Stevens Photography wrote:
Agree:  a lot of unsincere tagging; however, MM has no shortage of sincere flaming!!

CONFIRMED!

UnSeenYou wrote:
MySpace is a success, but that does not make it appropriate for MM.  My point, that I need to clarify, is that people seem to be more into Tagging and building their Friends List than working on building the quality of their work.  And if they are busy giving affirmations to junk, then they will never learn to do better so that they can get the jobs that they say that they want.  It's sorta like the friends of Johnny dont tell Johnny that he stinks at singing and when he goes out for a real singing job that he faces the real world and gets slaughtered.  Then his eog is really shattered because he was never lead into singing better.  Time was wasted on protecting his ego now, and later he gets kicked in the nuts.

Dude, this is what's wrong with our society!  The fact that it trickles down to here is of no surprise.  Forget the bad images taken by camera phone, forget the ugly people who think they are hot, and forget the people with false dreams.  Take if for what it's worth, if you do that, you will enjoy a huge laugh!

As for the guy who keeps crawling up your ass, it is his opinion as well.  You know what they say about Opinions, they are like assholes, everyone has at least one!

I understand where you are coming from.  People are Pussies and don't want to tell other people the truth.  It's ok, we ARE on the INTERNET.  Let these people go and try to get a gig and fall on their face and find out for themselves that they suck!  It will take awhile for them to actually accept the fact that they suck.  I've seen it!  It's funny as hell actually.

I reject Friends all the time.  If I don't know you or haven't talked to you, why the fuck should I approve you?  This is NOT MYSPACE.  This is NOT A DATING SITE.  This is SUPPOSED to be a Photography/Model NETWORKING site.  Those who use it correctly will get what they put into it, those who don't won't.

Don't sweat it, if you see a port that SUCKS full of tags telling them they are amazing, just think about the day the owner of the port shows their work to someone who is NOT smoking crack and come to the realization that they suck.  Now that moment...is FUNNY!  Enjoy!

Click Hamilton wrote:
Weather it's junk or not is your own point of view. And it's a very negative and condescending point of view at that. The work in your own portfolio doesn't qualify you to ridicule anyone.

Others may think the stuff you dislike is great. You are not the arbitrar of what's good or not, so this post is nonsense and nearly irrelevant except to point out that you are being bigoted and narrow minded. This post is no better than the photos you criticize as being unworthy.

Remove your ego and personal opinion from the judgement of what's good or not and let the market speak for itself. Everyone is at their own level as models, photographers and artists -- we all start somewhere and hopefully we are all growing with our experience. There's room for everyone.

You know Clark, I don't entirely disagree with your statements regarding the assignment of value to an image, but you're a bit over the line using the term bigoted.  I see nothing in the OP's post that merits that.

And he has a valid point, although it could have been expressed in a slightly less calloused manner.  The fact is that Model Mayhem is less about "constructive criticism" and more about networking.  I'd go so far to say that anyone coming here for constructive criticism will generally be disappointed unless they specifically seek out mentors.  If I need a model I turn to MM, but if I want the images of that model to be ripped apart in a very educational, professional manner I turn to Glamour1.com.  (Can I say that?)  I wouldn't hesitate to seek out a handful of specific photographers on here to ask for opinions, but I also don't like to absorb any extra time that they have.  So for critiques, I go to a sight that is built for it.

When I look at a piece of my work and see shadows that I didn't want or a tag sticking out and then get three "OMG duDe, ThAt Is sO AWWWSum!" it just sort of gets annoying.  I suspect that is what the OP was trying to get across.

Suellen wrote:
*yawn*...how many times has this issue been discussed?
Honestly, im not impressed with your work either.....never would have told ya, but here you are opening it up for discussion when you criticize the masses.....

You are being condescending!  How the fuck is that a critique?  You are just being evil!

WHY are you not impressed? 
WHAT is lacking from the images he has?

To say what you said and leave it empty is just you being insulting because you don't agree with what he said.  Childish bullshit, and from someone as old as you!  Shocked! 

If you are going to tell someone they suck, let them know why.

Suellen wrote:
*yawn*...how many times has this issue been discussed?
Honestly, im not impressed with your work either.....never would have told ya, but here you are opening it up for discussion when you criticize the masses.....

Well if we are opening up the topic,
Suellen's work isn't exactly doing it for me either,
Not that I would have searched her out to inform her of my feelings but.....
*yawn*..... it's kinda snoozy and welllllll.... Boring.

I mean she's cute and all... But so is most everyone else here.

Hamza wrote:

Dude, this is what's wrong with our society!  The fact that it trickles down to here is of no surprise.  Forget the bad images taken by camera phone, forget the ugly people who think they are hot, and forget the people with false dreams.  Take if for what it's worth, if you do that, you will enjoy a huge laugh!

As for the guy who keeps crawling up your ass, it is his opinion as well.  You know what they say about Opinions, they are like assholes, everyone has at least one!

I understand where you are coming from.  People are Pussies and don't want to tell other people the truth.  It's ok, we ARE on the INTERNET.  Let these people go and try to get a gig and fall on their face and find out for themselves that they suck!  It will take awhile for them to actually accept the fact that they suck.  I've seen it!  It's funny as hell actually.

I reject Friends all the time.  If I don't know you or haven't talked to you, why the fuck should I approve you?  This is NOT MYSPACE.  This is NOT A DATING SITE.  This is SUPPOSED to be a Photography/Model NETWORKING site.  Those who use it correctly will get what they put into it, those who don't won't.

Don't sweat it, if you see a port that SUCKS full of tags telling them they are amazing, just think about the day the owner of the port shows their work to someone who is NOT smoking crack and come to the realization that they suck.  Now that moment...is FUNNY!  Enjoy!

Yeah! I suck but I am working on it. I have many tags that tell me I am awesome but few bother to comment on the images. That kinda tells me something.

UnSeenYou wrote:
I see compliments in portfolios that are completely lacking, giving these models and photogs false hope.  Looking at cheese cakes poses that are overposed that I'd see a 14 year old girl doing is really doing more harm than good, isn't it?

I am no Scavullo, but, damn.  Too many people tagging just to be popular, just as they do in MySpace.  Too many are more concerned with adding Friends and Tagging so that they can feed their egos than to create great images.  How can the achieve more if they think that they are given thumbs up on junk that they post?

Hamza wrote:

You are being condescending!  How the fuck is that a critique?  You are just being evil!

Pot, kettle, black.

Hamza wrote:
To say what you said and leave it empty is just you being insulting because you don't agree with what he said.  Childish bullshit, and from someone as old as you!  Shocked! 

If you are going to tell someone they suck, let them know why.

Why? "People are Pussies and don't want to tell other people the truth. It's ok, we ARE on the INTERNET."

Hamza wrote:
Don't sweat it, if you see a port that SUCKS full of tags telling them they are amazing, just think about the day the owner of the port shows their work to someone who is NOT smoking crack and come to the realization that they suck.  Now that moment...is FUNNY!  Enjoy!

UnSeenYou wrote:
I see compliments in portfolios that are completely lacking, giving these models and photogs false hope.  Looking at cheese cakes poses that are overposed that I'd see a 14 year old girl doing is really doing more harm than good, isn't it?

I am no Scavullo, but, damn.  Too many people tagging just to be popular, just as they do in MySpace.  Too many are more concerned with adding Friends and Tagging so that they can feed their egos than to create great images.  How can the achieve more if they think that they are given thumbs up on junk that they post?

THAT is why I don't tag or compliment....most of the "people" here are PEOPLE...NOT MODELS...

Chris Macan wrote:

Well if we are opening up the topic,
Suellen's work isn't exactly doing it for me either,
Not that I would have searched her out to inform her of my feelings but.....
*yawn*..... it's kinda snoozy and welllllll.... Boring.

I mean she's cute and all... But so is most everyone else here.

Amen to that.
On the lighter side if I tell someone that I like one of their images or I say its brilliant that is my opinion. If they ask for my advice and a few have I freely give it. I dont go and tear down someones work or effort I just move on. Now there is one person I have met who claims she tells it like it is, and as such I do the same with her. Help those who want it leave those who dont in their own world.

UnSeenYou wrote:
I see compliments in portfolios that are completely lacking, giving these models and photogs false hope.  Looking at cheese cakes poses that are overposed that I'd see a 14 year old girl doing is really doing more harm than good, isn't it?

I am no Scavullo, but, damn.  Too many people tagging just to be popular, just as they do in MySpace.  Too many are more concerned with adding Friends and Tagging so that they can feed their egos than to create great images.  How can the achieve more if they think that they are given thumbs up on junk that they post?

I invite every person who replied to the OP to stop by his portfolio and give meaningful critiques of each image there.

UnSeenYou, how would it make you feel when photographers superb to you stop by and give honest critiques on (from top right to left then down, repeat) #2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 images in your portfolio?

Honestly it doesn't bother me, I've invited critiques before and have kept these critiques in my port... but some people arent the same and are bothered by it, some people like to encourage for whatever reason is their own.  Additionally, and most importantly, what the hell would YOU care about what someone thinks of another persons photo?

easyonthe eyes wrote:
Ass-kissing kills!

See, I agree with this entirely but I just dont see why people care... do you? 

What the OP is asking for here is that someone legislate taste which is purely impossible.  What is dung to me is gold to you.  To quote the great Les Claypool, its just a matter of opinion.

Myopic Earache wrote:

See, I agree with this entirely but I just dont see why people care... do you? 

What the OP is asking for here is that someone legislate taste which is purely impossible.  What is dung to me is gold to you.  To quote the great Les Claypool, its just a matter of opinion.

Well, I care when it kills people...

I think the O.P. is really questioning not "taste" but the motives of people who tag obviously unprofessional (not just "bad" in his opinion) images with "Amazing" "great" "UR 2 HOTT! IM ME, K?" etc. Are they looking to score or boost their own visibility, or ?

And no I don't give a flying rat's ass. I've had side-splitting laughs here because of it. Sometimes I play a game where I'll surf to some really bad port (like, worse than mine) - they can often be found through forum threads like this one - then read their comments, looking for the most inappropriately gushing one, then check the tagger's port and read their comments, and so on, and so on.

Try it; it's an eye-opener. Drill down a few layers, and there's this whole other side of MM, people who never post on the forums, just cruising or ???, commenting on each others cel phone pics.

PS oh, why yes I do occasionally indulge a childishly cruel sense of humor, thank you for judging me!

easyonthe eyes wrote:

Well, I care when it kills people...

I think the O.P. is really questioning not "taste" but the motives of people who tag obviously unprofessional (not just "bad" in his opinion) images with "Amazing" "great" "UR 2 HOTT! IM ME, K?" etc. Are they looking to score or boost their own visibility, or ?

And no I don't give a flying rat's ass. I've had side-splitting laughs here because of it. Sometimes I play a game where I'll surf to some really bad port (like, worse than mine) - they can often be found through forum threads like this one - then read their comments, looking for the most inappropriately gushing one, then check the tagger's port and read their comments, and so on, and so on.

Try it; it's an eye-opener. Drill down a few layers, and there's this whole other side of MM, people who never post on the forums, just cruising or ???, commenting on each others cel phone pics.

PS oh, why yes I do occasionally indulge a childishly cruel sense of humor, thank you for judging me!

First off: It's no ones business but that of the commentor/commentee.

Second off: I hear ya, I have witnessed the absurd Dick-butt-kiss rampant on this site.  I have seen the comments on such bad images as some from our OP here, shit cracks me up. 

Third: Regardless of the OP's intent, It really does come down to taste, unless you perfectly understand the commentors motive which is usually pretty unlikley.   Pause for a second and think that there may be people who look at terribly executed, skill-less imagery and think "Boy, geez, willy, that sure some pretty picture there."  One man's velvet-dogs-playing-poker-painting/masterpiece is another mans attic filler.  The problem is you don't qute know which one you're talking too.

Fourth:  I gotta dig deeper man, and when I do, you'll hear about it.

Yetunde wrote:
I follow mums advice.. If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all.

Amen! Unless someone specifically solicits your critique/commentary, just smile and nod. I'd far rather throw a few empty platitudes dressed up as kind words than be known as the condescening jackass who poos on everyone's hard work.

Just consider the source of the compliment - if Annie Liebowitz saw my work and told me "Not bad. I wouldn't set it on fire or anything." I'd take it as far higher praise than some stranger on the internet prattling on about brilliant I was.

I think this bears repeating:

FKVPhotoGraphics wrote:
I think everyone takes things a bit too seriously on MM. It's not like everyone is hitting the big time here.

I'm of the belief that my work is my work. Some may hate it. Some may love it. But I make a living at it regardless of what anyone here may think.

That's really the bottom line for me. If it makes money then someone must like it enough to shell out money.

FKVPhotoGraphics wrote:
I think everyone takes things a bit too seriously on MM. It's not like everyone is hitting the big time here.

I'm of the belief that my work is my work. Some may hate it. Some may love it. But I make a living at it regardless of what anyone here may think.

That's really the bottom line for me. If it makes money then someone must like it enough to sell out money.

What he said.

I don't quite make a living, but the work sells and has been published, and thats enough for me.

So if you'd like to visit my port and leave me a comment now...

ReallyRandy wrote:
I think what bothers me most about getting a "wow, amazing" comment on an image that I think is mediocre is that I can't get an honest opinion about how to improve my work. If you say "your work is perfect" that means I never have to improve. And we all know that's ust not true, we all need a goal of bettering our work.

I've asked for CONSTRUCTIVE criticism several times, on images where the mistakes were obvious, but no one has ever pointed out what could make the shots better.

Then again, maybe really good photographers who can see whats wrong just don't have the time.

I was only half-joking with the "that's what killed Elvis" parallel... this is kind of what I meant. If I were strung out on Dilaudid, 100 lbs. overweight, afraid to shower, and stumbling around embarassing myself on stage and in studio, I'd want someone to tell me (of course, then I'd fire them, but...). Likewise, I'd like to know exactly what it is that sucks about my model photography, and "Wow, amazing," doesn't give me much to go on.