chiaralily's photostream  

I recently turned off the comments option here on Flickr because I spend so much time (too much, I think) waiting on other people's opinions of my work, instead of just enjoying the process, completing the image and moving on.

Ideally, I'd love to receive constructive criticism so that I can keep improving each time, but most of the comments I receive are either "great work", or just an icon from the group the image was found in, rather than frank appraisals.

Don't get me wrong, I love getting those comments, and hearing that someone likes what I've done is great for my ego...but, as I said above, I think I focus too much on them. I definitely spend way to much time after I've posted an image, checking back to see how many people have viewed it, and how many have taken the time to comment.

I've even deleted images that I've liked, that haven't received many comments because I'd come to the conclusion they mustn't be good.

My head tells me that so long as I like the image, how many others, if any, also like it, shouldn't matter.

So, I turned the comment option off.

Going cold turkey is a little hard though, I must admit.