General Guidelines

Pictorial Image Division
Online Study Groups

DIGITAL DIALOGUE Guidelines

Our purpose is to understand how other people react to our images, to learn what other people are doing, to share our methods, to learn how to improve our methods, to learn new methods, and to interact with other photographers.

These groups are for learning. This is not a contest, but rather a sharing of images, techniques, and personal reactions. The intent of our groups is to show the work that we would like to have an opinion about, such as what looks good and what we could do to improve it. DD groups are not just a social media platform.

Submit images that look good to you to find out what other people could suggest that would improve it for the viewer. If the image has won a medal or an HM, or even just accepted in an exhibition, it should not be submitted for comment.

You will learn how other people see and interpret your images. You will get differences of opinion. People have different tastes and skill levels. You will learn new techniques and share yours. Your photographic horizons will be expanded by the interpretation and input of others!

Easy Steps for Learning and Sharing with your fellow PSA members

  1. During the last week of the month and one day before the first day of the next month, you e-mail one image (plus up to 3 originals) to your group’s administrator, with your “how I did it” description.
  2. During the month you should regularly visit the group to review, comment and discuss each other’s images by typing your thoughts into the comment box located at the bottom of each member image page. You must be logged-in before being able to make comments.

YOUR IMAGE

The only requirement is that the file must be less than 1MB and be in the JPEG format. Whatever dimensions will fit within the maximum will be fine. Typically, 1200 pixels on the long side will be fine.

  • Use sharpening after you have resized your original image but before saving for the web.
  • Using Save for Web at maximum or highest will give you an acceptable file size. =
  • DO NOT use any of the following characters in your file name: !@#$%^&*()+={}[]|\<>?/.
  • If you are in more than one group, you may not enter the same image in both groups, even if one version is color and the other monochrome.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION “HOW I DID IT”

  • Give it a title as you want it to appear on the website. (Note: it is not nercessary for the image file name to be then same as the image title)
  • Suggested items to include are the camera and lens, polarizer or other filter on the lens, automatic or manual settings, photo editing software name, f/stop and shutter speed, tripod or not
  • Description of the subject matter
  • The impact you are trying to achieve, what point are you tyrying to make or why you took the picture so the other participants can give their opinion on your goal.
  • What techniques did you use in your editing software or app?
  • Along with your finished image, you can submit additional images (1-3) to show a “before” (original) or “during” image.

ABOUT COMMENTS and REPLIES

  • Don’t get upset - not everyone sees their own crooked horizons!
  • Dialogue requires not only comments but replies from all members. To Reply to a comment or a reply, select the [REPLY] button.
  • You may choose to add a reply to a comment on any member’s image.
  • No scoring, no numbers, no stars, just “studying” and describing our opinions in words.
  • Provide a reason for your opinions.
  • Provide setup, capturing, and editing options if you can.
  • Remember these comments are personal opinions, preferences and interpretations.
  • Take constructive criticism in a positive manner.
  • The group is supposed to be a fun sharing of ideas and an enlightening sharing of our reactions. The more creative the suggestions are, the better.

WHAT TO SAY IN COMMENTS

  • Impact when first seen.
  • Did the maker employ any special techniques that enhance or detract from the image?
  • Might you have done anything differently?
  • How might you achieve the same effect using another technique?
  • What do you like and why?
  • Be diplomatic with criticisms.
  • Be generous in sharing other methods.
  • You can suggest software, apps, camera body, lens, or other equipment that might be effective.
  • Evaluate the image using your own knowledge of composition, lighting, subject choice, cropping, filter, border, camera technique, software technique, etc.

IMPORTANT EXTRA TIPS

You can download the image, work on it yourself, and upload your version of it at the same time that you post your comment, in order to show what you would do to improve it or to show another version.

  1. Prepare your “revised” image before you post your comment.
  2. To download the original image, right click on top of it and choose Save Picture As or whatever words will do the same thing on your computer.
  3. Make your revisions and save as a jpg or Save for Web as a jpg with a maximum size of 1Mb.
  4. Go to the comment here box, post your Comment and browse to your image from *Image [Choose File] under the Comments to get your “revised” image. Then submit both Comments and revised image simultaneously.

PROBLEMS WITH MEETING PARTICIPATION

  • If you are going to be away near the deadline but have time to create your image, it is all right to email the image ahead of time, even a month or two ahead.
  • When you know you cannot do BOTH the image or the Comments due to your schedule or accessibility to the Internet, it is okay to do just one, but please notify your administrator.
  • Administrators - Place the Vacation flag when a member requests any month off. It is a safety concern to publicize such information on the Internet or in an e-mail. Members will simply think the person isn%rsquo;t participating. About once a year, any member or group can take a “vacation” and have no images for a month

FEEDBACK

  • Feel free to contact your administrator or the Digital Dialogue Director Dorinda Wills, APSA, QPSA at bodori47@gmail.com with questions and suggestions.

Download the Guidelines