In general I agree, but it seems to me that there is a "validity" continuum between "invalid" and "valid". I would regard an opinion of my photo by MR to be more important than my mother's (who naturally loves everything I do).
I read the earlier poster's comments as a (problematic) way of establishing Howie's critical credentials. I assumed that he did this to help him gauge the importance of the critique.
Can we live without the critic's bio? Of course. But knowing something about your critics (e.g., Roger Ebert's long body of work) does affect how much importance one is going to attach to the criticism. As I wrote in my earlier post, not all opinions are of equal worth.
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I think the point is missed completely. I didn't pass any artistic judgement, kile MR or Roger Ebert might. I didn't say it was a "good movie." I merely made some statements that could be seen; the corners are too datk, there is a white halo, some flair, etc. And yes, the copyright. The photographer and any other viewer can see these very same things if they look, and they can decide for themsleves whether my comments are valid. I was merely assuming, apparently incorrectly, that one does not need Roger Ebert to tell them whether they like a particular movie or not. "I like it because Ebert liked it." Or "The corners aren't dark because MR didn't say they were." Maybe I was expecting too much for some folks to think for themselves.
OK, I post an image. It is my one and only good image. Everybody who owns a camera has one image that proves thay are the next Adams. Or maybe I just steal one. (I have often thought it would be fun to post
Moonrise and watch it get trashed. Or maybe it is just a random sample from thousands of perfect images I have made. But it is good, very good.
Suddenly, I am credible? I say the image has made no difference. That perfect table top I show proves the sky is too dark? Absurd.
Or my posted image is bad. Suddenly I can't see a black sky or a white halo?
Simply put, if you can see and think for yourself, you don't need a sample of my work for you to decide for yourself whether the black sky is too dark or not. You look, you see, and you decide for yourself. If MR suddenly chimes in with teh sky is too dark, is it? If the image is revealed as an original MR, is it suddenly "Wow, the best thing I have seen."?