Many times I come in here and start typing up a critique, and then stop myself, because I wonder if I even should be giving others photo advice.

I am self taught in this field, and while I have gotten my share of experience from both paid and volunteer work, my lack of book smarts always gives me a pause. I couldn't tell you right off what the difference between Rembrandt lighting and butterfly lighting is, or how to calculate light fall-off without using a meter. Don't get me started on developing film.

I know what I know. The thing is, I learned it in a roundabout way, and my methods are probably not textbook.

I guess what I am asking is, judging from my portfolio, do I even have a voice? Or should I just continue to keep my mouth shut?

Consider this a critique on my right to critique lol.

I'm self trained too. Don't worry about the technical jargon, just do you, enjoy yourself.  You can critique on other things, it doesn't have to be about methods.

Best of luck!

A lot of musicians can't read music but they're excellent musicians. They have the ear just like a photographer has the eye.

My 9 yr old tells me something and I say "Why didn't I think of that?"

Always give advice . Rarely give opinions.

I think it is always good to share your thoughts. What you say, while it may not be textbook, might just be the one thing that person really needs to hear. To expand upon that further, they may get ideas or inspiration off of what you say.

I read critiques given to someone else the other day and wound up adjusting my profile because of it. What those people said to that person also applied in my ways to my own portfolio.

Why wouldn't you? Clearly you have the right intention, which is helping others.
And selftaught doesn't mean that what what you have learned troughout experience is less valuable than what people have learned in photographycourses or books or so. Maybe it's even more valuable, because can you really learn everything from a book? I don't think so.
Everyone has their own point of view. And let the person you're giving your feedback to decide for themselves what to do with it. At least you have given them the oppurtunity to take it with them, and if they decide not to; their loss .

I don't like to critique people on their right to critique because I don't feel I have the right to critique either.  Say what?

critique doesn't have to be *academia kind of critique, it can be just subjective opinion on what you think is good or bad and stuffs, this is a community where we rely on each other for competition,mentoring,teaching,learning,inspiration,etc and constructive criticism is one of the best thing I get out of this site

Let me put it this way... when I was in college, my professors taught me the "how" of photography. But I give all the credit on becoming a decent photographer, who taught me the "WHY" of the composition I was creating. Everything has its place, and I welcome discussion on why I put what where in my work.

-Goes to photo school to learn the "rules" of photography.
-Makes a portfolio following said "rules"
-Gets critiqued by group x for being too textbook and told that the "rules" are more like "guidelines" and are meant to be broken
-Makes another portfolio that's completely unorthodox
-Gets critiqued by group y and told "have you considered reading up on the 'rules' of photography?"


I think that's the benefit of going to photo school/art school - you're trained to spend time, money, and energy on creating a work only to have it butchered...then you go repeat. It desensitizes you and conditions you to keep on creating despite what other people say. In the end, whoever is still churning out images are the ones that make it in the business.

My $0.05 :-p

Clearly anyone can say anything.  The critiques seem to fall in one of these categories:

Technical and business advice:
To be taken seriously, I would be looking at people who know at least as much as me if not more.  Coming on here to get advice, is much akin to an athlete needing a  coaching session, this is no longer about an opinion, but getting pro advice on how, given the situation, one can accomplish a result.  That is not the province of amateurs if you are a pro.

Artistic merit:
Anyone can judge if they would buy your work, so everyone's opinion is as worthy as the next, if you get a gallery owner, then their opinion would fall in the first category. It can be interesting if the majority of people love or hate your work for the same reason, there is data there, indifference is the tough one to recover from.

Hot air:
People lacking qualifications of any kind spewing either compliments and encouragement or simply hating on you for not fitting in with their current hipster, or regurgitated viewpoints.  Those range from lovely to insulting and are all equally useless.