first i'm reminded of how some of us are against even copying a cake although some of the rest of us copy at will --
but when we use another cake picture for inspiration and produce a cake that generates comparison of whose is better and go so far as to document online which is our favorite...to me that is a real disservice to the original caker who did not submit a photo for the purpose of it being judged or for it to be the jumping off place for a random caker to gather congratulations for doing it better --
what do you think about documenting the comparisons online --
AIf it were my cake someone posted and people are comparing it with other cake, i would probably be pissed. But i did put it out there for the whole internet to see, so i should accept any good or bad comments about my cake whether being compared or not. I cannot stop or say to these people not to do it, I can only be responsible with my action.
I know that this online comparison is something we all struggle with ..... here are some thoughts.
It is extremely difficult to come to terms with the fact that not everyone will love your posted work or think that you are the BEST at what you do. The viewing individual human brain is designed to dissect everything it sees in categories of pros and cons and from that information make instinctive assumptions and decisions that will positively benefit their OWN individual existence FIRST. The brain is designed to harshly compare and conclude so cakers need to fight hard to tolerate or come to terms personally within themselves that this exists. So I agree with you TheCakeWitch that if you post a photo, you must recognize that it WILL be judged or used in ways you didn't intend. It just will be.
The comparing and deciding to "favorite" online has huge flaws. The variables for why people choose a favorite at any particular point in time is endless and fickle and often untruthful. It is very difficult to draw constructive information from this type of behavior and more often than not, I bet it has way more negative psychological effects than positive. After all, when have you seen two identical cakes side by side and your task was to choose which cake was done technically better? That would make more sense wouldn't it? Instead, we are prompted to choose a favorite between a beginner's cake and a master's cake and so on. Severely flawed and certainly not scientific. But this is often a result of the simple apps certain websites utilize or have access to for providing this "favoriting" feature.
I am also not a proponent of cake competitions and that type of comparison. Again, if the task was to create the exact same identical cake, and it was based on which one was technically crafted better, that would make more sense wouldn't it? Beginners need to be lauded for their attempts and provided truthful constructive criticism to grow and improve. Masters need to be lauded for their excruciating efforts and time sacrifices for their wonders. And so on.
If we can all focus on the simple picture here, it might help. One of the reasons cakers are working endless hours a week is to provide consumers one of those heavenly experiences that they hope will help consumers with the weight of getting through every day events and responsibility. Whether it be just a simple luscious tasting cake a tired consumer can't get enough of, or a beautiful tiered wonder they will just gape at. If customers experience a few moments of joy or are transported for a few moments off into a different world, a caker will take that to heart and feel they did their job. They were part of that. Think about it. That has nothing to do with "comparison" or anyone else's work, right?
maybe it's better to keep you light under the bucket in the valley........can't be judged that way.
but then I've also found that often the barbs & insults from enemies serves me best by permitting me to view those flaws with clear eyes, and make the corrections necessary. If I choose to improve
I love competition and the learning of tips make you learn. But you will always get the rude, big heads that just want to hear themselves blabber. In almost anything that matters there will always be competition. I just think it makes us all better no matter what we do. I am just a intermediate cake designer, constantly love to see the wonderful work of others.
AI'm of the mind that if I put something online then that's it totally out of my hands and I shouldn't be offended what people either do with it or say about it.... it's like handing a fiver to a stranger, do they go and buy their kids a treat or do they buy themselves a pack of cigs; supplying the means doesn't give mean I can control the ends....
...whilst I say 'shouldn't be offended' it's really hard not to feel a bit sad when a picture goes up of a cake I love and as it goes round pintrest it accumulates a few negative comments or better copies... even if there were 100 times more in the nice comment pile lol.... but I honestly see that as my failure to accept critique not that people shouldn't copy what I posted......
the reason i started this thread is because at the time someone's client didn't like their cake that was based off a cake picture they submitted where a ton of us on here said they thought the newer cake was 'better' than the original -- and it was grating on my nerves that so many of us were inadvertently stepping on the nose of the original caker -- i just thought there was a better way to show approval for the caker that was in crisis because both cakes were fine --
i agree with probably every comment on here except in the context that spawned the thread that i withheld till now -- i'd of just hated to have been the original caker knowing there was a competition being held where my cake was invited but i was not and where i lost said competition although i did not enter even though the only reason my cake got entered was because someone liked it so much & wanted one like it --
kind of ironic but yes i agree with you all but kind of ironic and yes if your cake picture is out there you're definitely subject to all of the above comparisons and more -- oh well --
still, i think saying 'i like yours too', 'they're both solid cakes', 'yours is just as good' might be nice comments also sometimes --
idk
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