Photo Critiques

For Registered Members Only (includes video critique)

Photo critiques are always in demand. My inbox gets filled weekly with requests for portfolio reviews and individual photo critiques. Unfortunately my schedule prohibits me from answering every request for critiques not to mention many images have similarities, so one photo critique is potentially beneficial to a similar photo.

Often, while participating in the various photography Internet forums and communities, I see critique requests and I find some problems on the handling of these critiques. The first problem is the individual(s) critiquing the photo(s) have no reputable credentials. While all photography is subjective and anyone is allowed to form their opinions on a photo, when it comes to critiques, it’s imperative that the photographers, of all levels of experience, who view the critique place weight on the person’s credentials giving the critique.

Another problem I find is too much candy coating (sugar coating) of the photography critiques. This diminishes the value of the photo critique and is a waste of bandwidth, time and energy. Finally, a more common problem I see with photo critiques, is they are often more destructive to the photographer submitting the photos and more self-serving to the person providing the critique.

Addressing the first problem, a photo critique from a credentialed photo editor carries more value than a critique from someone’s significant other. When a photo editor provides a bona fide critique, everyone viewing that critique can gain wisdom and knowledge in the fundamentals, basics and principals of photography, hopefully to improve their craft, whereas a critique from someone’s relative, friend or family normally is more biased so as not to hurt one’s feelings. Add to the fact, most friends, relatives and family members are not qualified in photo editing, much less providing accurate photo critiques.

On problem number two, I’m a firm believer, based on my own experience as a photo editor and as a professional photographer with over 30-years of experience, in addition to dealing with photo editors, art directors, creative directors and instructors, that the best photo critiques are not candy-coated, though at the same time, constructive and not destructive. Normally when I provide photo critiques, I base my level of “sternness” on the photographer’s experience level. So if a photographer is an amateur, while I’ll still provide the essentials of a proper photo critique, my “niceness” comes from sending the photographer a constructive message, probably more bittersweet than sweet, so as not to destroy their passion in photography.

On the other hand, if a photographer is more at an intermediate or professional level, my message is still the same, but my tone is more stern—this is how my photography critiques were handled as I matured in photography and I learned a long time ago, this works, as I remember those stern critiques and have forgotten the candy-coated critiques. While photo critiques are best when constructive and not destructive, the more memorable ones provide greater impact on my photography as they are harder to forget and come back into my creative mind subconsciously before depressing the camera shutter release.

For the third problem with online photo critiques, here at Lens Diaries™ my mantra for photography and portfolio critiques is to treat the individual with respect and dignity, while providing a constructive critique that is memorable without discouraging their photography. I will also remind the photographer and everyone reading the critique that printed words normally sound harsher than spoken words, as there is no tone or body language associated with the critique. The photo/portfolio critiques here on Lens Diaries™ are designed to help the photographer submitting the photo(s) or portfolios for critique and others with similar images, nothing more.

Playboy Playmate Holley Dorrough Bath Photo, Photography Critique

Playboy Playmate Holley Dorrough enjoys here bath. This is an example photo critique photo accompanied by audiovisual reinforcement.

The latter statement also made me realize, in creating this section for Lens Diaries™, in order for an effective message, I’ll accompany the photo/portfolio critique with not just printed words, but some form of audiovisual reinforcement—so for now, we’ll have a video/audio photo/portfolio critique section, though the emphasis in the video is the photo/portfolio being critiqued and the audio is more to set the tone of the critique in addition to make it easier to understand the written critique.

Currently Lens Diaries™ is awaiting it’s new album/portfolio section for it’s registered members, so in the mean time, I’m only accepting photos for critiques via email. Just send them (minimum size, 600 pixels on their longest side at 72 pixels per inch resolution, sRGB color profile) to gophotog(at symbol goes here and close the gaps)gmail.com. Don’t worry about the color profile, if you don’t know what sRGB is, chances are, your image is in sRGB color profile format. For now, please send only one image, once the album/portfolio section goes live on Lens Diaries™ I’ll accept links to photos and portfolios for critiques.

For now, here are the rules for submitting your images for my photo critique and potential VIP guest critiques:

1. You must be a registered member to LensDiaries.com to participate in the photo/portfolio critiques–it’s Free!

2. Currently we’re only accepting photos for critiques until the portfolio/album system is activated here on LensDiaries.com. See remarks three paragraphs above.

3. Upon implementation of the LensDiaries.com portfolio/album section, emailed photos will not be accepted and only photos/portfolios uploaded to LensDiaries.com will be considered—we’ll provide a separate section in the forums for posting critique requests.

Now the legal part, while we don’t like having to make disclaimers, unfortunately we’re required to so that we may protect the Lens Diaries™ website and community so by submitting photos/portfolios for critique you certify and agree to the following:

1. You acknowledge your permission to allow us (LensDiaries.com, Lens Diaries™, Rolando Gomez) publicly publish your photos or photos from your portfolios in the critique section(s) of LensDiaries.com and for promoting the critiques section(s) on LensDiaries.com—basically you’re releasing us the right to use your photos or photos from your portfolios here on LensDiaries.com and/or for our promotion without compensation, though you retain all copyrights.

2. Your permission includes the right to keep your photos or photos from your portfolios posted with the critique, for a period up to two years or more on our website and promotions. Doesn’t make sense for us to critique your photos or photos from your portfolios (it’s a lot of work) then remove it from our site. The idea is so yourself and other photographers can benefit from the critique(s).

3. You hold harmless Rolando Gomez, Lens Dairies™, LensDiaries.com, VIP critique guests, and anyone associated with LensDiaries.com, the critique(s) and this website, regardless of the comments and critique(s) made of your photos or photos from your portfolios.

4. You certify that the photos or photos from your portfolios submitted is yours, you own the copyright and you have a legal, proper model release(s) (should there be recognizable people in the image) and all rights to publicly post such photos or photos from your portfolios submitted for critique(s).

5. You acknowledge that LensDiaries.com, Lens Diaries™, Rolando Gomez and its representatives has the right to remove the photos or photos from your portfolios and the accompanying critique(s) at anytime from our website for any reason and you acknowledge to hold us harmless in doing so.

6. You will not consider any photos or photos from your portfolios critiqued as an act of slander or libel to your name, your likeness, your company or your photography. You understand a critique(s) of your photo(s) is just that, a bona fide photography critique(s) and nothing more. We are not endorsing your talent, your photography, your company or you as a person by providing such a critique nor will you take our critique and use it to promote yourself, your talent, your photography or your business without our written permission.

7. You acknowledge that you will not take a photo(s) or portfolio critique personally, but accept it in a professional manner and for its professional value.

8. You acknowledge that all critiques are subjective and while we’ll do our best to provide the most knowledgeable photo critique(s), you accept the fact that even we are not perfect and that the potential for errors and mistakes does exist.

9. You will not submit images that contain nudity, racial slurs, or illegal activities. In doing so, you will hold us harmless if we decide to release such images to the proper authority if we feel a crime or law has been violated.

10. You acknowledge, upon submission of your photo(s) or portfolio for review or critique(s), that we may not select your submission and you understand that failure to select your submission is our choice and no explanation will be given nor is it required. Should your photo(s) or portfolio be selected for critique, you grant us permission to resize your photos (images) to fit our delivery medium. This resizes could result in additional image compression and/or loss of quality and you have granted us permission to make all necessary image adjustments as needed to properly be delivered her on this website.

11. You acknowledge that we provide no warranties, guarantees, or assurances of any type through this photo/portfolio critique program offered here at this website, LensDiaries.com, nor by its representatives or Rolando Gomez.

12. You acknowledge that we have the right to change the photo/portfolio critique(s) rules, policies, procedures and administration as we see fit, for any reason, at any time, and that at our discretion, we have the right to make any changes retroactive to your photo/portfolio critique(s) submission.