Are We Afraid of Negative Critique?


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Klose

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Feb 15, 2005
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It's human nature when you have a "good" shot from the day's shoot and you want to share it online. You think and feel it's a great shot by your standards and you post it in Portraits & Poses hoping to get TUs or the usual NICE (Thumbs Ups) from fellow photographers in the community. However, you are worried that it might not meet the standards of the "pros" or the laymen and tend to get defensive when they start pointing out the flaws in relation to the composition of the shot...

Are we that afraid of negative critique? Let's discuss this...
 

Klose said:
It's human nature when you have a "good" shot from the day's shoot and you want to share it online. You think and feel it's a great shot by your standards and you post it in Portraits & Poses hoping to get TUs or the usual NICE (Thumbs Ups) from fellow photographers in the community. However, you are worried that it might not meet the standards of the "pros" or the laymen and tend to get defensive when they start pointing out the flaws in relation to the composition of the shot...

Are we that afraid of negative critique? Let's discuss this...

What doesnt kill you makes you stronger. Negative critique doesnt neccessarily = bad photo. Take it as constructive criticism (unless its clearly someone just having a go). People arnt doing it because they can, they are trying to help. If you listen and take head to their points then you will start hearing things like 'great shot' etc. Its just advice, take it or leave it, but dont be afraid of it.
 

I am not an exhibitionist.............




I always think: if you as the maker like the pic, it has already won! Who cares if someone else likes it as well? That's is just a bonus.........

If someone else don't like it, then sorry, he/she doesn't 'see' what I see.........or doesn't share with what I like.......it is all very objective, lah!

Just like your wife/husband: someone else may not like her/him, but to you he/she is everything! Though to some also not being married for awhile, lah! I agree.....he he he


HS
 

Klose said:
It's human nature when you have a "good" shot from the day's shoot and you want to share it online. You think and feel it's a great shot by your standards and you post it in Portraits & Poses hoping to get TUs or the usual NICE (Thumbs Ups) from fellow photographers in the community. However, you are worried that it might not meet the standards of the "pros" or the laymen and tend to get defensive when they start pointing out the flaws in relation to the composition of the shot...

Are we that afraid of negative critique? Let's discuss this...

i think there's no point critiquing or asking for critique anymore, everyone is pro :angel:
 

not all are constructive as all of us come from different background and have different experience . just take it with a pinch of salt and see whether do they help or not. some of us have different styles as well, and not all suit others.:)
 

allooo...why u say my pic not nice...other people say nice.......u ah :bsmilie:
 

We are ALL afraid of negative criticisms. Not just me. You, everyone who posts here, all the moderators and the admins. Pros, ameuters, noobs. Even great masters of photography, pioneers of photography, etc.

He who says that he's not afraid of negative criticisms AT ALL with an absolutely clear conscience is lying balantly through his teeth. Now sit down, ask yourself, ARE U AFRAID? Yes I can say that I'm afraid of anything negative. We are all constantly in denial regardless of how learned and religious u are.

The point is not being afraid of negative criticisms but how each of us handle it that shld be the concern & focus when handling criticisms. :)

There are some who handle negative criticisms positively, turning it into a source of their strength. There are some who handle negative criticisms negatively, turning it into a source of their depression.
 

i more afraid if it generates no reaction whatsoever

praise is always nice, and criticism can help us improve. but if no one can even be bothered to say anything... :(
 

jsbn said:
There are some who handle negative criticisms positively, turning it into a source of their strength. There are some who handle negative criticisms negatively, turning it into a source of their depression.

Well said.

May I add:

There are also some who just don't read negative criticisms. They just don't open the threads. :)
 

Sion said:
Well said.

May I add:

There are also some who just don't read negative criticisms. They just don't open the threads. :)

Well, some treat negative critique as an arty bombardment on them and dive into their foxholes and start shooting back trying to savage it :bsmilie:
 

If there are 15 million threads, u can't expect 'em to open everything do u? :confused:

Even I only pick a couple of threads with more interesting titles den to open everything.
 

I think negative comments are very good to help improve everyone's work. But comments based on personal preferance and Useless critiques like "i think this shot looks like scrape material stock photos" with no useful input as to how to improve the image is the thing that makes people wanna stop posting.

So maybe its more a case of are some people being pure A**h**es, chionging a post or just being plain stupid of not knowing what "Please critique" means?
 

jsbn said:
The point is not being afraid of negative criticisms but how each of us handle it that shld be the concern & focus when handling criticisms. :)

Got to agree on that.

Personally, if you think the picture you took is good, but people just slam it down, then perhaps we're not the right audience for viewing your picture. Just like example, how some people cant accept abstract artwork (think it's a bunch of bs and) while others just do.

Of course, if you're posting your picture everywhere (globally lets say) and no one reacts the way you intended, then it's either something's wrong or its a rare instance of something ingenious but bad timing.

Criticism is possibly easily accepted by someone you know or feel is knowledgable -vs- someone you think has no clue about.
 

Klose said:
Well, some treat negative critique as an arty bombardment on them and dive into their foxholes and start sthooting back trying to savage it :bsmilie:
Natural defense mechanism.

Stage 1: Criticism
Stage 2: Shock
Stage 3: Denial
Stage 4: Retaliation
Stage 5: Acceptance

A person flows thru from Stage 1 to Stage 4 is a natural process. But progressing from Stage 4 to 5 usually takes a lot of effort. And so far, I had not seen many people (including myself) progress beyond stage 4.

Sorry for all these breakdown analysis thing. Doing my Cognitive Psy report now so a little kuku up there....
 

jsbn said:
Natural defense mechanism.

Stage 1: Criticism
Stage 2: Shock
Stage 3: Denial
Stage 4: Retaliation
Stage 5: Acceptance

A person flows thru from Stage 1 to Stage 4 is a natural process. But progressing from Stage 4 to 5 usually takes a lot of effort. And so far, I had not seen many people (including myself) progress beyond stage 4.

Sorry for all these breakdown analysis thing. Doing my Cognitive Psy report now so a little kuku up there....

What about if the person giving the F*ed comment, can't do any better with work to prove your point? How would you guys take the criticism given by people like that?
 

Chris Lim said:
I think negative comments are very good to help improve everyone's work. But comments based on personal preferance and Useless critiques like "i think this shot looks like scrape material stock photos" with no useful input as to how to improve the image is the thing that makes people wanna stop posting.

So maybe its more a case of are some people being pure A**h**es, chionging a post or just being plain stupid of not knowing what "Please critique" means?
Well, so called 'useless critiques' like "I think this shot looks like scrap material stock photos." DOES hold a gem in the words.

First of all, check out how do stock photos look like. Next look at the stock photo and imagine it 10 times worst. That would be your current standard (the 'your' refers to in general, not specifically directed at u. Sorry).

Next, think BEYOND regular stock photo material and see beyond.
 

Chris Lim said:
What about if the person giving the F*ed comment, can't do any better with work to prove your point? How would you guys take the criticism given by people like that?
I can give breakdown analysis BUT I'm still human FYI.

Still lack the enlightenment beyond Stage 4. :bsmilie:

But do take note, the Retaliation may or may not come in a form of a direct retaliation like a returning small-arms fire with arty bombardment. :bsmile:
 

Hmmmm so it kinda boils down to taking negative critiques with a pinch of salt?

Would you comment a "useless comment" if you knew so well that you can't do better?
 

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