forbescat

Let's pretend that this is a forum for creative writing. Would you be praising a paper that was simply a collection of words? I don't think so. If one is going to ask for comments, one should be a bit more specific. I answered the question posed.

I have plenty of pictures posted that you are free to look at.

Bridgeman Loc: Missouri

Why is everyone being so negitive to forbescat? The title of the post is "What do you think". He gave an honest answer. While these snapshots may be of interest to some, they are not to him, and he said so. Posting of his photos would not "prove a point", as these snapshots would still be uninteresting to him. His may not be interesting to you, but that is a different story. I do not know how the poster reacted to his comment, but IMHO if someone post a photo on this forum for critque, they should be able to accept any negitive response, as well as positive. I have seen a lot of pictures on this forum that receive praise, when in fact they are poor photos. I applaud forbescat for his honesty. Don't make him the bad guy for it. By the way, I agree with everything he has stated in this post.

forbescat

Thank you, Bridgeman. I certainly did not expect support for my comments in this thread and I appreciate not only your comments but the fact that someone else sees what I see.

PS: You had no way of knowing but I'm female.

PNagy Loc: Missouri City, Texas

I would make the pictures pop a bit more, perhaps by an application of "apply image" followed by the right amount of fading this effect. I would also force more value out of the skies, or add a sky from another source.

Peter The

jenny Loc: in hiding:)

Yes,PNagy,there's a h... of a lot of difference between
acid criticism and your helpful critique. One thing to keep
in mind re. some remark about "just words", another
about being "female"...too many people too emotional
today maybe? What has Forbecat contributed today that
is positive for the perso who submitted a photo? Is it ever
necessary to be totally tactless???

PNagy Loc: Missouri City, Texas

Thanks. I have had a few beating at the hands of experts from afar, and do not want others to be subjected to the same treatment. I was being too brief in my own comments on this thread, which might have made them appear to sharp. I should have pointed out the good qualities of the photos.

Peter The

NIKONUT Loc: San Diego

I though these might fit in somewhere!!!

forbescat

I think my contribution today has been to highlight the practice of giving false praise which does more harm than good. Some of you must watch American Idol and see those poor people whose families and friends told them how good they can sing when in actuality they can't even hold a tune.

I live in a world where you have to earn accolades and not in the world where everyone gets a gold star just for participating.

frasher101 Loc: Houndsfield N.Y.

GRASS AND BUSHES NEED TRIMMING!!!!

Meives Loc: FORT LAUDERDALE

Great notes makeko4me. Love your notes. I have a thread on "Judging Photo Art #5 Composition". Please help me define composition. Thanks David in Florida

Kimberly Loc: Orlando, FL

As a lurker, who dares to pop her head out of the sidelines with fear of being told I don't have a reason to contribute, the biting criticisms make it hard for many, whom may be members here, to step out of 'lurkdom' and join in.

'I looked at your face and time stood still'. What a nice thing to say.

'Your face could stop a clock'. Says, practically, the same thing but done without tact.

Anybody can be honest. But it takes character and professionalism to be tactful.

(Going back to 'lurkdom' again.)

forbescat

I'll beat this dead horse one more time and then I'll be done. When you post pictures and ask the question, "What do you think?", you should be prepared for an honest answer. If you post pictures and ask for help in improving composition or exposure or tone, it shows that you are willing to put some effort into the conversation and that you know the picture needs some help but you're not sure what you could have done differently. And, trust me, help will be forthcoming. You will notice that most people wanted to mask the original pictures with their "fixes" instead of discussing the real failings of the pictures. How does it help to show how HDR can change them?

A note to the teachers who have chided me: I learned more from teachers who told me the truth than those who held my hand and coddled my tender feelings. I wanted the approval of the former much more than from the latter and therefore learned the rewards of doing a little work. Of course, I'm old enough so there weren't many coddlers when I was in school.

Another note to the lurker who thinks my character is skewed: this is a photography thread. If you want to psychoanalyze me,
I suggest you start your own thread and all the boo-hoo people can join you there.

nikon_jon Loc: Northeast Arkansas

You know, forbescat, it's for guys like you that I developed a little off switch in my brain. I may not like someone's work, but what one shoots, and likes, with a camera is very subjective. To tell someone their work has no redeeming value is crude, rude and obnoxious. And, honesty if fine, but it doesn't have to be hurtful.

JerrysPhotos Loc: Arkansas

Nice shots of it, I have never seen a place that looks like that before, I can see why they moved out..... apparently even the dog left..........

catgirl Loc: las vegas

[quote=Bobber]I have some difficulty with reacting to pictures offered for criticism with out some input about what the photog doubts about it, or what they are unsure of, or what direction they want reactions to come from. It is like putting up a problem photograph without the meta details.

But, it takes some time for folks coming here to find out how the forum works best, and it can't be helped.

Then there is a lot of praise that is laid on that does not say much about what makes the praise worth the trouble. Pretty and its ilk are not much of a reaction. It is as much benefit to the commenter as it is to the proud parent. Stopping to recognize what it is that is liked might be something useful to remember. Say something specific about what in the photo contributes to its quality. But, that is going to be the way it is and I'll pass over those comments to something more interesting.

I have the same attitude towards negative reactions. Ugly, or what ever, such a characterization is not enough to contribute much of value to any process. It is a dog running on one leg. I would prefer that people would be [i] direct [i/]in that they not only pull their trigger, but also call their shots. I want to hear specifics. If not, then be quiet. Such short-of-legs negative reactions serve only to crush without any redeeming return. Running people away from the forum defeats at least part of the function for which the forum to exist. Not all of us are prepared to suffer direct put downs, deserved or not, and plow on. Do we ever become so expert, that we need not care where our where our whips of righteous observation land? If there is medicine to be given, a little sugar certainly is a fine carrier to get it to where it will do some good. Medicine should be healing, not merely poisonous. True, poison eliminates the problem, but there are better ways.[/quote]

thank you, I also was ridiculed about a photo