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Thread: Please Read Before Posting The First Time - and Then From Time to Time.

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    Default Please Read Before Posting The First Time - and Then From Time to Time.

    Wildlife Image Critiques

    For posting and critiquing images of terrestrial and aquatic creatures other than birds and macro subjects. Images may included minor hand of man elements. If your subject is captive, please disclose that fact. If you have attracted your subject or subjects into photographic range with food, water, audio, or by any other means, please let us know. If you have significantly altered your image by adding or removing elements of the composition, we ask that you let folks know that as well.



    Posting Guidelines and Instructions


    Members have entitled use of BPN's hosting service. Please follow the instructions below to use this service.
    Posting Guideline: Please submit only one image per post. Image size is to be no larger than 1200 pixels on the horizontal or 900 pixels on the vertical side. File size is not to exceed 400 kb. Members may post one image per forum, every 24 hours.


    • Click on "New Thread" in the forum of your choice.

    • Scroll down to "Additional Options", click on "Manage Attachments"

    • When attachment window opens you will see a "browse" button. This is the one you will most likely use to upload an image from your computer to the host computer paying close attention to the posting guidelines for size, etc. Once you find the file on your computer click the upload button to the right of the browse button.


    • After upload is complete, go to your message window and fill in your "Title" then in the "Message Window" give as much info as you can to help those who will critique your image. Please include technical data, such as, but not limited to, camera settings(ISO, f/stop, Shutter speed, support, flash etc.) time of day, weather conditions and location. If your subject is captive, please disclose that fact.If you have attracted your subject or subjects into photographic range with food, water, audio, or by any other means, please let us know. If you have significantly altered your image by adding or removing elements of the composition, we ask that you disclose that as well. This information will benefit all members and add to the educational value of each post. Anything else you can think of? If no -"Preview Post".


    • Clicking "Preview Post" first will show you what everyone who opens your post will see. If there is something missing, go back to your open window and add it, then click Preview Post again....do this until you are satisfied with your post, then click Submit.

    Still having trouble posting an image? Leave a message here and we will try our best to answer it. Once you get it right it will be second nature, it may seem daunting at first but give it a shot!!


    Forum Participants may post images but do not qualify to use BPN's hosting service. Posted images must be "inserted" by linking to another hosting service. Please follow the instructions below to do so.
    Posting Guideline: Please submit only one image per post. Image size is to be no larger than 1200 pixels on the horizontal or 900 pixels on the vertical side. File size is not to exceed 400 kb. Forum Participants may post one image per forum, every 48 hours.



    • Click on "New Thread" in the forum of your choice.Left click the "Insert Image" button in the tool bar


    • The button is square with a tree icon. The words "Insert Image" will appear when you mouse over the button.


    • Copy URL including http:// of hosted image and click OK.


    • After inserting your image, go to your message window and fill in your "Title" then in the "Message Window" give as much info as you can to help those who will critique your image. Please include technical data, such as, but not limited to, camera settings(ISO, f/stop, Shutter speed, support, flash etc.) time of day, weather conditions and location. If your subject is captive, please disclose that fact.If you have attracted your subject or subjects into photographic range with food, water, audio, or by any other means, please let us know. If you have significantly altered your image by adding or removing elements of the composition, we ask that you disclose that as well. This information will benefit all members and add to the educational value of each post. Anything else you can think of? If no -"Preview Post".


    • Clicking "Preview Post" first will show you what everyone who opens your post will see. If there is something missing, go back to your open window and add it, then click Preview Post again....do this until you are satisfied with your post, then click Submit.


    Posting Images from Flickr


    Flickr has changed the way they give you the links for sharing images on other sites. Here are some brief instructions that will show the image in the post instead of just a link.

    First Way
    1) Login to your Flickr account
    2) Select image
    3) Actions - View All Sizes
    4) Select size image you want to post to BPN. (1200px max size wide (left number) or 900px max size high (right number))
    5) If using Firefox - Right click on "Download the _____ size of this photo" link.
    5a) Click Copy Link Location
    5.2) Internet explorer – right click on image, select properties, Copy the text in the “Address:”
    6) You can use that link location that was copied and paste into the Insert Image or Attachments dialog on BPN
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Second Way

    1) Login to your Flickr account

    2) Select image
    3) Click Share This - Grab the HTML/BBCode
    4) Select the Image size you want to post from the dropdown box
    5) Select BBCode
    6) Select and Copy the code they give you which looks something like this:

    Code:

    [ url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisober/5133495270/][ img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5133495270_ebeffbf0a9_b.jpg[/img][/url]
    [ url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisober/5133495270/]Ober_20101025_5035[/url] by [ url=http://www.flickr.com/people/chrisober/]cober[/url], on Flickr
    7) Paste this into the body of the message on BPN

    All you really need from the lengthy code they give you is the part that looks like Code:

    [ img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/5133495270_ebeffbf0a9_b.jpg[/img]
    which can be pasted directly into the body of the message. Or use the file path part without the the IMG /IMG tags and the attachments or
    insert image dialogs.






    The Critique


    • Criticize is defined as: careful, exact evaluation and judgment.
    • Critique is defined as: the art of criticism, an act of criticizing.
    • Criticism is defined as: assessment of creative work, considered judgment of or discussion about the qualities of something, especially a creative work
    • Nowhere is the word "negative" mentioned.


    Critiquing an image is not as difficult as most people believe. It can be as easy as stating what you like or don't like about an image. Our Eager To Learn forum is not just a great place to gain confidence in post images, it is a great place to gain confidence in critiquing images as well. Here are some suggestions that can use to make your critiques even more affective when you feel comfortable doing so.

    Advanced Critique Suggestions.

    • Consider offering your critique as an opinion ie IMO, etc.


    • Consider using terms like "put the image over the top" or "will make the image even stronger"


    • Instead of just telling a photographer that the subject should be located more left or right in the frame etc.,tell them why it should be located more left or right in the frame.


    • Instead of "great image or well done" explain why it is a great image and what photographic elements or techniques make it so. It is rare, but there are images posted that are "great" and just couldn't get any better. However, photographers need to learn what makes an image great just as much learning what makes a poor photograph.


    • Ask the posting photographers questions. ie "Was the noise in the image that was mentioned earlier caused by under-exposure? The tonality of the background is lighter than a middle tone and your exposure setting was listed as -1/3 stop, from the metered value; why did you do that? Did you need to lighten the image in the conversion process or Photoshop?"


    • It should be understood that when you offer your opinion on even the smallest detail, you are not nitpicking. It is attention to detail that separates good from great. At the same time, it is not necessary to enlarge the photo and critique it on elements that would otherwise be indiscernible.


    • If there is a distracting element in the frame, rather than immediately suggesting it be cloned out, help the photographer with the "geometry of photography". Move left or right, up or down and perhaps that distracting element will be hidden by the subject or the angle would move the element out of the frame.


    • Use re-posts as a tool to communicate major changes. Re-posts will lose their impact if used on images that can easily be critiqued using the written word.


    • When evaluating color or exposure, it is best to use a calibrated monitor. The results you see, compared to what the image actually looks like can vary greatly otherwise.


    The Image: Help Us, Help You!


    Posting an image for critique is an excellent way to rapidly improve any photographers ability to create beautiful images. You can help those offering image critiques by listing details of the capture process.

    Listed below are some of the details to include in your post that will help you receive the best critique possible.

    Thought Process

    • Were you creating a Portrait?


    • An Environmental Image etc.


    • What obstacles did you face in creating your image?


    • Location


    • If an animal, what species? Was your subject captive? Did you attract your subject or subjects into photographic range with food, water, audio, or any other means?


    • Was your image significantly altered by adding or removing elements of the composition post shutter?


    • Time of day, weather conditions etc.


    Capture

    • Camera Type and Model


    • Lens Focal Length and Model


    • ISO, Metering Mode, Exposure Mode


    • Exposure Compensation (if used)


    • Shutter Speed, Aperture


    • Focus Mode


    • Tripod, Tripod Head


    • Flash, Flash Settings

    Post Processing

    • Crop


    • USM


    • Levels/Curves


    • Noise Reduction


    • Cloning or other modification

    You don't need to list all of the above(it would be the most helpful) but list as much as you can and any other factors that had an affect on the final image.


    The Results


    I can tell you with certainty, that without receiving and giving image critiques over the years, I would never have been published in the likes of Outdoor Photographer, Audubon, National Geographic Adventure, Popular Photography, Shutter Bug, to name a few.

    Please understand, Birdphotographers.Net is not like other photography forums. We are not going hurt your progress just to boost your ego. It is our goal to honestly critique your images as gently as possible, while having fun doing it.

    I would like to encourage everyone to take advantage of this one of a kind learning experience by both receiving and offering critiques. If you do, the results will speak for themselves!!
    Last edited by Daniel Cadieux; 09-29-2013 at 08:19 PM.

  2. #2
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    Hi

    I have just joined the forum and registered as a member.

    I have followed the guide for posting an image but have met a problem.

    When I scroll down to the Additional Options area to bring an image in from my computer there is no "Manage Attachments" button present

    Please can you advise

    Ken



    PLEASE FORGET THIS REQUEST I HAVE FIGURED THINGS OUT AND MANAGED TO POST
    Last edited by Ken Hadfield; 07-03-2013 at 05:06 AM.

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