to review or analyze critically

Allen Barth

Why Critique Photos? To push yourself to the next level

To learn to analyze a photo

To learn do’s and don'ts

To change a snapshot into a photo

Develop a photographer’s eye

Prelude to competitions

Caution - Don’t Get DefensiveGetting people to talk to you about your photos is a rare opportunity, so don’t waste it. Let people talk (even if you don’t agree), it’s their opinion, and your target audience should be important to you. Let them talk, and if you really have to, defend yourself afterward, once it’s all finished. Although — honestly — if you feel you have to defend yourself, you might want to take a step back and consider why.

First View There was a reason for taking the picture, but what is

important to one person may not be important to others. Everyone sees something different. Remember that there’s no right or wrong in photography, but also remember your audience.

To distinguish a snapshot from a photo it must answer some questions?

Is the photo captivating?

Does it tell a story?

Does it create some feeling?

Is the composition good?

How to Critique Critiquing a photo requires a critical eye looking at all

aspects of the photo.

Is the composition correct? Does it follow the rules of composition? If not are they broken on purpose, is it still aesthetically pleasing?

Are there distracters that draw your eye away from the subject, or clutter the picture? If they were removed is it obvious that they were removed?

Is the photo no longer a snapshot but a work of art?

How to Critique Note what you liked and disliked about the photo.

Provide commentary:

Don’t just say you like the photo. If you like the sky in a photo. Provide some insight why you like the sky. For example, the deep blue of the sky goes so well with the red and yellows of the flowers.

For negative comments explain why you did not like it and how you would have taken the picture or corrected the problem. Remember this is a learning experience. The intent is to use the comments and improve the skills of the person taking the photo as well as your own.

Composition Rule of Thirds

The theory is that if you place points of interest in the intersections or along the lines that your photo becomes more balanced and will enable a viewer of the image to interact with it more naturally. Studies have shown that when viewing images that people’s eyes usually go to one of the intersection points most naturally rather than the center of the shot –using the rule of thirds works with this natural way of viewing an image rather than working against it.

Composition Leading LinesA leading line can be almost anything: a road, path, sidewalk, fence, river, hedge, tree line or shadow. You will not find a strong leading line around every subject, but you should look for them if they are there and take advantage of them. Lines in a picture should lead into, not out of, the picture, and they should lead your eye toward the main subject. Sometimes it is a matter of choosing the right angle to make leading lines lead into the picture. Starting a leading line from the corner of your picture will often improve composition.

Composition Diagonal Lines

Diagonal lines generally work well to

draw the eye of an image’s viewer

through the photograph. They create

points of interest as they intersect with

other lines and often give images depth

by suggesting perspective.

Composition Fill the FrameThere's an old adage in photography that says if you want to improve your photographs 100 percent, move closer. The one sure way to keep from including too much extraneous information in a photograph is to fill the frame with your subject and nothing but your subject. Filling the frame from edge to edge leaves little doubt about what your intended target was.

Composition Framing Framing 1s a technique by which the subject is positioned inside a border. The border, instead of becoming a distraction, adds interest to the photo by drawing the eyes to the subject. A frame also provides perspective and, often, gives depth to a photo.

Composition Other Composition Techniques

Blurred Background TextureConverging Lines

Curves Color Space

DistractersDistracters are items or objects unrelated to the subject of the picture. Or they can be lay out problems that distract from the overall picture

Horizon Not LevelRemember water will seek the lowest level! Even seasoned photographers in a rush to take a picture will have this problem.

Gremlins

These are little distracting artifacts that are in the picture. The eye is drawn first to the subject then to any gremlins. This may be trash or even people. Gremlins will ruin an otherwise excellent picture.

DistractorsOut of Focus

The subject must be sharp ! When photographing wildlife the one item that must be sharp are the eyes. It is also very pleasing to have a glint in the eye. The glint adds life to the subject.

Over Sharpened

Many times too much sharpening is applied, This causes fringes around the objects. This can occur in the camera by having the sharpness setting to high or during post processing.

DistractorsArtifacts

Unlike gremlins these are more pervasive. In the example sown the telephone pole ruins the continuity of the picture. Your eyes are drawn to the object.

Over Processed

An over processed photo occurs in the post processing workflow. Over processing tends to make the photo look unrealistic.

DistractorsNoise

Color noise is from either too high an ISO setting or too long an exposure of a darken scene. Many times it is better to use the high ISO setting than miss the picture. Noise will be more noticeable in larger prints.

Blown Highlights

Blown Highlights loose the detail in the area affected. Unlike underexposure the data in the blown area can not be retrieved.

Next StepsTake pictures keeping in mind composition and distracters.Critique your own work.Critique other’s workRead more on composition.

Several good sourceshttp://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition.htmlhttp://digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-composition-tips

Review photos on line, see what others think and do Several good sources

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery.asphttp://fujimugs.com/challengehttp://myolympus.org/C/results.phphttp://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/