Last time, we talked about how to receive constructive criticism, and how to learn and grow from it. But giving constructive criticism is just as much of an art form as receiving it, so this time around, we’ll explore how one goes about giving good critiques.
 

The first important thing to realize about critiquing, whether it’s photography or another art form, is that it’s usually a two-way street. If you want critiques, you’ll have to give them. If you’re unwilling to give any critiques, people will be unwilling in general to reciprocate. And, many people are looking for critique partnerships—they will critique your images regularly if you will do the same thing for them.
 

Another important thing to know about critiquing is that giving them is often just as much of a learning experience as receiving them. Sometimes, you’ll learn far more from critically analyzing someone else’s photo than you will from the critiques that you receive. What’s more, if you’re part of a critique group, then you’ll get to see or hear all the critiques that photographers are making, and that in and of itself is a valuable learning experience. It’s often interesting to compare everyone’s critiques as a sort of measuring stick for the details you may have missed when you were critiquing. Often, you’ll find that people with more experience and wisdom are sharing that wisdom with everyone, and you’ll be able to pick up valuable information just by analyzing their critiques on the photos of others.
 

So with all of that said, let’s get into a few tips to help you give good critiques!

There are certain expectations when it comes to viewing art. Consider times when you have visited museums or galleries to view the work of famous artists. What was the experience like? In many cases, you come away awed. You feel as if you’ve really gained something, a new perspective, a new bit of inspiration, some kind of knowledge or insight that you didn’t know you had prior to viewing the work.
 

Other times, you finally get to see the famous photographs or the famous paintings in person and, well, your expectations and the real thing are entirely different. The things you thought you would see, the things you thought you would feel — it just doesn’t happen, for one reason or another. You come away with a sense of disappointment. It feels like a letdown, to view work that is famous, that has been discussed by everyone who is anyone in the art world, and to not take from it that which everyone else seems to have gained.
 

This is a theme that occurs not only when you view famous works but also sometimes when you view your own work. You spend time and mental energy lovingly creating photographs but when those prints come back, you find yourself disappointed. Your expectations for your work and the reality of the printed piece simply don’t mesh.
 

Why does this happen? Let’s take a look at this phenomenon to learn what causes it and how you can overcome it, both when viewing the work of others and when viewing your own work.