Paid $90 for a "pro" art portfolio review, got 3 paragraphs of vague tips

I figured since I was about to apply for a gallery showing in Santa Fe, I'd shell out for one of those popular online portfolio review services. The reviewer talked up their experience with big name artists, but all I got back was generic advice about lighting and composition that I could've found free on YouTube. Wasted $90 and two weeks of waiting, and my application deadline passed while I was tweaking things based on garbage feedback. Has anyone else burned cash on these review sites or is there a decent free alternative that actually looks at your work in detail?

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james_butler1mo ago

Bought one of those "expert" reviews last year for my photography portfolio and the guy spent half the time trying to sell me his own preset pack. The other half was just him typing "nice work" over and over with zero actual critique. Ended up asking my buddy who does concert posters for feedback and he gave me more useful advice in five minutes over a beer. These review sites just hire people who can talk a good game but can't back it up with real specifics. Save your cash and find a local art meetup or just post your work on a reddit forum and take the upvotes with a grain of salt. At least that way you'll get raw honest reactions instead of boilerplate nonsense.