DanielScott Offline Upload & Sell: Off
|
Ok, since folks are set on continuing this dialogue about me, I will speak up. I made it clear which exact statements I took issue with. I did not and do not take issue with every constructive criticism that I am offered on FM forum, proven by the many occasions when I have received constructive criticism in this forum and politely responded to it with gratitude in multiple of my other threads here. My issue was with being told by RustyBug that he and almost anyone else could have taken this photo because of the ambient lighting conditions, which I still believe to be completely false, and with another member taking the time to unnecessarily criticize my other work which isn't even posted in this thread ("finally a portrait which is not hit by a pesky silver reflector with a reverb on all your foreheads"). I still stand by the opinion that saying almost anyone could have taken this portrait is easily perceived as a low-blow, no matter who it is telling me this, and going on to say that I am ONLY here to have my ego stroked is not fair and proven to be untrue by the many instances when I have received constructive criticism well. In this instance I stood up to TWO particular comments that I felt were out of line. That's it.
Other than my response to Mongrel for calling me a prima-donna, I have been civil in this thread. In my defense, I felt as if I was being ganged up on for sticking up for myself which had me feeling quite defensive. In Mongrel's defense, I said I would be leaving this forum, which is absolutely prima-donna behavior, but the feeling of being ganged up on had me feeling pretty upset. Despite anyone who would be happy to see me leave, I'm not going anywhere.
I was accused of insulting folks here simply because I said their statements were untrue (ie "almost anyone could have taken this photo"). Saying that a statement someone is making is false is not an insult, and I still believe it to be false that almost anyone else could have taken this photograph. Making a comment like that is so unnecessary and to me it invalidates the work I put into this portrait, and I would NEVER say something like that to another photographer. YES, people are free to leave their opinions of my photos, and I expect it, but if someone leaves comments that don't sit right with me, I am just as free to give my opinions on said comments as well. People don't have to be "nice" when they leave their opinions of my work, so conversely I don't have to say "thank you" to every single opinion given about my work, or accept every criticism especially when perceived as backhanded or a low blow.
RustyBug, you claim to have helped me out offline multiple times. I have never met you offline. If I have met you offline, then you have kept your online identity a secret from me if we truly have met offline, but I am pretty certain that we have never met. There was no "MAJOR case of cyber-amnesia" here. You have commented on my threads in the past and have given me feedback, which I have always politely accepted, except for this one singular time when you made a comment which I perceived to have been a low blow. Even when you send me private messages to tell me you don't like my sharpening technique or my color grading, I have been polite in my responses and have even applied your suggestions to my work since then. This one time that I took issue with something you said does not constitute me having "amnesia" of some sort, and it does not mean that I am only here for positive comments.
I will also say that I am thankful for those members who have also offered me their support in this thread and in private message regarding the dialogue that has taken place in this thread. I am not the only one who interpreted these comments this way.
Edited on Aug 16, 2021 at 03:24 AM · View previous versions
|