These emails come with the intent of helping you be a better photographer. 

And if you want more photography stuff to read, there's a place on the interwebs where past emails I wrote are stored. You'll find 'em in the "Newsletter Hub." 

Remember, I'd like to know what you want to know about photography. So, If you have any questions, ask by sending an email to me at sam@samdamico.com.

Hello , 

When asked about my opinion on someone’s work during a group class or private lesson, they usually look for a critique. And if we analyze a picture, it’s in everyone’s interest to give a good commentary, not a useless one. 

What Are Critiques?

 As photographers, we can think of a critique as an analysis and commentary on a photograph or a body of work. 

Types of Critiques

Simply put, there are useful/helpful critiques and useless critiques.

In short, a useless critique provides only an opinion based on how the photographer giving the commentary thinks they could have done the work better. Also, an ineffective review is just an opinion based on the photograph’s content without discussing what the photographer thinks of their work or the composition’s intent.

While a helpful critique is based on the compositional intent of the photographer who made the picture and provides technical guidance and understanding. 

Types of Photographers Looking for Critiques

It seems to me that two kinds of photographers are looking for critiques.

There’re “Opinion Seekers,” and then there’re “Guidance and Understanding Seekers.”

The Opinion Seekers

One kind is those simply seeking affirmation or rejection of their work. Usually, a simple “I like” or “I don’t like it will suffice as an answer. However, this type of critique doesn’t leave the photographer seeking the commentary with anything than another opinion of their work. 

And please remember that unless we’re being paid to give it by a marketing agency or participating in a survey, most opinions aren’t of much use or value. Because, as we know, opinions vary. Some people like our work, and some people don’t. 

So, let’s say that this is the type of critique a photographer looks for. In that case, I’ll do my best to nudge them into seeking more useful analyses by getting them more involved in their work. 

Or I’ll decline to offer a critique if they have no issues with their work and are just collecting affirmations or rejections. 

The Guidance and Understanding Seekers

Another kind of photographer looking for a critique is interested in guidance and understanding. They seek analyses based on where they think their picture is falling short compositionally.

In this case, I do my best to provide a helpful critique when reviewing.

And this means I redirect the question back to the photographer asking for the critique. I’ll usually say something like, “Before I can help you, I’d like to know what you think of your work?”

What’s the Use of Asking the Photographer What They Think of Their Work? 

A helpful critique is based on the work with a discussion about what the photographer thinks of their work and the composition’s intent. And helpful critiques get photographers involved in evaluating their work critically and usefully.

 I ask that question instead of giving another simple, useless opinion of “I like” or “don’t like” because that question is the key to a good, helpful critique process. In other words, that question provides the basis of a good, practical critique in two ways.

First, the question nudges the photographer seeking the critique to first analyze their work, especially in terms of how they feel the picture fell short.  

And second, the answer the critique seeker provides is the basis for offering a helpful critique.

In other words, we need to know the photographer’s compositional intent and how they feel their picture fell short of it. And we need to know this because that’s the stuff we use to provide the basis of our critique.

Let’s say we’re told by a photographer that a picture isn’t looking the way they wanted. In that case, we’ve gotta know exactly what it is about the image that isn’t working for them. Is the picture too blurry, unsharp/out of focus, light, dark, noisy, etc.? Once we know that, we can give a helpful critique. 

An excellent example of a photographer’s intent is usually found at an art exhibit. Specifically, when viewing art exhibits and the work of a specific artist, there’s usually an artist statement describing the artist’s intent and approach to their work. 

A Photograph Isn’t Good or Bad

 I appreciate photography and enjoy seeing photographs. Also, I believe all pictures and photographers have something interesting to offer. But whether an image is compositionally simply a good or bad image is subjective and up to an opinionated, uninformed viewer to decide. 

And remember, whether we're asking for a critique or asked to give a critique, the best critiques begin with the photographer’s self-critique.  

And remember, we learn and become better by doing, so practice by making at least one picture today.  

That’s all for now; thanks for reading!

Sam 

Study and practice photography with me. 

And if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes,  we can schedule a one-time lesson or a series of in-person or online one-on-one private instruction that cover the same things as any of my group classes. 

Introduction To Photography classes start: 

Saturday, July 29; Wednesday, August 2; Sunday, August 6

Getting To Know Your Camera Classes are on;
 Tuesday, July 25

Using the camera on your phone? The Learn To Think Like A Photographer classes are scheduled on; Monday, July 24

More Ways to work with me are listed below. 

I look forward to helping you be a better photographer.

Best Regards, 

Sam