A Good Photo Should Tell a Story and Generate Interest

Photograph in black and white of a landscape of Monument Valley. Photograph by Amar Guillen, photographer artist.

Mineral landscape of Monument Valley in Arizona.

Key #1: A Good Photograph Is Technically Successful

A good photo is technically successful if it lacks the following major flaws:

Blurred motion.
Overexposure.
Focusing errors.
Poor white balance management.

A good picture should have:

Balanced composition.
Good framing.
Deliberate choice of the point of view.

If motion blur is voluntary, if overexposure is a style like “High Key,” it is obvious that it is a deliberate and artistic choice. In this case, the photography will be good because you made an informed choice.

If the focus error or poor white balance is due to a lack of knowledge or inadequate mastery of photographic technique, then the photo will not be good.

The boundary between an artistic choice and a poor mastery of technique is quite easy to establish with a little practice.

Key #2: A Good Photograph Must Generate Interest

For this, I place myself in the shoes of the viewer.

I cannot replicate the same emotions that one of your photos could evoke. What I am really talking about is whether a photograph interest.

That is what I call impact.

The impact can be generated through:

Unexpected composition or framing.
Anthropomorphic side of a photograph.
Unusual point of view.
Eye-catching colors.
Evocative gradation in black and whitee.

The impact of a photograph is what makes it different from others.

When create a photograph and you want to be impactful, ask yourself what will make it different from others. Think about what will make it stand out.

I often find that many photographers are content to realize what has already been done.

Their photos, as beautiful as they are, have no impact because it is the model who is unique and different.

When you create photos, try to be different, unique, and exceptional at every step. You will create photos that have impact.

Key #3: Always Tell a Story

For a picture to be good, it has to tell a story, thus, you must become the storyteller.

Sharing the beauty of the landscapes, a moment with an animal, or the ecstasy of a vibrant underwater scene, is like telling a story.

And to tell a photographic story you have to create it in your mind.

For example, when I photograph a deer, I always have the ideas of elegance and power in my mind.

When I am choosing a scene with a deer, I choose elements that will accentuate its qualities. When I am ready to press the trigger, I will wait for the right attitude and the right expression that will translate to elegance, power, and strength.

If the deer graze or have their head down, I am not going to press the.

It is all a question of the right moment to translate the story you want to tell.

Ideally, the story you tell should transcend cultural or language barriers.

This is why you must use photographic language.

Not everyone will like your picture, but it is not what you are looking for. The important thing is that the message is perceptible.

Key #4: A Good Photograph Reflects a Unique Moment.

A good photo is always the result of a conjunction of elements:

Special lighting.
Atmosphere.
Attitude, such as an animal posture.
Expression if it is an animal.
Seasonal focus for landscapes.

When you manage to put several unique, exceptional elements in a frame, you are sure to arrive at a good picture.

You do not have to go to the end of the world to find an exceptional stage. You just need to know how to look, to be imaginative and creative in bringing out the imperceptible and unique elements that will make your picture look good.

Never forget that it is not the place that makes a good photo but just the conjunction of certain photographic elements at a given moment.

The ordinary contains wonderful treasures to create good pictures for the one who knows how to look.

Key #5: A Good Photograph Should Look Like You

To create a good photo, it has to be different, unique, and outside the box.

Why do not you create pictures that look like you? Because you are certainly unique with your character, your morals, and your ethical values.

If you photographically translate who you really are, the messages you want to share are likely to translate into photos in an organic way.

That is why you need to define your photographic why and your photographic approach. Do not try to copy others, for there is only one you.

Key #6: A Good Photograph Must Always Be Well Presented

I often say that a photo only exists if it is printed. Before that, it is an image that is only visible on a digital screen.

An image on a screen flickers in front of the viewer in the blink of an eye. Today, millions of photos are created and viewed. It is hard to stand out from the crowd because viewers quickly scroll through a large number of images.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, show your photos with an original, meaningful presentation.

If by construction it is interesting, printing on paper will reinforce the fact that it is good.

Apply yourself with the goal of presenting it well, to highlight it whether it is by the choice of paper or the frame.

Finally

In short, if you want to create good photos, pay attention to your surroundings.

Often, the ordinary will offer you great opportunities to create the extraordinary.

Even if you are inspired by other photographers, try to be different and unique.

Create photos that look like you and are unlike any other.

Do not be afraid to play with subjectivity and reveal your true spirit.

Be humble, patient, constant, persevering, and persistent because the road to excellence is long.

6 Steps to Define a Good Photo

When you are out in the field studying the result of a shot on your camera screen, sometimes you say to yourself: “That's a good picture. I’ll keep it.”

Or maybe you think it is a bad picture, and so you delete it.

Have you ever wondered why and how you make these choices?

To help you find an answer, I have written this article which should give you a systematic method to apply.

Road to Monument Valley in Arizona.

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The Little Story of This Article

During my photo workshops each day, there is a special moment in the afternoon that the trainees love. This is called the photo review.

Each photographer offers a selection of photos. Then, using a very objective criteria grid, I judge the images. The rest of the group shares their opinions as well.

This is a particularly important moment of the day. The exchanges are rich. Each person shares a bit of their soul when they explain their photos and comment on others’ photos. It is a very inspiring moment for each photographer.

But sometimes, in front of certain images, I take a step further. In the spur of the moment I sometimes say, "Wow, that is a good picture." During one of my wildlife photography workshops, Alex, one of the trainees, asked me what a good photo meant to me. He asked me if there was anything else I wanted to share regarding his photo that I did not include in the review.

That question caught me off guard. That night I contemplated on it. That is how I wrote this method.

The next day, I answered Alex with the different points I had thought of. He was very satisfied with my presentation.

In the rest of this article, I will give you the keys I shared with Alex.

Definition of the Word “Good”

As always, it is particularly important to know what we are going to talk about. We need to define the words.

The definition of good is as follows:

"Whoever has above-average qualities of his kind."

Another definition that I also find remarkably interesting because it applies well to photographic art is the following:

"That which provides pleasure."

Application to Photography: A Good Photograph

A photograph is good if it is above average.

A photograph is good if it gives pleasure to the person looking at it. In this case I am talking about the author as well as the viewer.

But you can already see that there are two types of criteria to be considered.

Objective criteria.
Subjective criteria.

Before giving you the evaluation grid, it is important to look at each of them.

Objective Criteria

If you want to know whether a photograph is good or not, you must first judge it with objective criteria. I mean criteria that do not consider a personal judgement.

Remember that you are perfectly legitimate to judge photos whether they are yours or other photographers.

Judging a picture is understanding you better. You can better define your style and your photographic artistry.

To judge a photograph, I always use the following criteria:

Impact.
This is the feeling that occurs when you first look at the picture. A good picture can evoke sadness, anger, pride, wonder or some other intense emotion.
Technique.
This concerns the print quality of the image when it is presented visually. We judge retouching, manipulation, sharpness, exposure, printing, editing, color management.
Creativity.
This is the original expression of self. It brings out the image of the author. Creativity is what we judge when we examine a message, an idea, or a thought that has been shared.
Style.
This defines the genre of the photographer. This is where you recognize the author's handprint. With style, we can seek out original characteristics to the work. For example, we will be able to judge the way the author plays with the lights.
Composition.
Through this, we judge how the photo is conceived. We examine each photographic element that has been put into place. A good composition should invite the audience to look in the directions chosen by the author. A good composition can be pleasant or disturbing depending on what the author wants to convey.
Balance of Color.
We judge the harmony of the tones. They must come to reinforce the reading of the photo and its emotional side. Color balance is not always harmonious and can be used to evoke different feelings or to create effects.
Points of Interests.
These are the points to which the author wants to lead the eyes of the audience. These are the photographic elements. Interests can be primary or secondary. There is no specific area of interest when the entire scene serves as the focus.
Light.
We judge the quality of the light to emphasize the shapes and the volumes in the photo. Whether natural or artificial, the light must improve the reading of the message of the photo.
Scenic Elements.
We judge that there are no disturbing elements in the scene. Everything present must contribute to the message of the photo.
Story.
The ability of the photo to evoke the imagination. An audience must perceive a personal message or read their own story in a photo.

Read also: Why and How: Judging a Photograph.

Subjective Criteria

Once you have understood and memorized the method of judging with objective criteria, you can move on to the second phase to say that a photo is good or not. You will review the subjective criteria.

The subjective criteria for judgement depend on each of us.

They reflect our tastes and our experiences. They are the opposite of objective criteria.

As you know, photography is a creative act. It is subjective in nature because it is an act of personal creation.

It is the result of a particular vision: yours alone.

When you frame, when you compose and when you make choices in the photographic elements, you translate what you feel.

The subjective criteria are innumerable. They are unique for each author and for each viewer.

It becomes useless to know who is right or wrong.

"Subjective criteria are those that define what you like or dislike”.

My hope for you is that after reading this article, you will better be understood how to express your feelings and opinions on whether a photo is good or not. When someone asks you a question like Alex did, you can clearly articulate a response based off of the application of the objective and subjective criteria.