| Author | Thread |
|
|
05/18/2004 09:51:07 AM · #1 |
Read your comments.
I have been looking at the challenge results, and I have noticed that the bottom end photos never have checks in the "photographer found this comment useful" box.
I believe this is because the photographers don't read (or at least ignore) their feedback! Higher scoring photos always have half or more of their comments checked.
Since the whole concept of the challenges is to improve your photography skills, not reading the comments makes no sense.
Any low-scoring people want to comment? |
|
|
|
05/18/2004 10:19:14 AM · #2 |
I read all of my comments and mark them helpful well 99% of them.
I enjoy comments more than the score and I wish more people could/would comment.
The comments have helped me and I have gotten better scores progressively
And in opposites I hope to break into the top 100.
What is your definition of a "Low Scorer"? My average is still below 5.
Some of the bottom end(brown ribbon) photo's were entered as a ruse or joke. Others might be entered with a lack of sincerity and these might be ones that donĂ¢€™t check comments.
Ya get all sort's of people on the internet.
Message edited by author 2004-05-18 10:20:51. |
|
|
|
05/18/2004 10:19:55 AM · #3 |
I study my favorites a lot, and I find 'mentors' whose 'look' I try to match. This has improved my photography probably more than about anything. Reading comments does help with scores, though, too. But better scores are only loosely related to better photography.
|
|
|
|
05/18/2004 11:05:03 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by dsidwell:
...But better scores are only loosely related to better photography. |
You are so right David. Just look at the unjustly low scores I get on the astounding photos that I enter! :)
|
|
|
|
05/18/2004 11:11:04 AM · #5 |
I do read all my comments, and usually they get checked. Hard to learn alot when, right now, the last 3 challenges have garnered me a total of 12 comments. But continue on.
|
|
|
|
05/18/2004 11:20:54 AM · #6 |
micknewton, where in the world did you come up with your bio?? It's hilarious. You should get a point credit for that alone!
|
|
|
|
05/18/2004 11:31:52 AM · #7 |
| Thank goodness for the comments! I need all the help I can get and depend on comments and suggestions. I know that it is time comsuming but it really helps us newbies a lot trying to learn. I don't feel qualified to leave negative or constructive comments because I don't know enough about what I am doing. I read every comment and my scores are slowly creeping up. Thanks to everyone! |
|
|
|
05/18/2004 02:54:51 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by lenkphotos:
micknewton, where in the world did you come up with your bio?? It's hilarious. You should get a point credit for that alone! |
If you haven't already done so, check out the "Austin Powers" movies. The actor Mike Myers should probably get the credit for the bio.
|
|
|
|
05/18/2004 03:02:38 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by candycorn:
Thank goodness for the comments! I need all the help I can get and depend on comments and suggestions. I know that it is time comsuming but it really helps us newbies a lot trying to learn. I don't feel qualified to leave negative or constructive comments because I don't know enough about what I am doing. I read every comment and my scores are slowly creeping up. Thanks to everyone! |
You don't need to be 'qualified' to leave comments on a photo. Just be honest and say what you like and/or don't like about the photo. Your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's here.
--Mick
|
|
|
|
05/18/2004 03:07:27 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by micknewton:
Originally posted by candycorn:
Thank goodness for the comments! I need all the help I can get and depend on comments and suggestions. I know that it is time comsuming but it really helps us newbies a lot trying to learn. I don't feel qualified to leave negative or constructive comments because I don't know enough about what I am doing. I read every comment and my scores are slowly creeping up. Thanks to everyone! |
You don't need to be 'qualified' to leave comments on a photo. Just be honest and say what you like and/or don't like about the photo. Your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's here.
--Mick |
Just be prepared for some hurt feelings or bruised egos.... it's bound to happen. Just take it with a grain of salt. You also learn just as much through commenting as you do by receiving them. :) |
|
|
|
05/18/2004 03:17:47 PM · #11 |
I have been most fortunate that the comments left for me have been very helpful. Things have been pointed out that I never would have thought of but am mindful of as I submit new pics. This is such a learning process.
I can handle rough comments because I don't take them personally, I would only be concerned that I might leave a comment that could cause more harm than good.
I have really enjoyed this site and everyone has helped me so much I would like to be able to help someone else. |
|
|
|
05/18/2004 03:42:27 PM · #12 |
Not all comments are particularly helpful in terms of improving your photography. Some are positive and encouraging and helpful in that way. Others offer advice but not always advice I would agree with (for instance, horizontal instead of vertical format) for the particular shot. I still check the 'helpful' box to encourage the commentor to continue commenting. Comments along the lines of 'I just don't get what your going for' may or may not be helpful depending on how many people tell you this. Sometimes there is just differences of opinion and taste (some folks think very literally on this site, I've noticed).
No offense to the person who made this comment, or who originated the voting method but I find this....
Composition: (Subject Placement, Cropping, Background): 6
Technical: (Focus, Exposure, Lighting, Processing): 5
Appeal: (Is it Interesting, Motivating, etc.): 4
Challenge: (How well it meets the challenge):5
Average (rounded): 5
...really unhelpful in terms of improving the photography. For instance, this person gave me a 6 for composition. Okay, how does that number tell me how to make it a 7 or an 8? What about the composition was worthy of a 6, but only a five for technical? Was it my lighting needed improvement? My focus? All four?
You see where I'm going with this? The following was one of the most helpful comments in terms of solid reasoning and advice, although I didn't agree with every bit of it:
Interesting concept. Overcropping the 40 works well with this image. Red and blue are always good colors in photography. Overall the image appears to be slightly soft focused to my taste and reduces its technical merit for me. There is nothing special about the lighting either. If possible, taking the shot from much further to the left or right to change the perspective and point of view would improve this image immensely. In that case shallow DOF might also be good, but I am unsure of that. Esthetics is important too. This image leaves the viewer asking, "What is the significance of the 40?" but does not provide an answer or make it seem more mysterious which would make it more interesting. Rating - 5
Compare that comment to this one on the same photo:
Well i like the colors but I just don't get what I am looking at.
I checked 'helpful' for this comment even though it really wasn't all that specific. The reason it was helpful was because a few other people made similar remarks so I got the idea. I still like my photo but it probably would have done better in a challenge like Abstract rather than "Something New II".
Here's another comment I considered helpful. This was for a photo in my portfolio.
She is smiling. Dog shots are hard (I can rarely get a good expression in my dog's eyes like this--usually you just get black) One thing you might do is clean up a little of the bits in the snow, and lighten the stained snow, to keep the attention on the dog.
Message edited by author 2004-05-18 15:46:43.
|
|
|
|
05/18/2004 03:46:13 PM · #13 |
I usually find most, if not all, of my comments useful, in some form or fashion. I just forget to check them.
Guess i could check them as I get them, but I used to have a reason for not doing that. |
|
|
|
05/18/2004 03:55:03 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by candycorn:
Thank goodness for the comments! I need all the help I can get and depend on comments and suggestions. I know that it is time comsuming but it really helps us newbies a lot trying to learn. I don't feel qualified to leave negative or constructive comments because I don't know enough about what I am doing. I read every comment and my scores are slowly creeping up. Thanks to everyone! |
Don't sell your qualifications short. You are viewing the photograph and must have an opinion on it. Your opinion counts. If you don't like a photo, say what it is you don't like. You don't have to know jargon like 'hot spot' or 'depth of field', etc. But you can describe something you like or dislike about a photo. For instance, is it too dark, to bright. Too many shadows, not enough shadows? You'd like to see more of a subject's expression? There is something distracting your eye in the corner of the frame? You can do all that and that advice is helpful.
|
|
|
|
05/18/2004 06:30:13 PM · #15 |
I always read my comments, as well. I may not agree with what is said and even if it's negative (IMO) and if I feel it will improve my technique, it behooves me to mark it as helpful and give that person credit for the comment. I would guess that I disagree with comments about 25-30% of the time and usually a majority of those comments I still find useful. I wait until the voting is over to address the issues mentioned by fellow DPC members.
I hope that when I do leave such comments that those who voted on my entry review my comments. I feel that learning is a two-way street. Granted, I'm usually just thanking members for voting and for the comments in a generic fashion but as I enter more and more challenges, I'm learning how to do things in a more streamlined manner such as wrapping things up at the end of a challenge and responding. So, pretty please with a cherry on top, please read my comments! :D |
|
|
|
05/18/2004 06:42:03 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by melismatica:
Originally posted by candycorn:
I don't feel qualified to leave negative or constructive comments because I don't know enough about what I am doing. |
Don't sell your qualifications short. You are viewing the photograph and must have an opinion on it. Your opinion counts. If you don't like a photo, say what it is you don't like. You don't have to know jargon like 'hot spot' or 'depth of field', etc. But you can describe something you like or dislike about a photo. For instance, is it too dark, to bright. Too many shadows, not enough shadows? You'd like to see more of a subject's expression? There is something distracting your eye in the corner of the frame? You can do all that and that advice is helpful. |
Also, if you are hoping to sell your work, keep in mind that you would not be selling just to professional photographers. You would also be selling to people with little or no education about photography, so input from "inexperienced" individuals is valuable. It is easy to get caught up in how difficult a shot was to create, and forget to make it interesting in other ways. (If you are getting a lot of "I don't get it" comments, that may be what is happening.)
Input from beginners can help keep us old fogies from getting our heads too far up the stratosphere. |
|
|
|
05/18/2004 06:46:34 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by hannafate:
Read your comments.
|
..unfortunately middle of the line photos hardly get comments to even improve. Usually 4-5 comments on how the subjects is interesting or something. Not that these comments are not helpful or anything but you know. |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 06/12/2025 07:14:43 AM EDT.
