Qualities of A Good Photograph
PHOTO CHALLENGE | Find at least one of the ten elements listed to focus on for this week’s photo prompts, and incorporate as much of it as you can. Whether you fixate on light, emotion, storytelling, composition, or something else, try to take as many photos as you can that represent that element.
Art and photography are judged on completely different scales, but each hosts qualities worth learning to ensure you develop artistic and technical skills.
It’s important to marry creative and technical skills to create the most compelling of photographs, otherwise, the judgement falls on (aside from you, the photographer) the viewers mastery of technique rather than artistic merit.
Here are some combined elements of artistic and technical components that one might look for to create a dynamic image. While you will likely not hit all points, being able to check a few off the list (always with composition and light in mind, however) will ensure you’re working toward to further developing and honing your skill.
Compelling composition (framing)
When it’s possible, considering your composition is what shapes your photo, your intention, effort, and thoughtfulness. Most basic photography guides include common compositional concepts like the rule of thirds and rules of symmetry, as well as less common techniques that involve negative space, leading lines, depth of field, and framing.
Emotion
Regardless of the resulting emotion, it’s emotion that humanizes a photograph. Images that capture genuine displays of emotion often prove timeless, and these meaningful moments will always capture the audience’s attention.
Simple storytelling
Some of the greatest images simply tell a story rather than relying on great composition or featuring other unique characteristics. Oftentimes it’s a crowning moment of sorts that tells a story, capturing it in a split second moment that might not allow for much time or thought to prepare (thank goodness for the ability to edit!).
Intrigue
Allow for the viewer’s mind to ask questions, to wander, or to use their imaginations to bring together the details and story of the image. You can get really creative here, whether offering an abstract view, a creative crop, showing a little bit of personality, branding, motion, or including just enough to grab the viewers attention.
Meaningful
What’s an easy way to create an interesting image? Shoot something that is unique to the respective audience or with moments that might reveal themselves during unusual events or at one-of-a-kind locations. Think weather, seasons, events, hobbies, landmarks, etc.
Creativity
If you have a distinct style, interest, brand, hobby, career, or personality, don’t be afraid to let these elements shine through as the main component (or through-line) in your photography. Don’t be afraid of what could make you stand out.
Compare & Contrast
Some of the most interesting images juxtapose completely contrasting objects and concepts. Think positive and negative space in an image; color, lighting, and scene. Pops of color, opportunities with unique texture, shape, or even composition (micro, macro is a good example) can provide an opportunity for comparing and contrasting your subject and the scene around it.
Light & Color
Lighting and color is really how a lot of great images happen. Great lighting can turn a mundane scene into an amazingly colorful scene full of texture and life. In nature, these types of scenes happen all the time during sunrise and sunset, and while we can’t control the lighting of those fleeting moments, if you happen to be in the right place at the right time, you just may be able to capture it. However, you can also control and create unique lighting on our own with off camera lighting and flashes.
Detail
Whether you’re focusing on actual details of a scene or subject, look at moments of light play, color, motion, reflections, shadows, or other fleeting, often unseen details.
Perspective
We typically see things from the same perspective nearly our whole lives. Our perspectives are what make our images unique, but it’s also what we look closely at and take notice of that gives a truly one-of-a-kind perspective. Using a fixed lens can force you to move around more, but simply being mindful and moving your position up, down, high, and low, all for the same scene can produce interesting and unique results.