Photo Critique Etiquette

 

Get Your Photos Critiqued

 

Is your photography stuck? Do you feel like you are taking the same mediocre images? Do you wonder if your photos are even good? Wouldn’t it help to have your work reviewed with a constructive evaluation to include feedback, suggestions and tips? The purpose of critique is to offer one’s impression of a photo.

Why have your images critiqued? It is extremely helpful to have your images critiqued by someone else to help you grow photographically. This is an opportunity to get some constructive feedback on your images.

By attaining a greater understanding of the critiquing process, it will become a significant, invaluable tool that could forever alter the way you shoot and view images.

We will have a specific photo critique session the 4th Wednesday of each month. This will not be a regular meeting. We will only be doing the critique session during these meetings. The sessions will be held at our regular meeting place at the same time:  Meridian Friends Church, 1021 W. Pine Ave., Meridian, ID 83642, from 7-9pm. Dates for 2020 critiques will be updated soon.

The critique process will be a formal critique and scoring of your image by a panel of 3 judges. Our critique process will be modeled after what is currently being used by the Columbia Council of Camera Clubs (4c’s) and is summarized below.

Being critiqued may not be for everyone. That is why it will be offered as a separate meeting.

 

Criteria for Critiquing:

  1. How compelling are the ideas in the image?
  2. How cleanly expressed are the ideas in the image?

a.  Content
b.  Lighting
c.  Composition
d.  Camera Operation
e.  Post Processing Scoring

 

Process – score images using a scale of 2-9 as per scale below:

2 = no positive attributes
3 = dominated by flaws
4 = significant problems, few strengths
5 = noticeable problems offset strengths
6 = okay, solid noticeable strengths offset problems
7 = strong, rewards viewing
8 = outstanding, an exciting image
9 = the very best

 

Judging Process (at least 3 judges):

    • Judges to consistently apply critique guidelines and predict the typical response to the image, not their personal opinion
    • Set aside personal biases
    • Judge each image as a whole

Analyze instead of just responding:

    • This image is effective because . . .
    • This image is not effective because . . .

Be consistent. Use the above scale.

 

Use the Critique Guide Sheet to evaluate the image.

Use the Critiquing Photography Guide to help with the critique process.

 

Recognizing we have different levels of proficiency, please use these categories for submission:

1 – Beginner
2 – Intermediate
3 – Advanced

 

Image Submission – in order to have your images critiqued please do the following:

  1. Resize your images using the specs found on our Member Slideshow Info.
  2. Rename your images as follows:  your initials_1. For example:  afb_1, afb_2, afb_3.
  3. Remove any water marks or names from front of image.
  4. Categorize your submissions:  Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced.
  5. Submit 1 image by email no later than the Monday preceding the date of the critique. Since this is a two step process of critiquing and scoring, let us know if you would like to opt out of having your score revealed during the session.
  6. You mus be in attendance at the critique to have your images critiqued.

 

For more information about the scoring/judging with image examples, please review the 4C’s document.