Making Critique forum more effective

[ramesh_adkoli]

Dear CNP Moderators,

Critique is a great forum and offers fantastic opportunities to learn. The primary purpose of posting images here is to let others critique, so that we learn from each other (I know, that is stating the obvious). Towards that end, i have a concern and a suggestion.

Many images posted here do not carry enough background of the subject, EXIF and PP details. Lack of such information renders the critique and learning process inadequate. Can background, context, EXIF and PP be made mandatory?

Adding an email/notification feature would be very useful. This feature should notify the Photographer and those who critiqued the image when comments are made on a posted image. I do not know whether the server provides that feature and but I find it very effective. It will definitely improve interactions.

Thanks for the opportunity to be a part of this.

regards,
ramesh

[Ganesh H Shankar]

Dear CNP Moderators,

Critique is a great forum and offers fantastic opportunities to learn. The primary purpose of posting images here is to let others critique, so that we learn from each other (I know, that is stating the obvious). Towards that end, i have a concern and a suggestion.

Many images posted here do not carry enough background of the subject, EXIF and PP details. Lack of such information renders the critique and learning process inadequate. Can background, context, EXIF and PP be made mandatory?

Adding an email/notification feature would be very useful. This feature should notify the Photographer and those who critiqued the image when comments are made on a posted image. I do not know whether the server provides that feature and but I find it very effective. It will definitely improve interactions.

Thanks for the opportunity to be a part of this.

regards,
ramesh

Hi Ramesh,

In our posting guidelines we did not mandate providing technical details (camera, lens, etc) because of the fear that discussions/views will
revolve around lenses/camera/Nikon/Canon/VR/IS/Bokeh etc. However we have encouraged folks to share thought process behind making an image. Some of us do share good details while others run short of time I guess..

I add my vote too for your views..

Friends, please details which are required for qualitative appreciation/views of the images.

[Pramod Viswanath]

I partially agree with you Ramesh and I agree with Ganesh about the discussion might revolved around the technical details more rather than the image and the process of creation.

Initially, I used to share the exif details on my website. Later, it started to get into different direction - people start asking questions like - Why F8 why not F5.6 or F16? These kinds of questions are many times frustrating and irritating to the photographer ( atleast it is to me! ).

My Reasoning:

I do understand that many people learn looking at the exif but there is a counter argument from my side. If someone learnt how to shoot a flower in spot light looking at the image, how will the person dial in the same exposure and expect similar image if at first place the person cannot *understand* how EXACTLY the light was in the situation that I shot? Also, what is the guarantee that the same situation and light prevails when the person is shooting?

Personally, I also believe that - exposing an image is art too!! For me science stops at knowing/understanding the relation between ISO, aperture and shutter. It's like reading Brown ring test in chemistry theory class is one thing and to get a brown ring in the lab is altogether a different experience! Choosing the right ratio is indeed personal choice and effect that the photographer has in his/her mind before pressing the shutter. I hate to call it "skill" or "technique". I love to call it "art".

Well, these are purely my thoughts and nothing against anyone and I am open to discussions

Cheers!
Pramod