Kim Ayres
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Getting proper feedback and critique on ...

Getting proper feedback and critique on your own photos

Jun 24, 2020

It is almost impossible to look at our own photos objectively – they are gateways to our memories.

When we look at a photo we took, we remember the situation we were in, the people who were out of shot, the sounds, the smells, and the way we were feeling. So even an out of focus, badly composed photo can make us feel good.

But when we show it to someone else, they have no access to those feelings and sensations. It is only if the photo triggers something in their own memories or imagination that they might be able to connect with it.

So if we are wanting to advance our photography past the point of a memory jogger to our own experiences, and on to creating images that other people can enjoy too, we have be able to try and be objective, which is extraordinarily difficult.

This is where feedback from someone else becomes invaluable.

But it has to be the right feedback, from someone who knows what their talking about.

The big problem we continually have when we post our photos on Facebook and other social media, is people will "like" it, even if the standards and quality are pretty low.

Either our friends are not skilled enough to be able to tell the difference, are unable to communicate in a meaningful way about it, or just want to be encouraging and tell us nice things so we'll feel better about ourselves.

And because those who don't like the image don't leave any feedback, we end up with a very lopsided sense of our own ability, which of course impedes our progress.

So a key part of every episode of Understanding Photography with Kim Ayres is the Critique section, where I give feedback on images people have submitted.

If you would like to submit your own images, then please join the Facebook Group, also called Understanding Photography with Kim Ayres:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/240842990388815/

Leave a comment with it to let me know what your sticking point is, and I'll do my best to help you move up to the next level in your photography.

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