What is a Critique?


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Jason Ho

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Jan 17, 2002
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Saw this post over at Photosig. Just wondering how many of you agree or disagree with the poster.

I’ve been thinking about what a critique is and would like to explain my thoughts on the matter. This is what I aspire to, not what I can do.

I think that a critique is a creative interaction with a photo. The viewer looks at a picture and reacts to it, finishes it. It takes a lot of work to make a good photograph. It also takes a lot of work to make a good critique. You must know what about a picture attracts your attention and then know what in yourself is reacting. What does this photo mean? Yes, it makes me smile is meaning. Does it live up to what it is trying to do? How does it do that? If it doesn’t, how could the photographer do things differently to help the photo do what he wants it to do? Of course a critique cannot exist without a photo but I think a photo cannot exist without a sympathetic viewer.

So why should a person work at doing critiques? Because when a person works hard at seeing and learning what makes a photo work, the person takes that back to his own work and becomes a better photographer. This isn’t something that happens quickly but it is a process.

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getting cheemz :cool:

but serious..if u like a pic then it means u like it. unless u allow urself 2b swayd by critiques
 

IMHO there is a very important thing when giving comments or critiques which sometimes I myself was guilty of not doing: be sensitive to the feeling of the photographer. It's ok to speak frankly about how to improve the picture, but be sensitive amd not so blunt/rude when pointing out his/her mistakes.
 

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