How to Judge a Photo and Why

In the article entitled "Why and how to analyze a photograph", you will learn about both my method and my reading grid, which enables the photographer to systematically and objectively analyze a nature photograph.

In this article, I propose a method that allows the photographer to easily and systematically judge a nature photograph.

Although both of these methods have been applied to nature photographs, they can certainly be used in other photographic fields.

Black and white photograph of a landscape of Antelope Island in the state of Utah in the United States.

The Definition of "Judging"
Application to Photography
Why Is Judging a Photograph Important?
Why Do Many Photographers Find It Difficult to Judge?
Judging a Photograph Allows You to Better Know Yourself
Judging the Photographs of Others is a Beneficial Act
Criticism Is the Consequence of Judgment
To Judge Correctly, You Must Always Use a Grid with Rules
Judging and Understanding Other Photographers Makes You
Finally

The Definition of "Judging"

I strongly believe that it is very important to define “judging” in specific terms, since it is at the center of these methods.

To judge is to form an opinion of something or someone.

In judging, you assess the person, object, animal, etc. that is the subject of your gaze.

Application to Photography

In the context of photography, judging consists of providing your opinion on photos. You communicate your appreciation of photos made by others. You form a value judgment, thus enforcing the idea that the action of judging is subjective.

Why Is Judging a Photograph Important?

Learning to judge other photographs is an essential act for you as a photographer. It allows you to better judge your own photographic creations, because your eye is attuned to precision and effectiveness due to your experience.

Knowing how to judge a photo will allow you to better understand how your photographs appear to others, and what makes them unique.

Photographic judgment is as essential and natural as breathing.

Why Do Many Photographers Find It Difficult to Judge?

During my nature photography workshops and lectures, I have realized that many photographers are afraid to judge others’ photographs.

The first reason for this inclination to neutrality is that the photographer may not feel that they personally the legitimacy to do so. They may feel that they do not have the skills, importance, or level of fame to judge another’s work. But where does this feeling of insignificant worth come from? Is it because we believe that we create less important photos? I do not believe that these feelings contain truth.

A well-known photographer is first and foremost a photographer who knows how to sell his work. He knows how to propel himself towards success. His creations may or may not be interesting. Regardless, he still knows how to attract loyal followers through his work. When these followers share his work with their connections in the media, a buzz will erupt around the photographer, and he will experience success. However, this would not occur if other people had originally judged the photo and deemed it insignificant. Everything would have been different.
The second reason that some photographers feel the need to judge is that, like you and I, they find it hard to recognize what really constitutes us.

We too experience weaknesses, anxieties, fears, and cowardice. Nevertheless, we refuse to consider these things as part of ourselves.

We focus on other positive qualities, refusing to recognize our defects as limitations that define us.

Photographers who negatively criticize their own performance project their attributions onto those around them, creating an environment of falsity. They attribute their failures to others, instead of admitting that they themselves are actually to blame. I think this second reason is fundamental and essential.

It is always easier to judge others than oneself. Years ago, I also went through this stage. It is not easy to overcome. But with introspective work and self-questioning, it is not as hard as you might think.

Judging a Photograph Allows You to Better Know Yourself

Judging the photographs of other photographers will allow you to better understand your vision, your style and your photographic approach.

Judging the photographs of others is prepares you to judge your own photos. In truth, you can explain your creations better than any other person could.

For example, if you think a photograph is built with too many photographic elements and you cannot read it, it certainly means that you are attracted to minimalist photos.

Proper judgment is simply an identity mechanism.

Judging the Photographs of Others is a Beneficial Act

I think that every photographer usually judges the photographic approach of others. We have certainly done so.

While some may hesitate to share their opinion, others will not.

Photographers belonging to the second category are afraid to displease anyone. They fear being disliked or misunderstood. They are especially afraid of being judged harshly. In general, they want to avoid a conflict.

But I think these photographers make a very serious mistake. They begin to believe every judgment that passes by. They attach social value to themselves and their work based off of others’ beliefs. They fall into the value judgment. This is the worst thing about judging photographs, that it could potentially limit your opportunity for growth.

Criticism Is the Consequence of Judgment

To criticize a photograph is to engage in an examination to identify its qualities and defects.

Criticism is therefore a consequence of any judgment you make.

By examining the qualities and defects of a photograph, you can help the creator of the photo correct problems. When you naturally provide a solution for his future photo, you are demonstrating constructive criticism that is positively focused on a goal.

But above all, you refine your look on your own creations.

To Judge Correctly, You Must Always Use a Grid with Rules

To judge a photograph well and to avoid cookie-cut judgments, you must define rules with specific criteria that you will apply each time. This is absolutely essential.

In this article, I talked about using positive and negative spaces to judge. In this other article, I explained how to define a good photo.

Photo contest juries each have their own rules. As I mentioned in this article, it is better to fully understand these rules before participating.

Personally, I use the following guidelines to judge a photograph:

Impact
Light
Story
Technical quality
Creativity
Composition
Interests
Use of colors
Style
Presentation

This grid is easy to implement and remember.

If you wish, you can define your own grid with your own criteria. It's an interesting exercise.

Judging and Understanding Other Photographers Makes You

With time and experience, I have realized that in learning to judge other photographers' photos, we can be less obstinate and more forgiving.

This allowed me to open new creative doors and go further in my artistic process by refining it. I think it will be the same for you.

Judging will allow you to explore new ways of inspiration. Of course, it is an endless quest. It can limit your mind and your imagination. Regardless, it is an absolutely necessary step as I wrote in this article.

Finally

By learning to judge the photographs of others, you will perform an essential act. You will develop your artistic creativity.

If you want to create interesting and different photos, do not hesitate to make objective and consistent judgments with your personal analysis chart.

But do not forget that judging cannot be improvised. It takes time. You will see spectacular results on your future photos from this process.

The Contextualization Is an Important Step to Analyze a photograph

Photograph in Black and White of Poles planted in a Pond. Conceptual Photograph.

Step #3: The Contextualization of Photographs

This contextualization of a photograph can be likened in a certain way to storytelling. In this article, I explain the importance of storytelling to enhance the impact of a photo.

This third step should allow you to narratively state what you know about the context of the creation of the photograph or series.

This step requires you to be interested in the external elements of the photograph.

For example, you must:

Know the artistic and technical context of photography.
Understand the environmental context in which the photo was made.
Appreciate the personal history of the photographer. It will allow you to better understand the motivations of his artistic acts.

All these elements allow you to better contextualize photography. This will enhance your memory of the work. You have probably already realized that an anecdote is a true plus to remembering a photographic work.

Contextualization requires general photographic culture as I wrote in this article. I agree that photographic culture does not particularly help to appreciate a photographic work. However, it allows you to progress to the analysis phase. I think that possessing photographic culture is a real benefit because it will broaden your mind, allowing you to see details and better understand the author’s artistic approach.

Knowing the history of a photograph also allows you to judge the difficulty of its creation. This will help you judge a photo better

Step #4: The Interpretation

The photographic interpretation gives deeps meaning to an image. You are still not in a judgment or criticism stage, but analysis stage. You must not share comments but merely say what you feel.

In this phase of interpretation, you only bring in your personal feelings. You must not try to understand what the author of the photograph wanted to do. You must remain in your perspective.

You must interpret according to the narrative elements that I described in the third step.

During the interpretation phase, you will try:

To determine the different functions of the photograph you are viewing.
To define the symbolism that you see there.
To explain why this photograph speaks to you.

This essential step is a form of introspection. You do an analysis of yourself in relation to the photograph you are looking at. You try to understand the motivations that drove you to analyze this specific picture. You must search for a sense of meaning in the assembly of elements.

Make your emotions, your feelings, and your experiences speak to match words to what you see.

In this step, you can make comparisons with other photographs or series of a similar kind.

The interpretation is totally subjective because it depends on you alone.

If you ask another person to share their feelings, the result will certainly be very different. You can then compare your ideas, thus establishing a more enriching experience.

An Example of the Analysis of a Photograph

Photograph in Black and White of Poles planted in a Pond. Conceptual Photograph.

Step #1: Visual Description

This photograph represents wooden stakes planted in the ground. Some of the stakes are interconnected by barbed wire. The reflection of these stakes suggests that the photo was created on the thin surface of water.

The name of this photograph is "Forgotten I". It is part of a collection called "Forgotten". It was created by Amar Guillen. The title corresponds to what the picture shows: stakes forgotten for a long time. They are utterly abandoned.

This is clearly a conceptual creative approach.

Step #2: Technical Analysis

This photo does not leave us feeling indifferent. The photo questions our souls. Where was this picture taken? Why are these pickets abandoned? Why are they in the water? What happened here? Has a village been engulfed? The number of questions prove that it is a photo that has significant impact.

The stakes are aligned in a diagonal rising from right to left. This evokes a positive note. We still have hope. What happened here may not be as dramatic as we initially believed.

The horizontal framing accentuates the space and gives depth to the photo.

The choice of black and white with a negative space in high key further illuminates the effects of loneliness and abandonment.

The masses are managed in a harmonious way. The photo is bright, easy to read, and easily decrypted.

The reflection of the stakes on the water is a strong attribute.

Step #3: The Contextualization of The Photograph

This photograph was made on a pond. Several carriages were mounted around this pond because deer came to bathe during periods of high heat in the daytime.

It was while looking at them through a window of the lookout that the idea came to me to focus on evoking solitude, oblivion, and abandonment. I wanted to build a strong symbolic image with a total dematerialization of the surrounding environment. I desired for the stakes to “float” weightlessly in the air. This appears to have occurred, thanks to the reflected image in the water. I really like the photographic suggestion depicted here. Everyone can travel and imagine a story that belongs only to him or her.

Step #4: Interpretation

I will not give my interpretation of this photograph because I have already done so in the previous paragraph. It is up to you to say how you feel by looking at this photo.

If you wish, you may write a comment at the bottom of the page to describe your feelings in a few words.

Finally

Analyzing a photograph or a series of photos is not a judgment or criticism phase. This is a phase that is progressive.

This method of analysis takes place in four stages: the first two are visual and allow the photographer to define the elements that he or she sees. The third requires photographic culture. The fourth appeals to the viewer: it is introspective.

Try to apply this method of photographic analysis and you will notice a noticeable improvement of your photographic vision.

Your creativity will improve because you will have points of reference that support your development.

Photographic analysis is one of the key elements to master to allow you to bring forth even more interesting photos.