Comments and critiques thread problems

Shakey · August 2, 2004

Comments and critiques thread problems.

It is much to confusing and convoluted. It has become like a monster blob in a Hollywood B movie.

If any new member wants to join in he or she is inundated with a 40 + page thread that gets over saturated with to many of the same photo’s re-hashed over and over again.

When people are talking about a certain picture it is so hard to follow in context that one must go back so deep to hope one has not repeated a question or suggestion.

I constantly see new photos posted by some that just get buried and ignored by others in their enthusiasm.
Many of the threads are informative and helpful but they continue and continue ad infinitum over running all that are in its path.
I suggest if you wish a photo to be critiqued you start your own thread with that one picture and all its variations.

I also think that some degree of self-critique be used as to not over saturate threads
if the format stays status quo.

That said, I see this forum becoming very … one dimensional with the majority of contributions only going to the challenge portion.

I realise that this site is new and will have to endure growing pains I just felt I wanted to speak my mind on how I perceive the direction this site is going in.

If it is to become a challenge site, so be it. However I see the format being flawed with to many of the entrants taking final choices and critiques to serious?
With the community in this forum being so small I see how a new member can find it cliquey and intimidating.

Maybe we should send our photos by e-mail and then have an administrator post them anonymously to a smugmug page. Then the final choices could be made and then voted upon.
And finally the critique can be made from the final product, which also entails a reveal of photographers.
I realise there are other sites that do this formula and Dgrin wishes its uniqueness.
However I do not think that the way the challenges are set will endure in the long run.:dunno

These are just some of my concerns is all, and I felt I should address them. This post is not made out of spite or malice to anyone and I hope no one takes this post directly as a personal criticism. This is my honest and forthright opinion. Please take it as such.

Tim

Andy · August 2, 2004

some good points, shakey. one option we have is to make a password protected smugmug gallery, sort of quasi-secure, and folks can upload their own photos. it's too much work for one person to be the uploader. and then, comments go right on the photos

Shakey wrote:

Comments and critiques thread problems.

It is much to confusing and convoluted. It has become like a monster blob in a Hollywood B movie.

If any new member wants to join in he or she is inundated with a 40 + page thread that gets over saturated with to many of the same photo’s re-hashed over and over again.

When people are talking about a certain picture it is so hard to follow in context that one must go back so deep to hope one has not repeated a question or suggestion.

I constantly see new photos posted by some that just get buried and ignored by others in their enthusiasm.
Many of the threads are informative and helpful but they continue and continue ad infinitum over running all that are in its path.
I suggest if you wish a photo to be critiqued you start your own thread with that one picture and all its variations.

I also think that some degree of self-critique be used as to not over saturate threads
if the format stays status quo.

That said, I see this forum becoming very … one dimensional with the majority of contributions only going to the challenge portion.

I realise that this site is new and will have to endure growing pains I just felt I wanted to speak my mind on how I perceive the direction this site is going in.

If it is to become a challenge site, so be it. However I see the format being flawed with to many of the entrants taking final choices and critiques to serious?
With the community in this forum being so small I see how a new member can find it cliquey and intimidating.

Maybe we should send our photos by e-mail and then have an administrator post them anonymously to a smugmug page. Then the final choices could be made and then voted upon.
And finally the critique can be made from the final product, which also entails a reveal of photographers.
I realise there are other sites that do this formula and Dgrin wishes its uniqueness.
However I do not think that the way the challenges are set will endure in the long run.

These are just some of my concerns is all, and I felt I should address them. This post is not made out of spite or malice to anyone and I hope no one takes this post directly as a personal criticism. This is my honest and forthright opinion. Please take it as such.

Tim

wxwax · August 3, 2004

Tim, great post.

I think you make extremely good points.

May I share a few thoughts in response? First, I'm becoming accustomed to seeing internet message boards turn soap opera-ish. I can't explain it, and I am by no means directing any criticism. It seems to be a part of human behavior?

I take to heart your concern that the forum is too focused on the challenge, at the expense of other forums, which lie idle. Even the other photography forums don't do much business. You can't force folks to do something they don't want to do. But it would be nice to see a board with broader activity.

Finally, I too worry that our friends are becoming too concerned about the fine print of the contests, and maybe too worried about winning. It's a pity, to my way of thinking.

Perhaps you're right. Perhaps everyone submits a shot, and we vote on the lot of them. It's been suggested before.

Great post, thanks.

SeeMoon · August 3, 2004

Tim; thanks for posting this..my thoughts as well! And the reason why i just put my photo up in the challenge thread instead of asking opinions from others.

lynnma · August 3, 2004

Good post Tim.. I must admit I'm getting a bit over whelmed myself. I feel like I'm wading through a lot of repetative stuff, my own included. Do we really need a comments and critique thread? what if we just posted our one best shot into the challenge and take our chances. There is a certain amount of valuable critique from Andy and Guest judge.. then we could just post our other shots in the appropriate forums, critiques would come somewhat naturally from those interested in those forums..
Just a thought.

Lynn

cmr164 · August 3, 2004

lynnma wrote:

Good post Tim.. I must admit I'm getting a bit over whelmed myself. I feel like I'm wading through a lot of repetative stuff, my own included. Do we really need a comments and critique thread? what if we just posted our one best shot into the challenge and take our chances. There is a certain amount of valuable critique from Andy and Guest judge.. then we could just post our other shots in the appropriate forums, critiques would come somewhat naturally from those interested in those forums..
Just a thought.
Lynn

You have a good idea. the comments/critiques thread is just way out of hand. I know that I would offer more comments on pics if they were not in a thread with 500-900 messages.

mercphoto · August 3, 2004

critique gallery

andy wrote:

some good points, shakey. one option we have is to make a password protected smugmug gallery, sort of quasi-secure, and folks can upload their own photos. it's too much work for one person to be the uploader. and then, comments go right on the photos

I like this idea. It is an easy way to keep a thread about one particular photo in one easy to find and follow spot.

lynnesite · August 3, 2004

mercphoto wrote:

I like this idea. It is an easy way to keep a thread about one particular photo in one easy to find and follow spot.

A resounding me-too. I have sluggish business class satellite, and hunting for what I ought to respond to is like slogging through deep sand.

I have trouble with continuity--seeing the PS fixes or crops against the originals, for instance, today I commented on an image of Ginette's that was, oh, 15 pages ago. How can anyone relate to that?

ginger_55 · August 17, 2004

I disagree with the whole lot of you.

per example, a few days ago I posted some potential Challenge photos on the critique board. One I had not given serious consideration to, a volley ball picture, was noticed. We tossed that "ball" around for quite a while. It was very valuable for me. VERY!

I would have had a lot to do with my entry, if another photo had not come along and stolen my heart. That other one did not take up as much space on the thread, as it was a done deal the moment I saw it. I did get some help on it, offered because it was seen on that thread. That help was instructive for future endeavors.

Right now I am still looking at the critiques board, made a suggestion this AM to several people.

I love the support I get, have to learn to handle the other. If one does not want to wade, one could ask what "page #" a photo, or whatever is on.

I like the critiques thread, for me, anyway, it is helpful.

ginger