The Shark Tank, Photo Critiques with Constructive Criticism

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Constructive Criticism Welcomed!

The goal is to post a photo in the ongoing photo album The Shark Tank (https://www.meetup.com/Florida-Center-Creative-Photography/photos/27067606/), and receive Constructive Criticism, while also giving Constructive Criticism to others.

This is all done online, no meeting place or time, it is ongoing. Start uploading and critiquing today!

Are you looking for live/in–person critiques? Then look no further than our Quarterly Print Reviews held the third Monday evening in January, April, July and October. The next critique is coming soon and you can learn more about the reviews here. (https://www.meetup.com/Florida-Center-Creative-Photography/events/230637347/)

Rules:

** Post no more than one photo a day that you don't mind having critiqued.

** Give Constructive Criticism that is helpful.

** If you post a photo, please commit to critiquing at least 3 other photos

** You do not need to post a photo to give a critique

Feedback Suggestion:

** Use (at least) 2 of the 6 the FCCP Photo Judging Criteria provided on the website's Judging Form (http://files.meetup.com/1343044/Photo%20contest%20judging%20form-1.pdf) (Note: you can also use these criteria to self-critique your own photos)

Sometimes we're too close to a subject, a favorite pet, a child or a favorite place, or we've spent too much time trying to 'fix' a photo. We may need to step back and take a harder look, but being so fond of the image we may not notice the burnt-out highlight, the distracting background, or the slight out-of-focus subject (to name a few).

This is where another viewpoint can come in handy. In The Shark Tank you not only have the opportunity to have your image reviewed, but you also get to critique other photographs. Improve on your ability to "see" an image. To use your written skills to constructively critique another photographers' image.

The goal is to help the "maker" see the image in a new light and get new input on your images. Using a keen eye and a lot of sensitivity, reconstruct the image, point out what was done well and what may need improvement.

Remember to be honest, but also sensitive in how you word your critique. The Shark Tank is a place to learn how to see, how to give constructive criticism and praise and how to improve on your photography. So don't only point out that the sky is bland, but what might be done to improve it. Don't only post images but give critiques as well, it's a great way to learn to see with a different eye. Give suggestions about what plug-in's or software a person might want to try and what lens might have made the image better.

It's always the right time to improve on your photography. You may enter one image a day that you are willing to have critiqued and remember to give constructive criticism to other images.

Sign up for this event and start posting photos to The Shark Tank Album HERE (https://www.meetup.com/Florida-Center-Creative-Photography/photos/27067606/)

By signing up with a Yes RSVP, and checking the box under your email preferences "photos uploaded for a Meetup I attended" you will receive an email when a new image is posted to the album.

This meetup will move around our calendar so it can be ongoing, it will not expire. Look for it every other Saturday near midnight on the calendar.

The Shark Tank (Photo Critiques with Constructive Criticism) (https://www.meetup.com/Florida-Center-Creative-Photography/photos/27067606/)

This area is for those of us who may be new to critique forums and are a little unsure about posting. Post here and you will receive help, guidance and gentle critiques. If you have significantly altered your image by adding or removing elements of the composition, we ask that you let folks know what you have done.

The Critique

Critique is defined as: the art of criticism, an act of criticizing.

Criticism is defined as: assessment of creative work, considered judgment of or discussion about the qualities of something, especially a creative work.

Criticize is defined as: careful, exact evaluation and judgment.

No where is the word "negative" mentioned.

Critiquing an image is not as difficult as most people believe. It can be as easy as stating what you like or don't like about an image. Our Ongoing constructive Critique Photo Album is not just a great place to gain confidence in posting images, it is a great place to gain confidence in critiquing images as well.

Here are some suggestions that can use to make your critiques even more affective when you feel comfortable doing so.

Advanced Critique Suggestions.

Consider offering your critique as an opinion i.e. IMO, etc.

Consider using terms like "put the image over the top" or "will make the image even stronger."

Instead of just telling a photographer that the subject should be located more left or right in the frame etc.,tell them why it should be located more left or right in the frame.

Instead of "great image or well done" explain why it is a great image and what photographic elements or techniques make it so. It is rare, but there are images posted that are "great" and just couldn't get any better. However, photographers need to learn what makes an image great just as much learning what makes a poor photograph.

Ask the posting photographers questions. ie "Was the noise in the image that was mentioned earlier caused by under-exposure? The tonality of the background is lighter than a middle tone and your exposure setting was listed as -1/3 stop, from the metered value; why did you do that? Did you need to lighten the image in the conversion process or Photoshop?"

It should be understand that when you offer your opinion on even the smallest detail, you are not nitpicking. It is attention to detail that separates good from great. At the same time, it is not necessary to enlarge the photo and critique it on elements that would otherwise be indiscernible.

If there is a distracting element in the frame, rather than immediately suggesting it be cloned out, help the photographer with the "geometry of photography". Move left or right, up or down and perhaps that distracting element will be hidden by the subject or the angle would move the element out of the frame.

Use re-posts as a tool to communicate major changes. Re-posts will lose their impact if used on images that can easily be critiqued using the written word.

When evaluating color or exposure, it is best to use a calibrated monitor. The results you see, compared to what the image actually looks like can vary greatly otherwise.

Still not sure what to look for in an image? Here is a link (http://files.meetup.com/1343044/Photo%20contest%20judging%20form-1.pdf) to what the judges use for our Quarterly Print Reviews.

The Image: Photographers, Help Us, Help You!

Posting an image for critique is an excellent way to rapidly improve any photographers ability to create beautiful images. You can help those offering image critiques by listing details of the capture process.

Listed below are some of the details to include in your post that will help you receive the best critique possible.

Thought Process

Were you creating a Portrait?

An Environmental Image etc.

What obstacles did you face in creating your image?

Location

If an animal, what species? Was your subject captive? Did you attract your subject or subjects into photographic range with food, water, audio, or any other means?

Was your image significantly altered by adding or removing elements of the composition post shutter?

Time of day, weather conditions etc.

The Results

I would like to encourage everyone to take advantage of this one of a kind learning experience by both receiving and offering critiques. If you do, the results will speak for themselves!!