Reading a Photograph

by Christina N Dickson

1. Start with First Impressions: What do you notice?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is this picture saying to you? Allow yourself to take in all the elements collectively, and then tuck your observations away for a moment. As you look at more specific details you may be surprised that your first impressions aren’t always accurate.

2. Evaluate the content

What time is this photo taking place? Determine not just time of day but the occasion as well. Where is the setting located – in both a general and broad sense? This alone will influence the story being communicated if there are different cultures involved.

3. Relationships: Subject to subject or subject to viewer

What can you see about the people within the picture? How close are they? How do they feel about each other? Also consider if there is anything being said between the subject and you as the viewer. Are there emotions that meant to be communicated to you? What does this leave you feeling?

4. Concepts: Actions and connections within the setting

Sometimes subtle details within a photo can make a dynamic impact on the message. Hand gestures, direction of gazes, etc. What do all these details communicate about the message of the image?

5. View: Does it make you a participant or a viewer?

Powerful photos are often the ones that draw us in and make us a participant rather than those that leave us as simply a viewer. How does this influence your take and feeling about the photo?

6. Direction: Where does it take / leave you?

This question goes beyond simply eye flow. After evaluating all the subtleties and details, ask yourself how they all come together to support the overall message or idea of the image. What thoughts do you have? What conclusions are you drawn to?

It takes a little bit of practice to uncover the mysteries that often are hidden from plain view, but then that is what makes art exciting isn’t it?

Thanks Peter. Those are definiteloy the kind of things to bear in mind when we are doing not only final selections but adding to the shortlist too.

I definitely agree with you Wyndham. Funny to read the points number 3 and 4 and to see the very poor result those kind of pictures achieve on short listing...

That is what happens since the group has no recognized single criterion or set of criteria once the technical aspects (focus, exposure, etc.) have been met. No one is (ok, maybe 3 people are?) looking at and evaluating any of the photos as art.

http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/06/great-photographers-on-internet.html

http://theonlinephotographer.blogspot.com/2006/06/great-photographers-on-internet.html

Hahaha, why does it remind me of some of our selection meetings? NoNo, poot len, I think we did not bad regarding the diversity (is that the right word) of our group.

And about the idea of a "set of criteria": there is no such thing. Yes, you can learn to see more in visual arts than the obvious subject / technique stuff, but it will always remain individual. And as I stressed, you have learn that, impossible to replace learning by a list of terms.

Glad you enjoyed it, Frank. What worries me is the lack of comments from everyone else - hands up who took it seriously .......

I will admit I did not recognize the first few names so started off accepting the comments as accurately reflecting what Mike Johnson thought about the photos. Not knowing him, either, or this site, I just accepted what he wrote was what he thought and agreed to disagree starting on photo #2.

Photo #1, the older model, was a little too small for me to decide if I like the way the lighter material was drapped and the over all effect. I did not particular care for the photo from what I could see.

Starting with #2, the comments surprised me. It then started to dawn on me there was some tongue in cheek involved here.

Referring to the onlinephotographer blog, I look at it as the evolution of photography. Those photographers were pioneers, innovators and revolutionary for their period. The present digital generation has no idea how much "fun" it was to work in a darkroom, pay for film and inhale developer. The internet has made an enormous amount of information on photography available.  Now everyone is an expert on photography after buying a Nikon D700 and watching a 1 hour video on you tube.

As for our selection process. I enjoyed it immensely. All the criticisms made concerning my pictures were valid and constructive. I was impressed by the quality, diversity, perspective and subjets submitted by the group. The last 6 weeks has been an amazing learning process for which I am very grateful. Thanks to all who participated.

Well being one of the oldest in the group if not the oldest, I am one of the youngest in serious photography terms, so when it comes to voting on a picture I rely mainly on my gut feelings about it, if it makes me stop and think about the pro's & con's of it's composition and execution, and it makes me smile, cringe or feel sad or even wow, then I think the picture is worthy of note, because it made me react to it, pictures that don't speak to me I mark accordingly.

 This may not be the correct way to go about marking, but I'm here to learn, and gain some experience from the rest of you.

   Cheers everyone, let's hope we get some terrific pic's in 2012.

    Don.