Maybe a Time for Change
23.04.15, 13:28
Post 1 of 10
Hi all, could it be an option that we start all over again with good and honest critiques without the intention to hurt people but with the idea that we can help each other to be a better photographer.
Only receiving hollow phrases won't get you any further. All I know I've learned on sites like FC due getting good critiques and when needed getting help from that person who told me how to improve my skills.
I know there's a section called "Critique - straight and tough". The intention of this channel is as the one I described above and is as followed: This section was created to deliver and receive straight and tough critique.
If you upload into this section, you have to be aware that there is a chance that your photo will be ripped apart. By uploading your photo into this section you state that you are willing to receive tough.
But in this channel is also a sort of atmosphere of love and peace as and there are even members in this section getting angry when they receive a good critique.
In other channels also the same mood and you can get nasty comments after giving a good and honest critique and that's a real pity. I rather have a few good critiques that show me the right direction then all those phrases.
I'll put this also in the forum in the part General so everybody could react on it if they like.
Best regards, Rob
Only receiving hollow phrases won't get you any further. All I know I've learned on sites like FC due getting good critiques and when needed getting help from that person who told me how to improve my skills.
I know there's a section called "Critique - straight and tough". The intention of this channel is as the one I described above and is as followed: This section was created to deliver and receive straight and tough critique.
If you upload into this section, you have to be aware that there is a chance that your photo will be ripped apart. By uploading your photo into this section you state that you are willing to receive tough.
But in this channel is also a sort of atmosphere of love and peace as and there are even members in this section getting angry when they receive a good critique.
In other channels also the same mood and you can get nasty comments after giving a good and honest critique and that's a real pity. I rather have a few good critiques that show me the right direction then all those phrases.
I'll put this also in the forum in the part General so everybody could react on it if they like.
Best regards, Rob
I don't believe that a critique posted in FC will make better photographers. A person has to be an artist by heart willing to express themselves without fear to be knocked down. I think people come here to have fun and share their passion in photography, but most of them are not artist and therefore there is no exploration and freedom of expression. Once in a while I find an interesting photo or a picture that I consider art, and in that moment I find my joy here at FC. Since I teach at two different universities (computer science) I can take the time out and look at refereed student art. It is interesting to me because it is free spirited and uninhibited. What happens here at FC? With a few exceptions everything is more of the same. Take a look at the B&W. Where is the story? Where is the emotion? Why was the picture taking in B&W, what did the artist try to capture and highlight? A camera is a tool, it does not create art. it is understood that we can use the tools, now lets make art! Become creative and let the inner child come out. There is no point in leaving a critique where the composition is failing, or the crop is boring, etc.
I do create enough of those images myself :)
Take a good look at the photos recommended for voting to the Gallery. I think thats were we should take the gloves off. Why was it recommended? Did you see the sensor spots? Image is too dark, or just plain boring, no story, no emotions. If a person doesn't like such evaluation, well then don't have the photos nominated for voting. But we also need to be fair. It should never be dreadful, nothing is ever good enough, etc. If I did that too my students then I failed! A mentoring relationship exist between me and my students, but that realtionship does not exist here at FC. People did not sign up for that! Just my opinion.
I do create enough of those images myself :)
Take a good look at the photos recommended for voting to the Gallery. I think thats were we should take the gloves off. Why was it recommended? Did you see the sensor spots? Image is too dark, or just plain boring, no story, no emotions. If a person doesn't like such evaluation, well then don't have the photos nominated for voting. But we also need to be fair. It should never be dreadful, nothing is ever good enough, etc. If I did that too my students then I failed! A mentoring relationship exist between me and my students, but that realtionship does not exist here at FC. People did not sign up for that! Just my opinion.
08.05.15, 07:46
Post 3 of 10
Hi Holger, upon a certain level I can agree with you but I think you got me wrong. A real artist is born and can't be created but photographing has two sides, the creative side and the technical side. And it's that last part that could be improved with honest critiques and advices. Now we see people buying an advanced camera with the idea they can make better photos with it as with the simple one they used before. And that's a fairytale kept alive due the commerce. I think it's a good thing to tell people how to improve their skills by using good settings and explain how or why instead of giving hollow phrases. A camera is a toolbox and using it is a sort of learning curve. And from that point of view I think it's better to tell in a honest and respectful way that there's overexposure instead of saying that it's a good exposed scene and when people ask me how to expose in a right I'll take the time needed to explain it just as many people helped me.
And about the voting section I can be very short, I don't like the way it's done and voting contra and then telling why will give hate-mails and repercussions on your own work. So that's a part I won't get involved with and that's the reason my photos can't be nominated at all.
Gr. Rob
And about the voting section I can be very short, I don't like the way it's done and voting contra and then telling why will give hate-mails and repercussions on your own work. So that's a part I won't get involved with and that's the reason my photos can't be nominated at all.
Gr. Rob
08.05.15, 16:42
Post 4 of 10
Hi Rob,
I thought you might be interested in this, just found out about AGORA myself :
http://www.fotocommunity.de/blog/agora- ... n-intensiv
I thought you might be interested in this, just found out about AGORA myself :
http://www.fotocommunity.de/blog/agora- ... n-intensiv
13.05.15, 05:47
Post 6 of 10
Thanks Adele, looking at the amount of reactions I guess I'm fighting against windmills. Maybe I want to much in a too short period of time. I just continue giving my comments as usual and people who don't like to have those critiques should tell me that and then I'll stop criticizing their work. And maybe slowly more people will start doing as me and who knows. I've put a few in the section critique straight and tough but that's like pulling on a dead horse so......
Gr. Rob
Gr. Rob
Rob, I don't think I got you wrong.
My approach is just different, not necessarily better, just different.
My advice to any person is very basic, yet it is very difficult to accomplish.
Put your shiny new camera in the Auto mode and take pictures.
I now what you are thinking"Gasp--I don't believe he said that."
Most cameras are very well designed and they take care of the technical issues themselves.
Now, lets take some well thought out pictures; but leave some time for just taking "click" pictures.
Think of your subject, frame it, experiment by varying it a little, then inspect and evaluate.
Repeat until you get it right. Thats work, not really all that fun.
Eventually you'll learn to frame your compositions better. I really don't do this well myself and therefore I don't feel qualified to give advice. Neither have I ever received valid advice in this regard from anyone at FC!
Once you can frame your compositions, then start experimenting with speed and aperture settings.
For me framing the composition and capturing the emotions and drama of life is more important then figuring out if I under exposed. By the way, it is better to under expose because software can fix it. If an image is over-exposed there is nothing you can do, the data is lost.
My approach is just different, not necessarily better, just different.
My advice to any person is very basic, yet it is very difficult to accomplish.
Put your shiny new camera in the Auto mode and take pictures.
I now what you are thinking"Gasp--I don't believe he said that."
Most cameras are very well designed and they take care of the technical issues themselves.
Now, lets take some well thought out pictures; but leave some time for just taking "click" pictures.
Think of your subject, frame it, experiment by varying it a little, then inspect and evaluate.
Repeat until you get it right. Thats work, not really all that fun.
Eventually you'll learn to frame your compositions better. I really don't do this well myself and therefore I don't feel qualified to give advice. Neither have I ever received valid advice in this regard from anyone at FC!
Once you can frame your compositions, then start experimenting with speed and aperture settings.
For me framing the composition and capturing the emotions and drama of life is more important then figuring out if I under exposed. By the way, it is better to under expose because software can fix it. If an image is over-exposed there is nothing you can do, the data is lost.
15.05.15, 05:57
Post 8 of 10
Holger, that's why my exif is in the open so people can see what I did and it would be a fine thing when everybody would do that. And yes under-exposure is always better upon a certain level. Automic photographing is only working in average situations and not a solution. What most newbies also forget due that automatic photographing is reading a manual, and for me that's the base of all.
Gr. Rob
Gr. Rob
Hi Rob,
the manual for my new camera has 289 pages ON LINE , not in paper form .... not much fun to go back and forth between camera and computer, glasses on, glasses off .... fortunately this is my third Canon and basically very similar in its settings :-)))
I too believe in showing the EXIF - unless the image is analog with no digital info :-))), although I just read a user's complaint about the EXIF info and the real settings that he used being quite different (he proved it).
cheers,
Adele Last edited by Adele D. Oliver on 19.05.15, 05:33, edited 1 time in total.
the manual for my new camera has 289 pages ON LINE , not in paper form .... not much fun to go back and forth between camera and computer, glasses on, glasses off .... fortunately this is my third Canon and basically very similar in its settings :-)))
I too believe in showing the EXIF - unless the image is analog with no digital info :-))), although I just read a user's complaint about the EXIF info and the real settings that he used being quite different (he proved it).
cheers,
Adele Last edited by Adele D. Oliver on 19.05.15, 05:33, edited 1 time in total.
19.05.15, 19:04
Post 10 of 10
Hi Adele, how difficult it maybe is with manuals on the Internet I still think it's important to read it because a camera is a complex piece of technique. And exif different from the original settings are as far as I know impossible or the data is changed afterwards
gr.Rob
gr.Rob