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Why Most Photographic Critique Sucks!

Will Thompson

Will Thompson

Well Known Member
Most Critique is stated in a Very Negative way.

Generally in the form of I hate ......

When stated in this way all that is being heard by the recipiant is "Bitch Bitch Bitch" and all that happens is it inflames and is ignored completely!

In a Proactive Photographic Forum such as ours here it would more productive to state Criticism as offering alternatives to the way that the photograph has been done!

Another problem is that when a completed work is posted persons will attempt to criticize a work that needs none as it has been finalized as needed for the requesting customer and any changes to it would have it rejected by said customer.

I personally seldom post anything that is not a completed work. No it may not be perfect but it is as requested including requested edits!
 
Doug Kerr

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
Hi, Will,

You've asked for a critique (I assume of your essay) and I'm glad to oblige.

Will Thompson said:
Most Critique is stated in a Very Negative way.
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I have to challenge your qualifications to make that assertion. I really doubt that you have read any significant sample of all critique (even all photographic critique.)

Perhaps you mean critique in this forum. I'll proceed on that basis.

In fact many comments here laud positive aspects of the works - either overall, or specific attributes.

Generally in the form of I hate ......
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Actually, the "I hate" formulation is very rare here. A search on the string "I hate" turned up 500 posts - I suspect a minuscule fraction of the traffic here over the years. And many of those are in the vein, "I really hate it when a vendor says they will ship within 24 hours and then don't".

When stated in this way all that is being heard by the recipiant is "Bitch Bitch Bitch" and all that happens is it inflames and is ignored completely!
Click to expand...

I think you make a very broad assumption about how recipients interpret what is said about their work. Still, there is certainly criticism that is so off base that ignoring it is the best choice.

In a Proactive Photographic Forum such as ours here it would [be] more productive to state Criticism as offering alternatives to the way that the photograph has been done!
Click to expand...

I think we often have that here.

Another problem is that when a completed work is posted persons will attempt to criticize a work that needs none as it has been finalized as needed for the requesting customer and any changes to it would have it rejected by said customer.
Click to expand...
That's just silly. Of course one will not change a delivered work based on comments. But one might in fact, from a comment on a delivered work, take a different outlook on future works of the same kind.

I personally seldom post anything that is not a completed work.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what that even means. By "completed" I guess you mean "you don't plan to do anything further on that particular work". The same is true of La Gioconda", but art experts to this day discuss it.

But in fact it is the nature of one aspect of criticism to focus on "negatives". They can be so much more easily localized.

The practical reality is that I rarely write to a newspaper reporter and thank her for using "comprised" correctly (although I did once), nor comment on a photo posted here that the photographer seems to have avoided grave misfocus or shooting the scene after the speaker had left.

Now what I hate is whining. (#501)

Best regards,

Doug
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
What we mean by Critique and Criticism in OPF

Will,

As used in OPF:

  • Being Critical: Common language for negativity like, your dress makes you look fat! Out of place in OPF!

  • Going critical: Nuclear reactor without cooling! Most important! :)

  • Critique: Constructive feedback, usually to creator of a work, based on all aspect of the conceiving, making and presentation of an idea to art. Good first is given. Never dismissive.

  • Art Criticism: A attempt to objectively and subjectively place the work of art in the framework of our culture and history of all expressive arts. Is not aimed at the artist necessarily. This kind of criticism requires the most effort to achieve as it's based on esthetics and understanding of a wide range of art and cultural references. In the end, the works significance amongst like works of the artist and the genre represented would hope to be approached. Further, the significance, if any, to our society might even be inferred.

If you ever notice mean spirited dismissive and unwarranted hostile feedback, please report it to a moderator.

Courtesy is the hallmark of OPF!

However, if pictures are posted in Photography as Art, then it will be treated seriously!

Asher
 
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