Improve your photography through critiques

Text and photos by Heather Cline 

Sunrise, Pools of Mokolea Pools of Mokolea, Kauai

If you are looking to improve your photography, seeking feedback through formal or informal critiques is a great way to achieve that goal. But, did you know you can improve your photography by critiquing others work as well? 

This article covers why critiques are valuable, how critiquing others photography improves your own, as well as providing some helpful tips to start performing critiques. 

How receiving critiques can help you

Photography is subjective and many of us don't have the benefit of seeing our work through another's eyes outside of family and friends. When images are shown to those we are most familiar with, they often react with "that's beautiful"! - and while it feels good to receive praise, that isn't going to make you a better photographer.  Sometimes the value we place on our own images is directly associated with how much time and effort went into creating it. Perhaps it required a lot of planning, setup, or post processing to create the final image. As a result, we aren't always able to objectively evaluate our own images. For that reason, receiving feedback from someone who doesn't have that level of investment in the photo will help ensure it is objective.  If you haven't submitted one or more photos for critique, I highly recommend it. Critique sessions are common when participating in workshops or at photo conferences. You can also join a photography club, or an online group that provides feedback, or you can also ask fellow photographers for an informal review.  The goal is to receive a objective opinion on what worked well and what needed to be improved so you can apply those learnings to future shots. In short - feedback helps you get better.

Being able to receive and truly absorb honest and realistic feedback can be difficult, especially if you aren't prepared for it or you have never heard anything but "your work is awesome" from friends and family. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of feedback:

• Listen - really listen: if you automatically start defending your work, even in your own head, you aren't really listening to the information being shared.
• Ask clarifying questions. This is a good way to ensure you understand and can result in even more valuable dialogue. 
• If you are having multiple images critiqued and the feedback is starting to sound similar across multiple images, pay attention so you don't repeat mistakes that could be plaguing your entire portfolio. 
• Don't take it personally. Not everyone is skilled at giving valuable critiques. If it starts to feel like a personal attack, don't engage. It won't do anything to improve your work. 
• Do not feel obligated to make every change recommended. There may be aspects of your work that you feel strongly about and there is no mandate to apply every change the reviewer recommends. 
• Thank the person for their time and feedback and perhaps even offer to reciprocate (but read the tips below first!)

Thistles, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Thistle silhouettes, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

How providing critiques can help you

Steps for critiquing others work 

It is easier to like a photo than to explain why you like it. 

So, how do you get started if you have never done a critique before? Here are a few guidelines to ensure the information you provide is objective and valuable: 

• Hold your feelings about the genre or subject. Whether or not you like macro flower photography should not matter when providing a critique. Judge each image on its own strengths or weaknesses, not your personal taste. 
• Provide detail beyond what you like or dislike. For example, instead of saying, "I don't like the amount of negative space", provide additional detail around what impact the negative space is having on the image. Is it too much or too little? Is it throwing off the balance? Is it taking away from the primary subject? You want to give the photographer actionable feedback they can apply going forward. 
• Does the image evoke any feelings? Is it meant to?
• Does the photograph tell a story? Is the photographer's intention apparent? 
• Focus on what would make the image more compelling to you versus telling them what you would have done had you taken the image yourself. 
• Look at the image for 30 seconds and pay attention to how your eyes move around the image. Do they rest in one spot immediately or continue to move through the image? 
• Note the different elements in the photo and whether they add visual interest or not. 
• Don't forget about the technical aspects. Is the photo exposed properly? Is the focus sharp? Are there dust spots? Does the white balance and saturation make sense?

Giant Fig Tree, Allerton Gardens Giant Fig Tree, Kauai

I hope this article has provided some valuable information on why critiques - both of your work and those you perform for others - can make you a better photographer.