C.A.F.E. (Invitation Only)

Discuss

Title	Author	Replies	Latest Post
There	Ragnorak	5	4 days ago
I dont know whyi am posting this!	DustinB	4	8 days ago
How much in focus?	Frida K	2	8 days ago
New to the group (and serious photography)	renrut	2	2 weeks ago
Impermanence	jasontheaker	16	2 weeks ago
One Step Up and Two Steps Back	MonkeyDeus	9	2 weeks ago

6 of 5,046 posts  |  Read all C.A.F.E. (Invitation Only)'s discussions

About C.A.F.E. (Invitation Only)

Welcome to the CAFE. Here you can submit your photos to solicit debate, comments and constructive criticism... This virtual CAFE is a clean, well-lit place where we Flickr-ites can gather to share honest criticism of each other's works.



IMPORTANT: Don't post photos directly to the pool: The group's pool, or GALLERY, is reserved for photos or threads nominated by at least SIX participants.

POSTING FREQUENCY: You must wait either until your previous post has disappeared from the first full page of listings or, if you are satisfied with the feedback you have received, then you may mark your thread with the [CLOSED] tag to officially end group discussion. You may then start another thread for group discussion. Please note that closing a thread is irrevocable and that only one active thread discussing a specific photographer's work will be allowed at any one time. These rules do not apply to non-critique or off-topic [OT] threads.


HOW TO POST PHOTOS FOR CRITIQUE:

1. Create a new post., ONE (1) photo per thread in accordance with the group posting frequency (stated above).

2. The subject line should be the name of your photo only. Keep it simple. The title is used by CAFE members to pick through the pictures they've commented on, and those that are new to them. A simple title will keep our thread list looking clean.

3. To add a photo to the post, go to the photo's main page and select ALL SIZES.

Although CAFE admins and members are fairly open-minded, we discourage the posting of porn or violent images. Administrators' decisions are final in this regard.

4. Choose the medium version of the photo.

5. At the bottom of the page you will find the HTML code for the photo itself. Copy this entire section and paste it into your post.

Remember: Nobody's obligated to critique your photo so try giving people a reason to do so. Try posting some discussion points and don't just sit back and wait for comments. Instead, actively participate in your thread, ask and answer questions, post new edits, etc. The strength of this community lies in its collaborative nature.

Furthermore, it is highly encouraged to ...

Enable viewing of 'All Sizes' of your photos: To fully appreciate your picture, critics will often want to see more than the posted medium size picture.

Enable 'Notes': Notes are an easy way for critics to post cropping suggestions or point at certain items of your picture.

Allow for 'Derivative work': Sometimes, critics wish to illustrate their comments by posting their own edits and revisions. This form of visual feedback can be very instructive. However, if you want this sort of input you must either set your license to allow the posting of derivative works or give explicit permission for this in your original post.

HOW TO CRITIQUE:

There are 2 aspects to every photo that deserve comment: the technical and the aesthetic.

Technical: This is the easy one. Look for things like exposure problems (are the shadows blocked or the highlights blown?), dust spots, colour casts, focus issues, noise in the image, motion blur, lens distortion, tilted horizons etc. Think about how these problems can be fixed in post-processing and, more importantly, how they can be avoided in the future. Good technique can be very important in clearly communicating your ideas. However, even perfect technique can't save a photo with little artistic merit.

Aesthetic: This is a lot more difficult to discuss because art is very subjective and every person is different. The important thing is to try to think about your reactions. If you like a photo, ask yourself why? or why not? Think about the composition. Is the arrangement of elements within the frame pleasing? Or do they feel awkardly placed? Look for leading lines, shapes and patterns formed by these elements. Is the photographer trying to convey a mood or story? How successful have they been? Colour (or lack thereof) can have a significant impact on how we appreciate a photo. Is the use of colour successful or do colours clash or provide a distraction?

These few simple rules of thumb are intended solely as a starting point for critical evaluation and are very incomplete. We leave it up to you to fill in the blanks as you see fit.

Remember: The better you're able to think critically about other people's photos, the more you'll be able to apply those insights to your own work.

SOME IMPORTANT GUIDELINES:


Don't use the Flickr Photo Replace Feature: While using the replace feature seems completely logical, we find that in CAFE it can make the discussion in a thread difficult to understand or even nonsensical. It is preferable that you post later revisions as replies within the thread.

Not all feedback will be Positive and Glowing: This is precisely the point. Critiques will be honest and sometimes blunt. No hurt feelings allowed. Conversely, no "mindless insults" either, please. Only constructive feedback.

Don't Start Unnecessary or Redundant Threads: If you feel your photo has been overlooked, please don't start a new thread. Instead, bump the old thread up to the front page with a new post requesting feedback. However, use common sense and don't repeatedly bump a thread for no good reason.

Closing your thread: If you are satisfied with the feedback that your photo has received and you wish to formally end the discussion, then please amend your thread title with the [Closed] tag. An admin will then come along to lock the thread. This will prevent older threads from being needlessly bumped to the top after meaningful discussion has run its course. This is a purely voluntary measure and all other threads will remain indefinitely open. It is also permanent. Threads will not be unlocked if the poster has a change of heart so choose wisely.

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Now, go take a look at others who have posted and give them your thoughts!

2004/05 photos which received a Gallery nomination

2004/05 index of photos and discussions that were voted into the Gallery.

2006 Gallery Nominations and Index

2007 Gallery Nominations and Index

If you hesitate about the appropriateness of the picture you want to submit, about the kind of critique which is expected, about the way C.A.F.E. functions, it's aims, it's purpose, it's rules, or more generally, it's philosophy, please check our compilation of previous discussions. If you wish to join in, please feel free.

Thanks and Enjoy!