Use it or don't

I'm not a really great Flickr friend. I like comments, and I'm always happy when someone asks me to add a photo to a group, but I don't get into the whole chatty community type thing like others do, and I'll fully admit that I don't always get to look at all of my Flickr friends' pics.

But earlier I was actually glancing through some, and I came across one of a pair of feet, and the photographer showed some pretty noticeable ankle seams on the skin. Turns out that this person actually made the skin, and mentioned that a blogger pointed out the seam to them.

No skin will be completely seamless. If I get right down and scroll tight onto the ankle area of my Belleza skin, there is the faint seam line. This is not the fault of the skin maker. This is simply what they have to work with. But again, I had to scroll tight tight in on the skin to see it, and the seam on this other skin was pretty noticeable.

But, a blogger did point it out, and supposedly the skin maker was working to correct it. All should have been well, except... the comments on the picture.

"you don't suck, bloggers who bitch about creator's work suck."

"bloggers make me laugh when they review stuff, purely because they act like they know everything when in reality, they arent the ones spending sleepless nights on a project."

"the one who suck is the blogger who writ s**ts"

Oh. Okay. So...again, we're not allowed to REVIEW an item? We're not allowed to point out a flaw that someone might be extremely disappointed with after spending money? They accuse us of pooping rainbows over designers, but then when someone DOES point something out and gives an honest review, the creator gets butthurt!

Here's the thing - As bloggers, we rarely blog something that we outright dislike. If someone has taken the time to style and photograph and write, there's a pretty good chance that in general, they LIKE the item. However, if there is a flaw, a seam, a smudge, there is no reason at ALL that it should not be pointed out if they are not being an asshole about it. I know that I have a few people who tell me "I ran out to buy *whatever item* after I saw it on you!" I would be so embarrassed if they did that and I had not told them that there was some crap on it and I'd Photoshopped it out, or angled it so that it could not be seen or yelled about how flawless it was.

I don't know what this particular blog post said about the seams on the skin. The creator did not at any point say that the blogger was bitching, and even said that because it was pointed out, that helps them to make it even BETTER next time. But those comments...those got to me. Because the first two? Are by creators in SL. So I guess should I ever decide to feature something of theirs in my blog [which is unlikely now], I better eat some skittles so I can get that rainbow going.

Bloggers don't need to be mean or overly bitchy when reviewing items, I highly agree. But creators? Oh, you guys have GOT to man or woman up and understand that not everyone is going to love everything you do. If we point out a flaw or something that could be better, use the criticism and MAKE it better if it's possible! Don't get all emotastic and cry about how the evil evil bloggers hate you. USE IT. And hey, if that WAS your best best work and nothing else could possibly be done, advocate for your item! Feel free to SHOW why it's as good as it's going to get. I know I'm far more likely to respect a creator who can back up their own work than one who gets their friends to do it for them.

But, this is just my opinion. Take it for what it's worth.