Does anyone here give unsolicited advice on images posted by another group member?? (hobby, camera)
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It really all depends how serious someone takes their photography.
Usually the less serious they are the more they want noooooo critique and will let you have it for doing so. . most of us want the critique as that is how we learn.
I think it's tough to give CC because what one person enjoys, another could think it's lame. I could take a picture of something and believe it's one of my best pictures, but someone else could see nothing but flaws. A lot of CC I would receive would likely involve upgrading my camera, which isn't something I'm interested in doing. I spent roughly $500 on my camera, but it's still a point and shoot. I wouldn't get upset if people critiqued my pictures, but I likely wouldn't do much with their advice.
I do mine for fun and enjoyment, its a hobby... not a profession and I dont take mine seriously.. I have a cheap camera but love what I do even if others might find faults in some of my photography..... I DONT CARE.... we all see things different... the only thing I dont like in a photo is squinty horizons.. have a lot myself that I try to fix... There are a few wonderful photographers on here , ones I cant compete with but dont want to... I do my own style my way....
I would absolutely appreciate advice and comments on any picture I post. Probably because I know there is a LOT of room for improvement so any help I get would be greatly appreciated.
Now if I were a professional photog who makes a living with my photos, I may not be as receptive to other CD members offering comments on my photos. If we were on photographyonthe.net I would be okay because EVERYONE there are experts. Not everyone here are experts.
I think most people on here are not pros and even though they might use decent equipment they are still pretty much point and shoots. It is hard to give criticism and even harder for many to accept it.
I'd say if you were to offer CC it needs to be sugar coated and even then be ready for backlash.
Of course when people ask for advice be honest but don't get too technical on them else you might scare them away. We can all learn something new but no one likes being told they are doing it wrong.
I take editing ideas from friends on here... and thankful for them... but we all have our own imagination and see things interesting that maybe others dont,,, its a bit like an artist who has their own style..and wants to express it... no one can give you that.... not perfect but mine.
There are people who ask for advice, such as how to use the forum, then act offended when it's given them.
all the time , it usually starts with those who do not know how to edit nor want to learn. so they post these half baked images out of camera and expect accolades because they are straight out of camera.
only that isn't what happens on a photography site. usually the outcome is they get pissed because the critiques are about what is wrong with their photos but they expected brownie points for posting half finished photo's because they had no editing done..
to this day our photo's get torn apart by folks a lot better than Marilyn and I and we learn more and more from it.
Unless a poster is explicitly or implicitly asking for feedback, I try to avoid giving unsolicited advice.
The most common responses to feedback (solicited or otherwise) I see are along the lines of "There's no right or wrong in art" and "Well, I like it".
While art is indeed subjective, the fundamentals of good design are universal. There's a reason why things like the rule of thirds or leading lines work -- because there are common ways that most humans look at/are attracted to certain things. It is useful to learn and understand those basics. For instance, let's say I want to draw the viewer's eye to a particular tree, but the tree is the same tone as the background and there is a bright/colourful trashcan nearby. The viewer's eye will always go to the trashcan. In such a case, there is a right and wrong -- I took the wrong approach and failed in attracting the viewer's attention where I wanted.
And this kind of ties in to the second response of "Well, I like it". If I like it and I don't get distracted by the trashcan (and I'm not selling my pictures), then what does it matter what others think? Well, if I'm sharing images publicly on the internet, then presumably I want other people to look at it and presumably get enjoyment out of it? In which case, I should listen to the opinions of other people. If others are not enjoying/liking my picture, then it is helpful to know why not, so I can change -- so that next time I do share a picture, others do enjoy it -- presumably a big reason for sharing.
On the other hand, feedback provided without detail/explanation isn't helpful. Without an explanation of what does not work, why it does not work, and how to improve it next time, criticism doesn't really help anyone.
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Oh, the irony!
There are people who ask for advice, such as how to use the forum, then act offended when it's given them.
