hmmm… what?
Know what’s really annoying? People who think photography is not about how nice your photo looks naturally but how well your Photoshopping skills are.
I’m all for constructive criticism, but if I wanted “advice” on a photo I submitted to a Flickr group or a weekly theme somewhere, I’ll ask for it. I mean, seriously, I submitted the photo because I thought it fit the theme as it was, not because I wanted your advice on how to make it look like your interpretation of the theme.
If I say my subject is A, it’s not B, no matter how much you want it to be. If I say I see the theme in A, that’s why I submitted the photo, and I really don’t care what you think. If I say I see the shadows in the clouds and that it has nothing to do with the tower, well, it’s my photo, and that’s what it is. I really fail to see how criticising my photo and saying it doesn’t fit the theme (which is subjective, really) is constructive to anyone.
And, yes, this comment annoys me as well:
It’s a great looking horse / zebra, and I like its odd emotional expression, but it could have been even better without flash, or a more diffused flash. I also think the visible carousel on the left doesn’t add much to the image – try burning it out with Photoshop, or adding some blur to that area of the picture.
The theme was “Dream” and the description even said it was wide open to interperetation. What’s up with that? I happened to have wanted the carousel in the background. I don’t like useless post processing.
So there.

Nicole Ross
March 20th, 2006 at 5.12 pm ♥
I understand exactly. It’s nice when people want to help, but flat out missing the entire point is just frustrating. (I happen to think the carousel picture is beautiful!)
Jason
March 20th, 2006 at 6.50 pm
Did anyone else say anything? Unless it’s a “critique” pool, people get a bit touchy (deservedly) when people “help”.
Val
March 20th, 2006 at 7.10 pm
No, three people on the two photos. It’s not a critique place, ya know, or I’d be expecting it and all. It’s not Flickr in this case either, but a submission website.
BTude a.k.a. GlassHoppah
March 20th, 2006 at 7.23 pm
Everybody’s a critic, but not everyone should be–especially when they put the critique in their own subjective terms. However, all art is subjective–I take it all with a grain of salt.
Personally, I tend to comment with my admiration of a photo’s quality or topic. Either I like it or not.
I also appreciate your un-p-shopped photos much more than the few you have. Pshop has its place, but moves into digital art as opposed to photography when it’s obviously overdone and then been passed off as a photo. I try to be sparing, mostly when I edit, it’s to remove minor b lemishes in an otherwise saleable or “perfect” shot. Anyhow, your photographs are much more real than most and that’s why *I* appreciate them–your style is almost always evident. :)
So, by posting this–you did ask for my opinion, right? lol. *hugs* Smile–the morons too, shall pass. :)
DB
March 20th, 2006 at 7.29 pm
You mean the subject of that one picture wasn’t the dog in the clouds… you know… right over there? I’m kidding Val :) Like B’Tude said, everyone’s a critic. We find that it’s the overly-inflated ego’s of the “wannabe” professionals that are the worst. Most of them wouldn’t know how to compose a good shot so they Photo Shop one in. Just keep doing what makes you happy :)
DB
Vanessa
March 20th, 2006 at 7.45 pm
Yeah, it’s true about the whole constructive criticism thing. If you did want somebody’s opinion, you would’ve asked or something. It’s annoying when ppl do that.
Jon
March 20th, 2006 at 8.04 pm
Hey!
Yeah my site doesn’t seem to work on Firefox, I don’t really know why though….
Thanks for commenting anyways.
Christina
March 20th, 2006 at 8.39 pm ♥
I happen to LOVE that picture. I think it’s really lame for people to take a mediocre photo and then edit it until they’re content with it. It’s so much more respectable to see someone take a great picture without having to edit it.
Jessily
March 20th, 2006 at 8.48 pm
Interesting photos. But yeah, everyone’s a critic and some people really think they’re helping you. You just have to take it with a grain of salt. Photography is a personal thing and everyone has their own style.
Christine
March 20th, 2006 at 10.37 pm
Personally I think it’s ALL about the original photo. Photoshopping it totally defeats the purpose. I think your photos are BEAUTIFUL! Those people are just…stupid. Hummph.
Zalette
March 20th, 2006 at 10.55 pm ♥
I hate when people try to give you ‘advice’ when you didn’t ask for any. It’s really annoying. I know what you mean.
Kendra
March 21st, 2006 at 4.11 am
Wow that first picture is amazing!!! You submit a photo and they tell you to change it on photoshop? Uh. That’s stupid. Really. o_O Heh. xx
Alycia
March 21st, 2006 at 9.13 am ♥
People are stupud, very, very stupid. -_-; Don’t worry about them. They are unintelligent and don’t deserve your time of day. =D
I did think both those pictures were very, very pretty. =D
Vixx
March 21st, 2006 at 2.53 pm ♥
Pft. People. Wanna come and sit on my hermit rock with me?
V xx
Jon
March 21st, 2006 at 5.40 pm
Hey!
I find that very annoying and frustrating. As other commenters have said, it’s not a place of critique, so if you have a problem, well that’s your problem. If it’s a personal take and interpretation on a theme then others shouldn’t really try and change your interpretation of it.
Oh and I ran my site through a validator and hopefully I’ve fixed the problem, but I can’t say for sure since I don’t use Firefox.
Jade
March 21st, 2006 at 6.58 pm
Personally, I don’t think it’s fair to judge art. I mean, unless it like absolutely sucks, you can’t judge it. Whether it be poems, pictures, paintings, photos etc, everyone takes/makes from their own perspective.
Bes
March 27th, 2006 at 2.14 pm
Ok, I must disagree. The Zebra is too close to the camera, and the background isn’t exposed that much. Besides, the flash is indeed too distracting and over exposes the colors. And also the tower picture, hmmmm, it’s so out of proportion and way too much to the right. Hmmm……
J/K!!!! [protects head from incoming bricks]. I don’t like it when people do that too. People always love to judge other people’s work, and they themselves take crappy pics or write in a crappy way most of the time. It’s like the movie critics; they watch 2 movies and think they can critique anything they like.
I guess it’s the human urge to have everything the way we want it to be, no? BTW, your pics are some of the pics I look at whenever I’m clueless as to how to take good pics.
Val
March 27th, 2006 at 10.35 pm
Thanks, everyone :-)
Val
March 30th, 2006 at 9.54 pm
So just to beat this dead horse further and bug the subscribers…
What about these images does not say “Geometric Figures”? Seriously, this time I am asking, lol.
http://flickr.com/photos/anela/53264405/
http://flickr.com/photos/anela/91271419/
http://flickr.com/photos/anela/91589590/
The first, someone flat out told me that it was irrelevant, and then it was rated 2.18 out of 5 for relevance and the other two were respectively 2.75 and 2.5 relevancy. Note on the third image the crop box note, that’s what I actually submitted (after lightening a bit). So what about those is not geometric because I certainly don’t get it…
BTude a.k.a. GlassHoppah
March 30th, 2006 at 11.43 pm
I’m in Val–email on the way.