How Honest Should I Be?

[Beaux Reflets]

you could also download the image make some improvements and repost the image back into the thread stating how you made the improvements and you may find that they actually are grateful to you.

But that's just my opinion

Personally, if that happened to one of my images on here, I would be most annoyed. It is good Etiquette to ask first 

A very select group of close digital photographer friends, could do that to an image of mine, without annoying me.
They'd have to email it to me though, as I would never forgive them if they posted it back in a thread somewhere.

I have no problem with critique or others telling me how they think my photographs could be improved - for that is just a matter of opinion, and sometimes another opinion can be a great help towards improving my own capabilities. - I'm always willing to learn new tricks and improve my work.

I do however feel that every photograph belongs to the photographer who took it, so while expressing an opinion upon a particular photograph is acceptable, downloading and republishing (with or without alterations being made) without the owners consent is unacceptable.

[Karen]

If I cant say something constructive about whatever it is that I dont like I tend to say nothing. I use the word "personally" as every photograph is subjective. Mostly Im a stickler for sharp focussing and composition so thats what I mostly look at. However if its a stunner I say its a stunner. If people post their image then generally theyre happy with it.

[JaneM]

I do however feel that every photograph belongs to the photographer who took it, so while expressing an opinion upon a particular photograph is acceptable, downloading and republishing (with or without alterations being made) without the owners consent is unacceptable.

I also agree with this statement, while I am happy to be given constructive criticism on any of my photographs, as I see this as another view/opinion and a way of me learning, I would not like someone to make changes without first asking. I do not feel anyone needs to be 'qualified' to comment or critique on my shot's at all either.

[DigiDiva]

Im going in to the other thread........gonna message him and ask some questions first...here goes....

[StephenBatey]

Late to the party as always, but my take is: don't. I've had more than enough flak in my time for saying what I thought about an image. Mainly it boils down to: this is what the person wants to do; it's what they enjoy doing. If they aren't interested in the slightest with trying to be artistic/convey an emotion/add your own reason here then why try to impose your standards (which are by definition inappropriate to them) on them? And the final killer - it's all subjective anyway. If they like it, end of story - nothing more to say. (I disagree with this strongly, but never debate it now.)

Putting it another way, if they like playing with cameras/testing lenses/taking snaps and being happy if they "come out" why upset them by trying to get them to take a different path in photography? All that unites photographers is using a camera or image capturing device; so it's really quite inappropriate to try to make them "better" photographers. From their point of view, you might give them more help by posting a tutorial on lens design than commenting on their composition.

I've met with this so many times - and there is some truth in it - that I now believe that in most cases for most photographers, you simply ignore their images if they are cringeworthily bad. I certainly make a point of never saying anything if an image has no redeeming features unless the photographer shows some promise in other offerings.

[Andrew]

Many moons ago, I was loathe to offeer anything but positive comments about people pictures.

But now, i work on the premise that i only comment if i like the picture in the first place, or like the aim of the shot (sometimes people say what they were trying to achieve).

My comment works along the line as suggested by offering positive comments about the shot. Then I add in that for me, were I to have taken that shot, I would have done this differently or that differently. If I'm not too familiar with the photographer, I will finish with a comment about the beauty of photography being that we can all have our own individual take on a scene or pic and still enjoy anothers viewpoint.

When dealing with pros, it is easier, because you are never really complaining about a shot. More pointing out an issue that may have got overlooked in the workflow, as those posted on forums are rarely their best work...

If a person constantly takes bad pics - and they only ever seem to get good comment - ask yourself why? Do they have the ability to delete the negative ones? Or is it a case of you say nice things about my pics, and i'll say nice things about your pics in return?

[ABERS]

I belong to several other forums and in one of them, there's someone who continually posts images in the gallery that are really awful, as he cannot post process (and Im sure you all think that of some of my images too at times!!!). People make lovely comments about them to him, but Im sure they are just being kind. But are they really being kind? Should they not be more honest in a helpful way, advising how they can be improved or what hasn't quite worked? Im fairly new to the forum and never critique his images, as Im worried I will offend him and others who all seem to like him as a person.

What would you do? Shall I bite the bullet and give him helpful critique or continue to refrain from commenting? If it were my images, I would prefer some honest critique but they just tip toe round this guy, seeming to walk on egg shells.

This is a bit of a mystery and a bit harsh??? Purely on your say so we are lead to believe somewhere out there exists a photographer who has no idea what he is doing. It would seem that others do not hold your opinion however. Is your negative opinion purely subjective or borne of an insight into the intricacies of post processing? Do you understand what he is trying to achieve, is his intent beyond your ken? Have you asked yourself any of these questions before 'helping' him? Perhaps he has a view that it would be interesting to step outside the box and produce something different.

It would be useful if you posted a link to his work so that we all could see what you're on about.

[Hinfrance]

If you stick something on the internet it's fair game.

[Reinardina]

If you stick something on the internet it's fair game.

In what way?

If someone shares snapshots with family and friends on the Internet, they may feel upset if someone waded in, uninvited, to tell them where they go wrong, and how they can improve.

Maybe these photos should not be on a specific photography site, but not everyone may have found, or like, the 'non committal' photo sharing sites.

[Beaux Reflets]

If you stick something on the internet it's fair game.

Fair game for what? 

[Andrew]

If you stick something on the internet it's fair game.

In what way?

If someone shares snapshots with family and friends on the Internet, they may feel upset if someone waded in, uninvited, to tell them where they go wrong, and how they can improve.

Maybe these photos should not be on a specific photography site, but not everyone may have found, or like, the 'non committal' photo sharing sites.

Fair game is, sadly, a geniune view point. It has long since been considered that if you post a pic on the internet on a photography forum, such as Flickr, unless you lock off the ability for people to comment - then you are fair game for critiquing whether you want it or not.

It is one of those ares of 'web etiquette' that has become 'de facto'. Is it written down anywhere? Not to my knowledge. But then, when is etiquette ever written down?

With any of these photography forums, there is always the option to make them private and allow only invited people to view the images - so if the shots are family pics not intended for critique - the account owner should either lock off comments or make the gallery/ album(s) private.

As for some one posting 'uninspiring shots' and getting loads of positive feedback, well that is/ was one of the reasons why Flickr interest wained. I know of people that worked on a 'you praise my shot and i'll praise your shot' principle - it distorted the 'views' or what ever measuring device Flickr used to indicate the popular images.

Most of my work is now submitted on 500px, and i seem to have a acquired some very positive comments (still not sure why) but when ever a comment comes in that says "lovely shot come and look at my stuff" I always ignore the comment. I can easily spend an afternoon or evening viewing the work of people I follow as it is - I don't need an excuse to look at peoples work. 

[Hinfrance]

Fair game for anything and everything, from praise to abuse, from sale to theft.

People don't seem to realise that the internet is not like a little private club, it's the most open and public arena there has ever been. I recall a minor celebrity once saying that it was like talking to your mates down the pub (he was referring to Twitter). Actually it's like standing on the top of the highest mountain with a huge  PA system that the whole world can hear, but with the added bonus that what you say and do is recorded effectively forever.

As for 500px, I get the same sort of vague positive comments on there as I do anywhere else - just fewer of them (not that I get many anyway). The 500px rating system sucks too; if you don't keep on uploading pictures all your ratings decrease. I have had a couple of pictures selected for their Prime thingy, but no-one's bought anything, as far as I can tell.

[DigiDiva]

I wouldn't do that to him. That would be rude and Im sure, in breach of the forum etiquette. Unless he is trying something that is very strange (and believe me I like strange) his images are horrid! In my eyes that is.....and I understand that he may be trying to achieve something different. And I understand my views are not everyone's. I just find it odd that no one says anything except really lovely things. Nothing constructive I must add.

[ABERS]

I wouldn't do that to him. That would be rude and Im sure, in breach of the forum etiquette. Unless he is trying something that is very strange (and believe me I like strange) his images are horrid! In my eyes that is.....and I understand that he may be trying to achieve something different. And I understand my views are not everyone's. I just find it odd that no one says anything except really lovely things. Nothing constructive I must add.

Why keep telling us?? Tell him that his work puzzles and annoys you and that you cannot understand it and why so many other people appear to enjoy it.

You never know,  he may be looking at your pictures and wondering the same thing, in that case wouldn't you like to know that?

[Simple]

I treat the comments I make on the internet the same as I would in a conversation on the street. So If I meet a lady friend that has just bought a new dress that is the most ugly thing and unflattering on her, makes her bum look enormous etc. I will not tell her. If someone is proud of a picture they put up on the internet, and it is the most ugly thing and makes the people in it ugly etc. I will not tell them. The other thing is that you are not likely to know much about the person, is he handicapped, learning disabilities, illness, very young? So unless you can build up a bit of "friendship" via a forum like this it is in my opinion better to say nothing.