HOW TO CRITIQUE PHOTOGRAPHS

Composition
• What is the Center of Interest in the photograph?
• Where does your eye come to rest in viewing the photo?
• If there is more than one focus point does that add to the photographs interest or distract from it?
• Where was the Center of Interest placed within the frame of the photo? Did they use the rule of
thirds?
• What other eye control elements are in the photo (leading lines, contrast, diagonal lines, etc).
• Did the photographer get close enough to the subject to include only what is important? In other
words, are there wasted parts of the frame that contain items not adding to the message of the
photo?
• Are there any distracting elements in the image?
• If the photographer is trying to convey a story by showing the habitat / surrounding, then is that
adding value to the image and is it able to convey that story?
 Background

• How did the photographer use the tools of selective focus or depth of field to deal with
the background?
• Is the background simplified, included or a solid or is it nonexistent?
• How does the background add or distract from the message of the photo?
 Camera Work – technical

• Exposure and focus begin in the camera.

• Is the subject sharp and clearly in focus?
• Are part of the photo that need to be clearly focused out of focus?
• Exposure is observed in the details of the shadow area. A properly exposed photo will
have some texture in the shadows.
• Is the photo exposed properly and give some evidence of what you see?
• Is there detail visible in the brightest parts of the image? If there are areas of the image
that lack detail is that good or bad?
 Craftsmanship

• Does the photo have sensor dust?

• Is the copyright information taking away the attention of the photo?
• Does the photograph look like care was made in making it or is there evidence that the
person just rushed it?
 Opinion on the photo

• What do you like about the subject?

• Is it an emotional shot, a story, a statement, a humorous photo, or what?
• Is there anything about the photograph that you would do differently if you were the
photographer and had the chance to do the same shot?
 Interpretation

• How this image makes you feel, what it says to you, how you relate to the
image.
 Post Processing

• Post Processing is an integral part of digital imaging.

• Do you feel the artist has done justice to the image by properly processing it?
 Critique

• Find something that might help the artist with his or her future work. Or find
something that can be easily changed. It is ok to point out the errors even if you do not
know the artistic term for it. Just remember to be polite.
 Questions

• Learn from other artists. Is there something in the image that you don’t know how it
was achieved? Ask about it! This expresses a genuine interest.
 Compliments

• Once you study the image from the above points, Now is the time to build the artists
confidence by telling them exactly what you like about the photograph. Why do you
love it? What caught your eye?