We’ve just rolled out a new submission form for image critiques, projects, and weekly challenges.
This is part of a larger effort to keep improving the critique experience on NPN and make the process of sharing your work smoother, clearer, and more useful. The heart of NPN will always be the thoughtful feedback and conversation from members, but we want the tools around that process to feel more intuitive and supportive.
The biggest change is that the submission form is now on a single page instead of split across multiple steps. It should feel faster and easier to use, while still giving you helpful prompts to think through what kind of feedback you’re looking for.
You can access the new form from the Create Post button in the header.
A few highlights:
The form now includes clearer prompts to help guide your critique request.
EXIF information can be added automatically when available.
You can preview your post before submitting.
Weekly Challenge submissions now include the challenge description directly in the form for easier reference.
Project submissions have been improved, including better image arrangement and display.
The form should feel cleaner and more streamlined overall.
This also works alongside the revised image feature we recently added, which lets you share a revised version after receiving feedback so the conversation can continue in a more useful way.
And we’re not done yet. This new form is part of the foundation for a larger set of critique improvements we’re working on, including tools that will make feedback more visual and easier to communicate directly on an image. We’ll share more about that soon.
As with any new feature, there may be a few rough edges. If something feels confusing, doesn’t work as expected, or could be clearer, please let us know. Real feedback from members is the best way for us to keep improving these tools.
Thanks, as always, for helping make NPN such a thoughtful place for critique and creative growth.
One thing I’ve talked about in the past is the connection between music and images. This morning the following podcast discussed the power music has over what we see. I have no idea how this could be implemented as a post but I still think it’s a worthy long term goal.
David, I think the new version is looking very schmick. I did notice however, I was unable to edit the title of the image. In as much as “Burning Gold” and then the edited version “Burning Gold and Repost”. I may have missed something.
Thanks Glenys! I think you’re referring to posting a revised image after getting feedback? If so, if you use the new feature for this, it will automatically add (+revised) to your title, no need to do that manually anymore! Let me know if you’re referring to something else though.
OK. You are quite right. Another thing I may be getting wrong. If someone has posted more than one image on the same post, I can’t see any other images apart from the image on top.
Hi Kris, that’s a great idea, unfortunately after I did some digging, there’s not a lot we can display. The camera manufactures use all different standards, many don’t record anything. So all I was able to add was if the flash fired, which will only show if the flash actually fired. You’ll have to manually add flash power, etc.
I have been trying to post critiques using the new submission form and it will not let me enter a carriage return in the text window. When I hit return to try get a new line, it shows me the preview and asks if I should post it. I also cannot get the Area Tool to highlight an area, nor does it show up in the text. I am on my Windows 11 laptop, viewing through Chrome.
Discovered today that only the first image submitted gets the auto EXIF data to populate. Any way we can expand that to the other photos in the post? Or it could always be user error.
David, It might be just me…When I start writing a critique, I sometimes forget who I’m critiquing! Is it possible to have the title (which shows) and the name of the poster? I also find it helpful to read others comments. Is it possible to include the whole thread? Just thinking out loud.
I would echo this request. ok, maybe I don’t often forget who I’m critiquing, but for sure I often need to see the name just for a quick spell check. Even here when text is quoted, the original poster’s name is included in the reply.
Not a huge deal, but if one actually goes full screen on the critique window, the OP’s name isn’t referenced anywhere, even the “Photographer’s Notes”.
Ok, we’re getting down to the nit-picky stuff, which for me tells me this new form is on the right track and very useful! Thank you David and team!
Good idea Glenys! I’ve added their name and avatar to the top of the composer, a very nice addition. I’ve also made their requested feedback always visible along with some other small tweaks. As for your other request of having the whole thread, that isn’t possible, but you always minimize the composer, or just pull it down out of the way to see more of the context.
Popping back in because I wonder if creating a how-to video would be helpful. It isn’t obvious that a lot of the form is clickable and will help with populating some questions and topics for specific help. Ditto with the Field, EXIF and Processing information. Just a thought because I know you have nothing else to do.
Not urgent, but I thought I should note that for some reason, I’m having difficulty getting my suggested crop to work in the visual critique tool box.
When I go into that tool box, I can draw a crop frame, but it seems to move around a lot as I try to click out of it, and it disappears when I click “finish crop” which is the opposite of what I expect. Has anyone else experienced this?
I’m trying to use this tool more as it avoids the problem of cropping in windows and thereby creating color shifts that are unintended and unpredictable, and I’m reluctant to import other people’s images into my LR catalog, though perhaps that is the more dedicated thing to do?
I like that the tool preserves the original photographer’s sense of control over the image, but when I see such crop overlays, it isn’t as easy to compare to the original as seeing a fully cropped version. So, I’m not quite sure whether to continue my usual process or adapt somehow. I’ll think that through myself, but I thought I would mention that the tool itself feels glitchy to me.
