Sometimes you just want to yell.

[J Eddington]

When someone is proud of their new photos, (that you did not take) and they say to you "don't they look great." How do you respond, when all you can think is "you got ripped off!"

All I could do was make my eyes big and said, "I saw you had new photo's up!"

[crazeazn]

i tell them they suck.

[groovyone]

Originally Posted by crazeazn

i tell them they suck.

He does. That's what he told me anyway.

[Daniel Bates]

I usually smile and say "Yeah!"

If they know me well enough to read my voice, they'll then ask why I don't like the photos (and they'll know me well enough that I don't mind telling them why they're crap).

[Tom]

Originally Posted by crazeazn

i tell them they suck.

I used to, but Abel and Sonny got mad. Now I just smile politely.

[Howard Barlow]

I say, "Wait a minute before you show/ask me. I will tell you the truth. They may blow my work out of the water, or they may suck. Either way, I will tell you the truth. Do you want me to?"

[picman]

Feel free to tell me they suck, but you have to tell me why and how to do better. Critique, at first, was one of the harder classes I had. Everyone "liked" everyone else's picture until the teacher asked if you would give a 6-pack for it - discussion started.

[J Eddington]

It was a product shoot which should have been highkey. But the photographer has a dark line across the top and it looks like maybe she could have done some editing and removed it but she did not and instead it just sucks. The owner of the product had better photos up that she took. I think the photos really make the product look bad. Part of me wanted to be honest and the other said keep your mouth shut. I didn't want to sound bitter because I did not get the job. I sure wasn't good at a response when I never thought I would be asked my opinion.

[FireHeart Photography]

is this a friend? if so I might tell them the truth... if it was a potiental client - why are they asking you this? I don't want to dis other photogs - but it product doesn't look right - you might point out the how some part of the product that should be highlighted is not highlighted etc. it's a sticky area... I have another photog friend who got some baby pic by another photog and with all the "family" images - someone was out of focus... it was really not good... I made no comment... sometimes silence says alot...

[brad]

Depends on the situation ... sometimes I'll ask them how much they paid for them (if the answer is free - I'll tell them they got what they paid for) ... sometimes I'll tell them they could do better (note - not *I* could do better, but that *they* could do better) ... and sometimes I'll just smile a fake smile that conveys either disinterest or a lack of liking them.

[Howard Barlow]

Originally Posted by picman

Feel free to tell me they suck, but you have to tell me why and how to do better. Critique, at first, was one of the harder classes I had. Everyone "liked" everyone else's picture until the teacher asked if you would give a 6-pack for it - discussion started.

Certainly, discussing the image and what may be wrong, or what may improve it, is the thing to do. Telling someone their work, or what they paid for from a photographer, "looks good", when you think it fails, serves no purpose other than to deceive.

If you like it, say so and why. If it sucks, say so and why.

ETA: Obviously, if you have a problem with the work, there is an artful way to discuss it, rather than, "Yo, man, that crap sucks."

[ChrisTX]

You should start by asking, "Has anyone else seen these?" When they say, "no", you can tell them, "Good, keep it that way."

[Howard Barlow]

[BenE]

Originally Posted by J Eddington

It was a product shoot which should have been highkey. But the photographer has a dark line across the top and it looks like maybe she could have done some editing and removed it but she did not and instead it just sucks. The owner of the product had better photos up that she took. I think the photos really make the product look bad. Part of me wanted to be honest and the other said keep your mouth shut. I didn't want to sound bitter because I did not get the job. I sure wasn't good at a response when I never thought I would be asked my opinion.

I am not understanding if the photographer is asking you or the customer that used another photographer is asking you.

If it is the photographer's customer simply tell them if they are pleased, that is all that matters. If you say they are great then why should the customer use you? If you say they are terrible, the customer will probably think you are jealous.

So, by saying, "If you are happy, that is all that matters", says it all.

[Nikonfan]

Originally Posted by J Eddington

It was a product shoot which should have been highkey. But the photographer has a dark line across the top and it looks like maybe she could have done some editing and removed it but she did not and instead it just sucks. The owner of the product had better photos up that she took. I think the photos really make the product look bad. Part of me wanted to be honest and the other said keep your mouth shut. I didn't want to sound bitter because I did not get the job. I sure wasn't good at a response when I never thought I would be asked my opinion.

Hey Janice!

Now you have me wondering if this "product" was on TTP? If so I hope it wasn't one of mine!