Suggestion Photography - Critique Forum

[HowardE]

Hi.

I know some other forums (who shall remain nameless) have a critique section, where people can post their pictures, and get honest feedback and perhaps some pointers on how to improve their shots.

Most of the time - on SB when people post photos, it's mostly a praisefest. Not that there's anything wrong with that... but some people may want to hear what they can do better, etc. At the moment, there isn't really an appropriate place to post photos that people are wanting critique, and it's hard to ask for that under the UW Photography forum, where it's mostly just a place for people to SHARE photos (which is also fine)

I would expect that the rules for the sub-forum would include politeness as a key factor, since on some other forums, people just overly criticize, without being constructive.

So - in conclusion... a sub-forum for UW Photo Critique - constructive and polite critique or praise whatever the case may be...

What do you guys think?

 

[Jcsgt]

Great idea, Howard! I always welcome tips on how to improve, either on how to make a better photo originally or digital darkroom advice.

 

[Jamdiver]

I'd be open to it, I think it'd work well on SB.
I've seen similiar subforums on other sites and I think it would serve a valuable purpose here .

 

[archman]

Yes, it is a good idea... for underwater photographers. I'm thinking of the entire ScubaBoard in general. The place has become a organizational nightmare for viewers and moderators. Would this subforum really fill in a critical gap not found in an existing forum?

I definitely sympathize regarding rude and inappropiate posts to a thread. That's a trend that's picked up on this board of late. I think that's more to do with the fact that SB viewership keeps going up, but the ability to effectively moderate the increasing content can't keep pace.

It's easier for moderators to screen *polite content* when there are fewer forums to navigate. Even though the post count is identical for us, the extra hassle of back-checking the appropriateness of increasingly narrow-topical threads, and moving back and forth within those forums, is time consuming. Meaning that overall, fewer threads and postings are screened by an individual mod.

But yeah, a new subforum could certainly be created. And if it doesn't generate suitable traffic and/or fill a gap not covered by other forums, it can always be yanked. We actually have over half a dozen subforums that fit this bill at present, . Probably more like a dozen, actually. Nobody likes to clean.

 

[HowardE]

archman... are you speaking for yourself, or for "team green"?? Is your opinion personal, or are others involved in a discussion about this?

 

[Jcsgt]

Actually, I'm not sure it actually fits into the other subforums. The ones I have perused through generally include images which the photographer wants to simply share with fellow SB'ers. I have not seen anything where photos are specifically posted for critique/improvement input.

If the mods think having a new sub-forum would be problematic, then let's allow them to state this opinion.

 

[alcina]

Although I like the idea in theory, what I see happen is this

1) people don't post their photos there because, although they do want to hear what they could improve on, they also want to hear what they did right and this can sometimes get lost as ppl only take time to post helpful advice

2) people don't respond because
a) they don't feel they are in a place in their own photography to be able to contribute adequately
b) they aren't confident in their own visions
c) they don't want to offend

3) people don't post there because it's too much hassle to post images in two places and now they aren't sure which area they really want to post in.
There are so many more but I'm going diving.

(and this is exactly what has happened on other forums, imho...I also drop hints in the other forums that the sections should be combined or the "rules" relaxed to allow guidance when it is asked for...but it's very hard to undo something)

I am adamently against this split. It has, as far as I am concerned, very much negatively impacted another photo area I visit. I hate that setup.

Much better IMHO to simply either put "please offer ideas" in the thread OR as arch said insert C&C into the title - that way those that was to simply say well done can, those that want to offer something a bit more precisely helpful can. We can still have a sticky on C&C rules and etiquette.

I'd vote we try it this way first. I learned so much so fast from the other forum when it was set up as above. Now that it's split I don't learn as much as quickly and I see newer photographers not getting the same great interation I got.

 

[BurBunny]

What about using the existing "Tips and Techniques" sub-forum in u/w photography? Just slightly re-title the description and it's the perfect place. It can be for sharing your tips or asking for input on photos. No real need for a second sub-forum further dividing the posts in my mind.

 

[archman]

What about using the existing "Tips and Techniques" sub-forum in u/w photography? Just slightly re-title the description and it's the perfect place. It can be for sharing your tips or asking for input on photos. No real need for a second sub-forum further dividing the posts in my mind.

I think Tips and Techniques is specifically wrapped around the idea of giving out more general advice to photographers, rather than specifically addressing how someone's particular photos could be improved upon. For the latter situation, this would envision what are essentially unique critiques, since photos are unique objects themselves. It might be construed that highly tailored "tips" of this sort don't efficiently help other viewers, other than the person submitting the pic(s) and the people giving the feedback.

I don't see why the existing UW photography main forum would be less appropriate for this sort of thing. One of the functions of *main forums* is to serve as catch nets for threads that don't have subforums for them. Unless there is the possibility for "Critique my Pics!" threads being submitted fairly regularly/often, then such threads are supposed to be in the main forum.

After all, it's quantity of threads that's the #1 purpose for creating discussion-based subforums. Information-dissemination subforums like Tips & Techniques aren't supposed to get a lot of new thread postings, but rather act more in the encylopedia role, consisting of few postings of comparatively high quality and long term viewing availability. In many ways, they're more like stickies... in fact many discussion boards place such threads as stickies within more general-topic forums.

 

[clgsamson]

C'mon, give it a try, put it up for a week "Critique my pic". I like to learn more...

ps - Diver dude contest contest subforum seems to be dead...

 

[alcina]

It might be construed that highly tailored "tips" of this sort don't efficiently help other viewers, other than the person submitting the pic(s) and the people giving the feedback.

Hopefully this isn't the case. I learn not only by looking at other people's photographs, but also by reading what reactions said photographs generate.

After all, it's quantity of threads that's the #1 purpose for creating discussion-based subforums.)

How about we do this: If you want feedback on how to improve or what works or what to try next time or tips on that photo - put C&C in the subject at the front: C&C ray from Saturday's dive or C&C - my blues look off or C&C - how to get better focus

Or just ASK in your thread with the photo - I took this yesterday and I like it but it seems a little awkward. Any advice? or Please tell me what works for you in this shot or what things I need to work on

Let's see how it works in the main forum. If it generates so much use and is beneficial it may warrant it's own sub-forum in the future. I'll even volunteer to move all the C&C threads to the new area IF it's created.

Seem reasonable?