Yes, Yoram is entitled to his opinion,
bloody oath he is, they're his eyes and it's his mind, anyone who puts anything out in public is doing so with the full knowledge that people see through the filter of their own dogma and experience. There's no point getting all bent out of shape when someone doesn't see things the way the creator intended.. that's just life. Heck, I've been known to send back restaurant meals that don't mention they include coriander (cilantro).
The fact that Yoram chose to hare his opinions should be considered a good thing, it's not long we have a dearth of reviews normally. If Yoram was a paying customer, I'd be happier he told me precisely what he thought rather than going with another photographer.. so maybe there is something in his comments that people *can* take away with them... even 'I don't like it" is a good starting place to learn what it is he is seeing/not seeing.
I gave a student a low mark, and before I had a chance to explain they blew up, defending the image and trying to confer how much time, how much care they'd put into it... my criticism was the pole protruding from the head of the subject. They hadn't seen it. Sure, basic mistake for ME, not so to them as their eyes saw some elements of the image and not others. Mine saw differently.
One could argue that Yoram, by putting his opinion out in public should be just as accepting of criticism, but criticizing the critic is poor form to me - in a collegial environment a negative comment might be viewed as opening a dialogue (which is what I see happening ;)
..I've heard it said one can learn as much about the critic as the object of their criticism if they look hard.
I don't generally criticize intent or creative merits here, restricting myself to what *I* see as technical faults.. but that's my choice. I view 'art' as the process of a craftsman anyway, a chair, a sculpture, a photo, a piece of music..
k (not a Bieblieber)
