Tunde, this is a fine thread!   What kind of responses I get depends on the audience.  For instance, at the veterinarians office I showed some of my best cat portriats.  All were raves and they are the ones who said I should do that and offer the service.  Fine idea but they likely don't know how tough it is to get animals to cooperate in an "in-house" setting.   Still, I truly appreciated the comments because they "appreciated" the subject matter.

Then, at a family event, I shot a couple of nephews splashing up a good time in a small plastic blow-up pool.   My mother-in-law said to one young nephew, "You ruined the picture. This time, stand still and smile!"  My pic was the kid splashing, making a face.  My pic had the human interest part and the kid part...yet my loved mom-in-law is trained to think pictures must be posed and smiles.  Alas.

Then, there is the subject "can of worms" of craft or art.   To me, for a photo to be good, it must be well crafted, technically correct as can be for the situation.   Many are fine craftspersons of photos with all technically correct.  Some of these folks create artistic work and others do not, preferring to make techincally correct landscapes, etc.      

The artistry concept is what feeds my creative spirit yet the technical must be mastered or at least advanced to show the artistic to its value.    My tehnically correct photos are the ones most folks will say, "oooh and ahhh" about and generally of kids, amimals, landscapes, flowers, etc. 

The just as well crafted ones depicting shadow, repitition of of forms, what ever...these receive less comment and are less understood.  These are not the photos seen on the "Parade Magazine" photo contest or in the defunct back page of "Life" magazine.  These are the ones I hold dear for my own contentment..both craft and artistry of concept and presentation.

A few artistic friends will see one of the more "arty" shots and make fine comments and even critiize or discuss...while the general viewers will not see it for what I do.  The will give the usual comments heard at art museums.."humm"..."I like something about it"..."they call THIS art?"..."interesting"...or even the great copout..."ahh, whimsical work".

So, this is my essay to the thread.   Great thread, btw. (00ps, said that twice!)         Your friend in the USA,  Tom.