On-line group critique thread ideas?

[Alan Klein]

Include the title of the picture in the title of the thread so we can find it easier in the future.

[Alan Klein]

Example: Thread Title: "Critique Monday - Jan 30, 2023 - "Harbor Boats"

In the first post include the picture: "Scan of 8x10 print." or let's say: "Scan of 4x5 negative." Photo by Alan Klein

Any other ideas?

[Bernice Loui]

Very Luke warm fan of image critique as an artistic learning tool or aid.. critique tends to result in uniformity and conformity to the group's expectations, standards and ... Or the tendency to flatten individual artistic expression.

There was an interview some time ago with one of the musical youth talents on "From The Top"
https://www.youtube.com/@fromthetop

Youth musical talent said, "music instructor presented me with a new work to learn then perform, I was not allowed to listen to any recordings of this piece of music and must make it my own".. Music instructor said you've done and learned all the fundamentals and foundations for your musical journey, now it is time for you to take those skills, foundation fundamentals and use them to present and express this work as your own..

Personal take on creative-expressive image making is much identical, take the time to study, learn, understand what has been done over the centuries of visual arts be they paintings, sculpture and much more. Then ask how can what has proven to be effective means of expression, then formulate them into my creative expression.. Ask, how can one give voice to any given image subject or noun..


Bernice

When I taught photography, we had a weekly critique set up in a hallway. The image was not signed and the student/staff member was not identified. The print was simply titled with a date. Everyone was asked to critique the print for quality, technique, imagery and overall impression. The person selecting the print was a third party in another department who simply chose one from the pile. Is this something that could be done here on-line?

Thoughts?

My input
- image size would be specified as no larger than xx X xx.
- Negatives would be from a large format camera
- B/W or color is acceptable
- All commentary should be respectful and constructive. Simply saying "I like it" or "I wouldn't have shot this" aren't in those categories. Typical commentaries are things like "I enjoy the image. The lighting was especially interesting. I would have cropped a bit from the right hand side to balance the overall image. Did you consider using a filter to increase image contrast? The image looks a bit underdeveloped. I would have tilted the front a bit to correct for DOF in order to get a more powerful image"
- The photographer does not respond
- A user or group of users/admins would be the ones posting the images.

[BKP]

I feel that if you are seeking an honest critique of your print it should not be signed. Among my favorite photographers is "Photographer Unknown" . I have sold many prints and signed zero. Partly because I'm ashamed of my terrible hand writing and partly because of my old school belief that a painting gets signed on the painting and a photo is signed on the back. One of my clients had a 40x50 wall print made of one of my b/w negatives. It was beautiful, he wanted me to sign it after it was on the wall. I refused politely. Didn't want to hurt it. I also don't make two prints exactly the same of the same negative (Negatives shot by me for personal use).
Years ago at a brother's wedding I was looking at a nice litho print, signed, and my father (Who sold many of his oil paintings, signed with O.K.) approached me. I asked him what he thought of this abstract piece. He looked at the lower right corner and said " I don't want to look that sh**. He's a communist. That was his critique. The work is innocent, beauty is beauty. That's just me. It's hard to find the place where you say o-kay that's it. Because it always can be better. It's easy to become my own worst enemy. Especially today with the cost fiber paper.

[Alan Klein]

Very Luke warm fan of image critique as an artistic learning tool or aid.. critique tends to result in uniformity and conformity to the group's expectations, standards and ... Or the tendency to flatten individual artistic expression.

There was an interview some time ago with one of the musical youth talents on "From The Top"
https://www.youtube.com/@fromthetop

Youth musical talent said, "music instructor presented me with a new work to learn then perform, I was not allowed to listen to any recordings of this piece of music and must make it my own".. Music instructor said you've done and learned all the fundamentals and foundations for your musical journey, now it is time for you to take those skills, foundation fundamentals and use them to present and express this work as your own..

Personal take on creative-expressive image making is much identical, take the time to study, learn, understand what has been done over the centuries of visual arts be they paintings, sculpture and much more. Then ask how can what has proven to be effective means of expression, then formulate them into my creative expression.. Ask, how can one give voice to any given image subject or noun..


Bernice

I agree with much of what you say. It probably will create uniformity of expression and work. Photographers begin to create as other people expect rather than trying new things that might be rejected. Am I following the "rules"?

[Alan Klein]

I feel that if you are seeking an honest critique of your print it should not be signed. Among my favorite photographers is "Photographer Unknown" . I have sold many prints and signed zero. Partly because I'm ashamed of my terrible hand writing and partly because of my old school belief that a painting gets signed on the painting and a photo is signed on the back. One of my clients had a 40x50 wall print made of one of my b/w negatives. It was beautiful, he wanted me to sign it after it was on the wall. I refused politely. Didn't want to hurt it. I also don't make two prints exactly the same of the same negative (Negatives shot by me for personal use).
Years ago at a brother's wedding I was looking at a nice litho print, signed, and my father (Who sold many of his oil paintings, signed with O.K.) approached me. I asked him what he thought of this abstract piece. He looked at the lower right corner and said " I don't want to look that sh**. He's a communist. That was his critique. The work is innocent, beauty is beauty. That's just me. It's hard to find the place where you say o-kay that's it. Because it always can be better. It's easy to become my own worst enemy. Especially today with the cost fiber paper.

I'm not famous enough to sign my work.

[Maris Rusis]

Critiques can be illuminating if well ordered, well reasoned, well justified, and unfailingly polite. Polite as if the critic typed them wearing new white gloves.
Two things to avoid: A critic's account of their visceral response to a work is not a critique of the work but rather of themselves. In the same vein ban forever the dreaded "like"; too cheap, too trivial.

[h2oman]

Partly because I'm ashamed of my terrible hand writing

You are not alone there!

In the same vein ban forever the dreaded "like"

I would also ban "I would have..." (yes, there is some irony in this statement!). Anything stated that way could be rephrased as something like "The image might benefit from a bit more contrast."

I think Bernice's point is well taken, but the flip side is someone like me, who has no one available in person to just "talk photography" with. Online is my only option for a meaningful conversation about any of my work. I used to meet weekly with a friend, where we would share and discuss out photographs, but he is now 95 and losing interest in life in general.

[Tin Can]

Guilty as charged

Like it or not, often our only feedback

I prefer a 'Like!' over deafening silence

Critiques can be illuminating if well ordered, well reasoned, well justified, and unfailingly polite. Polite as if the critic typed them wearing new white gloves.
Two things to avoid: A critic's account of their visceral response to a work is not a critique of the work but rather of themselves. In the same vein ban forever the dreaded "like"; too cheap, too trivial.

[John Layton]

In inviting criticism, I sometimes find it useful to post images which I have trouble warming up to but have not yet given up on, and will freely admit this in the post - which lets responders off of the "I really like that image" hook, and can instead open some doors for more meaningful discussion.