How to Critique Photography
Photography is a beautiful art form that can capture the essence of a person, event or natural setting with one shot. As with all forms of art throughout history, the beauty or brilliance is not always embraced by all. Critiquing or judging the value of a work of art is largely subjective and based on an individual's own sense of style, culture and focus in life. However, photography as an art form can be judged on objective as well as subjective standards.
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Instructions
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Study the physical composition of the subjects in a photograph. The composition of a formal photograph should maintain balance with all components in view. For instance, a formal portrait of a family should have all members of the family in clear view of the camera lens and centered within the frame of the shot. Outdoor photographs should have a clear depth of field.
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Determine the quality and effectiveness of a photographer's lighting and exposure techniques. Although this can be subjective as to the photographer's artistic license, certain lighting and exposure settings can also be viewed as technically correct or incorrect. For instance, if an indoor portrait lights only one side of the subject, that can indicate a poor lighting setup. Outdoor shots sometimes allow too much light into the lens, washing out the subject, and that is also considered poor technique.
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Determine the emotion the photograph impacts while viewing it. If a photograph appears to have good composition and the lighting and exposures are set properly, the viewer of the art could critique the feeling invoked. For instance, a photograph of a field of flowers with silhouetted mountains in the background might remind one of vacation memories. Another example could be a touching action shot of a fireman saving a child from a burning building. Even if a photograph is technically correct, the artistic capture should invoke some emotion.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
