I'll bet that you aren't taking advantage of the best part of 1x.  The top reasons for giving critiques in the critique forum, in no particular order:

1.  Giving a critique forces you to develop or to adopt language to describe what you see or what you want to see.  Regularly using specific language to discuss composition, light, exposure, framing, color, and other factors in a photograph helps you to codify photographic and visual concepts.  That, in turn, means that when you go to take your own photograph you'll have already developed a toolbox of these concepts to draw from.

2.  Giving a critique requires you to choose a photograph from the many available to study.  Over time you will realize that you will be drawn to certain types or styles of photographs to critique, and it may not be the style you usually photograph yourself.  Participating in critique allows you to explore unfamiliar genres or to cement your relationship with an existing one.

3. Giving critiques regularly is a means to study the successes and failures of others and will accelerate your own experience to a degree you simply cannot duplicate by photographing on your own.  The 1x community is far afield from your own environment and offers you the chance to study images from all over the world, from all types of subjects and from all types of photographers.  Tapping into this rich vein provides exposure you could never get alone.

4.  You don't have time to pick up your camera and go find a subject right now, but you do have a few minutes to sit down and study the work of another photographer for a few minutes, living and learning vicariously through them.  Believe me, I know--it's late at night, or you have a meeting in a half hour, or dinner is cooking, and you don't have a spare minute to take your camera out of the bag right now.  But, you do have enough time to give a critique and learn a little something in the process.

5.  Time in the field is precious too.  When you do have your camera viewfinder to your eye and that shutter finger is itching, will you make the right call?  You have time to be where you are, but not the time to make mistakes.  If you have been giving regular critiques you'll be more prepared because you've already seen others make the mistake you almost just made and you'll be able to correct in advance.  Or, you'll recognize an opportunity you would have missed because you critiqued another shot with the same parameters. 

6.  Critique develops friendships.  Don't you want photographer friends?  They'll be there to pull you back when you get too cocky and they'll be there to push you forward when you need a shove.  By giving critiques you'll be more prepared to get them too.  Friendship and honesty go hand in hand.

7.  Giving critiques helps you learn about the capability of equipment and software that you don't own.  That will allow you to identify your next purchase and avoid a mistaken purchase.  When you see what is possible with equipment and software used by others you'll get a better sense of how you should equip yourself before you spend the money.

There are lots more reasons, of course-- but I'm about ready to go give a critique instead of continuing!  Giving critiques has made me a better photographer and changed me from a hobbyist to an artist.  Hope to see you in the critique forum too...

Hi John,

I couldn't agree more with your post that the critique forum is the jewel of 1x - it has allowed me to transform my photography from mediocre to a level where I get images accepted here at 1x or in photography competitions, and even sometimes gets awards.

I have made many friends in this wonderful community through participating in the critique forum, have learned so much from looking and analysing others' photos and seeing what works and what doesn't.

It sounds corny, but it certainly has opened my eyes to better photography.

Your post resonates a lot with me and I can only encourage everyone to try and give it your best shot in critique. However it requires some time and effort to put into a critique post, but it will be certainly worth it.

It has been in my case.

Guido