Does Pundit Thread mean no critiquing elsewhere?

Hi, who knows if this is the right thread for this one! It's about having a Pundit thread..

Personally, I want a good critique on every image I upload to every category thread and to my Gallery. Does having a separate thread for serious critiquing mean that we can't (or shouldn't) critique any other images?

Unless someone specifically asked for advice, I never quite knew what to do in this respect at that other place down the road. I want to know from the get-go how everyone here feels about critiquing. If you notice that one of mine needs some Curves, or a rotation to straighten a real or perceived "tilt" to my horizon - I want to know it! How about you?

Kat

PS: I've found serious critiquing to be one my best learning tools too.

I agree with you Kat. I may not always understand the suggestions, but I try. If there is a better way to crop etc.... I would like to know.
I have a harder time with some of the suggestions for post proccessing because all of you are PS people and I am PSP so then I have to try and figure it out
I don't think people here would go for the throat on a critique as at the other place. One of the very first pics I put up there I was told " I don't see anything special about this photo, why waste our time with this ? " I was crushed. I thought the pic eas great, the colors were vivid and I actually had it in focus :) It was 1 1/2 years before I posted there again.

Kathy, 1'st off - I'm a little bit CS2 and a lotta bit PSP9! lolllll What version are you?

2'nd - a good critique is never mean! Not knowing what image you are talking about, here's what mine might have sounded like...
"The colors are great here - you might need to punch them up a little by applying Curves a bit. The main issue with this image is that there is no specific subject on which the eye can land. It's a pretty field, but could use a single object to draw the eye (perhaps a bunch of flowers or an old rusty piece of farm equipment, a grove of trees with an intriguing path that just calls you to walk it."

Maybe, it's a lot more wordy, but I think it would tell you something (something to learn from.) I have taken more than 20000 images in the past 18 months. Do I think some of them are terrific? You bet! Do I also think that while I love them, the subject matter or the composition may have little appeal to others? You double bet! It's up to the critiquer to point out while a picture doesn't appeal.

On the other side, a "Great Shot!" isn't as helpful as "It's a great shot, because your composition is perfect. The diagonal lines are off-corner, making them much more effective (or... "the leading lines take me around the picture to the most interesting elements".)

I, personally, feel that if I'm posting a pic in the forum or photo sharing...it's not just for the applause...I want to hear honest opinion and helpful critique. If I'm putting it in my personal gallery....I don't really feel like I'm looking for anyone to say anything.

Someone saying to you "I don't see anything special about this photo, why waste our time with this."...is not only an idiot...how is that actually a critique??? There was no identification of how the image was ineffective or what could have been done to make it better. Why bother saying anything, if that's the best that can come out of their mouth. I actually saw the same thing at Fredmiranda.com. Basically, the same thing was said to a new member...and all the other members jumped ALL over him! It was great to see him put in his place..some people are just rude...or having a bad day...and take it out on others.

Kat, I am using XI, I still have X and v9 in my computer :)
I will see if I can find the picture, it is somewhere in my Photobucket

This is the picture

That jerk had to be a child hater! I'd maybe crop to just above the armpit notch (will remove all those small bits of unneeded color spots and elements.) It's more of a "snapshot" than a professional portrait (gee - y'think??!!!), but I think it's wonderful. You caught the "joyful feeling of the moment!" in her face, and for me - that's what counts here (that and the bright colors!) Btw, ignoring jerks is a talent in itself!

to answer Kat's original question, we don't have any hard and fast rules which i will think about remedying, but the general unspoken rule on TIFF is if you seroiusly want a photo critiqued for say entry to a competition elsewhere then the pundit is the place to put it, but the photosharing should be more than just a pat on the back unless you are just sharing.
If you ask for critique then you should get some but a simple *c&c welcome* isn't going to elicit that much of a response, if you want more then you'll have to be more specific, but then we have the digital dilemmas forum coming up for that too, so photosharing should be just that, just my thoughts for now, but i'm open to suggestion, i will watch this thread and take all the answers given into consideration when i do make up a set of rules, this is a democracy not a dictatorship like some places so if you want to see something done, changed or have suggestions do it here, i will listen

That's what I figured, Sharon. If we could come up with a good "Heads Up. I want a real critique" Icon or Wording - it would be each of our own responsibility to let others know. Yes or No- in any forum thread. Yes - but only in one or two specific threads. Yes or No in personal Galleries (personally, I'd rather not have to put images in 3 different places for 3 different reasons.) Also, once I've entered an image in a Challenge, you may as well forget the critique. However, I may choose to ask later - "What didn't work in this one for you?", so I can learn from a non-winning image. Just another thought (or 20!!! lollll)

Not possible i'm afraid on the icons suggestion (limitations of a free board) although it was a good one, you would just have to title it that way or put it in the post body (your choice) i don't have a problem with asking for critique on an image after a challenge is finished

btw i'm moving this thread to our new question forum (we forgot to add it ) so in future all forum related questions can be asked there. It wasn't your fault you didn't have a place to post this Kat

No prob on no icons - I forget that they're there most of the time anyway! Besides, we don't want any feature to become unwieldy. But, there should be a clear and consistent way to let people know that Critiquing is welcome and encouraged by the individual. That way we can avoid the pitfalls of hurt feelings. (Been there - and got nailed for putting up a critique to someone who didn't want it. It took quite a bit of time before I felt comfortable replying to that member on any level.)

all noted Kat

To add my two pennys worth to this, if someone wants hard critique then that is what the Pundit forum is there for.

If someone posts a pic in the sharing forums and wants feedback then it is the responsibility of the member in question to ask for it.

A pat on the back is fine if that is all the postee has to say about a pic but I don't want this place to become a stuffy let's get too serious place like the Zo is becoming.

We all need to accept that we look at our own work through rose tinted glasses and an outsiders view is a good thing, even if the pic is slated, as this is how we learn.

If the Pundit forum becomes popular and it is found that three posts a week is not enough then we will review the rule on the amount you can place in there a week.

If you really want someone to give your pic(s) a real going over then ask the person you think can give you the best advice on it for a personal critique of it/them.

Somewhere around on 'that' site should still be an article I wrote on posting a meaningful critique - it may be in one of the newsletters - but it is a good reference for anyone that ends up posting anything too terse... if I can find it I'll bring it over here, too...

Cheers,
Stuart

i think i remember that one Stuart, please do bring it on over if you find it:D

kathysPix wrote:

(Been there - and got nailed for putting up a critique to someone who didn't want it. It took quite a bit of time before I felt comfortable replying to that member on any level.)

I can relate to that - I remember a member posting an image and complaining about my reply to him (after he'd ASKED what people thought, too) - he's never had any response from me to anything that's been posted since...

Cheers,
Stuart

Rats, the Gestapzo musta got it already:

http://www.photozo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3624

That refers to it, but the topic is gone...