Critique Gallery

Critique Gallery

A brief blog today: off shooting, early.

This is why you should look at the Critique Gallery: and possibly why you should post there. It’s a facility that the site provides, with the aid of a team of volunteers: I’ve been one of them for several years. We’re not paid, but it is incredibly satisfying when you can share knowledge with others.

So if you have in-depth understanding of some particular area of photography, go along – and give the posters the benefit of your wisdom. The Critique Team are not experts in everything, and extra views are always welcome. Speak your truth kindly – think of how you would want to receive feedback on a picture that had taken effort, time and even money to produce…

If you’re still learning, wander through the Gallery, and learn from what others have done, and read the advice they’ve received. It may not deal with precisely the issues you have, but it can feel less self-exposing than putting your babies on show…

If you want to contribute, please be clear as well as gentle. People need to know what would work better, what options they have, and not just be told that something is good or bad without explanation.

Getting experience of looking at other people’s images like this may help with seeing what to change in your own approach – I know I’ve learned a lot from providing critique and seeing how others approach the same issues.

And, if all else fails, please feel free to post an image yourself: and please tell us about the whys as well as the hows. The Gallery guidelines are clear, and the more you tell us, the more we can help you. This applies whether you’ve got a specific technical issue, or are unsure about presentational aspects.

It’s really useful, before you post, to look at your own picture critically – take a teacher’s view, instead of a doting parent’s approach. Share this, and that will provide a springboard for others to help you.

Go on – you know you want to…