Self Critique - how strict are you?!?

[kybo]

When you go through your own photos, how hard are you on yourself?

I don't mean with regards to duff images - out of focus or half a target etc - but with experimental type shots i.e. slower/faster than normal shutter speeds, more/less bokeh, off centre composition, different angle, that kind of thing.

Do you always let someone else critique your shots, even if you don't like them, or do you just bin them straight off?

I ask because I was trying really slow shutter speeds at the GP and, as I wasn't happy with the results, I binned them all without anyone else seeing them. I have since seen similar shots (very similar effects) on websites and I like the look of them.

Is it always worth getting a second opinion - I don't know if I didn't like them just coz they were mine or they didn't turn out how I had thought/hope.

Hopefully, you'll know what I was trying [so badly] to ask.

Thanks,
Scott

[markmullen]

I often get a second opinion on a shot before I do anything with it, usually from my girlfriend who is very artistic, or my father who is a retired professional commercial and architectural photographer.

Edited to add I am much harder on my own shots that I perhaps should be, one shot which is one of my most popular on flickr I overlooked initially. It has subsequently grown on me the more I look at it.

Edited by markmullen on Thursday 5th January 17:09

[Craikeybaby]

I'm quite strict with myself, I usually know what I'm going for before I take the shot and if I don't get that generally I'm not happy. You are only as good as the worst image you show.

[kybo]

I know what you're talking about, getting frustrated if you don't get the end result you want. I kinda regret deleting some of the images - some of which never made it off the camera for a proper look - and to make it worse, in this digital era, there's no need to delete any I suppose.

It's good to know I'm no the only one that's agressive with self critique.

I suppose I'm a bit self conscious of any bad comments I might receive - the flip side is I won't know how to fix the problems if I don't know what's wrong.

[gonna make concerted effort NOT to delete any images unless C&C'd as lousy ]

Thanks

[McMacro]

My method is normally:

Delete, delete, delete, delete, hmm, delete, delete, delete, keep (maybe?), delete, delete, delete, delete. Works a treat

I don't get anyone else involved, my wife has no interest (unless it's a shot of the kids).

[Robbie B]

McMacro said:

My method is normally:

Delete, delete, delete, delete, hmm, delete, delete, delete, keep (maybe?), delete, delete, delete, delete. Works a treat

I don't get anyone else involved, my wife has no interest (unless it's a shot of the kids).

This. I delete 99% of everything I take, but then again, unless I've got the tripod out, I take A LOT of shots (at motorsport events I will usually fill a 16gb card).

And McMacro's wife has no interest in my shots either

[RobDickinson]

I rate my pics in bridge, obvious deadweights (oof etc) get deleted. everything else gets a 1-5 rating.

If I'm not sure of a pic I will get a second opinion & I mostly dont post something if I'm not happy with it overall.

[Speed addicted]

I Don't delete mostly, just pop them onto the backup drive sorted into folders by date never to be looked at again.
Most of the pictures I take are never seen by anyone else, but I have been surprised by people's reactions to ones that I thought were a bit average.

[Speed addicted]

I Don't delete mostly, just pop them onto the backup drive sorted into folders by date never to be looked at again.
Most of the pictures I take are never seen by anyone else, but I have been surprised by people's reactions to ones that I thought were a bit average.

[kybo]

The kind of shots I refer to were similar to this:

http://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/2012-Formula-1... The blurry McLaren atop the page.

I've seen, and liked, examples where the blurring is more prominent than here. Although I got similar results I didn't like any of mine. Maybe I'm concentrating too much on what I've been told/read, that at least part of the image has to be in focus.

What are your opinions on this type of shot?

Thanks,
Scott

[kybo]

Speed addicted said:

I Don't delete mostly, just pop them onto the backup drive sorted into folders by date never to be looked at again.
Most of the pictures I take are never seen by anyone else, but I have been surprised by people's reactions to ones that I thought were a bit average.

Same here with my shots. it's almost like they all hold some sentimental value coz you took them. You 'keep' the keepers (be them good, average, indifferent), even though they're never gonna be seen by anyone else and you're never gonna do anything with them. And then you delete one's you (well me in this case) maybe shouldn't.

S

[Craikeybaby]

I never delete in camera, everything gets backed up and imported to Lightroom, then the ones I'm not happy with get deleted from Lightroom.

With regards to the McLaren, I wouldn't be happy with that shot myself, I generally want at least some of the car to be sharp!

[covboy]

kybo said:

Speed addicted said:

I Don't delete mostly, just pop them onto the backup drive sorted into folders by date never to be looked at again.
Most of the pictures I take are never seen by anyone else, but I have been surprised by people's reactions to ones that I thought were a bit average.

Same here with my shots. it's almost like they all hold some sentimental value coz you took them. You 'keep' the keepers (be them good, average, indifferent), even though they're never gonna be seen by anyone else and you're never gonna do anything with them. And then you delete one's you (well me in this case) maybe shouldn't.

S

+ another one

[kybo]

Craikeybaby said:

I never delete in camera, everything gets backed up and imported to Lightroom, then the ones I'm not happy with get deleted from Lightroom.

With regards to the McLaren, I wouldn't be happy with that shot myself, I generally want at least some of the car to be sharp!

If that was your intention - general panning technique, take a 'normal' motorsport pic with some of image sharp, then yeah you probably would delete it straight away, but if your intention, when taking the shot, was to achieve this kind of effect, would you still be unhappy with it?

This is what i'm talking about - general rule of thumb is have part/all of image sharp or check rule of thirds etc. That's what I've always been told/read. But then, occasionally, an image will throw all you've been taught out the window - and it'll blow you away.

Plus, someone's dislike to a picture does not a poor image make. All this is exactly what I like (and find utterly confusing at times) about photography.

I think I'll concentrate a little less about the classroom technique and just go out and feel inspired more.

Oh, and not delete stuff without maybe a second opinion