is flickr just a giant circle jerk?

*pingflood* · 10-22-2009, 06:43 AM

Seriously, I keep checking back on there, throwing up a few shots on occasion to share, then browse around a bit. All I see is a bunch of socializing, with lots of "OMG awesome shot here's a gold star" or "we like your shot come join our group" with some cutesy "award" icon... rarely any constructive critique, or much useful discussion.

Or am I missing something here?

**Peter Zack** · 10-22-2009, 06:45 AM

The title says it all.

Gooshin · 10-22-2009, 06:47 AM

yep!

although our very own post your photo section is not much better. Throw up any sort of critisim and you get burned.

*pingflood* · 10-22-2009, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by Gooshin

yep!

although our very own post your photo section is not much better. Throw up any sort of critisim and you get burned.

I personally appreciate it (as long as it's constructive and not OMG fail), but I do find myself being very careful when handing out CC because it seems that is not really the focus of the forum.

edit: on the other hand, CC can get a little strange at times. I posted a shot of interacting juvenile Ibises (interesting behavior) on another forum a while back and a couple of people suggested "cropping out the bird on the right" because it "looked better".

lithos · 10-22-2009, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by pingflood

Seriously, I keep checking back on there, throwing up a few shots on occasion to share, then browse around a bit. All I see is a bunch of socializing, with lots of "OMG awesome shot here's a gold star" or "we like your shot come join our group" with some cutesy "award" icon... rarely any constructive critique, or much useful discussion.

Or am I missing something here?

Yup. My generation thrives off reciprocal praise and ignoring actual results in favour of effort put in. That's what built flickr.

That's pretty much why I stayed off it. I really couldn't give about some anonymous sixteen bungeeing in with "hey cool shot" as a request to join his group, like three words can buy me off for his own ends, so he can consolidate his power or something.

It's more a social network site. I can't stand those with the need to always say something nice in the face of better evidence. That's how postmodernism was born.

Mike Cash · 10-22-2009, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by pingflood

Seriously, I keep checking back on there, throwing up a few shots on occasion to share, then browse around a bit. All I see is a bunch of socializing, with lots of "OMG awesome shot here's a gold star" or "we like your shot come join our group" with some cutesy "award" icon... rarely any constructive critique, or much useful discussion.

Or am I missing something here?

I hate those tacky faux "award" icons and am glad that I rarely receive any. The last time I got one I clicked on the icon and left a comment for the guy.

I do get some nice comments, usually more to do with the subject of the photo than commentary on the photographic merit (or lack thereof). But these come primarily from folks who have some sort of connection with Japan and like to follow my photostream to view the mundane aspects of Japan which I photograph. Some people who have lived here before get sort of nostalgic over the sort of blah everyday stuff that I photograph and that they wish they had thought to take more pictures of themselves while they were here.

If I want constructive criticism of the technical/artistic aspects of a photo, I know where to come looking for it. That's not what I use Flickr for. If that is your purpose for Flickr, I can certainly see how you would find it wanting.

*VaughnA* · 10-22-2009, 07:09 AM

I like the CC that I get from folks around here. I'd rather get a criticism with a reason than just silence.

I use Flickr just for a place to have images that I can link to in other sites. I've never used any of the other tools or joined any groups.

*DanLoc78* · 10-22-2009, 07:12 AM

geez, i personally like using flickr. I use it to share photos with personal friends and I like that when I sign in, my friends' most recent photos are shown on the homepage.

I can see how receiving useless comments on your photos would be annoying though, and I definitely hate the 'hey i saw your photo and thought it would be perfect for the <insert annoying group name> group'.

It is what it is I guess, and it all depends on how you want to use it.

*DanLoc78* · 10-22-2009, 07:14 AM

I think the problem is, like lithos said, it's a social networking site...people are afraid to offend others by offering constructive criticism. But if you truly love photography and want to get better, you should welcome criticism whenever you can get it. Sure, it's nice to hear if someone likes your photos. But I intentionally send mine to my harshest critic who also happens to be one of my best friends. If he likes the photo...I know it's indeed a good one

*deadwolfbones* · 10-22-2009, 08:02 AM

I dislike flickr for a number of reasons, this among them. Smugmug suits my style much better.

RoxnDox · 10-22-2009, 08:19 AM

I don't have any contact with Flickr other than viewing linked pictures h ere

, but I'm sure it's the same situation as on DeviantArt. Something like 12 million members worldwide, most of which seem to be young teenagers (physically, mentally, or both...), and it's got the same issues. There are a lot of very talented photographers (and all sorts of other artistic genres) on there (and IMHO a LOT more on the other end of the scale - Sturgeon's Law applies), but the main goal of most of 'em seems to be "How many Faves can I collect"... Argh. I use DA as a place to put photos, I watch a few people whose work I like, and I occasionally dip into their forums on days when I feel like hitting my head on a brick wall... This way at least doesn't leave bruises and scrapes.

Jim

*Sudhakar* · 10-22-2009, 08:51 AM

I do not want to generalize flickr is bad or good but would like to say; when we grow up and get in to world, there is lot of crap around us and there are very good things which we can enjoy and learn out of it and teach back to world. If we do not want or do not like, we simply ignore and if we like, we follow or admire or love it. If I apply that WORLD to smaller cirlce called flickr (photography), the facts remain same. Enjoy good part, learn out of it and ignore the crap part like "WOW", "Amazing", "explore concept", "post 1 comment on 5 concept". I enjoying browsing there and learn some aspects of composition and IQ etc.

-- my 2 cents.

Parallax · 10-22-2009, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by Gooshin

yep!

although our very own post your photo section is not much better. Throw up any sort of critisim and you get burned.

In defense of our own photo section, there are two separate areas. A "hey, look at this" section and a "tell me what you really think" section.
I think any harsh, tell it like it is criticism belongs in the critique section, but even in the "hey look at this" area I would prefer improvement suggestions to gratuitous praise.

Alfisti · 10-22-2009, 09:07 AM

I just don't get flickr, it HORRENDOUS to naviagate, an abolute mess at best.

Frankly standards everywhere are dropping, PPG improved a little six months ago but they are letting in anything now. On DPR I said PPG was slipping and I was burned severly, i stand by it though, some seriously MEDIOCRE stuff gets in.

Gooshin · 10-22-2009, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Parallax

In defense of our own photo section, there are two separate areas. A "hey, look at this" section and a "tell me what you really think" section.
I think any harsh, tell it like it is criticism belongs in the critique section, but even in the "hey look at this" area I would prefer improvement suggestions to gratuitous praise.

See, i disagree.

I think the act of throwing your work up for public display warrants any form of comments from anyone willing to say anything.

however as i have been burned in the past, i stopped bothering commenting on garbage photos all together, because if i did, i would probably surpass Gary's post count by now. Its a double standard, someone posts a poorly composed or bland photo of their newborn, and anyone telling them "dude thats a bad photo" is all of a sudden the worlds biggest dickweed, but give the person praise and you're accepted into the group. Now the dumbass that took the photo thinks he's doing well, so he posts another halfass photo of his newborn, and the cycle continues. Then the same genius decides that his photography is so amazing he could make something out of it. So he starts advertising his services. Quickly he realizes that something is wrong, because people are complaining to him and not paying up, so he gives up on the idea. Only the seed has been planted. His disgruntled customers now think every photographer is a hack, and try to take pictures themselves with that DSLR they got for christmass from some random relative. They join an online forum and post shitty pictures of their chairs and again, get the same "amazing photo" comments... see where i'm going with this?

Flicker is collectively reducing the value of good photography for the generations to come, people will soon forget what "good" is.

People that put out crap need to be told that they are putting out crap so that they will either stop completely or work hard at improving their skill.