Lesson 18: Receiving Feedback

The Importance of Feedback

As photographers, we understand the paramount importance of feedback in honing our craft. Feedback comes in various forms, including constructive criticism, peer review, client input, and self-assessment. Each type offers unique insights that contribute to our growth and development.

Types of Feedback

Constructive Criticism

As photographers, constructive criticism is like getting helpful advice on how to make your pictures even better. It's not about saying what's wrong, but about pointing out things that could be improved while also acknowledging what's already great. Imagine you're playing a game, and someone tells you a trick to score more points without making you feel bad about your current score. When receiving constructive criticism, it is important to remind yourself that it is not a personal slight, but a tool to help you improve your work. It is equally important to trust your own eye and intent. Receive the feedback, and analyze it objectively to determine whether it helps enhance your overall vision. 

Peer Review

Peer review is like when your photography friends look at your pictures and tell you what they think. They look at your photos carefully, say what they like about them, and also share ideas on how you could make them even better. It's like having a little group of supportive critics who want to help you improve your photography skills. When using peer review, remember that the feedback is coming from other photographers, and thereby may have some photographer biases. All too often you see strict adherence to “rules” as a means of feedback in photography circles. As we talked about in previous lessons, these guidelines are just tools in your toolbox and there are plenty of reasons to ignore or intentionally disregard them. As always, it’s important to gauge the feedback against your artistic intent. It is also helpful to seek out feedback from non-photographers/visual artists who are relying strictly on their gut. Getting a fresh perspective from those undeterred by “rules” will open our own eyes to things we may have completely overlooked.

Client Input

For those working with clients (paid or not), getting client input is an inevitability, and extremely helpful. Think of client input like getting advice from a trusted friend about what they like and don't like in your photos. Clients are the people you're creating pictures for, so their opinions help you understand what makes them happy with your work. It's like having a secret code to make photos that they'll love. Their input guides you to capture their vision and make sure they're thrilled with the final results. It also gives you an opportunity to stretch yourself creatively and technically to meet the client’s expectations and requests. 

Self-Assessment 

Self-assessment is like looking at your own photos with a magnifying glass. It's when you take a step back and honestly evaluate your work, just like how you listen to feedback from others. Imagine you're both the photographer and the critic at the same time. You look at your photos and think about what you did well, like capturing a beautiful moment or using light in a creative way. Then, you also think about what you could improve, such as focusing better or trying new angles. Self-assessment is all about being your own coach, cheering for your successes and figuring out ways to get even better. A good practice is to self-assess after stepping away from the image for at least a day and coming back with fresh eyes - this is especially helpful when unsure of your post-processing.

Receiving Feedback Effectively

Receiving feedback effectively is a skill that every photographer must cultivate to progress in their craft. Active listening techniques play a crucial role in this process, requiring us to truly focus on and absorb the feedback being given without letting distractions or biases interfere. Managing emotions and ego is equally important; staying open-minded and receptive to criticism, even when it's difficult, allows us to extract valuable insights that can significantly improve our work. 

Asking clarifying questions demonstrates our commitment to understanding the feedback fully, ensuring that we don't misinterpret or overlook important details. For example if someone says “the crop doesn’t work for me,” extract more by asking “what exactly doesn’t work? Is it too cramped, too unbalanced, too much negative space?” Clarifying and open-ended questions will create a dialog that will amount to more understanding of what works and what doesn’t.

Additionally, recognizing the value in diverse perspectives strengthens the learning experience, as feedback from different sources provide a well-rounded view of our photography, highlighting aspects we may not have considered otherwise. Overall, mastering the art of receiving feedback effectively empowers us to grow and evolve as photographers, continually pushing the boundaries of our creativity and technical skill.

Processing Critique

Analyzing feedback is a critical skill that we must master to continually improve our work. This process involves identifying both strengths and areas for improvement within the feedback received. By acknowledging our strengths, we can build upon what we do well and leverage these aspects in future photographs. Simultaneously, recognizing areas for improvement allows us to pinpoint specific areas of our work that require attention and development.

Another essential aspect of analyzing feedback is identifying recurring themes. Patterns and consistent feedback themes offer valuable insights into aspects of our photography that may need more focus or refinement. Whether it's composition, lighting, storytelling, or technical skills, recognizing these recurring themes helps us prioritize where to direct our efforts for improvement effectively.

Setting realistic goals based on feedback is the final step in this analytical process. Feedback provides us with a roadmap for growth, and setting achievable goals aligned with this feedback is crucial for progress. These goals could range from mastering a new photography technique to refining our post-processing skills or even exploring different genres. Realistic goals based on feedback encourage us to take actionable steps towards becoming better photographers.

Applying Feedback

Applying feedback involves more than just understanding the feedback; it requires us to take actionable steps towards improvement. One crucial aspect is implementing changes in our photography practice based on the feedback received. This could mean adjusting our composition, refining our lighting techniques, or experimenting with different post-processing styles.

Applying feedback encourages us to step out of our comfort zones and experiment with new techniques and approaches. When receiving feedback, we will hear ideas which did not occur to us and force us to view our own work differently - thereby encouraging us to try new techniques. This experimentation not only keeps our work fresh and innovative but also allows us to discover what resonates most with our artistic vision.

Seeking follow-up feedback is equally essential in the application process. It enables us to track our progress and assess how effectively we've incorporated the initial feedback into our work. Regular feedback loops provide valuable insights into our growth trajectory, highlighting areas of improvement and affirming our strengths. 

Applying feedback is a continuous cycle of learning, adapting, and refining our craft. It is a never-ending process, and should be practiced regularly over the course of your photography life.

Cultivating a Feedback Culture

Cultivating a feedback culture within our photography community is essential for our collective growth and improvement. One aspect of this culture involves giving constructive feedback to our peers. This means offering insightful observations about their work, highlighting areas of strength, and suggesting areas for improvement in a constructive and respectful manner. By doing so, we contribute to each other's development and foster an atmosphere of trust and mutual support.

Creating a supportive and collaborative environment is another key element of our feedback culture. We strive to build a community where photographers feel encouraged to share their work, ideas, and challenges openly. This environment encourages collaboration, knowledge sharing, and creative exploration, benefiting everyone involved. It also promotes a sense of camaraderie and belonging, making our photography journey more fulfilling and enjoyable.

Embracing feedback as a continuous learning process is fundamental to our growth as photographers. We understand that feedback is not just about pointing out flaws; it's about learning and evolving. By embracing feedback with an open mind and a willingness to improve, we stay adaptable and resilient in our craft. This mindset allows us to turn feedback into actionable insights that propel us forward on our photography journey, constantly refining our skills and artistic vision.