CS "critics" suck?


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suck is a very pleasureable term for some too!
 

Well, my serious 2 cents on this entire suckity-sucky-suckin'-suck thing.

What do photography mean for you? What do u wanna achieve out of photography? What do the Art of photography actually mean?

If ur mind is telling you that, with every photo u take, u expect it to be praised for a 'well-taken photo' and u get all defensive when someone (or anyone) passed comments on how it can be improved, perhaps its time for you to sell your SLR system since the Art itself means nothing more than an ego trip for u.

However, where criticism lies, there are good and bad ones.

A criticism makes u think deeper, think what is it meant to be, and for his next shots, u'll see small but steady improvements. Like what someone commented in front of me that my studio shots simply are all out, dunno what I am shooting without further references to his or other photos.

Initial anger slowly gave way to me thinking how the next shot can be improved.

Though I can't say that my photos are really that great now, I spend more time thinking on a shot rather than just firing blindly like what I did in the past.

What contributes to constructive criticism depends on one's perspective, his upbringing and his personal principles and philosophy. Arguments on how constructive criticism 'ought to be' like is like telling soldiers how to fight a war and kill the enemy.
 

his camera don't happen to use a APS sensor does it? :think:
 

I think its just a choice of words like the Australian ads recently. For example, most are offended with the word "VxGxNx", some are offended with "PxSxY", while only a few will be offended with the word "Meow Meow", although technically they have the same meaning.
Instead of Suck, I think its safer to just call it a Bad Job. Its easier to swallow.
 

jsbn said:
Well, my serious 2 cents on this entire suckity-sucky-suckin'-suck thing.

What do photography mean for you? What do u wanna achieve out of photography? What do the Art of photography actually mean?

If ur mind is telling you that, with every photo u take, u expect it to be praised for a 'well-taken photo' and u get all defensive when someone (or anyone) passed comments on how it can be improved, perhaps its time for you to sell your SLR system since the Art itself means nothing more than an ego trip for u.

However, where criticism lies, there are good and bad ones.

A criticism makes u think deeper, think what is it meant to be, and for his next shots, u'll see small but steady improvements. Like what someone commented in front of me that my studio shots simply are all out, dunno what I am shooting without further references to his or other photos.

Initial anger slowly gave way to me thinking how the next shot can be improved.

Though I can't say that my photos are really that great now, I spend more time thinking on a shot rather than just firing blindly like what I did in the past.

What contributes to constructive criticism depends on one's perspective, his upbringing and his personal principles and philosophy. Arguments on how constructive criticism 'ought to be' like is like telling soldiers how to fight a war and kill the enemy.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

I think it's time I give my $0.02, afterall, I believe I am the seed for the whole "sucks" discussion.

Let's put aside all the political correctness discussion regarding the word "SUCK", I will come back to this later, I promise.

If a picture is really bad or even just bad, (badness is according to the eye of the beholder, there is no scientific definition what really bad is, it's all according to the viewer), what to do?

We have 2 choices, well there is a third but that is being hypocrite. One, we just ignore and move on. Lots of people will practice this, nothing wrong about it. I will talk about the third option first, we can still be polite and try to say something nice or complimentary about the picture. Some people do this, and I see everything wrong about it.

Ok, back to the second option, we comment and critique the picture. This I believe is the honorable way, this is how a photography community will prosper. The question lies, how should we comment and critique? Should we sugar coat everything to make the photographer feel better, to lessen the impact of the negative comments on a lousy picture? If we do that, are we any better than those people who had chosen option 3?

Ideally, we should be honest with our comments and critique. We should tell it as we see it. If it's bad, we say BAD, if it's very bad, we say VERY BAD, if it's underexposed, blown details, messy hair, lousy styling, anything wrong we identify, let's give it to the photographer honestly. And if the picture is very bad, I personally will use the word SUCK. And as I said in another thread, if the picture is worse than SUCK, I am currently holding the line at SUCK.

Now that I finally brought out the word SUCK, let's talk about it.

I noticed that most of the photographers that were on the receiving end of my "SUCK" comments, at the very least, took them in strides. My biggest detractors were those who had become my personal trolls. They are entitled to voice their opinions, even thought, they were really bystnaders only. Ok, let's get back on topic. How bad is the word SUCK?

I have no illusion that the word “SUCK” is not harsh, it is meant to be. Members of our political correctness brigade will want you to believe the word “SUCK” is the embodiment of all things bad, crude and rude. However, I do not believe we will ever be able to come up with a definitive interpretation or definition, it’s a subjective thing.

In actuality, the word “suck” is widely accepted and used in defining things that are bad, not doing well, or not desirable. Maybe, here in Singapore, some are still stuck in any bygone era? That is fine, but the world is moving along, with or with those that are stuck.
 

glennyong said:
well.. i would like to share with fellow csers about one experience i had. i know my comments in the critic's corner is not very sharp-tongue.

but i shared with these csers on some experiences i had with other professionals and lecturers alike.

this is how one of the conversation tht was happening..

I was walking along jurong point when i suddenly saw my old schoolmate, and we waved at each other and said hi.

I didnt know he frequent CS, but i know he is not really interested in photography so i also don't know what he is doing there.

But he said this (he was sharing his conversation with his friend from his school who is a fellow cser)

CSerA: Eh, my classmate from Ngee Ann Poly ah ask me to see his pictures leh, then ah..i see liao.. i keep quiet. But he is very good. I think.

CSerA: Then he keep asking me to give comments, i said i don't know, maybe i refer you to my friend who is shooting weddings ?

CSerB: Is it from ClubSNAP ?

CSerA: Yah.. he is from ClubSNAP.

CSerB: oh.. what is his nick ?

CSerA: glennyong lor.

CSerB: huh ? you know him ah ? that F!%$er ! what he know. he know nuts. only know how to give useless comments. he is nothing to me lah. i think i know more than him lor. He think he very big. you go tell him, read the dictionary and check what is the word constructive and the word comment.

CSerA: huh ? really meh ? i don't think he very active now what.

CSerA: *walks away..*

i am rather upset and dissapointed to see that students nowadays is so proud of themselves, and when i backtracked, those few whom i've given comments to in the critic's corner, these are pictures which lacked certain basic techniques or even qualities that makes a picture or snapshot called Photograph.

anyway. i am interested to see who is this student.

to me.... i wouldnt even use words like "Suck" "****" "trash" "rubbish" on photographs... the worst sentence i've ever said to my assistant / trainee is "erm.. this one ah.. cannot. but still can improve. good effort, keep it up.."

well. i think if someone even borders to even give comments is good already. One should be appreciative that someone takes the time to even look at your photograph and give comments.

My time. my laoshi. look one time, throw the negatives one side and say "Nah !! take back. all cannot use. You don't take back i throw away i tell you. " :cry: (now he is not around anymore. i want to learn more from him also cannot already... )
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot, Sir. Your words are meaningful. :cheergal:
 

U know what the entire thing reminds me of?

Photography is like making red wine.

U produce a thousand barrels of red wine (and we know how long that will take) and open up all barrels after 10yrs for testing to a group of ppl. One group says they like the mellow and dark taste. The other group simply says it sucks cos it hadn't matured sufficiently yet.

The wine maker has 2 choices:
1) Open the barrels and ready all the red wine for corking based on the 1st group's comment
2) Leave it to mature longer based on the 2nd group's comment
 

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