I've been a little diappointed that people don't share more criticisms on this site. Obiously I wouldn't appreciate it if someone said all my stuff was garbage. But I know I have soooooo much to learn and sometimes another perspective is really appreciated. I know I'm not entering grand prize winners, and that's not really my goal-I want to learn & improve.

Personally, I have been really hesitant to post any sort of negative comment/criticism as nobody else does.

I've thought about adding something like "all comments & criticism welcome-no offense taken" on my photos so people might feel a little more free to comment? #5098589

it would be nice though, if people were better about giving real critique. i've really appreciated the ones that i've had.

and as for this, I couldn't think of anything negative :-) I like the comp and the tones. it's a very emotional shot in my opinion #5099076

I share the same frustrations. In fact I've just posted a shot for some constructive critique but no bite yet. I guess people are hesitant to post some useful comments because they do not feel confident enough regarding a particular technique. With regards to your posted picture for example, I'm tempted to say that it possesses a lot of emotional impact but I feel that it is cropped too tightly and not enough lighting overall to make it stand out. Since I'm not a Portrait photographer I would really feel so uneasy to make this comment so I try to say only the good things. Maybe BP can do something about this and limit a particular forum only to those who are bold enough to offer some useful suggestions with the understanding that members should be open to all the comments whether they are right or wrong. Regards. #5115106

Pete
#5123449

I would love to see this image in color because black and white [currently] isn't quite doing it for me. That perhaps may be because the lighting on the face looks a little flat -- not enough contrast.

How did you convert this to B&W? Did you desaturate it in PS? Trying a different method might make a huge difference. You might want to reference an old thread to give you some new options:

http://www.betterphoto.com/forms/QnAdetail.php?threadID=23415

And if you don't want to read through it all ... try the free black and white plugin from this site:

http://www.photo-plugins.com/

I use it all the time because it is soooo easy and does a great job.

Other than the conversion, I really do like this photo. It tells a story (something I need to do more with my photos lately!) and everything else was Very Well Done.

And there you have it, my honest opinion. I have a hard time giving constructive criticism because I'm always afraid I'll upset someone.

If you do make any changes or try any other methods, I'd love to see 'em!
#5123916

I don't really care if someone just says "garbage", I take it as that person had no other ability to better explain their point of view, therefore is just that.

About the pic of the doctor. I love it. I like the color of it too, if it was in full color, then it would detract from the feeling is causing.

Now, is he a model? Or a real doctor? #5126256

Was he posing for you? Or did u just caught him? #5127340

I love this picture because it's emotive and thought provoking. Sometimes it's difficult to be constructive when you can't find anything wrong with the picture and this is one of those cases! I'm no professional, but I know what I like ;) #5127356

I must confess I'm a little embarassed - I was intrigued by the shot but when I clicked on it I got so into the discussion (as in "Right On!") that I neglected to comment on the photo!

What caught my attention was that I couldn't place his expression right away. Maybe he just made a mistake & lost a patient. Maybe he brought someone back from the edge & is exhausted, you really have to study it. I appreciate that kind of complexity in a photo.

Everyone on this post has some valid points and I've really enjoyed coming back to it. I've seen alot of clubs/groups on this site. This type of discussion could be one (Maybe something like this already exists, but I haven't seen it yet). I would be willing to put up my work for critique. I feel like the feedback and perspective is worth so much more than the occasional hurt feeling. Any thoughts? #5130756