A gentle reminder

Usually I definitely avoid any type of critique unless the photo is actually in the critique section. I just think that if the person wanted critique/advice etc they would have put the photo in critiques and not Show Your Photo.

I have recently kinda of gone against that a couple of time with Casil and Bambi but only on points we'd discussed in critiques beforehand. I took it as an opportunity to just reinforce/point out those things again.

I'm certainly happy for them or anyone else to ask me not too if their photo is in the Show your Photo section, although as stated, it would be rare for me to give them the opportunity anyhow.

Occasionally many of us forget to check which forum we are looking at and give critique when a photo is in the Show your Photo section ... and vice versa really at times. A gentle comment to highlight where the photo is is usually enough I think.

Exceptions to all that is someone like me who has in their signature that critique is fine anytime (well I used to) :) I'm often interested in what people find interesting/well done, or not, in my photos.

While I agree with pretty much everything already posted in this thread, there is one point that I would like to bring forward, and that relates specifically to the critique section.

I think the fact that this is such a friendly, relatively small forum has become [in a very small way] detrimental to our critiquing of each others work. More and more we're posting comments such as, "Nice work" and "I like it" in the critique threads. That's fine, BUT, it offers nothing to the poster except perhaps a slight ego boost. What we need to make sure we include is why we like it. Just as importantly, if we don't like it, we need to say so, and again, why we don't like it.

There's no harm in saying, "Sorry, not my taste", and that shouldn't offend anyone. Of course if you can't add anything to that, it's probably not worth posting, but offering comprehensive critique is important. Certainly when I post images, I want people to tell me where they see areas for improvement or things that could be done to make a better image. Providing critique is an excellent learning experience for the person who gives it as well.

Anyway, the Coles Notes version of all the drivel is that IMO, we need to work hard to make sure that we don't become complacent with our critique.

very good points TI. I am guilty of that, mostly because I have gotten in the habit of just clicking on 'new posts' and not checking which forum the photo is in!!