What are the criteria for evaluating a photo?

There are many factors that determine the quality of a photo. Since there is such a saying in photography,

Then I will share my understanding of how to evaluate a photographic work from these three angles.

0 1 equipment

Compared with the popular mobile phone photography, SLR photography still has advantages in image quality, noise and depth of field control. Although these factors are not decisive factors in evaluating the quality of a photo, they also need to be considered.

And whether some subjects can make good films is directly related to the quality of the equipment you use, such as starry sky photography, sports photography, animal photography and so on. Without good equipment, it is difficult to take good photos in these areas.

For example, the winner of the 20 17 Planetarium Photographer Competition, Russian photographer Artem Mironov's Ophiuchus Nebula, may not even touch the threshold without first-class equipment.

02? skill

The skills here include basic camera skills, composition skills, lighting skills, post-stage skills and so on. For some special topics, more skills are needed. For example, documentary news needs strong snapshot skills, and portrait wedding dresses need to master scenery, color matching and communication skills with customers.

The basic way to judge a photo by skill is:

1. Is the photo in focus accurately?

2. Is the photo exposed correctly?

3. Is the photo depth of field appropriate?

4. Is the photo natural in color?

5. Is the photo composition appropriate?

…………

03 idea

What is thought? Why is a person with a talent for thinking called a first-class photographer? Look at two photos first.

The first beautiful portrait that is popular now.

The second picture is a student photo taken by marc riboud in Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts in 1960s.

Which of these two photos do you think is more beautiful? Yes, I want the first one, too. Because the first one is better than the second one in equipment and skills, and the model is beautiful, but the second one is far ahead of the first one in ideology.

First of all, let's not talk about the gap between posing and snapping. As far as the content body itself is concerned, the girl in the second picture has the temperament that the girl in the first picture does not have. She gives people a real, vivid and beautiful feeling, and her smile can create a new era, as if at your fingertips. The individual recorded in this photo can represent the group of an era, and its historical significance far exceeds that of a photo, which has historical and humanistic values besides photography. This is a first-class photo.

To evaluate the quality of a photo from the ideological level, I usually ask myself these questions:

1. What attracted my first attention? Is it the theme?

2. Does the photo have a theme? What's the theme?

3. Did the expression or impact of the photo come out?

4. Does the photo bear any value other than photography itself?

............

04? Comment on a photo

It seems a little far from us to directly analyze the classic works of the above master. Share a mobile phone photo of my friend's lone ranger "The Secret Road of the Ancient City" and why I think it is a good work.

This photo is expressed in black and white to enhance the contrast between light and shadow. The main body of the photo is three tourists with similar appearance approaching from outside the city gate. The three shadows on the ground echo the main body and are full of rhythm, which is perfect from a technical point of view.

At the same time, this photo is also a photo with temperature. Through the contrast between black and white, the repetition of shapes and the reality of human beings, the author conveys to readers a feeling of coldness, indifference and loneliness and a sense of story substitution. Because there are emotions, stories and communication with readers, this photo has an idea.

05 abstract

To sum up, similar to the difference between the three kinds of photography mentioned at the beginning of the article, the decisive factor in evaluating a photo is thought.

Unlike first-class photographers, they generally don't use third-rate equipment or second-rate skills. First-class photos may not be outstanding in skills, and equipment is not a very important factor for the former, but as long as there is first-class content, this photo is immortal enough.

At last, the article ends with the first prize of 20 16 Jose news single work, and Australian photographer Warren Richardson's "Longing for a New Life" reflecting the refugee crisis, and leaves a few questions. What do you think of picture quality, lighting, and why did you win the prize?