Critique is Useless without understanding

After breakfast, now, I log into OPF.

I see lines of text describing a ' new' forum section. I can't believe it!!

It seems similar to a lawyer or medical professional's report.. covering their behinds.
Interesting that this ' new' section is directly under..you guessed it..' Medical, Legal etc.'

I am forced fully awake now. With trepidition I venture under the infernal gates.

Greeting me, on page 2, is what appears to be an eulogy. Has someone dear passed away!

I mentally prepare appropriate condolences..Hastlily..Friend or Foe..Just to be PC.

Am I relieved! It is only our mutual friend Dante..escorting us into a ' new' section of dare I say
it..' Hell '. Appropriate.

The portly gates bear the words..' Photography as Art '.

I scream, explain to the gatekeepers. I don't belong ' Here '.

I am no artist. I am just a snap shooter.

I thought I had lost Paradise. It, however, seems snap shooters have regained it.

Just to make sure I guardedly peek in..all is well.

I hear my favorite vocal group performing..' Peter, Paul and Mary '..' Blowing in the wind '.

Ayesha, quick. Please get me some more of our favorite coffee. I need to stay awake!

Nothing New, just the explanation. IOW, don't put stuff here frivolously!

Fahim,

The basic message is, "don't come in here, (to this rarely used bespoke part of OPF), on impulse". Well, why the hesitancy? It's simply because of the time required to do a good job. The work should be worthy enough to you to have others work hard on your behalf as we take the submission seriously to spend the substantially more effort to go from mere helpful feedback and chummy critique to substantive art criticism. It's daunting to evaluate any work as art. So, make sure, you have done your best and have a body of work to go with it so we can get some frame of reference. For the work of a few, it will be a work of love to commit to such effort.

I find Dante, the father of the greatest Italian literature to be an apt buffer against all and sundry complaints about critique, criticism or whatever they get when they enter the forum, (which has, BTW, existed as long as OPF).


This Photography As Art forum of OPF is not new! What is new is the explanation that "Photography as Art" is for those who would think that their work might perhaps be approaching prime time in interesting galleries or even museums or collectors. I point out that the first stage in feedback, is merely what one hope to get always here. That's constructive considerate opinions based on preferences, likes and dislikes but importantly also on technique, style, composition for the purpose intended.

The extra difficult challenge you give us by putting your picture in "Photography as Art" is the hoped for Art Criticism which few of us can muster the experience and time to deliver well. I intend to challenge myself and attempt criticism of a few photographers' works.

So that's why one gets Dante's warning.

Will Thompson, insisted in placing his picture of a girl on a bridge in that forum and so I was faced with the challenge of seeing how it would survive in that place. It had so much primal needs as a picture that we never did get to the subject of the picture as art! Of course, it is art as soon as it's creator declares it so! However getting an art-following is another matter!

Asher

Asher, I appreciate the effort that you have put into thinking about the contents of this section.
Its purpose and rationale for existence.

I just feel that a description, as long and verbose ( not unlike Dante's work ) while having merit,
should not be placed where it currently is...describing the Section.

It should be short and lucid. Consensus is appropriate for some things. The downside is that
trying to please all, one might end up with what resembles the current description.

For this specific section, I would not be averse to say...' Postings not considered ' Art ' by Fahim
shall be deleted '. Not moved, but deleted. Let them post in another category. That which is a
serious attempt at ' Art' shall finds its way in here.

Regards.


p.s OT but interestingly, my washroom has 5 books..by decree. This week's collection is
none other than our friend Dante, Crime and Punishment, The Art of Travel, Learn Japanese,
the latest collection of diry jokes.

fahim mohammed said:

I just feel that a description, as long and verbose ( not unlike Dante's work ) while having merit,
should not be placed where it currently is...describing the Section.

It should be short and lucid. Consensus is appropriate for some things. The downside is that
trying to please all, one might end up with what resembles the current description.

For this specific section, I would not be averse to say...' Postings not considered ' Art ' by Fahim
shall be deleted '. Not moved, but deleted. Let them post in another category. That which is a
serious attempt at ' Art' shall finds its way in here.

Click to expand...

Consider it a definition in progress. Inside that is the succinct statement. We just have to carve away the excess verbiage hiding it! I like your approach! I think we might change it to a submission that requires approval and be done with it!

Asher

Excellent!

Now I shall take leave to peruse what Mr. Alighieri had to say about this whole issue; as reported by Mr. Ciardi.

Regards.

The Photography as Art Forum needs to be removed!

I have come to the conclusion that NOTHING a photographer can do in shooting a photograph or editing a photograph can justify it being posted in this forum!

It is just not possible!

Only the psychological state of mind of others can justify it being posted in this forum!

Thus there is no good reason to have this forum............

Will Thompson said:

I have come to the conclusion that NOTHING a photographer can do in shooting a photograph or editing a photograph can justify it being posted in this forum!

It is just not possible!

Only the psychological state of mind of others can justify it being posted in this forum!

Thus there is no good reason to have this forum............

Click to expand...

Oh! s*t, some might say. He's back. Meaning me. Wrong. I never left. At least not without my McAir with me.

What other ' state of mind ' is there?

Will, I know you can run ' rings ' around all of us put together, with your work. Or you could
' fill ' us with experience of photographic technique we could only aspire to. I am one who wished
I had some of your gift.

Regards.

Will,

Ignore it. When we have something there of interest then it will be obvious.

Asher

Ah, lance of Viola, where is thy sting!

Best regards,

Doug