Critique in the image-sharing subforums

[Pieter]

The first photo forum I followed had plenty of women. For the male chauvinists here, maybe that's why it folded. They may have been more interested in photography than in all the other work that maintaining a forum demands. I still follow a few of them on other "boy's club" forums.

Maybe so with forums, but classes and workshops I have attended usually had a female majority.

[rdenney]

The point of image sharing is so that people can see what other people are up to and also because expression is the point of photography.

The point of discussion is to ask questions and get answers in good faith (meaning, asking a question because you want to know not because you want someone else to know.)

The point of teaching is to attain specific learning outcomes by students. I don’t see that in “sharing and discussion” even though more general learning will surely result. Discussion may involve learning but it does not involve teachers seeing it as their duty to de-ignorize others. Unsolicited teaching ends up being a lot like the retired wannabe tradesmen at Home Depot who feel it their calling to give people (often bad) advice about how to fix or build something. Yet I appreciate their answers when I ask. The addition of the often smugly implied “little lady” or “young’un”or “grasshopper” exposes it for what it is, and that is often heard even when it is not stated or intended.

The image sharing forums are for sharing, not teaching. If I see a photo that impresses me for whatever reason, I may ask the person how they did it, or how they saw it or thought of it. If so, it will be because I want to know. And they may tell me. Others might then say how they approach the same thing. That is discussion in the context of sharing.

“Why didn’t you…” or “You could have…” or “I would have…” or “that picture needs…” are not discussion. They are declamations. A person may want them, and if so they can ask for them.

I think we all know the distinction here.

Rick “with a long history of unsolicited declamation” Denney

[Pieter]

There was a gentleman who would post tack-sharp, foreground-to-background in focus, pleasantly composed photos. Straight-on, no dynamic angles--not even really interesting subjects. The lighting was always even, no deep shadows, no bright highlights. Maybe that's the way he liked his photos. Maybe he didn't know any better. Maybe that was how he was taught. Should someone have commented? I sure didn't. If he's happy and was posting to share because he was proud of the images, so be it.

[Tin Can]

"Maybe he didn't know any better."