If you can't say anything good...

[Keitht]

If a picture has been posted and you can see nothing good about it should you say so or should you keep quiet? In most instances it is still possible to find something of merit in a photo despite its faults, but what about those where you can't??

[ronners]

A general rule I follow is that a completely negative comment serves no value. Rather, if a photo has problems, then your comment, if any, should be 'well, this part isn't very good but you could fix it by doing ...'. Many members (myself included) have improved their photography by receiving constructive comments.

If you can't find a way to suggest an improvement, then I would not bother leaving a comment at all. Think about it, let's say you don't like a photo because it lacks certain characteristics (too dark, not sharp etc. etc.) - isn't it better to leave a comment which guides the photographer toward resolution than one which makes them regret posting the photo in the first place?

[dsidwell]

I have a hard time believing that there is NOTHING in a photo what was a good choice. I would thing that there is always SOMETHING they did right! If not composition, then color, or subject choice, or point of view, or depth of field, or use of line or form or shadow or light, etc. etc.

[Coyote]

David- I am talking only about my own photos and I can tell you some have NOTHING worth showing to anybody, even my hard drive acts funny till I get them in the trash. And I've posted a few here of that caliber. So I agree with Ron, just be as constructive as possible when you say their photo has a problem. Or pass it by, I have a terrible time saying that a photo isn't up to par. I guess the only ones I truly critique are mine, and I'm not supposed to do that, you guys are. lol.
But I'm glad people tell me mine have a problem- strange the way we do things.
JJ

[BobTrips]

A couple of times I've seen a shot that indicated that the person pressing the button didn't have a clue. Not clue one.

I figure that he/she is interested in taking decent photos or wouldn't have taken the time to post here. So I've looked for some neutral way to open that, hopefully, isn't insulting.

I might say "I see what you're after here and would suggest that you try this one over and remove the lens cap ..... NOOO, er.... move to the right so that the background isn't so cluttered. (You, hopefully, get the drift.)

Or you can commiserate with the person "This is a tough situation in which to get a good shot, why don't you try ...?"

Just don't lead with that classic opener "What a piece of Crap!" ;o)

[BobTrips]

We've been operating under this term "Critique", a rather traditional term to use for talking about other's photos. But the term does share a lot of meaning with the word critical and that often has negative implications.

Perhaps what we're doing is serving more like literary editors. Our job is to help each other improve our work, to work with us in that endeavor.

That's not to say that editors can't be jerks. Lord knows I've run into my share. But in the long run the job of the "artist" and editor is to produce the best possible product when all is done.

Sometimes a different word can greatly change the way something is viewed.

[sunny]

Let me start with: I still don't have a posted picture here...:-) But I started to write critiques. I think it is not a matter of seeing "nothing good" in a picture. IMO a critique has to say WHY do you like the picture, or WHAT do you suggest the author should do to improve it, in case there is something you don't like.This way any abusive words or behaviour could be avoided. And one very importat point: everyone here uses to say "I am just an amateur and I hope to learn"... This is supposed to mean that we confess we are NOT pro-s as well as it means we admitt that sometimes we may post not very successful pics going along with our good ones. And I wish we all ask ourselves: is this site for pumping the ego of the members who post pictures and others are expected to say only good things, praising their work /no matter wether they like it or not/, or is it a site from where one can LEARN HOW to do photography better, by exchanging oppinions with other members? /almost everyone has stated in his/her Intro exactly the second - being here to LEARN/I hope we will confess to ourselves that it is the second. And I really hope that all members remember: we are different in percieving world and expressing ourselves, but we are alike too - in being humans and having emotions. There is always a way to say what you don't like in a constructive way. As they say, tact is the art of making your point without making an enemy... :-)

[xhoss]

--move to the right so that the background isn't so cluttered. (You, hopefully, get the drift.)

Or you can commiserate with the person "This is a tough situation in which to get a good shot, why don't you try ...?"--


Bob, I do like your wording with which to use in commiserating with someone. That's an excellent seguay into a criticism, and one that i will use in one form or another in the future when necessary.

[BobTrips]

Just try to avoid some version of "For a fat girl you sure don't sweat much."