Oh there I go again with the dirty talk ( is there an emoticon with rolling eyes? ).
Photo critique is a big-girl-panty-wearing activity.
Luckily this is not a forum where people are posting their photos and asking for critique because I’m petty sure there would be a lot of gnashing of teeth and “goodbye cruel forum!” posts.
When you start posting your work publicly, you take a risk. Sort of. Clear as mud, today, aren’t I?
Here’s what I think. When you start sharing your photos and asking for critique – risk taking should not be involved. You should not be waiting impatiently for responses all the while chanting “please like it, please like it, please like it.” You should be saying “please critique it, please critique it, please critique it.” And you should expect and desire to hear nit-picky details about your work that needs improvement.
You should not have an expectation that everyone will gush all over it and tell you how brilliant it is. Sure, it’s nice when that happens, but it will take a LONG time for that to happen. Trust me.
Although I have created award-winning photographs that I’m extremely proud of, there is something wrong with each and every one of them. If there comes a day when I show a photograph and ask for critique and get nothing but positive comments, then I would expect that image to score a 100 in image competition.
100s are RARE. The highest score I’ve ever gotten was an 88. I have plenty of room for improvement and will be able to detect when someone is either blowing smoke up my you-know-what or doesn’t really have the skills to do a proper critique.
I have a small group of trusted photography peers and mentors that can be counted on to give me a “gut check” as my friend Jill says. I know, without a doubt, they will be giving me solid critique. There will be no BS involved. Yep, we’re friends, but they are going to tell me what I NEED to hear.
That’s what you want; mentors & peers who will tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you WANT to hear.
Now, let me also clear something up. Critique is a positive activity, where needed improvements to your work should be noted as well as strong points. Critique is not “this sucks, this is not good.” Hello? What the heck? What are you supposed to do with that? Critique is supposed to be a helpful activity. Critique will help you become a better photographer.
So what’s up with all the big girl panty talk?
Critique can be painful. And it probably WILL be painful. But only in the beginning,
In the beginning, you are new, you are full of passion and energy and you are sure you got THE. SHOT. You excitedly show it to your BFF. She swoons with the pure magnificence of it. Your mother is indeed Very. Very. Proud. You confidently enter it in competition and wait for the judges’ comments, only to hear “This image has good impact and story-telling and the posing is well done, however, there is a slight underexposure and color cast that is hurting this image. I’d also like to see the composition not so centered and utilizing the rule of thirds for increased impact. I would have suggested a background more in key with the subject’s clothing or vice versa.”
You are devastated. You LOVE the image, the client LOVES the image, your BFF swooned with delight and your mother is building a commemorative altar in your honor. The judge is obviously an idiot and doesn’t know art. “Art is subjective,” you say as you collect your images and stomp out of the print exhibit.
So what happened?
You were emotionally tied to your image. You were emotionally invested in your work and you could not objectively look at it and see that there were slight things wrong with it here and there. And when it was pointed out to you, you lost it. You took the critique personally.
This is how it will be in the beginning. You will need to put on the BG panties and close your mouth while you are receiving critique. You will need to thank the person for their time (and MEAN it!) and graciously and politely interact with them. Take a small notepad and pen with you and write down what the person says so you can refer to it later. You will not be able to remember it all and you’ll probably be so angry that you will fail to remember everything that was said. Save the hissy fit for when you are alone.
The above example critique is, in fact, a good critique. There is nothing personal in any of the statements. The comments had to do with the work itself and were not a reflection on the maker (that’s fancy-talk for “photographer”).
It will just take you awhile to learn to accept and embrace critique, but until you are at that point, chill out and play it cool, ok?
Another word of advice: Do NOT offer up photos of your own children or grandchildren for critique until you are comfortable with receiving critique. You will take these comments EXTRA personal and your feelings will be hurt, so just don’t put yourself in that position.
In conclusion – you need to decide if you want critique that will help you improve as a photographer or if you want gushing and pats on the butt from adoring fans. If you want to improve, find yourself a skilled professional group of colleagues & mentors. If you just want to show off your work and hear compliments about it, then show it off to people who don’t really know any better and will tell you what you want to hear.