subject: How to Use a Photo Critique in Photography of Big Ideas [print this page] How to Use a Photo Critique in Photography of Big Ideas
While some photography focuses on individual shots and the strength of the technique used in the composition, other branches of photography focus on conveying big ideas through pictures, with technique and composition forming only part of the finished product. If you have received or are looking to get a photo critique for a picture portraying a particular idea, how exactly can you utilise the resulting comments?
Firstly, a photo critique will help you to identify how well your intended message came across. For example, if you took a photograph of people on public transport, with all of them reading newspapers or absorbed in their phones, your intended message might have been the disconnection between people in the modern age. Getting a photo critique will tell you whether this came across or if the person reviewing your picture took another meaning from your work.
In this case, for instance, depending on how you framed the shot and the techniques you used, a reviewer might think that the message of the picture was more about homogenisation or simply even the humour that can be found in such a situation. This shows why it's important that you still focus on technique when you're conveying ideas in a photo, as this can have an impact on how your work comes across.
Even if the person writing the critique comes up with an entirely different meaning to your picture, though, this doesn't mean that you have failed. It simply highlights the fact that people view art differently and that everyone has different opinions. This might even spark a debate over meaning or provide you with new ideas that you want to explore in future work.
The most useful photo critique you could receive for a picture conveying ideas is one that tells you why the reviewer thought what they did, so if you ask someone for a critique, also ask them if they can back up their opinions if possible. This will help you uncover how your use of focus, depth of field and all those other techniques photographers spend so much time thinking about worked to create the finished version of your picture.
Take any comments that you are given in a photo critique and use them as inspiration for your work. If you are hoping to create more pictures that portray different social ideas, it can be a good idea to not tell your reviewer what your intention was before they give you their thoughts. This way, they won't be influenced by your intentions and can instead give you an honest, impartial view.
For more information about photo critiques and to see some examples, visit www.gurushots.com.
