360° feedback

Pentaxophile is right.

Are you posting from a mobile phone? If not, then using capital letters would be another improvement. I know it's a hassle on a phone, though.

Anything that helps to make a post more readable is worthwhile. Punctuation, capital letters, and paragraphs were all designed with one aim - to make the written word easier to read.

And if you have taken the trouble to make your posts more legible, people will appreciate it and you will get a better response.

Good luck!

G

iam not iam on my laptop would not no how to get on site with mobile phone?
it is very easy for you to say when u can talk this english but iam learning the english so its very hard 4 me i think it would be best if i where just to go and not comment at all

Jeff,

In English, as in most European languages, including German, it is normal for the first letter of the first word in a sentence to start with a capital letter (eg: A not a).

Proper names (George and Jeff and Pentax) also start with a capital letter.

Again, most European languages, including German, use punctuation and paragraphs.

So these matters are nothing to do with learning English. If you can write German properly, you will already know about these things.

Please keep posting. Nobody is going to criticise you for spelling and grammatical errors.

Cheers

G

This is why we have to also give consideration to the poster of images for critique. Feedback can all be given with the best of intentions, but we don't want to scare off people who are out of their comfort zone.

Maybe not criticise but you were sneering at my use of all rather than oar only yesterday. I have an A at english o level so heaven help anybody who hasn't or has English as a 2nd language. No wonder you think you live in an "English speaking enclave".

That means nothing, I left school at 15 with squat diddley but it never held me back, my only failing with English is slipping up with the occasional difficult spelling and not knowing what some very long words mean, and George has yet to have a go at me for spelin somfink rong

As for Jeff I think he is to be applauded for trying, there are a lot of people on this forum who would benefit from some additional schooling in the English language, (I will forgive the dyslexic amongst you)

Yes please don't get upset Jeff, the suggestion was made as friendly advice, given your problems with negative reactions to your comments. It's a general point that when criting images, its important not to be to brusque, whether you mean to be or not.

Yes, but you should have known better. English is your first language, and "sticking an oar in" is a common expression.

Now, can we leave the other issue out of this thread?

G

One caveat, however. Anyone dishing out some plaintalking feedback should I think be prepared to put their own images up for review and to maintain a reasonably sized gallery portfolio. Not essential (by way of analogy a good film critic does not have to be a good filmmaker), but useful to know the angle they are coming from.

I disagree, Dr O. Unless by plain-talking you meant unconstructive.

I have very little creative ability in the visual sphere (so why do I bother? you might well ask!), but I can tell a good picture from a bad one, and I can usually see what makes a bad picture bad, or how an imperfect one could be improved.

As you yourself say, good critics are not always good executants, although in making that point I am not claiming to be a good critic myself.

This forum needs more people to give honest feedback, rather than the fawning platitudes which too many people resort to, and which have become too prevalent in the past two or three years.

G

Counts me out, I modestly enter the odd comp and post the odd image/lens comparison here or there and I only have an A level in photography. Maybe there could be exclusions for people who have degrees or who obviously have talent.

I haven't much in my gallery, but I do place plenty photos within "Your Photos". Whilst I do take your point George, I do believe it is preferable for someone commenting on the photos of others to take part too. If will give that person a more rounded view of how critique should be given, and how it may be received.

And to put it plainly, "If your gonna bad mouth my pics, lets see what you can deliver"

And Doug, just share your CV, instead of drip feeding snippets

If I were "bad-mouthing" you would have a point. But I am not.

G

Hence the smilies George, I know your not. I was trying to make a general point in a fun way

I really enjoy looking at other peoples work especially those with a PPG or other link and think why can't I do that. Of course having no artistic talent doesn't help. I often feel like the person who wrote:

Dear Mr Atlas,
I have finished your body building course. Please send me the muscles.

Regards