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Recently, I watched an online show where two photography/Photoshop experts offered “blind photo critiques” on portfolios submitted for that purpose. I was intrigued as this is something I desire for myself – feedback and input on how to improve my images.
For several reasons, my response wasn’t what I expected.
When the episode concentrated on specific suggestions – how a crop would have dramatically improved composition; how darkening the background or foreground would tighten focus on the subject – I found the suggestions extremely helpful. This was critique as I defined it. The photographer agrees to submit their work for review with an open mind, ready to accept and learn from the input provided, whether it is positive or negative. The goal of critique is to educate and mentor – to point out how to improve, what is working, what is not working with concrete examples of how that can be accomplished.
But unfortunately, the critique session also included what I felt were unnecessarily cruel and hurtful comments about certain portfolios – instead of providing specific suggestions on how the work could be improved, the hosts chose to ridicule the subject matter, and by extension the photographer. I was really thrown by this – if leading industry educators would resort to these tactics under the guise of “being tough”, did I really want to participate in such an exercise?
Where is the line between critique, which helps you improve, and derision? Shouldn’t critique provide you with the tools to progress and not simply tear you down?
I was so incensed that I wrote a critical comment response – something completely out of character for a conflict-averse person such as myself.
But even though I deeply disliked the delivery, many of the criticisms hit home. Any photograph not taken during the “golden hours” in beautiful light was completely discounted. As it happens, that would eliminate 98% of my portfolio as being unworthy. I spent the weekend in a funk, with “why-do-I-bother?” repeating itself on a continuous loop in my head.
In an effort to shake things up, I drove to a small picturesque town about thirty minutes away to give myself something “new” to shoot. At first, I was excited by the challenge. But then it hit me – here I was, again, out in the middle of the day when the shadows were harsh, everything was flat and washed out with no beautiful golden light to be found. According to the experts, my efforts were worthless. And that loop started up again. “Why bother?”
Most of the photos from that afternoon were deleted. But a few survived the cut. The image above was one of them. And I realized: I like this shot, harsh light and all. And regardless of what the experts say, I like many of my shots, no matter what the light conditions might have been. Here it was: my own little bit of rebellion against the “rules”.
At the same time, in the true spirit of learning from critique, I am making the effort to go out later in the day - seeking that special light.
And while I do not agree with the way these critiques were handled, I find I still desire critical feedback and input. Because my goal is to improve and grow as a photographer. I will simply seek it elsewhere.
33 Comments
I hear what you’re saying about receiving honest critiques on your work, sometimes I feel that I need those too, but for the most part (for me) its about whether I feel a connection to the image in some way.
I’ve tried shooting in the golden hours and haven’t liked the results. I’m sure I’m not doing it right but as someone who gravitates towards darker more saturated images my favorites are often when it’s overcast or taken in shady conditions.
I think that we all have our unique style which comes through in the way we see things and that through making mistakes and hitting on those magic images from time to time we inevitably improve our skills.
I’m sure others will disagree, but that’s where I’m at on my photograhic journey right now.
27 Mar 2012 07:03 am Kathryn Dyche Dechairo (@Twitter)
Kathryn - I so appreciate your input on this issue, especially knowing that I'm not the only one who doesn't shoot during the golden hours. For some reason, this situation really threw me for a loop - doubting my own work and cycling through that fear that what I am doing is somehow "wrong". Thank you as always for your support and viewpoint - it means the world to me.
27 Mar 2012 07:03 pm Brenda
What a powerful post, Brenda. I have to agree with you that derision is not helpful when it comes to critiquing someone’s work.
I think the key here is that you, the photographer, have to like your work. A young man who is a member of my local photography club was talking about photo contests with other members, including me. He looked at me directly at one point and simply asked, “Do you like that photo you took? Then that is all that matters…not whether it wins a contest…” Up to that point I was berating myself for Not entering the numerous photo contest around our area…somehow I felt “less than” other photographers in that group. But now I know that there are those who love to do that, and they are successful at it.
This journey with a camera teaches us many things doesn’t it? We know we want to continue to learn and improve our craft, yet we also need to learn to love what we create (and therefore also learn to love ourselves a bit more).
I’m glad you rebelled. That you like this photo. That you shared it here.
27 Mar 2012 08:03 am Deborah (@Twitter)
Deb - one has to wonder why it is so easy to feel "less than". And that really is what I was feeling - "less than" all those golden hour photographers who shoot when they are "supposed" to. I think we all go through those comparisons with the work and achievements of others - it's hard not to. But it really does all come back to loving what we do, doesn't it? Thank you for providing your experience and wise words.
27 Mar 2012 07:03 pm Brenda
Well someone as talented as you, Brenda, should not be listening to those negative critics in your head! Yes, some honest feedback can be very useful, but the reality shows have created this nasty style of judging people, some of which is verbal abuse. (Thankfully, not usually heard on DWTS). I agree with Deborah — what is really important is liking our own work.
27 Mar 2012 09:03 am Gina (@Twitter)
Gina - ah, I do my best to ignore that nasty mean girl in my head - just don't always succeed. She and I had a bad week indeed. Writing this post helped - reading the supportive and thoughtful comments helped even more. (On a totally unrelated note: Loving this season of DWTS :)
27 Mar 2012 08:03 pm Brenda
Interesting post. Critique and feedback I’m sure is a helpful thing, but isn’t it meant to be a “teaching” moment-for the one putting their work out there to learn from.
I was a teacher for many years. I was taught, and innately really knew-you have to find the good. Here’s what I like-blah, and blah…and wow you found blah and that’s sort of unexpected. I think your work could be even BETTER is you did whatever and did you ever think about turning this here and getting a blah effect? That would be an effective critique. I suppose too there are times when one must say “this just doesn’t really work”….
You are the master of sunlight and shadows. You bring a unique “voice” to images in the way that you use it and geometrical shapes. I am often just amazed by your work and there are times when I’m out shooting and say aloud (to on one in particular)….Brenda would know how to make this work. You’re innovative-and you don’t neeeeeeedddddd golden hour light to make magic with your images.
I know you weren’t looking for a critique, but there’s a little combat for your self defeating “why do I bother” loop. Take that!
BTW….very cool image. Love those curly Q’s in shadow.
Of course there’s Simon Cowell from past American Idol fame-I like him. He’s honest and his critiques could be very harsh or very favorable-but they were for someone who wanted to be a world-class superstar later to earn millions and millions of dollars. When our images get to that level….I’m ready to hear total harshness or adoration.
Have a great day my friend. Go out and shoot something awesome in the bright light.
27 Mar 2012 11:03 am Susan (@Twitter)
Susan - well, my self-defeating "why bother?" loop has met its match and is now off cowering in the corner! Thank you for your trademark humor and wisdom - I can tell you were a wonderful and inspirational teacher. And yes, what you describe is exactly my understanding of how the process of critique should work. For some reason, the whole situation just really affected me - got me really, really angry over the way the critiques were handled (especially since they were done by people who I previously admired) and then served to make me question my own work. But writing it down here and reading the comments by my amazing, supportive community has made all the difference. Here's to light - of whatever color or time of day!
27 Mar 2012 08:03 pm Brenda
Firstly, I think your image is beautiful. I love the patterns and shadows and the lovely warm tones.
I know what you mean about critiques – I didn’t watch the video you talk about but from others I’ve seen across the internet there seems to be a fine line between construction criticism and derision that is crossed a little too often. I’m certaintly not ready for that sort of feedback and so haven’t put my stuff out there although, like you, I would like to improve my technical skills.
On the other hand, I think photography is an art form and, as Deborah says, liking your own work is the most important part of that. I think all photography ‘rules’ are there to be broken. Experimentation is a great part of learning but ultimately you need to stay true to yourself.
27 Mar 2012 02:03 pm Becs (@Twitter)
Becs - thank you for weighing in. Writing this post was primarily about getting my feelings down so that I could move beyond them. Most of the time, I do like my work and recognize that I have a unique viewpoint to share. But every so often, something like this comes along that knocks me off my feet. It's a good thing that rules are made to be broken since I seem to be doing my share of rule-breaking. :)
27 Mar 2012 08:03 pm Brenda
Susan said it for me in her third paragraph. Midday sun and hard shadows WORK for you. You are an artist, and they are your materials. You love them and they love you back! And I (and many others of your fans) love the results.
Everyone has an opinion. For every expert with an opinion, you can usually find another expert who espouses the opposite. Be your rebel self, Brenda. Please.
27 Mar 2012 06:03 pm Lee (@Twitter)
Lee - it would seem that after all these years of conflict-aversion and rule-following, photography has turned me into a rebel :) I guess since you asked so nicely, I'll keep doing my thing.
27 Mar 2012 09:03 pm Brenda
I am always worried about my photos. Are they good enough, what do other’s think? Then I remember photography is an art. Art is created from the heart. If I like what I do and if you like what you do then we are artists!! I love your work. I don’t think it would be near as powerful without the light and shadows that mid day brings!
27 Mar 2012 09:03 pm Cathy H. (@Twitter)
Cathy - oh, I think we all have those misgivings about "is this good enough?" I worry about repeating myself - afraid I'm doing the same thing over and over and will eventually bore you all to tears :) I have been going out later in the day - having fun exploring the shadows that come in the late afternoon/early evening - trying my hand at that golden light.
29 Mar 2012 09:03 pm Brenda
Really interesting thoughts on critique. A blog that I follow- http://www.momtriedit.net/ does a critique blog hop thing, where photographers critique each other- the idea being something positive then a suggested improvement followed by something positive. I haven’t participated or really had a good look at it but it might be worth a look if you’re interested in some feedback. I think the tricky thing with any sort of critique is that it really is just someone’s opinion. And I think a photo of anything can be interpreted many different ways and how we individually see it is unique to our eye & a good thing I think.
I really like the shapes & the shadows in your photo, nicely done.
27 Mar 2012 10:03 pm Leanne (@Twitter)
Leanne - thanks for the link to the "critique blog hop" - something I haven't heard about and will definitely check out. I think what I found so disappointing about these critique sessions is that they were done by industry experts and leading educators - you would think they would understand that the primary purpose of the critique process is to educate. Otherwise, it is just an opinion and their words can be ignored. Thanks for weighing in with your thoughts on this tricky subject.
29 Mar 2012 09:03 pm Brenda
I have a lot of experience – for better or worse – with ‘critiques’…and I have to say that I’ve learned to regard it as ‘one person’s opinion’.
What I think – is that rules are made to be broken…and that ‘art’ comes from the heart..and unless the person who’s offering up the critique understands where the ‘artist’ is coming from – he/she has no right to have any sort of opinion whatsoever.
So – good for you for enjoying your work..and loving what you do. To me – that’s what makes an artist create art. And – I love this image – the wrought iron..the shadows..the exquisite bright light!
28 Mar 2012 07:03 am Marcie (@Twitter)
Marcie - I have always had a tendency to put experts up on a pedastel and give them too much power. So this was difficult - listening to people who have very large footprints in the industry approaching the critque process in the manner they did. I had to work my way through some very strong emotions which affected the way I saw my own work. But the good thing was - I did end up here, proud of what I do and have done. Thanks for your wisdom and continued support.
29 Mar 2012 09:03 pm Brenda
Brenda,
I had not heard about these photo critiques until I read your post. After watching the episode, I must say I agree with you that some of the comments were petty and unhelpful. Beyond that, I think there was a lack of sensitivity to the fact that the “average jo” or “joe” photographer doesn’t have the time and other resources to achieve calendar-quality images.
One of the things I appreciate most about your images is that you have discovered several types of subjects that appeal to you, and you steadily work on perfecting both initial exposure and post-processing so that your images end up being works of art. Your subject matter and preferred shooting time may be unconventional, but your finished photos demonstrate that both work very well for you. As a result, you have a diverse and compelling portfolio—you should be (and I’m sure you are) proud of it.
Extending your photographic experience to the “golden hour” or whatever other challenge you might decide to take on will, IMHO, be as successful as what you’ve already done because you quite simply have an eye for both light and image.
Best of all for your fans (I’m one!), you generously share detailed descriptions of how you accomplish many of your techniques so we can experiment with them on our own images. Lastly, if I can judge by the comments you leave on my blog, you go out of your way to provide constructive comments and encouragement regardless of where a person is on their photographic journey.
You go, girl!
29 Mar 2012 05:03 pm Wanda (@Twitter)
Wanda - I'm glad you shared my reaction to the critiques. I agree - not all of us have the desire to be professionals but that doesn't mean we don't want to improve our work and that we don't deserve thoughtful consideration from the powers-that-be. I have to smile at the thought that my work is "unconventional" (which I know it is) because I am a rule-follower extraordinaire by nature. Perhaps photography is my late-blooming teenage rebellion.
And thank you so much for your kind words about my work. It is so gratifying to know that sharing my instructions is helpful to you and that my words can be an inspiration.
30 Mar 2012 09:03 am Brenda
Please, please, please don’t let the “experts” change the style of your work!
Even helpful critiques need not be followed. They may not reflect your vision.
You use the harsh light of mid-day to create interesting shadows, which are an essential part of the image. You are focusing on the graphic aspect of the scene.
I agree that constructive critique of one’s work is useful, and hard to find. Even the best, though, is subjective.
I participate in a couple of the critique forums at .
I find the people gentle in their critiques. There may be a couple of forums there that your images would fit into.
30 Mar 2012 07:03 am Anita Bower (@Twitter)
Anita - I think I'm stuck with my style, for better or worse! Thanks for the reminder that all feedback, positive and negative, is subjective. And I can choose to listen to or ignore it, in whatever way it helps my work. I would be interested in more info about your critique forums - can you email me the info? I appreciate it.
30 Mar 2012 09:03 am Brenda
The forum url didn’t make it into my comment. Sorry.
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/forum.php
30 Mar 2012 11:03 am Anita Bower (@Twitter)
Hi, Brenda, In my travels through life, I’ve come to learn that a really good critique engages..it creates food for thought, ideas to build on, opportunities to explore. I’ve experienced the other kind – belittling or mocking – nothing good comes of that. You are so right to rebel! I love it that you did. Me, I find your photography compelling and exhilarating. You have such a strong vision. Thank you for staying true to it – it inspires.
30 Mar 2012 09:03 pm Juli (@Twitter)
Juli - yes, I think we agree on what good critique should include and those qualities were certainly missing from this example. I really let it get to me though - giving in to that idea that I would never measure up and somehow deserved that derision. That I had failed. But I think I've come out on the other side - realizing that those voices only have the power that I give to them.
31 Mar 2012 01:03 pm Brenda
Brenda, I read this post with great interest. I’m studying – long distance – for a photography degree and we’d be criticised if we did take typical ‘golden hour’ photos. Yours are actually much more in line with the kind of thing they’re looking for. It’s horses for courses, and I learned not to take anything too much to heart the hard way. One of my assignments was pulled to pieces by my tutor in a very untactful and insensitive way. I didn’t pick up a camera for six weeks, and it took me the best part of a year to get my confidence back. Later, the same assignment was marked by a different tutor and they had completely opposing opinions on each photograph (although the overall assessment was similar). Once you get past the technical issues, it becomes very subjective. I now rely on some trusted and well-informed student friends for my feedback; I know they’ll be honest with me and give me constructive suggestions in a supportive and sensitive way.
If you want to see the opposing views on my photos, the link is here: http://gilly-walker.com/2011/07/art-subjective-heres-the-proof/ And I like this quote from Frank A Clark: “Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a [wo]man’s growth without destroying his roots.”
I’ve just discovered your blog (through Kat Sloma’s site) and will be back to read more – I love your photos.
01 Apr 2012 11:04 am Gilly (@Twitter)
Gilly - first of all, welcome to my little corner of the web. So happy to have you here and hope you will stop back often.
And thank you for sharing your direct experience with critique and how devastating it can be if done with such insensitivity. I am glad you were able to recover from that blow - just sorry that you spent so much time away from your camera as a result of one person's negative and cruel words. But your experience certainly gives credence to what everyone has been saying here - that even so-called experts/teachers will widely differ in their assessment - which brings it right back to the fact that it is all subjective and really nothing more than one person's opinion. And therefore, we can take it or leave it.
I am starting to believe that the only opinion that matters is my own.
01 Apr 2012 07:04 pm Brenda
Well, I loved this! And I agree wholeheartedly. I am also a jewelry artist and take a metals class and my instructor is very well known and my work is NO where remotely in the same universe with hers in every aspect especially technique…but I often find and take with a grain of salt the instructors/critiques really base things off of their personal taste. I have seen images that may have been all techinical in rule of thirds etc. that missed the point of the image because of it. And I have seen images that were not techinically correct that moved my soul….so in your last reply to the commenter before me…”I am starting to believe that the only opinion that matters is my own”…you bet!! Because the minute that we stray from our own authenticity is the moment our work ceases to be our own.
03 Apr 2012 02:04 pm Kim Stevens (@Twitter)
Kim - thank you for joining in on this discussion and adding your experiences with feedback and critique. It has been so helpful to gather the input of other artists who have dealt with this question and take strength from their combined wisdom. I think I have been looking for outside validation instead of relying on my own inner resources. But as you say, that is the "moment our work ceases to be our own".
03 Apr 2012 04:04 pm Brenda
Almost forgot….I love the photo! But I love shadows!
03 Apr 2012 02:04 pm Kim Stevens (@Twitter)
Ha! Well I guess I’m out of luck too since during the workweek I’ve usually only got my 30min lunch break to shoot. Still, I know what you mean; I find myself taking my lunch at 2 lately just so I can get a slightly lower sun. Great post and shot to match Brenda!
03 Apr 2012 04:04 pm Christopher (@Twitter)
Christopher - Ha! Another "shoot-during-the-middle-of-the-day" photographer! How dare you break one of the cardinal rules of photography - no matter what the excuse :) The thing is - I simply adore your work - golden hour or not. You have such a gift, regardless of the time of day. Thank you for providing definitive proof that the experts are wrong - great shots can indeed be taken during all hours of the day.
03 Apr 2012 04:04 pm Brenda
I love the photo and I hope you always keep breaking “the rules.”
07 Apr 2012 07:04 pm Lisa Ahn (@Twitter)
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