Rather fixed facial expressions on this set, Nigel.

Could you engage the subjects a little more?



p.s. #4 is the best image here IMHO - something about the strap - but would be even better with a tiny bit more space at the top?

Interesting thread this, and things do seem to have livened up on the site since it got going... which should please David

The issue of bland, overly positive comments vs proper critique is an old chestnut. One of the glories of the site is the potential to get useful feedback from supportive and friendly forum folk, and from far more skilled/experienced photographers. This is a rare privilege of site membership, and can be a massive help to those developing their skills.

Not long after I started here I plucked up the courage to post a set and invited criticism - and got some amazingly helpful responses from (amongst others) paulyrichard and smeggypants which have hugely influenced my photography. Short, pithy reactions to my early fumblings which set me up to improve.

But I also got some less, ehem, constructive feedback from the legendary PentaxExpert (Oh how we miss him ! Uninitiated should check him out at link). Although an occupational hazard of this kind of open forum, this sort of negative feedback/trolling might have been really intimidating to many folk, and discouraged them in photography.

[Important note here – when advised very publicly by PE that my images were c**p, various forum folk waded in to encourage me. Which shows the underlying quality of the place. Step forward particularly Bwlchmawr...who made sure I knew that trolls were afoot and that my photography was not a total lost cause, for which I’ll be forever grateful.]

So I understand why criticism can be bland/overly praiseworthy and why sometimes folk don't get lots of responses when they post looking for feedback. It can be pretty daunting putting your stuff up on a public forum like this... and that cuts both ways meaning most folk are more comfortable making positive comments rather than negative. Is it a better forum because we don’t seem to have too many PentaxExperts now putting the boot in, and alienating novice photographers, or is it a worse forum? It takes confidence, experience and skill to give proper, informed and truly useful feedback. Not everyone here is comfortable being negative, even though that’s sometimes what we want/need to improve.

So.. .what does this mean practically for PU?

As currently formulated, the Gallery is an unthreatening space where people can display photos they’ve taken which they like. People looking at the Gallery tend to make short positive comments if they also like the image. It should not be a place for detailed criticism, as the current system of responses works well as a general indication of quality for those with a bit of nouse. No comments = lame, 1/2 comments = we’re being polite, 3-5 comments = good, over ten comments = something special.

Posting images in YourPhotos should be the route to invite detailed criticism. But understand there is probably a limited pool of folk here with the skill/experience/time to comment sensibly. Most forum folk would be intimidated to comment on, say, a Storm landscape given his acknowledged expertise. Hopefully this thread will encourage us all say what we really think when folk clearly ask for critiques of their images. But it will always ebb and flow in terms of the number of forum members happy to get stuck in.

Not sure I’ve ever produced such a long post. Feel free to ignore.

I might be able to come and play on the 14th

Not 100% certain I'm afraid, given the way my job works, but I'll do my very best to keep it free

Depth of field control in #4 is great

Can't stand hard boiled eggs though, which rather ruins the shoot (and recipe) for me

PU-Plus-Cross ?

-1

With this kind of family image it's always going to be very subjective and personal, but I really like your B&W treatment.

But as Ralph and others have said, a lovely moment beautifully captured.

Frustrating

Hope they sort it out for you pronto

+1

Terrific shots, particularly if merely 'sighters'!

I've got a raynox-150 somewhere in the depths of my camera cupboard, and these make me think I should strap it on to my 55-300 sometime and have a play

+1

Hard won images, but there's just something about Velvia which I'm not sure you can get from digital images...

That's one hard pheasant

Great images.