Processing by others

tom24

tom24

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Name
Tom
Edit My Images
No
I've seen a lot of images on other forums that elicit likes but to my eye are def' over done or plain out of focus.
Now some of these folk think they have taken an image that's great and that may well be but after they've tinkered with it, posted it and got numerous likes, how do tell them it's crap?

OK , I know you don't straight out say It if your polite but I've seen a lot of images that frankly I can beat sooc by folk that've been at it a couple of years more than me

It's not images on this forum but how do you broach the subject without seeming to be a 'know it all' when you're a beginner yourself, just ignore?
 
If you're going to crit, Tom, you need a mature vision - then the crit is grounded. The internet's already full of people spouting off.

So yes, as your post suggests - you just ignore. But if your urge to speak comes out of an inner loneliness, than that's a matter distinct from photography anyway.

The main matter isn't what other people do, it's what you do yourself. And in the photographic realm, the fruitful dialogue comes through looking - both at your own work & that of others. It's not always necessary to speak.

A pinhole photo may be 'out of focus', yet emotionally more meaningful than one that's ultra-sharp. We have to hone our sensitivities - an on-going adventure.
 
You've alas uncovered the problem with broadly focused internet photography forums and critique circles - in that art is subjective and if the "crap" image has already garnered a load of "likes" then people out there are, subjectively, ranking it as good. These days I won't crit anything unless the photographer has a specific area of focus - EG if they ask for crit on their storytelling, or their composition etc, as otherwise it's a clue that the photographer didn't really know what they were after in the first place and a lot of what you say will be shot to the wind.

To not sound like an arse you'd have to go in with a "mature vision" as droj puts it - that is a set of examples of like work that don't exhibit the same characteristics, perhaps example of commercial or famously sold art. All in place essentially to back up your own opinion to ensure the recipient understands it's a little more than just your personal taste. If the recipient isn't really ready to receive such, you're wasting your time on their ears.

If they're openly asking for critique, then I'd say it's up to you if you wade in. If it's just in passing, you can likely spend your time better elsewhere.
 
It's just life reflected in photography, just like how some guys get all the girls! You just have to accept it and not let it bother you. Life isn't fair, some are born with a silver spoon and others have to work hard. Guess which camp you fall into! What you can do is get your work noticed and liked for its true value and you won't be bothered this.
 
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This was just a minor thing with images that are in a local fb group, that are just overly processed but have others saying how good they are.
I'm in no position to offer crit' being a beginner of a year only, I was really just thinking out loud with my original post about why they don't seem to see how garish they've made their images.
I should say that it's mainly birds, maybe it's just because I've observed so many in the wild, saw numerous takes by the best photographers and like a natural image to depict just that.
Of course I should let folk be happy with what they do, maybe someday i'll know a bit that I can pass on advice, although I was surprised that having met someone who later joined the group,they expressed their thanks for helping them that day.
 
tom24 said:
It's not images on this forum but how do you broach the subject without seeming to be a 'know it all' when you're a beginner yourself, just ignore?
Click to expand...
As long as there will be the ego of the shooter on the table
along side the considered shot, there will be no way out but
to seeming to be a 'know it all'… regrettably!
droj said:
If you're going to crit, Tom, you need a mature vision - then the crit is grounded.
Click to expand...
Right! …all the way but when it comes to personal preferences,
than one has more margin to express an opinion… but it's all in
the way it will be received.
 
You are not going to like everything. Every one has different views. However I was told many years ago that if you don't like someone's' images try to articulate why. Is the composition poor,? if so why. Is it over processed,? in what way. If you simply don't like it say nothing. I've seen pictures that get great comments, but I look at them and am not impressed. Do I comment, sometimes, most of the times I say nothing.
 
tom24 said:
This was just a minor thing with images that are in a local fb group, that are just overly processed but have others saying how good they are.
I'm in no position to offer crit' being a beginner of a year only, I was really just thinking out loud with my original post about why they don't seem to see how garish they've made their images.
I should say that it's mainly birds, maybe it's just because I've observed so many in the wild, saw numerous takes by the best photographers and like a natural image to depict just that.
Of course I should let folk be happy with what they do, maybe someday i'll know a bit that I can pass on advice, although I was surprised that having met someone who later joined the group,they expressed their thanks for helping them that day.
Click to expand...

I once last year told someone on a website that one of his HDR images were crap. He took it the wrong way and commented on most of my images saying that they weren't any good. His image was waaaaayy over processed and he just couldn't see that.

Some others commented on my post and they all ganged up on me.

In the end I had to contact support and they were all banned :)

I tend not to say anything now lol
 
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