When Will You Ever Learn To Shut Up About Bad Photography?

If you see bad photography, do you say anything?

The football game photographs coming out of my daughter's school are pretty bad. Am I going to say anything? Oh hell no. They might want me to do something about it. I've been asked to do photography for events in the past, but if there's one thing I've learned, if you don't want to end up doing it yourself, just shut up.

How many times have you been suckered into doing other people's work just because you couldn't stand their performance? How long until you realized you should just be quiet and put up with their results?

Well, you asked.

I usually use my 5D with the 24-70 or 70-200 2.8 IS at the school for events. The yearbook coordinators asked if I would help the kids use their digital cameras to take "better" pictures. I said I would. But really, there is more than just snapping away. There is PP, really setting the camera right, etc. I couldn't imagine another yearbook like the one last year. Oh, it was bad. But for $18 per kid, really, it was okay. But I can't let it go. If I can help, I often do it. And no one even bothers taking their P&S to the soccer games anymore. My pictures are so many times better than theirs. I just make JPEG CD's for all the players. It's a gift to have so many great toys, and to share is the right thing to do.

I'm glad you're involved. Where bad photography persists, no one learns. The key is that you are interested in making a difference and you have the time. I, on the other hand, have neither the interest or the time. I'm busy enough as it is and keeping quiet.

I used to teach the photography and darkroom classes (after school) at my daughter's high school. My mouth landed me that role when I mentioned something to the teacher about the photos displayed on the wall during a parent-teacher event. I enjoyed it quite a lot and would have kept doing it even after I graduated had it not been for work commitments. Sometimes it's a good thing to speak up.

Mark

I make it a general rule to never point out problems without also having a solution to point out. Otherwise it is just griping and no one benefits.

The day I stop talking about bad photography is the day I start taking good photographs!!

Pete wrote in post #4301614
The day I stop talking about bad photography is the day I start taking good photographs!!

Agreed. I'm my own worst critic. When I can look at my own stuff and be happy, I will feel better about supplying unrequested input on others.

However, if asked, I tell the truth of what I think about the picture. But I will not fall into the "well if you can do it better" trap, I just refuse.

Never out loud, never to the creator. I've tried ways of fixing it (loan them my camera) and they still had difficulties (trying to zoom with my 85). I'll go anywhere my kids are participating and take pictures, and make them available to the staff for internal usage. IF asked, I'll help those having trouble. But some of them really make my eyes hurt afterward.

rklepper wrote in post #4301334
I make it a general rule to never point out problems without also having a solution to point out. Otherwise it is just griping and no one benefits.

Nicely said Doc.

Oh, I know what the solutions are. The photos run the gammut of poor technique. If I critique the shots, I feel obliged to give advice on how to correct the technique. I just don't feel like giving a class on the subject. I'm glad that others do, however.

BillsBayou wrote in post #4309563
Oh, I know what the solutions are. The photos run the gammut of poor technique. If I critique the shots, I feel obliged to give advice on how to correct the technique. I just don't feel like giving a class on the subject. I'm glad that others do, however.

in that case then I must have poor technique, I never seem to take a good photo. or if I do it's luck of the draw

I don't normally anything regarding bad photos.

BillsBayou wrote in post #4300754
If you see bad photography, do you say anything?

Only on here.

nope. not really.. it's just akward especially if whoever has taken the shot is really, really pleased with himself. My uncle is always having me chimp over his shoulder of a shot taken on his G3 of some animal or other that I wouldn't have pressed the shutter on at all let alone have it printed and show it to everybody.. But, he's pleased as can be with his camera, his pictures and likes nothing better than wandering around Idaho taking poorly composed, underexposed images of barely recognizeable animals. I'm not going to rain on his parade.

Sari

Profitability always wins over my desire to make the world a better place by making better photographs.

When I left Club Med, there was quite a change in the quality of shots. There was talk of it on travel discussion boards, people that I still talked to that worked there etc. when I first got there the quality was in the toilet. I cleaned the place up, ran it better, got people shooting better that were helping me.

Unless the financial reward is significant or the ease at which to make small money is there, I let people suffer. My shots weren't ground breaking, but they sure made people happy when I was doing it full time.