How to Critique a Photo Colin Crosby Mr. Boothby

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4 Steps to a Successful Photo 1.  Value 2. Clarity 3. Presentation 4. Composition

a.  Point of Interest b.  lines

c.  Cropping

Value In a photograph, Value concerns light; specifically the range

of light.

A good photo should have different shades of black, to gray, to white. Or in color photos, brighter yellows, reds and oranges, with blues, purples, and greens. But be sure that the photo stays within the same color schemes.

Clarity The second key thing to focus on is, focus! But

not just on if the entire photo is in focus. A good photo should just have a point of interest in focus. The subject can be in soft focus, where the edges are blurred a bit, or sharp focus, where there is an all around crisp, clean focus.

Composition The photo overall should have a good

composition, or the way it is composed, with 4 key factors

1.  Presentation

2. Point of Interest

3. Cropping

4. Lines

Presentation The photo should be clean. Some things to keep

an eye out for are: -Finger Prints -Glop -Glitches

Point of Interest In addition to focus, there should be a specific

point of interest. A point of interest is a spot in a photo that stands out from all the rest.

Cropping Once you find the point of interest and the

cleanliness of the photo, you should focus on the cropping of the photo. Or, the way that the photo is framed.

Lines Lastly, the lines should be taken into

consideration. Lines have a great impact on photos. Anything from the criss cross of a forest in the background or the curvature to a figures' face is important. Without lines, the photo would almost be a flat blank nothing.

Photo Critique Example 1

In this photo I see many examples of the points described above. The Value of the photos is well ranged. There are the darker greys inside the roots and much brighter whites up front. Next is the clarity of the photo. This photo is in sharp focus because there are no blurred edges. Presentation; to the naked eye this photo seems clean, no smudges, fingerprints, or streaks can be seen. To me, this photo has no specific point of interest. I find the cropping of this photo to be quite interesting because, there is no real border but it just seems to focus only on the roots; which are taking up the entire photo. Lastly, lines. The lines in this particular photo are very unique. Because of these roots or vines there are many lines on the edges of the roots, which gives the photo a very unique touch.

Photo Critique Example 2

This photo was taken by a wedding photographer, Craig Collins. This photo has some quite awesome value to it. There are the whites in the middle of the rose, with a gradual grey to black as you look into the flower's shadows. This photo is also very crisp and clean and in focus. Although, I would say the middle is more in focus than the rest making it in soft focus. The composition is also in check. The presentation is flawless. The point of interest is clearly defined as the ring in the rose in the very center of the photo. I personally enjoy the black outline surround the photo giving the photo an important feel to it. Lastly, the lines of the rose are clearly defined. You can see the lines in the center of the rose, and moving outward with the pedals.

This photo was taken by Thomas Hauser. Again, I feel the value of this photo is excellent. The whites in the flowers at the center with their black stems is fantastic. The photo is also in focus. This photo has a nice, crisp sharp focus. The photo itself is also clean with no marks or fingerprints. To me this photo doesn't have any specific point of interest because the photo is in sharp focus. I enjoy how the flowers in their peculiar vases are defined by the grey background. Referring back to the cropping, they lines are clearly defined by the grey background again. You can see the lines of the stems as well as the clearness of the the curves in the flower pedals.

Photo Critique Example 2