Well, what a great post! I for one love to get what I will call constructive comments. I am not a professional photographer. I have had no formal training. I want to learn. I have had a few comments that make suggestions that would improve the image and I truly appreciate those people sharing their knowledge with me. These comments were made to in as suggestions, not critisizms. I have learned so much on this site because of the comments I receive and because of the opportunity to look at so much wonderful work. So I say bring it on, just be nice.

i think constructive advice is great. it frustrates me on the receiving end only when it involves PS techniques (or is suggested in technical language) that i don’t understand or know how to do, as i’m also completely self taught and frankly a bit learning-challenged. on the giving end, i have once or twice suggested a closer cropping or such, but am also of the thought (a) who am I to give advice? and (b) will this person be offended? as to the latter, perhaps it is wiser to send a bubblemail if one is concerned about the possibility of offending publicly. just a thought.

I also believe that it’s how it’s presented that makes a difference. I have had very rude comments practically ordering me to change something about a photo in which case I dig my heels in harder and won’t budge, after all it is just their opinion of what my art should look like, sometimes the ‘style’ of my photos aren’t spot on technically but that was because in ‘correcting’ , it took away from the emotion I was trying to convey. However many times I have had it put to me very nicely and I take it into consideration. In some instances I will leave the original up to keep the feeling I wanted from it, but also will rework the photo to the specifications suggested and post that one as well for those that might like that one better.
If you ever have any suggestions on my work, Glenn, feel free to share your ideas with me. From the comments I have already received from you, I know I won’t be offended by whatever you have to say :)
(great topic btw)

My opinion on this is ……..well……..in the middle.
I personally would not mind critisism. The good, bad and the ugly.
I am here and other photography web sites not just to sell and hopefully get my name out there but to most of all learn. I have had some personal experience with some pretty harsh words about my work that I had to really take a step back and decide……hmm…is this persons opinion important to me?
I always appreciate all the wonderful comments left on my images but honestly can’t help but think, “Are they just being nice?”
I for one can take it! I want to hear it. I don’t care if it’s a comment on the image or a private bubblemail. I am here to learn. I want to learn. I want to know what I could do better. I am here to improve. To me it doesn’t matter if it’s a new photographer or an accomplished, published one. Everybody has an opinion that’s worthy of me hearing. I would rather have true honest comments rather than “Nice Job!” Which I admit sometime I leave too.
There is only so much time in the day. LOL!
What I would like to know most of all is how my images, especially my collage type images, make you feel.
Glenn, anytime. You can give me honesty anyday!
(sorry for the novel)

I forgot to add that not everybody can “Take It” so I would suggest only leaving critisism for those who’ve asked or said it was cool to do that. (I’ve overstepped my boundaries and got the online “YELL” before.)

Thanks Glenn for a great subject.

Personally, I favour the BM route if I have anything to say concerning Critique. I always state that “Please don’t be offended but looking at something with a fesh pair of eyes can sometime reap rewards” kinda speech and as long as it does’nt turn into a lecture on technique, I don;t seem to get any bother. I very seldom critcise, after all, who the hell am I to pass judgement on peoples’ Art?

great topic glenn
im basically all for improving, on this site tho, i think suggestions are best in a bubblemail.

lets say someone likes your work..they LOVE it, they are thinking about buying it. then they read down to comments, and start seeing what “another would do”, they start thinking twice about buying, because what was once just right for them..now isnt, they probably wouldnt have even thought about a crop or level adjustment if they had not seen someone mention it (probably dont have a clue of what a level adjustment is)
its that power of suggestion thing, as long as no one says there’s something “wrong”, the person doesnt really see it as “wrong”

photography and art, have such broad spectrums, who is to say..a shot is to be cropped, maybe the photographer wanted that in there. i know when i look thru my viewfinder on my camera i already know that twig is there, so i dont feel the comment….clone it out..is acceptable, i saw the twig, i incorporated the twig into the shot, so why clone? see what i mean?

now some, might not shoot as i do, i go for the four corners, if the rule of thirds is follwed, fine, its not a written in stone rule, just what some Think is the proper way to shoot. i can say i have tried to follow that rule, it ruined my creativity of the shot
and im with judith on the PS suggestions, i dont even own PS , much less want it, so why give me a technique that means nothing to me? i feel a program ends up as a crutch for some..NOT all. and im not knocking PS, i have seen some amazing work created with it, just as ive seen some work..totally overdone with it. so who is right? or who is wrong? and yes, ive been thru countless conversations about PS being the “darkroom”, well if you set your camera right, and play with different settings, your camera is already the darkroom ( in my opinion)

and that cliche of “what i would do” personally i cant stand that comment, my first and only reaction is..well cmon and take the shot, so you can do it your way, because i shot it My way.
so..to answer the question at hand
one can offer me tips for my Next Shot, the one being talked about is already done, it is a form of history, but id prefer it to be in private, then out in the open
great thread!

well, I would not mind hearing the truth, however I think that the way it should be handled is to leave it in a bubble mail that way you don’t offend the people who don’t want it out there for the public to read. personally, If I don’t really like something that someone else has done I just don’t leave feedback so I don’t run the risk of hurting someone’s feelings. i think as you get to know people you will know who you can give constructive feedback to, ya know? by the way, I’m one of them.

Hi Glenn, you have bought up a great topic!…you ask….”Would it be considered rude or impolite to comment on someones work and then to add or suggest a change to improve the image if you were to explain why those changes might help?”

In my case, I’m not a professional photographer nor have a degree in the arts, so for me to make a suggested change to an image would be only from my own very personal point of view and maybe no one elses! lol So in that respect, I think it would be impolite of me to do so. If I truly believed I could help an image to improve by making a suggestion, I might send a bubblemail to see what they thought as well. I know I would like to have a chat with someone over my images this way! ;-)
As for technical attributes of an image e.g. crop, perspective, rule of thirds, depth of field, etc etc, I have seen so many images here that break those “rules” and yet are so pleasing to the eye! Well mine anyway….Beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder!
There have been times when someone asks for a particular point of view on their images eg “Do you prefer the colour or the black and white” and of course I will give it. After all they did ask! Lol

Well Glen, My opinion on this is that I think its very much so ok to leave a suggestion or ect. It doesnt bother me in the least, and being that I am still very much so in the learning mode of things, I appreciate them very much. I think that there is a right way of approaching someone on the subject, but personally, doesnt bother me at all. I actually welcome it. I have saw on numerous occassions on other sites where people can sometimes be rude, or others just get outright mad, so maybe I would be careful exactly how I went about it, but I do think its ok to do so. Keeping in mind this is just MY PERSONAL OPINION. I have had several people leave me comments on what they think maybe would have been better, and again, I sincerely appreciate it. Whether or not I may or may not agree is one thing, but knowing that they took the time to really look at my work to even come to the conclusion that they did is really nice in my opinion. Again, you will run across some of those of whom will appreciate it. I would assume most would, but then again, there will always be some that could possibly take offense. Maybe its a personal call. Not sure. I think this is a wonderful piece and well written. Something I truly think each of us should consider. You have a wonderful New Year!!!!!!!!!!
Bonita