Many of the exhibits tend to be mundane and even trite, but occasionally some are stimulating and engaging. I probably refrain from expressing an opinion to avoid the flaming that often follows such comment.
JG
----
at 09:00 AM 5/14/2003 +0900, Jim Davis wrote:
Bob Talbot <snapper@st-abbs.fsnet.co.uk> wrote/replied to:
>
><<That's it. Thanks for letting me be cruel to your images :-) I feel I
>learn a lot from this - hope it's useful for you as well.>>
>
>
>Thomas
>
>Thanks for taking the time to comment.
>
>An author can learn something just by knowing whether someone likes thier image or not.
>A critic can learn a lot by trying to explain why they like it or not.
>
>Bob
These reviews make it worth submitting more and more. It's a sad week that goes by with only a couple of reviews.
Not every photos is magic to everyone who views. I've seen exhibitions by some very famous and respected photographers that just turned me cold. Then again, sometimes the entire gallery is the same way. So why do we not feel like reviewing on those weeks when the gallery turns us cold? Is everyone afraid to hurt someone's feelings and write reviews pointing out less than glowing appreciation.
I have appealed before for honest reviewing here, made my own honest reviews too. I'd love sometimes to comment on the reviewer's comments. Not on my own photos, so much as some obviously sugar-coated review of a nothing photo that should have had it's flaws pointed out. 'Like, man how could you love that photo, it's crap!' :-)
What I find interesting though, is the common thoughts that define what makes a photo truly great, perhaps it has common beauty or elements that make is special. What we each define beauty as has common themes, and individual themes too. Being one's own worst critic can be bad. It's a rare day when I take an image that 'I' feel is just amazing.
The unusual seems to be a necessary element sometimes. Combinations of these elements help produce a winner. Elements giving depth, pleasing colours, texture, shape, random patterns, recognizable objects, all these and more are required. Or sometimes just one good one:-)
As I'm sure many other here do, I rarely submit my best photos to the gallery, but those that I'm curious about people's reactions to. The private email I've received about some of these photos is nice too. But I'd much rather that more people take a few minutes to write more reviews.
Jim Davis Nature Photography http://www.kjsl.com/~jbdavis/
