A Good Photographer Has an Identifiable Photographic Approach

Photograph in black and white of a red deer stag in a forest with ferns in France.

Quality 4: “Utilizing One or More Photographic Styles"

The mark of a good photographer is when you have at least one well-defined style. I usually choose to incorporate several. It is quite possible to develop several photographic styles to contrast with the vision and unique signature.

Although it is rare, some photographers have only one style. As a result, their signature might be mistaken for their style. Personally, I find that it eventually becomes boring. Regardless of whether the subjects are different, the atmosphere remains the same.

However, I believe that if you do not create many photographs, one style is acceptable, as you are only creating a few dozen photographs a year.

If you are creating more than 150 or 200 photographs a year, than it is possible to utilize several styles.

Nevertheless, they must not be diametrically opposed, but similar with variations.

Of course, these photographic styles must be a declination of your signature, so that your style is structured.

Quality 5: "Wielding Laser-Like Precision Within Your Artistry"

If you are average photographer who can create a series of photos with laser-like precision than you are a good photographer.

This means that you can create consistent photographs that exactly align with your definitions.

Making specific artistic choices in a project is an essential quality. Ordering your photographic approach according to precise, simple criteria to be implemented during sessions will allow you to capture photos that are easily recognized by your audience.

You will be able to emerge from the mass of other average photographers. You will exist, due to the precision of your photographic vision. Thus, having a specific vision is essential.

Quality 6: "Coding Photography into Your DNA"

You are a good photographer when your desire to create photos is so strong that it seems to be present in your blood. It becomes part of your DNA.

If this desire is present for you, when you get up in the morning, the first idea that comes to mind is to capture a photo or a series.

The idea to create images is nearly an obsession to you.

. When this sixth quality of “coding photography into your DNA” meets the first quality of “knowing how to last”, it may be blurred. This is because it is an impression, a way of life.

I believe that the creation of a photo or a series does not simply occur during the moment of the shooting or during the development. The creation of a photo is a complex process that takes time. Initially, you must craft an idea, even if it is fuzzy. Little by little, it develops until it is concrete. If you arrive on the field without having prepared properly, your photographs will not carry the same brilliance and you will not stand out as a unique photographer.

Quality 7: "Imparting Meaning to Life Through Photography"

Generally, I believe that life truly does not make sense. We did not ask anyone to be born. For years, we are educated without fully understanding our choices and decisions.

It is only after a long period of maturation and learning that some of us may discover our destiny.

You may be one of those people who decided that their choices in life accurately represented their desires and destiny. I have placed myself in this category.

You may have decided to make sense of your life by analyzing and making well-calculated decisions.

If one of these lifestyle choices is photography, then you are a good photographer. You do not merely take pictures on a whim. Your photographs have become a way to create, to testify, to express emotion, and to transmit messages.

I believe that the choice to give meaning to your life through photography is one characteristic of a good photographer.

Quality 8: "Never Be Afraid of Failure"

A good photographer lacks a fear of failure. Do not be afraid of failures, refusals, or criticisms. To be a photographer is to be alive. Just as a game of chess sharpens your skills regardless of who wins or loses, practicing photography allows you to develop your photographic approach.

Lacking a fear of failure paves the way for the creation of interesting and meaningful photos.

In my career, I have met photographers who managed to create good photos from their first projects. They were praised immediately. Sadly, since praise and fame do not last, they responded poorly to the negative criticism of less successful projects. They felt unloved and misunderstood. Since they had not been questioned before, they did not know how to receive constructive criticism. They stopped believing that their work had value and consumed the lie that people did not understand what they were doing. This is a sorry attitude because they were not bad photographers, rather, only a few of their photos were average.

To become a good photographer, you must be patient and perseverant. It is necessary that you focus on your trade without delays.

Quality 9: "Believing in Yourself"

To become a good photographer, you must believe in yourself. At first you may be the only one, but it is still a good start.

If you do not believe in yourself, no one will do it for you.

Never devalue your creations or you will become demotivated.

Your confidence in your capabilities allows you to try new technical or artistic experiences. You must understand that only your imagination is your limit.

Even if your photographs do not meet the success you hope for, keep moving forward, keep making small changes. If you believe in yourself, you will eventually succeed in creating interesting photos.

Quality 10: "Seeking Excellence at All Times"

To become a good photographer, you must always strive for excellence.

Excellence is defined as the eminent degree of quality that a person achieves in his or her field.

You must realize immediately that it is impossible to achieve excellence because you can always go further in the quest for quality.

Yet one thing is certain: you may always strive to achieve excellence.

Never be afraid to look for the best setting, to invent new techniques, and to look for new lines of development in your photographs.

You must be constantly looking for pictures that stand out from a crowd of other images. Never be satisfied with what you have accomplished. Always strive to do better next time. The price you pay for not being satisfied with what is average will promote you to the position of good photographer.

Quality 11: "Never Give Up"

To become a good photographer, you must never give up your photographic choices, whether they are artistic or not. You are free. Your desire for freedom to create, to express oneself, to share your feelings, and to express your emotions, can cause turmoil within you. It can be difficult to balance.

If you make the meaning of a picture reflect something in your life, you will always remember it. You must believe in your choices even when it may seem difficult. If you let go of all your calculated decisions, all the effort you have made will never be successful.

Always venture to the end of your possibilities. If you ever feel limited by one idea, change direction and focus. Take other paths to reach your goals.

Quality 12: "Affirm Your Photographer Status"

You live in a society of resigned people whom are often bound by their struggles.

To be a good photographer and affirm your status, you must fight against yourself and the rest of the world.

The freedom to create photographs is a fight in each moment of expression. You may not even be aware of this ongoing battle against the mundane.

You must always try to create new photographs, complete your photographic vision and enrich your photographic style.

It is at this price that you will be able to create interesting photos that emerge from the mass of anonymous people.

Quality 13: "Step Out of Your Comfort Zone"

As I wrote in this article, you must learn how to regularly step past your comfort zone to create interesting photos. If you are still confined by your own familiar abilities, you will constantly repeat the photos that established your success and your recognition.

Do not hesitate to change, test new techniques, or to venture to new horizons. You must not fear the unknown.

By exploring new creative paths, you will find refreshing sources of inspiration. They will allow you to enrich your photographic process and enhance your artistic approach.

The world is vast, complex, and sometimes incomprehensible, which makes it so beautiful and interesting.

Quality 14: "Perfectly Mastering Your Photo Equipment"

The 36 Qualities That Define a Good Photographer

You may be wondering if you are a good photographer. Although your question is legitimate, the answer is not easy. Your analysis must be objective.

In addition, it is easy to overlook certain defining elements.

In this article, I will give you a list of elements that constitute a completely objective analysis grid. I will share my inventory of everything that seems important to me when defining a good photographer.

These criteria will help you find an answer to your question.

Photograph in color of a landscape of Monument Valley.

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You May Refuse the Obvious

When I ask a photographer if he thinks he is a good photographer, the answer is often no.

This may be the case for you. This is what I call "denying the obvious". I remember the time when I lived in doubt. I refused to show my photos to others because I did not believe that they were “good enough”.

This response and attitude are often motivated by a lack of self-confidence or by a misplaced ego.

Many photographers have those qualities of what it means to be a “good photographer”. They create interesting photographs that make sense. However, they often do not give themselves the means to become a truly great photographer.

The Story of This Article

A blog article is like a photograph. It is always interesting to know its story. It sheds light on a subject and helps the audience to better understand the why and the how of the matter.

This question of being a good photographer intrigued me for years. My passion for science always pushed me to ask questions and search for answers.

I have read dozens of books on photography, and yet, no author has ever taken the time to address this thorny issue.

With time as an artist photographer, I have developed a list of points that are interesting to me when defining what is a good photographer.

This is the result of many years of reflection and work. Even then, it is only my opinion, which will certainly evolve over time. Photography is a world that shifts often. Nevertheless, I thought it was interesting to share my current perspective in this article.

You Are One Out of a Billion

You are one of the billion photographers in the world.

You may be practicing photography as an amateur or a professional. You may use a smartphone, or a DSLR equipped with mirrors, or a mirrorless camera.

Regardless of your equipment, do you create interesting photographs that make sense? This question is impossible to answer because it relies on subjectivity, it varies from person to person. Likewise, your photos depend on the definition you give to the word “interesting”. This is a very subjective question that does not have a clear answer.

However, I believe that it is possible to tell if a person is a good photographer. Although it may be difficult, it is still possible to define criteria that are objective. You will be able to recognize a good photographer even if you do not appreciate his photographic approach and his works.

Before going into more details of the grid, it seems very important to define the words and concepts which I will discuss in this article.

Why Should One Become a Good Photographer?

You may be wondering about the question of why you should become a good photographer.

The answer is simple. To create interesting and meaningful photographs, you must define a photographic consciousness, which I mentioned in this article.

When you know where you stand in relation to others, you will understand the meaning of your photographic approach. You will be able to create different photos and stand out in the crowd. If you do not want to understand why you are doing photography, you will remain in the crowd. You will only copy the other photographers you like, never venturing from the familiar. Eventually you will limit yourself by becoming unrecognizable in a circle of similar photographers. This lack of creativity and passion will prevent you from practicing the photography. Indeed, this would be a great shame!

Defining the Photographer

The word photography was created by John Herschel in 1839. He was a British astronomer considered to be a pioneer of photography.

The word is composed of two roots of Greek origin:

The prefix "photo": light, clarity.
The suffix "graphy": paint, draw, write.

Photography is a technical process that allows you to write with light.

In general, a photographer can be defined as a person who practices photography.

Defining a Good Photographer

A good photographer is a person with above-average qualities.

But how can one define what is average?

For me, being average in photography is when someone who knows at least a few of these theoretical bases of photography:

Shutter speed.
Aperture.
Sensitivity.
Triangle of the exposition.
Rules of composition.
Framing rules.

I used the words "at least".

Indeed, these basics are necessary to be a photographer in an average sense. However, I want to be clear when I say that just because a person has more than this basic knowledge does not necessarily qualify them as a good photographer. To be above average is more complex.

Becoming a Good Photographer

There is no magic recipe for becoming a good photographer. You may choose to participate in art or photography classes or to learn independently.

I have created an analysis grid with criteria which I call "quality". It is an objective grid that is easy to understand.

I name each paragraph "Quality Number", however, the number is not chronological. Numbering is simply a way for me to be clear and precise in my comments.

Quality 1: "Knowing How to Last"

A good photographer can judge himself over time.

A photographer who has created some excellent photographs is not necessarily a good photographer, even if he is recognizable by a wide audience.

A few good images do not necessarily mean that a photographer is skilled.

Duration is an essential factor. When a photographer can create an interesting series for a long period of time, it is because he has developed a true photographic approach. At this point, the photographer can be considered "good".

You may easily perform this test yourself. Look at the number of photo series you have created. Analyze them. You will find the answer by yourself.

Quality 2: "Having a Clear Photographic Vision"

Your photographic vision reflects the way you see the world.

Photography is an artistic language of self-expression. Some people choose painting, drawing, or writing.

Your vision is personal. It belongs only to you, providing you with a reason to create unique photographs.

Your vision reflects what is often called the soul.

Your photographic vision promotes balance in your life. It brings true meaning to your actions.

To be a good photographer, your vision must be clear and precise. If you are asked why you are creating photos, you must be able to respond by explaining your photographic vision.

Quality 3: "Having a Photographic Signature"

I believe that it is essential to possess a clear and precise signature for each of your hand-crafted photo series.

Your photographic signature is the key identifying factor of recognition. When a viewer gazes at your image alongside others, you want him or her to understand "This must have been created by ‘so and so’ because of this signature." For me, it is essential to be recognized.

The signature of a series is more precise than a general style.

The signature reflects your style and method of shooting as well as your choices in the development process.