I suspect that most gallery-type topics found in main discussion forum are there accidentally and were intended to be posted to Photo Gallery.

By now (you've been a member for six years) you should have noted that the average age of members on UHH is probably 60 - 70 years old. The majority of folks are hobbyists, many have physical challenges and many are limited in their social and familial interactions.

UHH's Photo Gallery is primarily used just for social sharing, so it's best to not assume that every photographer posting has a goal of becoming more skilled. However, you will often find OP's asking for feedback, so why not hold your well intended observations for those who actually request it, and for the sections on UHH specifically organized for critique and detailed opinions?

With regard to the first part of your post, I have never posted in the gallery for the simple reason that I do not have the need or desire to say 'look at what I've done', and I certainly would never ask for a critical opinion here since there are relatively few here with the knowledge and skills to make such judgements as you've already discovered. I do post photos occasionally in the main form when it is germane to the topic being discussed.

Like you I find it frustrating to see countless poor images being lauded by people that don't know any more about photography then those who took the mediocre images in the first place. The best you can do is dispassionately, and without insult, suggest ways that the photograph could be improved. If you are not confident enough in your own skills to make suggestions, then, it's probably best for you to ignore those threads. Unlike some more specialized photography forums geared more towards highly-skilled photographers, UHH has a very large membership with widely varying skills. And do not assume that a high post count is an indication of skill. There are people here with well over 10,000 posts who still barely know which end of the camera to point at their subjects and have little understanding of lighting or composition.

My point is that we need to accept that the Gallery section of UHH is not primarily about getting "better" - the definition of which is going to vary widely, of course. I have posted plenty of photos I love that others hate

So much of critique is subjective; if we don't know what, if any, dissatisfaction the photographer might have, or what their goals and interests are, how can we presume to know how to help? (yes, I'm guilty of presuming at times too!)

Regarding all those compliments you think are misplaced - we're back to the social sharing aspects, casual hobbyists, just wanting to have fun - on and on.

Linda - You are one of the most helpful, friendly members in this group. But I disagree very strongly with the silly practice of discouraging other members from posting any photograph they consider worthy of posting in a section called The Main Photography Discussion of UHH. I understand that they want to share what they feel are their triumphs (even if the results are less than triumphant). It happens to be their constitutional right to do so, and blocking them is flat out wrong. /Ralph

People frequently post pictures in the MPD section of the forum. I am NOT trying to start another rant or multi-page fight over whether such pictures should be posted here or in the gallery. Now I know these people are proud of their photos, although, even by my standards, a few of such pictures are really bad. And before anyone starts to berate me for not posting my own photos, I will remind you that I am a lousy photographer who has taken less than a dozen acceptable pictures in my life (but I keep trying), and also because there was an incident on this forum in which a member copied another member's avatar (her pre-teen daughter), did some editing and put it on an entirely inappropriate website;. I don't post!

My concern is that, no matter how bad the pictures are, they are invariably followed by numerous posts exclaiming how beautiful the pictures are, how beautiful the colors are, how well they're composed, etc. Now many of the pictures are good to outstanding, and, setting the argument of section placement aside, deserve such praise. But what should I, as a single member, do? Yes, I know I could ignore the thread and move on. But some of these pictures are SO BAD, I really feel obliged to comment. I am not thinking about making stupid, cruel and inappropriate slaps at the pictures; I want to make remarks about the specific aspects of the picture, worded as positively as possible. Yet I am afraid of being bombarded by those who are themselves encouraging the photographer to not learn and to go out and continue to make bad photographs. I would appreciate any comments on this matter, positive or negative. Here is your chance, maybe, to encourage a positive approach to this issue. And, yes, I know it is also a chance to flame me. But, before you flame me, remember that we want to help, not hurt, the other members of this forum. Thank you.

There is a photo analysis section for those who want to post a photo for critical review. As I understand it, this would be the place to post photos to obtain suggestions, critical analysis, etc., in an attempt to learn and improve ones photography skills. The regular gallery is the place for posting photos for any reason. People take photos for a variety of reasons, such as to document something, to record a moment, produce a photo that is art for others to appreciate, and often members like to share a photo for others to enjoy. It’s true, there are some photos that lack high quality, some are excellent, and others lie somewhere in between. I think people just want to share what they do. No problem there. That’s why there’s a general photo gallery.