I know there isn't a huge number of members signed up yet, and I'm probably posting this in the wrong neighborhood, but I'd love to start a topic where it's more like a game. I've seen it done on other photos and it really gets the creative juices going!

Someone takes a great photo from the last posters portfolio and constructively critiques it; what they like, what they personally would like to see, technical quirks that may help the photo POP! No mean and rude comments, though. Just pure input from another eye. Can't grab the worst photo that's obviously terrible, either.

Anyone be interested in starting that?

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Sound's like an interesting idea, i'd love to get some more feedback on some of my shot's, but I've found that most people on aminus either leave comments to get comments or only leave comments on shots they really like, without critiqueing them!

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It does sound like a very interesting idea!

Quote:

but I've found that most people on aminus either leave comments to get comments or only leave comments on shots they really like, without critiquing them!

I am with you on this one, and I've kinda felt that way for a long time! I have just had to give up worrying about whether I get any comments or not recently what with weddings, funerals (not to mention all Sunday spent with a huge headache and hangover after attending a friend's "Celebration of Life" who died just over two weeks ago. Also, I do a lot of other things with my computer, other than photographs - so it isn't always possible for me to post to a lot of people.

When I am off the blog for a few days - then the comments - are very few! Also, I find it very difficult to critique members photos, because the ones I have done seem to be a little bit offended and always come back with the answer that that was the way it was supposed to be! So now, I mostly say I like them and the ones I don't I just don't comment for fear of offending!

I do enjoy however, looking through the portfolios and finding pretty impressive photos on Am3. But by the time I have done this a few times - I am left without enough time to go posting comments to all and sundry. It does seem senseless in some ways to stretch oneself to the limit - staying up into the small hours of the morning - to post to as many people as possible and then being overtired etc. just to score points with a lot of comments on ones own photoblog! I am not as young as I used to be, and I am now finding it hard to live up to my other commitments on my computer. (Writing basic lessons for Windows - for a bunch of Seniors, etc.)

Some honest critique of my photos would be welcome! As you said PhotoDaniels - no rude comments or intent to hurt. Just plain honest to goodness suggestions to improve them!

By the way PhotoDaniels - Welcome to the forum and thanks for the input to a few topics.

Have you any suggestions for how we would choose photos to critique, layout on here etc.?

I can add another forum just for that topic Photo Critique or something similar. Maybe one of you can suggest a name for the forum please?

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PS. As everybody has joined the forum - I have had a look at the portfolios when I have checked their links, and ended up really enjoying most of the forum members photos! This became necessary because of the pretty awful web site links left by spammers who weren't photo bloggers when they joined. They can still leave these links in the members list when they apply. So now I am off to check out some more. My email inbox was jammed again with new member applications - most of whom I am sure are not photobloggers - so will delete all who aren't. They are mostly spammers from the same porno sites, on line drugs, etc. Now I know the names of the sites they come from, thank goodness I don't have to go and look at them all the time now.

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This is a great idea. Count me in too!
A little while back I checked Alexa and found out that I'm sharing 2% of the site traffic and visitors, but thousands of visits do me no good. I'm an amateur and just learning things, but I get no criticism. So I fully support your nice idea.

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Currently, I see it on one my stock agencies forums but I don't have a broad enough portfolio yet to participate there. It would be really simple. I'll juts post a link to my photoblog and then somebody/anybody would go there, pick out a photo and critique it. Post the photo in the thread, why you chose it, what you would change or would like to see and be sure to leave a link to your photoblog as well. Then somebody would grab that link and so on and so forth.

i.e. bsurprised is the last person to post in this thread so in order for me to post, I would go to his blog, pick a photo, post and critique and then somebody would grab mine.

Few rules:
no being an ass
no cross chatter - once you post, you post, and if you wanted to disagree with a recent critique, you still have to critique the previous poster
no repeats - as best you can cause it won't be likely but it'll get harder the further along we go to see what hasn't been posted and critiqued yet.

my photoblog is in my signature but it's PhotoDaniels.aminus3.com so here's how we can start it. Somebody go to my portfolio, pic a pick, post and critique it under the title The Constructive Criticism Game. Be sure to add why you chose it and what you would like to see different. Try not to grab obvious snapshots that people wanted to share but a pure attempt at photography. Just be constructive with your criticism! That's what makes this game fun but a great learning tool.

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I took A Long Day's Journey from Stephanie's portfolio because I really like this shot. The perspective of the railroad is not something new, but is one of the best and never gets ordinary to my eyes. The picture has been wisely converted to black and white, yet I would have wanted it more vibrant with probably some selective contrast or burning to make the patterns more dramatic.
One thing I don't like about it is that 60mm. I think the photo could have been wider, and started from a point of view where the rails could end on bottom corners. That would lead the eye right into the photo.
By the way, I wish this would start the game to better critics. I'll be glad to be the next on the game.
http://bsurprised.aminus3.com/

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Oooh great advice! Thanks! I like the rails in the corners ida. I agree, it would draw your eyes up more.

I took this image from you:

I hope that resizes itself..not sure with this forum...Anyway...
I like the concept you have here. The reflection is very nice. I really like the clouds, and maybe some "selective curve play" could get some more definition there. I do think the blue in the reflection is slightly over saturated and makes it a little too bright. However, really like how the blue gets gradually darker. I think by toning down the top of that building a hair and rotating the angle of the building maybe 20/25degrees clockwise you'd have a fantastic image!!

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There is no way of moving anything from topic to topic. We can move things from forum to forum - but no way could I find anything that would move the posts in "The Rules". We seemed to get a bit unstuck when I made the new forum for the Constructive Criticism Game and copied PhotoDaniels "Rules" into it. The first critiques listed in this topic and then PhotoDaniels critique of my photo in the Rules Topic. So I am going to copy and paste the critique and photo from the "Rules" into this topic and hope everything follows on from there! Here goes:

Photo Daniels
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PostPosted: 16 Nov 2007 10:29 am

I'll do Anne's photoblog first... Here's what I chose:


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I love the blue in this image. It's such a great capture! The detail on the bird is great. The only thing I'd do is crop him off-centered to the right, making a square crop. That little piece of roof distracts me from the bird and that beautiful blue sky. By getting rid of that, my eyes stay focused on how great a capture of the bird you've gotten!


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Anne
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PostPosted: 16 Nov 2007 11:26 am

Really great criticism PhotoDaniels. You are absolutely right! I should have known better than that! When this was taken I was in the throes of excitement because I had my first decent digital SLR. I took over 500 photos on this trip to Mexico! But, I should have looked again more carefully before I posted this one and probably many others I posted too. Also I got some dirt on my screen or sensor with constantly carting it to the beach without my photo bag - just in the bag that I had everything in. On a lot of photos since I have cloned out the spot in the sky. Do you think we should re-post them on the forum after following the suggestions in the critique? Or, is that just too much work on top of posting here and on aminus3? Embarassed

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Photo Daniels

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New postPosted: 19 Nov 2007 10:53 am

Nah. No need. It's just fun reading and learning what people advice. Now someone takes one of mine from my portfolio (Not "A Long Day's Journey) and critiques it. Then so on and so forth.


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Thanks Stephanie, that was quite fine things you said about the photo that I hadn't thought about.
As no one participated in the game yet, I decided to go again and let others come smoothly. I chose this one from you recent work to talk about:

You got pretty nice tones and colors, yet the image looks a little blurred to my eyes, probably out of focus, or the result of resizing, I don't know. One thing that bothers me is the out of the frame right foot. And I feel the image needs a little contrast, but that's me and I don't think that's an issue.
All in all it's a cute portrait among your works and I liked it, so I took it for the topic.

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Sorry guys, I haven't posted for such a long time. My 'flu bug was getting a bit better - so I thought. Then a few days later I went down with a really heavy cold. Must have been really run down because from there it went to pneumonia and I still have a bad bronchitis. Haven't been up to sitting at my computer longer than to check a few emails, etc. Will get back to it soon as I can. I think the antibiotics are now working quite well - was able to cook for myself today for the first time in ages!

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