Penn Camera Photo Critiques- Washington & Baltimore

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About Penn Camera Photo Critiques- Washington & Baltimore

Hello again and welcome to Penn Camera's first open photo critique on Flickr!

The theme for this group is Washington & Baltimore and we are inviting customers and employees to submit images for an open critique.

Photo Critiques are not only about what’s wrong with an image, but also what’s right about an image. They should be as much fun as they should be constructive.

However open photo critiques do require a “thick skin” sometimes. There is nothing quite like feeling immensely proud of an image only to have it picked apart by the masses. A good example of this happened several years ago with me when someone asked me my opinions on a backlit photo of a man running , the shooter was mortified that I didn’t swoon with admiration. Yet all I did was ask him “if he was running why can’t I see his legs, and where is the feeling of motion? It was a bad image, and nothing the shooter said would change my initial reaction. The moral here is; have a thick skin and remember that which is obvious to you may not be so obvious to everyone else.

What makes a good critique?
Simply saying an image “sucks” is not considered acceptable. Rather we want you to tell the photographer (and the audience) what you don’t like about the image in as much POLITE detail as possible. Is it the use of color? is it the exposure or something else that you don’t like? Maybe it's even the subject matter, my point is to be as honest as you can and provide as much information as you feel comfortable providing. Don't forget negative criticisms should NEVER be insulting, but they SHOULD be constructive.

On the flip side, if you do like an image say why you like about it. Remember it’s not only about what’s wrong, but also what's right about an image. As flattering as it is to hear "I love this image". This group is about what makes the image so good. Maybe it's the composition, perhaps how the photographer has incorporated different elements. As you read about other people's images and what they have done right, you may learn things about your own images.

Remember to keep it civil, but above all else try to have fun with this.

Andrew Shippin
(Photogswings)

http://www.penncamera.com