So just how thick is your skin?

[ndsimm]

Interesting read

Polite Critique makes your photography suck

[danchez]

I couldn't agree more, it's so hard to get good critiques because of the thin skinned.

[brewercm]

Love it. Tell me I suck and why. I can put my big boy undies on long enough to take it, otherwise the critique is useless.

[Nikonfan]

If you only focus on what's wrong, you miss half the picture. Figuring out what you're doing right is just as important as figuring out what you're doing wrong. Also, you can point out what is wrong with a picture and still be polite about it. Rude behavior is never acceptable.

[Jake]

From the link:

Positive reinforcement is your enemy. Your Facebook friends, your Twitter followers… hate you. Instead of taking ten seconds to say. “This doesn’t work. You need to do better”. They readily push that “like” button, because it’s easy and they hope to get the same from you, but also because they’re cowards.

Really? My FB friends hate me? I sure dont want anyone critiquing my work on FB or twitter.
I think some people just like being an %#&@* and use "being honest" as an excuse to do so.

[KJ Smith]

The polite critique does not make your photography suck... you make your photography suck.

Stand up and take responsibility.......


The reason there is not good critique is because the critique giver has little or nothing to gain.

[ronocnikral]

Originally Posted by Nikonfan

Also, you can point out what is wrong with a picture and still be polite about it. Rude behavior is never acceptable.

Please define what is rude and what is polite for every person. Actually, don't, as we can go round and round talking about it and there have been numerous discussions on the subject. We already know it is a difficult and futile task.

We once had a taped PPA critique. My guess is if I was to transcribe it word for word, slap it on someone's picture here, there would be some stringing up a rope on the highest tree.

I've found recently just saying, "I don't like this, this is what I would change..." gets people up in a tizzy and mods shaking their finger at you.

otherwise, what Kevin said. It's typically the critiquee, not the critiquer that is the problem. Certainly, taking time to give someone feedback is a thankless task. Meanwhile, the showcase forums remains a place for generally mediocre images (there are some good ones) and rarely any improvement.

[Nikonfan]

Originally Posted by ronocnikral

Please define what is rude and what is polite for every person. Actually, don't, as we can go round and round talking about it and there have been numerous discussions on the subject. We already know it is a difficult and futile task.

We once had a taped PPA critique. My guess is if I was to transcribe it word for word, slap it on someone's picture here, there would be some stringing up a rope on the highest tree.

I've found recently just saying, "I don't like this, this is what I would change..." gets people up in a tizzy and mods shaking their finger at you.

otherwise, what Kevin said. It's typically the critiquee, not the critiquer that is the problem. Certainly, taking time to give someone feedback is a thankless task. Meanwhile, the showcase forums remains a place for generally mediocre images (there are some good ones) and rarely any improvement.

Acccording to Merriam-Webster: Rude - offensive in manner or action.

I can't imagine a scenario where purposely being offensive is helpful.

[SCone]

The critic - seeks to elevate themselves by showing their superiority to others

The coach - seeks to help others find the best within themselves

[ronocnikral]

ahhh...so as long as no one intends to be offensive, their behavior can't be percieved as rude. Got it. No will shall ever complain about anyone being rude as long as the offender claims they did not intend to be offensive.

If only a dictionary could cover the entire gamut of linguistics in a simplified definition....

[Nikonfan]

Originally Posted by ronocnikral

ahhh...so as long as no one intends to be offensive, their behavior can't be percieved as rude. Got it. No will shall ever complain about anyone being rude as long as the offender claims they did not intend to be offensive.

If only a dictionary could cover the entire gamut of linguistics in a simplified definition....

I'm not sure what your intention with this message is here. Are you seeking some sort of validation that it is in fact okay to purposely be rude? I believe that is against the rules of the forum.

[ronocnikral]

Originally Posted by Nikonfan

I'm not sure what your intention with this message is here. Are you seeking some sort of validation that it is in fact okay to purposely be rude? I believe that is against the rules of the forum.

are you calling me rude? or intentionally rude? because I would certainly find that to be rude.

my point is, over the internet, it is incredibly difficult to fully understand the connotation one conveys. this conversation has taken place many times before. and hence, one of the underlying themes of the OP.

[Ricks Canvas]

Interesting dilemma... How does one critique others work... and how does one get a useful critique of his work.... Seems to me it is almost, and I say almost, impossible to just ask someone to critique a photo. Photo work, like art work is too subjective... IE I hate Picasso's art work. To me it is archaic and a child could paint his pictures. Sorta like the guy who throws buckets of paint at a canvas and calls it art. Now Rembrandt was an artist, and a photographer of his time. He captured lighting nuances, and had talent. If he where alive today and was painting subjects of our time, his art would still look great... just a different subject than the nobles of his time... but the art itself would look great. And this is the dilemma of anyone critiquing others work... they may hate that style, subject, or technique, while another may think it is the best picture they have ever seen, because it is so personal in its interpretation.

What I think would be the best of both worlds in this forum would be to set up a critique section/forum, and then segregate it into categories/threads based solely on a specific technique that someone is trying to achieve and or learn. Then the critique would be more technical than subjective, and useful.
IE :

category: Lighting... Subcategories: Portrait , Barn Doors, Strobe, High Sync, Hyper-sync, Weddings, Sports,... etc...

category : Composition... Subcategories : Portrait, Children, Babies, Weddings, Food, Interiors, Sport, Animals...etc....

category : Time Lapse... Subcategories : City, Sunsets, Clouds, Flowers, Water, Traffic, People, Construction......etc...

category : Post Processing.... Subcategories : HDR, Softening, Layering,.... etc...

Ok .. so now I am trying to learn barn door lighting techniques. And for some reason, I am just not getting it. I throw a photo or two in the Lighting category, subcategory ; barn doors... explain about what I am doing or trying to achieve. Then the critique is more specifically narrowed down to what the individual is trying to achieve. Maybe his barn door technique is fine, and it is a composition problem. " Hey your barn door lighting is fine, but might I suggest that it is a composition problem, and you might want to move it over to help with composition category"....

So there is a scenario that is more on the technical, and not so much subjective... and the person is asking for help via a specific category... not just random..what do you think of my photo... then the critique is all about someplace the artist was not interested in, and it's perceived as rude.

[ndsimm]

CONSTRUCTIVE critique is always the way to go IMHO. Yes, I want to know what's wrong with the shot, but tell me what I did right as well so I can repeat the process.
As for the one giving the critique, I don't see it as rude if you got the work to back up your opinion/critique, but that's just me

[brewercm]

Rick,
I completely get what you are saying. I've asked for a critique in a certain area like lighting or exposure and get nothing other than about the posing. That was fine and I appreciated it but I still don't have an answer to my original request.