If you post your images on social media, it is likely you will get a very positive form of photography critique. In fact, calling it a photography critique is very much an exaggeration. What it is, like most social media, is mutual back-slapping.
Whilst it’s great to get praised, getting praised constantly on social media is potentially damaging not only to your photographic learning curve but also to your own perception of your abilities and that’s not healthy.
Today we are going to delve into why getting good, brutally honest critique is vital to evolving your photographic skills.
Likes Are Not Photography Critiques.
There is a certain addiction that we photographers get from social media. It’s that release of endorphins we feel when someone likes the photo we posted. The more likes, the more endorphins are released. When someone adds a comment praising your image, we feel even more happy and proud. This is natural, it’s the way we are hard-wired.
The problem with social media is that very few people are prepared to speak up, to comment constructively on an image. The reason for that is that it may affect their own likes, they might receive honest feedback themselves and that can bruise the ego.
Those of you that follow me on Twitter may have seen my Brutally Honest Monday posts. The idea is that any of my followers can post an image for others to critique. When I started it, I did much of the critique and was brutally honest. As it progressed I allowed the community to take over and do the constructive criticisms themselves.
An interesting thing happened. Whilst some followers embraced the concept of giving out an honest critique, others simply praised the image, often when it was clearly flawed. However, the majority of people that received a brutally honest critique not only received that critique in good faith but also asked questions to the person commenting, often on how to improve it (the photo). That’s the crux of good, brutally honest critique.
Why You Need Photography Critique.
Modern cameras flatter to deceive us. We can take seemingly good pictures without having to truly learn how to use them. The problem is that there is a big difference between and good picture and a great picture.
You can get a great picture with your camera locked in all modes automatic. However the chances of your doing that shoot after shoot are slim. If you apply a little photographic knowledge to your shots, a whole world of creativity opens up.
Let’s say, as a newcomer to photography, you took an amazing portrait. The light was quite low and the camera automatically opened up the aperture. You got a nice shallow depth of field, a dreamy out of focus background and your subject looks amazing.
You decide to repeat the shot in better light, yet the background is much more in focus, and the subject does not have that three-dimensional look. You don’t understand why.
If you post that image to social media you may well still get loads of likes and comments. You will think to yourself that, actually, there is nothing wrong with this image.
However, post that image to a group of your peers that are prepared to give you an honest photographic critique and things will be different. They might start to ask you about the aperture, light levels, focal length etc. You might not know what these are, so you start to ask questions, you start to read, to watch Youtube videos. You realize that the questions you have been asked all relate to the depth of field and that has several factors controlling it. You are learning, you are improving your skill set, and you are becoming a better photographer.
The above might be directed at a newcomer to photography but it’s equally important regardless of your level as a photographer. Constructive photographic critique is vital.
What Constructive Photography Critique Will Do For You.
There are perhaps three main areas of expertise required in photography. Technical ability, creativity and editing proficiency. A good critique will take all of these factors into consideration along with the environmental aspect of the shot. It will explain how your technical settings could have altered the shot's appearance. It will analyze your creative eye, look for the story you are trying to tell and for ways to improve the composition. It will delve into the editing procedures used and suggest alternative ways to do things.
Above all, an honest photographic critique will make you question yourself, your knowledge of photography and your current ability. The perfect photographer does not exist, so every single one of us that picks up a camera can improve our abilities. Constructive criticism can do that for us.
Where To Find Constructive Criticism.
That’s a tough question because it’s not easy. As we have previously mentioned, social media, in general, is not the place to get a brutally honest critique of your photography. Very few people will stand up and tell you if an image is not good, let alone tell you why.
Photography critique is best found outside of social media, our Brutally Honest Monday, excepted of course. The best photography critique will be from a group of your most experienced peers. A camera club or society may be a good start. However, clubs can be very cliquey and it can take months, if not years to become established within the club’s hierarchy.
Often camera clubs can be like social media in reverse, with some people all too ready to voice a photography critique that is far from fair or constructive. That said, there will be a fair number of people that will be prepared to take you under their wing and give sage advice.
Local, informal photography groups can often be better places to learn and get photography critique. They chat on FB and meet in real life. The informality of them makes them more pleasant places to get constructive criticism.
Often, you have to ask for constructive photography critique. Because some people can be over-sensitive to criticism, others will often not openly critique an image unless actively prompted. Don’t be afraid to prompt people that you trust, once they are away that you are looking for feedback they will more than likely be happy to give it.
Brutally Honest Photography Critique Coming Soon
Perhaps the very best, constructive photography critique you can get is going to come from an experienced professional. I am excited to say that in the new future, I will be providing such a service. In fact, there will be two levels. The first is a brief gentle yet honest overview of your image provided for free. The second will be a fully detailed brutally honest critique of your image, images or portfolio. This will include comprehensive breakdowns and suggestions in the technical aspects of the image, subjective analysis of the creative and composition components and an expert review of your editing procedures. This will be a paid service with the critique being provided in an A4 PDF file. Both will be launched in the next few months. Keep an eye out on social media, in particular, Twitter for more information.
Summary
Good photography critique is hard to get but solid gold when it comes to your development. Getting hard information on the issues with the technical, creative and editing aspects of your photography is the single best way that you can improve and improve rapidly.
If you rely on social media likes and comments to judge your ability, you will be overestimating yourself. By getting someone with a lot of experience to give you a photography critique, you know that you are getting good, honest and accurate advice.