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05/16/2003 12:55:45 PM · #1 |
Lesson 4: Commenting/Critiquing
This lesson highlights an element of becoming a better photographer that doesn't involve holding a camera in your hand or having any general knowledge of photography at all. You need no experience. You need no technical knowledge. You need no clue about anything in particular. Absolutely anyone who can see can comment and critique a photograph.
When you view a photograph, there are going to be three basic categories of classification for those images.
1 - You don't like it.
2 - It's ok but noting amazing.
3 - It's a good photo.
Of course, there are many more sub categories because more advanced 'eyes' will break things down into a lot more complex set of views.
There are a couple good rules of thumb to use when commenting and critiquing photographs. The most important rule is:
Don't comment on an element that you don't understand.
This simply means that if you make a technical comment on exposure or a compositional comment on placement of subject in the photograph, you do need to make sure you know what you are talking about. Why? Because if you make some technically charged comment that is completely wrong, nothing else you say will matter.
You should only include items in your comment that you are comfortable with. Let's take a look at each of the three basic classifications above and see how we can use those to form a comment on a photograph...
1 - You don't like it.
If you don't like it, there must be a reason or reasons. Your job as a commenter is to put these reasons into words. This is not always easy and the choice of words you use to describe your opinion is most important. No matter how bad you think the photo is, you should use tact in relaying that feeling to the photographer.
Some simple reasons that people don't like photographs are as follows:
You simply don't like the subject of the photo. The subject choice has no meaning to you... It may be photographed from some perspective that doesn't make anything interesting stand out. The photograph may also be a simple poor quality image. There may be too much light... not enough light... too dark... too bright... The photo may be offensive to you in some way. You may not like the message being sent by the photo. These are all elements of a photograph that you can write in a comment.
2 - It's ok but not amazing.
These photos are more difficult to comment on sometimes. They fall into a range where there isn't anything truly exciting about the photo, but there is nothing dramatically wrong with it either. Once again, subject choice is probably a culprit in the mediocrity of the photograph. The photo may have potential to be a good photo with a little extra effort... a little planning... a little concentration... a little patience... In a situation like this, a good comment may include a suggestion for improvement.
3 - It's a good photo.
These seem to be the easiest to comment on. When you like a photo, it's usually fairly easy to write something about what you like. There are strong elements of the photograph that touch you in some way... it's a strong subject... it's an emotional photograph... it's artistic in ways.... it's worthy of hanging on the wall as a print... The color is strong... there is an appealing mood shown in the photograph...
Each of these sections gives you some basis to formulate a comment. I have basically presented comments that could actually be used with some specifics added to them to make them fit the particular photograph in question. You can always start simple and elaborate as much as you like.
Be Tactful When You Comment:
When you write a comment that is negative in any way, put yourself in the receiver's shoes. How would you feel if the comment was left on your photo?
Try to use positive words to describe negative things.... Example:
Negative: This photo stinks. The lighting sucks, your composition is no good, and the details are blown out. Too bad you chose to do this...
Positive: This photo doesn't impress me. The lighting is not strong enough for the subject, the centered composition doesn't seem to work as well as an off-centered composition would, and the photo is over exposed causing loss of detail in the highlights. I believe that a little closer attention to detail would improve the image significantly...
These two comments say the same thing. One leaves a lot better impression of the commenter than the other does...
Now, the real question is... How does this improve my photography?
In my personal experience, I believe that leaving comments has been one of the single most important elements of my own improvements over time. When I write a comment, I am actually studying a photograph and formulating a written opinion. My opinions usually include what I think is good or bad about a photo. It may also include suggestions for improvement. After doing this over and over on thousands of photographs, the thoughts that I write down stick with me when I'm working on photos of my own. I remember things I have said in the past... especially the negative things... These comments remain in the forefront of my mind and they help keep me from making the mistakes I have commented on when i'm shooting.
Commenting on a lot of photos is gruelling sometimes. It's a good idea to do just a few at a time and do that consistently.
Give it a try and see if it helps you :)
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05/16/2003 01:08:50 PM · #2 |
| There is a common phenomenem with twins. One will struggle and fall many times learning to stand and walk. The other will just watch and take mental notes, then one day stand up and walk. Both get to the point of proficiancy at about the same time. |
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05/16/2003 01:20:44 PM · #3 |
| Wonderful lesson 4. Great example of tact in making constructive comments! |
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05/16/2003 01:35:16 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by emorgan49:
There is a common phenomenem with twins. One will struggle and fall many times learning to stand and walk. The other will just watch and take mental notes, then one day stand up and walk. Both get to the point of proficiancy at about the same time. |
Care to elaborate on what this means in regards to this post? It's completely over my head...
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05/16/2003 01:36:46 PM · #5 |
I think it means we can learn from watching others learn and make mistakes too. :)
Message edited by author 2003-05-16 15:11:21.
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05/16/2003 02:07:56 PM · #6 |
| It means that I can take a million pictures and discard them all but a few, or I can look at a million pictures, take a hundred and discard all but a few. It's sort of like some people have to pee on the electric fence. You don't have to make every mistake in to book yourself to learn. Just half of them. Critiquing IS learning. (PS. I really like to write the long Club critiques). |
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05/16/2003 02:16:04 PM · #7 |
| I like to write really long ones too, but got chided for them! I feel impertinent with them most of the time because sometimes they are more about my learning that the good photographer that I have to critique! |
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05/16/2003 02:25:32 PM · #8 |
| I won't get mad if you write long critiques about my pictures! |
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05/16/2003 06:55:00 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by dadas115:
I won't get mad if you write long critiques about my pictures! |
Ditto.
John, this is probably the most important lesson in the whole series...thanks for writing it. |
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05/16/2003 06:57:40 PM · #10 |
When you are going to do something that many others have done before, study what they have done. Actually write down or discuss with others what you do and don't like.
You will remember this when you do your own shooting. You'll find out how hard some things are, that a mistake isn't a mistake at all. You'll avoid common faults, find it easier to think about the composition because you have already pre-programmed what you want to achieve.
Because you are shooting digital, you can review your own stuff right away. Not okay? Try again and improve.
This night I did some photo's at an annual meeting of a club. They were kind of fed up with their previous pg. I studied the old shots and it was all down to hard shadows caused by full frontal unshielded flash and catching people at boring times.
I used a Lumiquest Ultrasoft to get much softer shadows, paid careful attention to capturing people at the right time. I requested before the start of the event to avoid standing in front of a reflector screen.
Showed the results to the chairman and someone else right away. They were very happy with the tiny lcd previews.
This year I've got about 8 other photo's published in their yearbook (700 prints). Wheeeeeeee, I kind of sold 5600 pictures! And my name is in the same sentence as one of the most respected Dutch news photojournalist. :)
/me doing sad lawnmower movements in front of screen.......
I really liked the critique club, but time is not on my side. :(
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05/16/2003 11:28:59 PM · #11 |
| Great lesson John. This is so true. The more I really try to think of specific things that I like about an image, and the more I try to see what could specifically be improved in a photo, the better I feel I become as a photographer. |
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