description in a critique is anywhere near as annoying as the question: "Does this work?"

I gag every time I read it.

(sorry to be a distraction.)

I don't mind using distracting as long as I point out whats distracting about it. What words should we use in the place of distracting then?

I think some Roget's suggestions from their thesaurus might confuse some people.

abstract, addle, agitate, amuse, befuddle, beguile, bewilder, call away, catch flies*, confound, derange, detract, discompose, disconcert, disturb, divert, draw away, engross, entertain, fluster, frenzy, harass, lead astray*, lead away, madden, mislead, mix up, occupy, perplex, puzzle, sidetrack, stall, throw off*, torment, trouble, turn aside, unbalance, unhinge*

Another candidate...."spot on"

milleker wrote in post #2626064
point out whats distracting about it. What words should we use in the place of distracting then?

Definitely "catch flies"

This is of a pet peve for me:

Wanting images to "Pop"

TWF does "pop" mean, anyway? One person's POP is high contrast (usually too high) anther persons POP is saturation (again, usually too much), and so on and so on. If you want more contrast, say so. More saturation, then say that. This term "Pop" is about the most meaningless term around.

Oh well.

Below is a short list of people and entities who likewise do not know what POP means* (there were a dozen more that I did not bother linking - I figure 10 makes the point.)

Rad

Steve's Digicam Digicam Dictionary

PhotoNotes Dictionary of Photographic Terms*

Kodak Professional Glossary

Kodak Consumer Glossary

ProFotos (This is a great one!)

Digital Exposure Glossary

DPReview Glossary of Terms

AllThingsPhotography.c​om Digital Dictionary

The Cleveland Museum of ArtLegacy Of Light Glossary

Clemson University's Online Glossary of Photographic Terms

*Actually, Photonotes does define "Popping" -

Slides bulging out when in a slide projector, because of the intense heat.

Slide projector lamps are incandescent bulbs and produce a lot of heat. Even with diathermic (dichroic) mirrors and cooling systems a lot of heat ends up hitting the surface of the slide itself, which results in the film expanding and bulging outwards, altering the focus. The film returns to a flattened state when cooled. Popping is unfortunately normal and can really only be avoided by installing the slide in a glass holder. Medium format slides are considerably more vulnerable to the problem than 35mm slides, because of the larger surface area in the case of the former.

Oh, and don't even get me started on this:

"I saw this really kewl effect once where a whole picture was black and white, but the rose (car, eyes, lips, cat, baby, etc, etc, etc.) was in color. How do I do that?"