Scenes of Vermont Forums

I've been thinking about your post here Carol and here are my thoughts. I know exactly what you are trying to say by the way. How lucky for you to have someone like Andy these past few years. He has helped me immensely on the blog. I was a beginner there too and am still working on improving. Andy likes to "push" and that's a good thing! I wasn't always so receptive too! Andy doesn't always respond, but if and when he does, like you, it's a good feeling ......... So, on to your post.

You deserve whatever kudos you get. You've come such a long way and your pictures are divine in my book! I agree with your Mommy!

Giving and Receiving Advice (to a beginner...):

First of all, when I ask you to comment on a photo I have taken, I expect an honest answer and genuine help. You are my friend and so is Al, and both of you looked at some of my "beginner shots" and offered advice. I was thrilled! I even laughed at some of the most bizarre appearances in the background of my photos! I thought it was fun to see how to improve the photo from your perspectives, skilled ones at that. I would not under any circumstances, want a false impression.

For me, I am starting from scratch. I mean, I can only go up from the bottom, true? So whatever advice I get, I will take. I am a blank screen at this point! Actually, I need all the help I can get. And I DO appreciate it!

Al recently photoshopped a picture for me. I nearly fell off my chair! Unbelievable transformation! I had no idea that there was a "subject" in the picture until he made one appear!

(We should have the "Beginner's Edit of the Week" up for grabs for all of you guys to jump on!) I think it would be so much fun! I would be the first to throw mine into the pot!

In ending, I would also say advice is yours to give, if you truly know your audience. You know me well. So I'm safe. Is this person really asking for advice or not? In a photography club, I would hope everyone is there to learn and share and accept what others have to offer, so that is also "safe".

If someone is not really sure of the person they are giving advice to, even though the person is asking for it, the tone and the delivery of your critique would be important. In an unrelated instance, when someone asks me for advice, I often approach it from "If it were me, I would" or "How does this sound" or "Have you tried this?". I ere on the side of caution, until I know someone better. Not always sure how someone will "receive" the advice.

From past experience, people sometimes ask for advice and really don't want the truth. Such is life.......

That's my take for the day, on giving advice, to me at least! So dish it out and enlighten me please!

Carol: I took it as a compliment -- albeit, probably undeserved. I haven't done anything anybody else who has "been there, done that" wouldn't do. I like Fax's comment: Its really not rocket science.

CT, thanks, too for your complimentary words. I think honesty is good. I was glad to hear from Al, for example, his comments on one of my shots recently. I like to think he would want the same from me.

If you read the "long about me" section on my Website, you will see that, as Carol notes, it is honest critique that really drives good photographers to the next level.

Note there is a difference between critique and criticism as it is pejoriatively used. Critique involves elements that are both "subjective" and "objective." For example, Al and his wife did not like my "interpretation of a fall reflection shot. It was oversaturated for their taste. A couple others (one privately) said they did like it. Al didn't say it was "wrong" or "bad." He said he didn't care for it.

OTOH, he noted that my horizon was not level. That is objective. It either is or it isn't. Both are useful, positive critique.