Photography Critiques

A Platform for Serious Photographic Feedback: 1x.com

Numerous online photography communities facilitate image sharing, often including features like comments, ratings, and favoriting. However, many of these platforms lack in-depth, constructive criticism. If your primary goal is simply sharing photos with friends and family, this may not be a concern.

But for photographers – whether emerging, amateur, or professional – seeking genuine feedback, options can be limited.

1x.com: A Community Focused on Critique

1x.com is a photography community designed for individuals comfortable with direct assessment of their work. The quality of images shared on this platform generally surpasses average standards.

A key benefit is the opportunity to receive critiques from peers who share a similar desire for improvement and honest evaluation.

Membership and Photo Uploads

A basic 1x.com membership allows users to upload one photograph per week. This limitation encourages careful selection of submissions.

Members can also save favorite images and create a watchlist of other photographers to follow.

Account Creation and Access

Signing up for a free account requires providing your name, email address, username, and password, granting immediate access to a community known for its candid photography critiques.

The Critique Process

Before submitting your own work for review, you are required to provide critiques on other photographers' images. Navigate to the "Critique" tab to find photos awaiting feedback.

To unlock the ability to submit your own photography, you must critique at least three pictures within the preceding seven days.

Navigating the Critique Panel

Further down the page, you can view all photographs currently available in the critique panel.

Submitting Your Photographs

After completing your critiques, you can submit your own photographs. When submitting, you can include details like the date, location, tags, and any specific questions or comments for the community.

Quality Control: The Screening Process

1x.com distinguishes itself through a rigorous screening process, unlike many other photography communities. Not all submitted work is automatically published.

Each photo undergoes review by 1x.com screeners, who can approve, reject, or forward the image to member screening.

Member Screening and Final Approval

During member screening, all 1x.com members have the opportunity to vote on whether an image should be published. An image must receive 100 votes before a final decision is made.

While some may find this process extensive, it significantly contributes to maintaining the high quality of photography featured on the site.

Published Photos vs. Critique Submissions

The critique section is separate from the "Photos" tab, which displays recent additions from paying members. These published photographs do not require critique and function as an online portfolio.

Images in the critique panel cannot be added to your favorites, unlike those in the published photos section.

Limitations and Considerations

One drawback is the inability for photographers to directly delete their submitted critique photos; a moderator must be requested to do so. However, users can delete their entire account, including all associated photos, if desired.

Despite this, 1x.com fosters a sensitive yet honest approach to critiques, making it unsuitable for those unwilling to receive direct feedback.

Further Learning Resources

For those seeking to enhance their photography skills and camera proficiency, consider Bakari's PDF manual, The Essential Guide to Digital Photography.

Where do you seek honest critiques of your photographic work? Share your preferred platforms in the comments below.