Opinion on rude comment in gallery

[nksyoon]

Hi,

Someone left a rude comment in my gallery:

From: Photowithmonkey Date: 06-Oct-2004 05:32 | delete
About as amateur, pointless and feeble photography as it gets.

Just wondered if anyone else agrees. I have some positive comments as well. This is the gallery:

http://www.pbase.com/nksyoon/streetshoot

Thanks,
Nick

[wangi]

I guess he's got something against "quick 'n' dirty" candid shots - fair enough there's a lot of crap out there.

However you've certainly managed to get intersting shots and have "caught the moment" in a large number of them. Nice stuff.

[warno]

In my view, if you've got nothing nice to say, don't say anything. That's my general approach on Pbase, and if possible, in life. It's amazing how much easier it is to make enemies than friends over the short time we're here.

As for the specific comment, most of us try to better ourselves, no matter what level. Apart from explaining the comment-poster as some kind of a bitter (and probably lonely and sad) individual, it could just be a shock-tactic plug for their own website -- but I have no time for miserable and unfriendly people, and I wouldn't waste yours either.

Your gallery's ok with some interesting ideas and compositions, and the main thing is you're going out there and giving it your best shot (pun intended )

m

[455rocket]

There are plenty of people who just want to anonymously annoy people, for no real reason. It is nothing to do with the quality of the work, it's not constructive criticism or anything. I'm sure most of the top photographers on this site have had their fair share of such comments, probably of an even more objectionable nature. I wouldn't let it bother you. If you respond they get their way. I occasionally have got such comments. I tend to leave them, I think they are more embarrassing to the poster than to the gallery. Plus if you browse this forum you will find that many pbase users have got into an escalating delete/post war with such people.... by rapidly deleting such comments. Since, the poster will often return to your gallery to see your reaction... if there is one, such as the deletion of his/her comments, (s)he'll strike again. If you don't respond (s)he'll move on to more responsive subjects.

[framewerkz]

That's the beautiful thing about the delete button. It takes far less time to consign something stupid like that to the ether than it took some pinhead to scribe it.

Nuke it, and sit back in the knowledge that there's a nimrod out there who's bugged by the fact that you ahve more ability in your trigger finger than his entire family tree, most of which obviously has yet to descend from the branches.

[matiasasun]

Mister Framewerkz has an interesting point here. After all that´s the reason we have that wonderfull button. But who cares?... We all have those kind of comments some time. When I first join this forums a guy used to draw penis in my guestbook. Hundreds of them!. He was crazy in deed.

But this other guy just wanted to get some attraction to his site, as somebody told you. Probably he´s not happy with PBase too, because he has 35000 visits and not a single image (probably deleted). Looks at the name of the link of the image in his profile page:
http://www.photowithmonkey.com/images/GoodByePbase.jpg.

So.. Slug, why don´t we help him when his subscription end??

[nksyoon]

Thanks to everyone who commented.

Cheers,
Nick.

[qleap]

After visiting http://www.photowithmonkey.com I conclude that his comment was meant as a complement.

[framewerkz]

I got a photo with a monkey.

And it is indeed feeble, pointless and amateurish.

[antjes]

It's strange how all the other favorable comments don't mean anything anymore when one negative comment pops up, isn't it? Trust me, the nice comments aren't there because those people didn't want to hurt you, I'm sure they were honest.

I'm having a hard time when I get comments like that too, hasn't happened to me on pbase yet but elsewhere. Especially comments that seem to target my whole style of photography can get to my heart.

But I think that's exactly what those people want. If he wanted to give you constructive criticism, he would have done so. That's not what he was after: From a rational point of view, that comment was as unhelpful, amateur, and pointless as it gets. He didn't tell you what exactly he didn't like, he didn't point out to you how he thinks you might improve, he wasn't specific at all. Absolutely no constructive criticism here.

Conclusion: This was just a dumbass trying to get attention. At least in that he succeeded.

Antje

[nicthe]

Every single night a guy will come up to my guestbook and post a couple of msg with foul word in it. As framewerkz said, just click the delete button and pick up our camera and make some more shots. We love photography and build up our pbase gallery, absolutely for sharing but not for arguements.

[mysticchyna]

wow...that was rude. i think you got some nice candids.
pbase is such a mish mash of talents and casual snap shooters...i've seen my fair share of not-too-good stuff...but I'd never say something like that.

one bit of 'advise' i'll say though...the shooting with the camera twisted on the diagonal...it's a bit overdone.

[nksyoon]

one bit of 'advise' i'll say though...the shooting with the camera twisted on the diagonal...it's a bit overdone.

Hi,

Actually, all the photos in the gallery were shot without using the viewfinder. I held the camera either:

1. at my chest facing sideways, or
2. at my hip, in portrait orientation, facing to the side.

So photos are usually not level, and sometimes totally diagonal.

This "non-composition" is mainly why I'm sensitive to criticism of these photos. I see some interesting people, I turn the camera in their direction and snap without looking through the viewfinder.

So, is this technique "feeble" and "pointless" since thought hasn't gone into composition of the image?

Nick.

[jcboyd]

A lot of good information here about what a person can do and should not do regarding this type of comment.

Don’t waste too much time with negative comments. You can’t please all. When looking at others galleries, some while maybe not being the best, I find there is always some way to make a good comment. Besides, who am I to decide what is the best.

Constructive criticism if done with a true feeling of trying to help is not bad. The comment you received is not this type.

I have included in this post a comment I left several days ago regarding your gallery. It is a sincere and honest comment.

"Nick - Street photography, done well is an art. You have done well.
john"

[shadz]

I think for shooting from the hip, you've done remarkeably well. You wanna hear some Street hoopla? go to photo.net. Now those are snobs. Ignore that wannabe.

Danny