Just a timely reminder that we need engagement from users to keep the group active.
Not only do we need posts from time to time, but members willing to provide feedback on posts of those spending time to do so. So often it is the same people engaging.
If you do post and enjoy feedback from the community, I request that you consider returning the favor and feeding back your viewpoint on other posts.
Please try to find something positive to say about work that is posted and try to balance against any negative points. A lot of the work posted is experimental, so bear in mind we are not expecting excellence (save that for your portfolio).
We all learn from the viewpoints of others (no opinion can be wrong as long as it's respectful), and a lack of feedback ultimately results in group engagement tailing off.
This group is typically one of the most active on the fstoppers platform - let's keep it that way!
Thanks Alan for the reminder.
Some thoughts on feedback vs. reaction…..
Over the years I have been asked to sit on numerous panels to judge various competitions, review portfolios, etc. From that point of reference I’d like to offer a couple of insights about "feedback" and how to both ask for and give actually meaningful feedback:
On requesting feedback…
When sharing an image that you really want to get some meaningful input, state what your intended outcome was. Let potential feedback-ers know what you were trying to achieve. By telling the viewers you were trying to convey X or Y, you help them frame their answer as it relates to your objective. In giving context you help others know what it is you want to learn from their perspective. Just saying something like ‘cc welcome’ is beyond meaningless and just opens the door for anyone and everyone to talk about themselves, their likes, and their personal tastes.
On giving meaningful feedback…
“I like…” or “I don’t like” has nothing whatsoever to do with giving useful feedback. By the very nature of that kind of opinion you are talking about yourself and your personal tastes NOT the effectiveness of an image. What you like or don’t like is irrelevant to a meaningful critique. Instead talk to the impact of the intent the artist had and whether or not how the image affects you in the intended way. If the artist was trying to convey, as an example, sadness or joy, talk about how you react to the intention. You can offer meaningful input about the technicals, example, is the image out of focus, or composed in such a way as to further or hinder the intended idea. Is the image exposed in such a way that it supports the intended reaction, etc.
If the artist is asking for feedback but has not articulated what they hope to learn from it, ask them what they would like feedback on.
Remember that truly meaningful critique is a two way dialogue and not a unilateral pronouncement from some self proclaimed social media “expert”.
On reaction….
If you like, love, hate, 😃, 🤑, or whatever, that is just a reaction and is perfectly… whatever it is, just not valuable, insightful, meaningful, real feedback.
JMTCW
Thanks again Alan for keeping this group alive and interesting.
That's a great point Julian, and as always I appreciate your thoughtful and experienced feedback.
Members - as Julian points out please be clear when posting if you are searching for critical feedback (in this case details will help direct such feedback). If you are looking for a critique please indicate as such.
If however you are simply posting to allow others to see the results of your experiments etc state that fact so that viewers can align their feedback accordingly.
For example, I create some posts with an intent of making members aware of a technique I am working on, so discussions should in this case be focused on the general results the technique has brought to images displayed, how to obtain better results, scope of use etc.
Guilty. Most of my photography lately has not fallen into the parameters of this group.
(However, I was "experimenting" in the sense I put my R5 and L-series glass away and used my R and 24mm f/1.8 Macro to see if I could get a decent shot at an epic location.)
This is what I have been wasting my time on....
Thanks Dean. The scope of this group is very broad (isn't every photograph and experiment of some sorts?) so never feel restrictions on posting.
Nice image BTW.