# Take the TPF Photo C&C Challenge!



## e.rose (Oct 8, 2014)

I've been thinking about this the past few days, after being back and observing TPF for a few days (I mean, I actually kept the tab open on my computer and kept checking back almost as regularly as I do Facebook...  )

There are a few things that I noticed, that I have already *complained* about, but I thought... why not be proactive about it, then?

*
WHAT I OBSERVED:
*
There isn't as much interaction as there used to be. At least not the same type of *quality* interaction that there used to be.

There is a lot of chatter in off-topic threads, or in threads concerning ethical discussions, or opinion pieces... but on threads with photos?

Definitely not as much as it used to be.

It could be because of "The Change". It could be that a lot of the members that USED to participate in good quality discussions on image threads are no longer here, maybe we have less users, maybe the newer people are too afraid to comment on more experienced user's posts... maybe the newer people are afraid to post in general... I dunno what it is. But I want it to change, because this place is more fun with a lot of discussions around photos... And hell, people LEARNED stuff when that happened. 

It could be just my posts, but I feel like I only see the same 20 people posting new threads, or making comments on posts... There *has* to be more than 20 people on this forum still. 


*WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT:
*
I want to put out a *CHALLENGE* to EVERY. SINGLE. TPF. USER. IN THE KNOW UNIVERSE. *REGARDLESS OF YOUR SKILL LEVEL.* 

*I CHALLENGE YOU...*
...to comment on every single thread you open, that contains an image.

If you have time to be on TPF... then you have time to *at least* leave a short comment. 


_*Critique:
*_
Now OBVIOUSLY *constructive critique*, if asked for it by the OP and/or the image was posted in a critique-based forum is best. BUT... if you don't have time for a full-blown critique, just hit on one point, or at the very least make a more general critique that helps in someway, or that you can come back to later and expand on when you *do* have time (e.g. "That is a beautiful photo, but it may be a tad underexposed")


*I like it/I don't like it:
*
Now there are going to be instances where you're going to click on a thread that contains an image and one of two things may happen: 1. It may be posted to a forum not meant by default for critique, and critique was not asked for by the OP.  2. You may not feel comfortable giving a critique because of your skill level vs. theirs

So what should you do in those instances if you like the photo? SAY SO!  (e.g. "Nice photo!"; "I love the way you captured her expression!"; "Beautiful!", etc.)

What should you do in those instances if you *don't* like the photo? Ask the OP if it's alright if you *give* critique. If it's a thread not defaulted for critique and the OP didn't ask for critique, but you feel like you would *like* to give critique, then simply ask for permission to give it. If the OP grants you that permission, then give your critique. If they don't, then just move on. 

What should you do if you're just uncomfortable giving critique because of your skill level, in either situation? Tell the OP that you like or dislike the photo, and explain that you may not exactly know why, but try to describe what about the image you're loving or not liking so much. -- TPF is a forum for learning, and one of the ways we learn is not only by receiving critique, but critiquing others. Leave the best critique of your abilities, and then *ask* the other members in the thread to help you pinpoint exactly why you may be feeling that way about the image. 


*WHY SHOULD WE DO THIS?
*
It's going to create a more fun and interactive environment, and it's going to encourage more users to speak! TPF will be more fun, and it will hopefully become a better place of learning and improvement, for those striving to improve, both new and old (Us TPF veterans are still trying to improve, you know.  )


*SO, WILL YOU TAKE THE TPF C&C CHALLENGE?
*
If so, copy/paste the following into your signature to encourage others to do the same  :

_I have accepted the TPF C&C challenge!
_
(Yes, that's a link to this thread -- It's a way for people to find out what it is, without you having to copy/paste the whole idea into your signature, haha).

So will you take the challenge with me?

I'm sure some of you will think this is utterly stupid, but honestly... what's wrong with encouraging learning and discussion on images?


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## sm4him (Oct 8, 2014)

I haven't even read this whole thing yet but I wanted to say that when I see a photo in a non-C&C area that I don't like,  I say something like "Not really my taste,  I guess but glad you shared it. " That leaves it open to the OP to either ignore or ask why I don't care for it,  thus inviting further C&C.

Oh and when I'm back at my Mac I'll accept the challenge.


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## e.rose (Oct 8, 2014)

sm4him said:


> I haven't even read this whole thing yet but I wanted to say that when I see a photo in a non-C&C area that I don't like,  I say something like "Not really my taste,  I guess but glad you shared it. " That leaves it open to the OP to either ignore or ask why I don't care for it,  thus inviting further C&C.
> 
> Oh and when I'm back at my Mac I'll accept the challenge.



Yeah, there's a million ways you can comment on a photo that didn't directly ask for C&C, haha.


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## Scatterbrained (Oct 8, 2014)

I don't know if you noticed, but there  really are only about two dozen people posting these days, it's not just your imagination.


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## e.rose (Oct 8, 2014)

Scatterbrained said:


> I don't know if you noticed, but there  really are only about two dozen people posting these days, it's not just your imagination.



I noticed, haha.

I'm hoping that maybe some of the others will come out of the woodworks. 

Maybe it's just a pipe dream, but I had to put it out there anyway.


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## Scatterbrained (Oct 8, 2014)

The forum "upgrade" definitely slowed things down, but to be fair, the other forums I'm on have slowed down quite a bit too.


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## tirediron (Oct 8, 2014)

e.rose said:


> sm4him said:
> 
> 
> > I haven't even read this whole thing yet but I wanted to say that when I see a photo in a non-C&C area that I don't like,  I say something like "Not really my taste,  I guess but glad you shared it. " That leaves it open to the OP to either ignore or ask why I don't care for it,  thus inviting further C&C.
> ...


 Just a point of order:  By posting in the gallery, permission to give C&C is implicit (read the fine print on the gallery descriptions).


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## sm4him (Oct 8, 2014)

Yeah,  I was referring to the Just For Fun section. I always understood that one to be critique-free.


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## Village Idiot (Oct 8, 2014)

It's like we're busy or something (or they're actually trying to make me work at work...)


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## pgriz (Oct 8, 2014)

Emily, you're back!  Woo-hoo!

As for not participating, personally, I'm in my "hot" season, so don't have much time to browse here, except for snatches there and there.  As can be seen by my posting history and times.

But... when I'm on... I'll take your challenge.


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## e.rose (Oct 8, 2014)

tirediron said:


> e.rose said:
> 
> 
> > sm4him said:
> ...



Last time I looked, not all of them were. Some specifically said they were for critique, others did not. Unless that changed since "THE CHANGE". And it may have.


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## e.rose (Oct 8, 2014)

pgriz said:


> But... when I'm on... I'll take your challenge.



That's all I'm saying. You know me... I disappear for months at a time, haha. I'm just talking about when you're actually *here*.


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## frommrstomommy (Oct 8, 2014)

I accept. I'm just too lazy to go add it to my signature.. lets just pretend, yes?


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## tirediron (Oct 8, 2014)

e.rose said:


> ...Last time I looked, not all of them were. Some specifically said they were for critique, others did not. Unless that changed since "THE CHANGE". And it may have.


You're right, it's missing from the macro gallery ('though I'm not sure you've ever even been there have you?), but it should be.  The only 'non-critique' gallery is 'Just for fun'.


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## Wizard1500 (Oct 8, 2014)

I'll admit, that I am one that doesn't respond to C&C......even though I shot weddings and portraits during the late '70's and '80's, today I feel like a complete novice.....so much has changed since I made money from photography.  In portraits, today, I see a lot that back then would have broken several "rules".....and what I see in wedding photography today is nothing like it was.....therefore, most of what I would say, would be disagreed with, quickly.....


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## snowbear (Oct 8, 2014)

I am somewhat guilty, and tend to only comment within my comfort zone, or within my knowledge/ability.

If it's what I take as a non C&C thread - Just For Fun, Here Kitty, Kitty, etc. and I like a photo (or the subject) I will say so OR I will hit the like button.  If I am indifferent ("meh") or I don't like it, I just move on without comment.

For the C&C threads it's a bit more complex.

If I feel I the poster appears to be at a level equal or less than my abilities (a real beginner) then I will usually say what I like about it, then what I don't, then make suggestions on how I would have done it.  I want to be honest, but encouraging.

If the poster appears to be at a level above me (most of you) and feel I can really add something useful that hasn't already been said, I will usually do so.  I try not to echo what's already been said without adding something.  If I feel that any of my comments would not add value, I hit the "back" button.


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## pgriz (Oct 8, 2014)

Since I believe that no-one here walks around with a set of graven stone tablets on his/her shoulders, it's probably safe to say that whatever we utter is our "opinion" whether it is backed up by 120 years of punditry, or 20 minutes of wide-eyed innocence (or ignorance, if you want).  Mind you, if you go around making pronouncements in the voice of Morgan Freeman, people would generally tend to listen carefully, so the "packaging" does have an influence.  However, since we are in the text medium, we're probably immune to subconscious swaying/influencing by the font or colour (although I do admit the appropriate phrasing can pique my curiosity).  So...  State opinions, hear opinions, and know that they are only, repeat, only opinions.


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## weepete (Oct 8, 2014)

You do realise I totally heard that last sentence in the voice of Morgan Freeman 

Anyway, my attitude to C&C is that normally I try and leave at least a comment or two when it's asked for. If I have a bit more time I'm happy to offer a bit more detail on my opinion of a shot.


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## sm4him (Oct 8, 2014)

I really do try to just generally PARTICIPATE in other people's threads. I like it when I post something and it doesn't die a horrible death from neglect (kinda like my cool Wooly Aphid thread recently did). When you only get a few comments on something you've posted, it starts to make you hesitate to even bother the next time.

But mostly, heck, I just like attention. 
So I try to GIVE attention back.
I like it when someone gives me feedback that helps me either improve that specific picture (a recent example was when Lew informed me that a photo I'd posted, that was mostly getting "great job!" kind of comments, was actually terribly off on wb) OR that helps me maybe think about approaching a photo differently the next time.
So I try to give others feedback of the same nature.

Also, just as a little side note:

Everything you read from me should automatically be "heard" in a Morgan Freeman, "on the very authority of God" sort of voice. Because if I have spoken, then VERILY, so it is!!


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## snowbear (Oct 8, 2014)

I'm getting a little better with giving feedback.  So my reads should be heard as Alan Arkin's character in "The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!"


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## bentcountershaft (Oct 8, 2014)

Just a heads up, I'll be saying, "Emily made me tell you that your photo sucks" on anything I don't like.


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## MichaelHenson (Oct 8, 2014)

So...there's no photo in this thread...Just pointing that out as the irony was not lost on me. 

BTW, I'm here to learn as much as possible...so I'm in!


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## tirediron (Oct 8, 2014)

snowbear said:


> I'm getting a little better with giving feedback.  So my reads should be heard as Alan Arkin's character in "The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!"


Everyone to get from street!  Everyone to get from street!


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## xzyragon (Oct 8, 2014)

What if we made a critique my most recent photo C&C thread where everyone posts latest images to get C&C'ed?


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## snowbear (Oct 8, 2014)

tirediron said:


> snowbear said:
> 
> 
> > I'm getting a little better with giving feedback.  So my reads should be heard as Alan Arkin's character in "The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!"
> ...



The classic line!


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## e.rose (Oct 8, 2014)

bentcountershaft said:


> Just a heads up, I'll be saying, "Emily made me tell you that your photo sucks" on anything I don't like.





Please do. 



xzyragon said:


> What if we made a critique my most recent photo C&C thread where everyone posts latest images to get C&C'ed?



The no one's stuff will get properly CC'd and we're back to the same issue of things getting buried right away.

Plus after 200 pages in a thread, ain't no one wanna go through and dig. 

And having separate threads with their own titles helps people decide *what* they want to click on. That's why we have the categories.


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## snowbear (Oct 8, 2014)

OK, I placed your link in my siggy.  I even removed my UTM coordinates for it.


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## 4rum (Oct 13, 2014)

e.rose,
  Your enthusiasm is refreshing. All your points are valid. I'm new so don't know why activity is down here but I do know that it's tough generating enough interest to keep a site active most anywhere (except fb).  That said, I'd like to support you and all of TPF by accepting your challenge.

'rum


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## Rick50 (Oct 14, 2014)

sm4him said:


> Yeah,  I was referring to the Just For Fun section. I always understood that one to be critique-free.


I didn't know this. Oops!


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## DanOstergren (Oct 20, 2014)

I know nothing. Don't listen to my opinions.


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## Lee-Ann (Sep 15, 2015)

e.rose said:


> I've been thinking about this the past few days, after being back and observing TPF for a few days (I mean, I actually kept the tab open on my computer and kept checking back almost as regularly as I do Facebook...  )
> 
> There are a few things that I noticed, that I have already *complained* about, but I thought... why not be proactive about it, then?
> 
> ...



I totally agree that there should be interaction, I'll do my best to coment event though I don't feel I'm experienced enought to give C&C. These forums are to learn and that's why I've joined.


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