What you need

• A computer with a current web browser: Chrome, Safari, Edge, or Firefox.
• The file the-frame-critique.html from your instructor. Double-click it to open.
• One photograph you want critiqued, saved on your computer, or a direct link to it online.
• An Anthropic account with billing set up (steps below).

You do not need to install anything. The tool runs in your browser.

Get an API key

An API key is a password that lets the tool send requests to Anthropic on your behalf. Keep it private.

1. Go to console.anthropic.com and sign up or sign in. The Console is separate from the Claude chat app, so an existing Claude login may not be enough. Use the account you want billed.
2. Set up billing. Look for Settings, then Billing, and add a payment method and credits. API use is billed separately from any Claude subscription.
3. Set a monthly spend limit. In the Console, look for Settings, then Limits. If you cannot find it, search the Console for "limit." This caps what the key can spend in a month.
4. Create the key. Look for Settings, then API Keys, then Create Key. Give it a name you will recognize, such as "Frame critique."
5. Copy the key right away. It starts with sk-ant-. The Console shows the full key only once. If you lose it, create a new one and delete the old one.
6. Store it somewhere safe, such as a password manager. Do not email it, post it, or paste it into a shared document.

Add your key to the tool

1. Open the-frame-critique.html in your browser.
2. Click Submit My Image. At the top of the form, the API key panel shows "No API key set." Click Open to expand it.
3. Paste your key into the Your Anthropic API Key box. Click Show to check what you typed.
4. Choose one option under the box. Remember on this device is checked by default and suits your own computer. On a shared or public computer, uncheck it. The key then clears when you close the browser.
5. Click Save Key. The tool checks the key and loads the models your account can use. A green dot means a key is saved.

To change or remove your key, open the panel and click Clear Key, then paste a new one. Click Roll up to hide the panel.

Choose a model

The Model dropdown sits in the key panel. The list comes from your account, so it shows only the models you can use.

• Haiku: fastest and lowest cost. Good for checking that your setup works.
• Sonnet: balanced. The right choice for most critiques.
• Opus: the deepest read. Slower, and each critique costs more.
• Fable: top tier. It appears only if your account has access.

The tool remembers your choice on this device.

Submit your image

Option A: upload a file (recommended)

Click Upload Image File and choose a JPG, PNG, or WebP file from your computer. Uploads work with any website and any storage service.

Option B: paste a link

Paste a direct link to the image file. Some links will not work.

• Your own website: right-click the image and choose Copy Image Address.
• Dropbox: change dl=0 at the end of the link to raw=1.
• Google Drive, iCloud, and other share pages: these usually do not work. Upload the file instead.

Wait for the preview to show Link loads. If it says the link did not load, use Option A.

Write your context

The tool needs three answers. The more specific you are, the more useful the critique.

• Why did you make this image? What were you trying to say? What drew you to the subject? What feeling were you after?
• How did you light it? Give the light source, its position, the modifiers (softbox, reflector, diffusion), the distance, and what you wanted the light to do. "Window light from the left" is too vague. "Single strobe through a 3x4 foot softbox, camera left at about 45 degrees, roughly 3 feet from the subject" gives the critique something to work with.
• What did you do in post? List the software and each adjustment. If you did nothing, say so. That is useful information too.

The button stays grey until each answer is long enough. The line under the button tells you what is still missing.

Read and keep your critique

Click Get My Critique. The tool shows your image while it works, usually for under a minute. The result has four parts:

1. The Cold Read. What the image communicates before any context.
2. With Your Context. What is working and what is not, measured against what you told the tool.
3. The Direction. One path forward.
4. The Takeaway. One or two sentences to remember.

Under the critique you can:

• Copy Full Critique to paste into notes or an email.
• Download .md to save a Markdown file to your computer.
• Critique Another Image to start over. Your key and model choice stay saved.

The output also shows how many tokens the critique used. Tokens are the units the API bills by.

Cost

Each critique is billed to your Anthropic account. The cost depends on the model you choose and the length of your text and image. The tool does not show a price in dollars, so check your usage in the Console and your spend limit.

Troubleshooting

Privacy

• Your key stays in your browser. It is not sent to the instructor or to Don Giannatti.
• Your key goes only to Anthropic, and only when you request a critique or load the model list.
• Your image goes to Anthropic when you request a critique.
• On a shared computer, uncheck Remember on this device and click Clear Key when you finish.
• Delete the key in the Console if you no longer need it.

Good habits

• Set a spend limit before you start.
• Keep your key out of screenshots and shared files.
• Write your context before you upload, so you have time to be specific.
• Read the cold read before the context. You will see how the image lands before your explanation shapes your reading of it.