personally if I can see some merit in a shot, but spot something I think could have been done better, then I'll mention it.. honestly I think that's what this place is about - helping one another to improve. having the balls to say when you don't like something will earn someone more respect with me than not commenting, or a one-word response. to say what you see does not necessarily mean you consider yourself a more worthy or capable photographer than the next person, but the only person with your opinion is, well, YOU! and they're all valid...

like I said above, I'll critique if there's something of merit in the shot in the first place.... if I plain don't like it I click off straight away and go browse elsewhere. This isn't to say that positive comments are worthless though, far from it! Some pictures, well, there's not much that can be said, but they still affect you and communicate to you... just a few positive words convey that your work has touched someone.. and besides which there are only so many words/phrases we can come up with to describe certain styles of photos so repitition of the same seemingly inane comments might make you a little jaded... but it still means someone has viewed and appreciated your efforts and shouldn't be sniffed at..

personally I always try to convey what it is about the picture which has been the basis of my viewing of it.... be that colours/ composition/ light etc etc.. - I think it gives a better sense of what has worked well in the image..... admittedly since I'm trying to improve I do tend to come at posts from a slightly more technical mindset than others may do, people who may primarily comment on how the image has made them 'feel', what moods it may have awoken etc.... I think both kinds of responses are equally valid and important, it's just that certain character types will err towards different methods....

and on a final note... more than other photo sites I am/ have been active on, Renderosity seems at times to almost have a template of celebrated subjects, 'staples' if you will, which will elicit all kinds of 'ooohs' and 'aaaahs' and will often be well received.... pets and flowers spring to mind here.... if I was forced to put my finger on what this might signify, I'd take a stab that it shows the community as a whole is warm and supporting, but that there's a divide between those happy to display snaps of things which bring them joy in their everyday lives, and those who shoot on a more 'serious' level, constantly seeking technical advancement and creative improvement.... I'm not sure how well I've worded all that but hopefully the jist of what I'm saying comes through...

Adam

Adam Edwards Photography