Reply To: Feel free to turn your critical eye my way

[emf]

I’ll happily accept criticism from someone that’s actually demonstrated knowledge of photography. RPG is clearly not qualified to offer criticism or advice, given the glaring issues found in his own work. At least two other posters have agreed with me on that.

Brian, RPG’s critique was harsh but he IS absolutely qualified to offer critique. We all are. I’m trying to stay away from this thread but I can’t lol! I’m sorry to say but I find your attitude to critique really wrong. It’s not just about only accepting advice from those who can prove they know more than you and have faultless portfolios – no one has. What if Robert Capa rocked up and gave a harsh critique and then you linked to his work and saw his Omaha photos – would you call him a douche who didn’t know what he was talking about, ‘given the glaring issues found in his work’?

Personally I think RPG has some nice images on his photostream – but even if he was a total noob – it’s not about him proving himself to you. Same as I don’t have to – I’m only an amateur and I’m sure you’ve forgotten more than I’ve actually learnt. Even though I can’t always, many times, tell you how to improve something I can still tell you issues that don’t work with the image and it would be valid.

This mindset that critiquers must prove themselves to you is wrong – all you need to do is listen to their words – give yourself some time to mull it over – it’s normal your initial reaction will be one of hurt and springing into defense – and here I am on your side, RPG’s critique was in my mind overly harsh and to be honest I’m not surprised you’ve gone into defense mode.  But give it a few days even, and then look at your work afresh – and ask yourself was there anything in that critique. More often than not you will see that valid points were raised. Regardless of whether or not that critquer has made similar mistakes – it’s always much easier to identify mistakes in the work of others anyway as you can view it more objectively.