Confused......

CopeImages

CopeImages

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Guy Cope
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Not sure if this is the right forum for this but it's not "off-topic" and does apply to all of the specific photo sharing forums so I guessed here was the right place. Please feel free to move it if I've got it wrong mods. Thanks Guy

Was sat here wondering today after reading another post entitled something along the lines of:

"Not my best shot but here it is anyway........."

It struck me that there's a great many posts started with this kind of statement which I myself find slightly bizarre and wondered if others felt the same.

On a public forum and one aimed at increasing the popularity amongst and the knowledge base of both amateur and professional photographers why would you post up a shot that you yourself admit is not that good.... :shrug:

It would seem highly appropriate if you were seeking critique etc, but to just pretty much say "it's rubbish but have a look anyway just in case you're interested in viewing rubbish even though I can take better shots" seems very strange to me.

It becomes even more of a worry when the number of posts on TP is growing to such an extent that clicking on "New Posts" means you have several pages to trawl through to view only about 60 minutes of actual real-time forum activity. :bang:

Apart from the obvious forum overload issues, does it not somewhat devalue what some of us do professionally and some of us aspire to do professioanally...???

I don't want to stifle newbies from posting on the site, that's the last thing I'd want to see, but I'd love to see people bettering themselves by only showing work they're proud of and not the stuff that they admit in their own words is "sub-standard".

Just a "ponder" as I scoffed my sandwich today.........

Guy
 
I sometimes want to put on my crap shots just to see where I went wrong, that's the whoel reason I joined this forum to see where I was going wrong and improving on it (which I felt I have done). I will post work that's sub standard as that's my usual standard and hopefully people will go, okay, this is what you need to do to improve this. Other times, I want to put my stuff on to show off :LOL:
 
See where you are coming from, but how can we all improve if we dont post shots were not happy with, this is a good way to learn, if we only post are best we would learn nothing. just my opinion.
 
Hmm, I posted a couple of shots in the macro section today that I knew weren't that good and I stated that. At the end of the thread though, I came away with some extra knowledge so to me it was worth it. Also, sometimes it's good to have something you already know confirmed by someone else. :shrug:
 
I post rubbish shots if I don't understand why it has come out rubbish and then ask for advise what I did wrong. I always then try to go out with the comments in mind and get another shot much the same and see if it has improved. Just my way of learning I suppose :)

I do like to also post my good shots though aswell :)
 
All valid points folks and I'm not arguing the "I want to learn" posts as I stated, it's just the ones that seem to say "Not my best but look anyway" and don't even ask for feedback :thinking:

Also I think there's a distinct difference between knowing a shot could be better and seeking advice to improve it rather than just posting up a shot for reasons unbeknown to anyone.

Guy
 
Ah I see - maybe they're covering their backs :D
 
CopeImages said:
All valid points folks and I'm not arguing the "I want to learn" posts as I stated, it's just the ones that seem to say "Not my best but look anyway" and don't even ask for feedback :thinking:

Guy
Click to expand...

I think it was established a while back that, unless posted in the Fluffy kittens forum, all pictures posted were asking for feedback.
 
CopeImages said:
All valid points folks and I'm not arguing the "I want to learn" posts as I stated, it's just the ones that seem to say "Not my best but look anyway" and don't even ask for feedback :thinking:

Guy
Click to expand...

May not ASK for it - but want it I suspect

Perhaps that's just a shield for posting a shot you're not sure of?

If others say it's great - ego restored - if they agree it's crap - no damage done

Some such posts are obvious grab-shots, i.e. of a wee bird that's rare (at least to the OP) so perhaps worth a post

Belittling oneself is a time old 'safety' measure

DD
 
fabs said:
I think it was established a while back that, unless posted in the Fluffy kittens forum, all pictures posted were asking for feedback.
Click to expand...

Agree, as far as I'm aware unles you post in Fluffy Kittens then you are open to C&C.
 
DiddyDave said:
May not ASK for it - but want it I suspect

Perhaps that's just a shield for posting a shot you're not sure of?

If others say it's great - ego restored - if they agree it's crap - no damage done

Some such posts are obvious grab-shots, i.e. of a wee bird that's rare (at least to the OP) so perhaps worth a post

Belittling oneself is a time old 'safety' measure

DD
Click to expand...

:agree:

Although I'd add that I think that in more than a few cases the poster doesn't think the pic is even remotely crap - witness the number that are removed immediately someone says "well, it's a bit oof" or something similar....:cautious:
 
DiddyDave said:
May not ASK for it - but want it I suspect

Perhaps that's just a shield for posting a shot you're not sure of?

If others say it's great - ego restored - if they agree it's crap - no damage done

Some such posts are obvious grab-shots, i.e. of a wee bird that's rare (at least to the OP) so perhaps worth a post

Belittling oneself is a time old 'safety' measure

DD
Click to expand...

Reading through this, I was trying to work out how to say what was in my mind, you have done it for me, thank you.
 
I see far to much of ' Thats brilliant' 'Awesome' 'Great Capture' when clearly its garbage, the OP of such a thread will learn nothing !

I think Matt Sayle quoted me as a 'thanks' for saying something was crap when it quite clearly was, others had blown smoke up his ass for it.

OK so crap is the wrong thing, you need to point out where things may have gone wrong EXIF detail etc.

This is no slant on Matt as I like the guy and he has come on leaps and bounds through advice gained from this forum, just using him and some of his posts as an example ;)
 
I agree completely inaneredstripe, but that wasn't really my point.

Surely if you think a shot is crap, no matter what people say, there's only one way your photography should go and that's better, but you might go from a self proclaimed "really crap" shot to one that is "quite crap" taking numerous steps before reaching "bluddy amazing".

On the flipside, surely if you posted a shot that you yourself were pleased with, to then receive critique from others who perhaps earn shed loads of revenue or acclaim from taking shots of your chosen subject, your progress would move on leaps and bounds :shrug:

Case in point - there's loads of folks on here taking shots of planes scaring sheep in welsh valleys. If you post a shot that you think is crap, what is the point (apart from if it was a blurred image of a Dauntless Douglas from the Bermuda Triangle over Tebay) in 'markjayne' (who without doubt knows what he's doing when it comes to the causes of petrified sheep :) ) confirming what you already admit or worse still, keeping completely stum to save your embarrassment. It is not only a waste of your time but also his. Whereas if you try your damdest and get a shot you're pleased with and then receive constructive critique from the likes of Mark on how it could be improved (if in fact it can) then you'll learn far more and make swifter progress :shrug:

Guy
 
We ALL post crap or suspectedly crap shots now & then to gauge others' opinions & improve

And dseered is right IMO that too much crap gets rave reviews that helps no-one - least of all the poster - problem is, those saying WoW to a 'crap' shot simply aren't yet capable of spotting why it's not great, and so post with their gut feelings - their impassioned posts are honourable, but misguided

Now that almost sounds like only a 'qualified' group should post critique - but that's wrong too - and who's to decide who's qualified anyway :shrug:

But this still detracts from the OP post I think - which was - if you think it's crap why post it?

Judging work on a technical level requires lots of knowledge and skill learned over a long period (usually) - loving an image is a gut reaction, and requires no ability other than to appreciate art

As an occasional camera club judge I know that most don't agree with anything I say (the losers!), some may agree in part (the other losers!) but only one thinks I talk sense and agrees with me wholeheartedly (the winner!!!)

Such is life :D

DD
 
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