Photo Judging Criteria - Achieving Photographic Excellence

1. To Judge? “to form and give an opinion about” “a person who is able to give an authoritative opinion on the merits of something” Oxford Dictionary

2. Critique your photos!! (When you are capturing them) Darrell Tangen January 3, 2019 Minnesota Valley Photo Club

3. So what makes a good photograph?? Rule of Thirds Simplicity Balance Color Composition Framing Balance Color Balance Lines Textures Motion Shapes Style Story Subject Impact Patterns Depth-of-Field Lighting Emotion Center of Interest Perspective

4. (You) need to develop a • “system” of criteria.. • so it can be fair • so it can be consistent • so it incorporates general judging opinions • develops an “eye” for a good image • helps controls your likes and dislikes

5. Judging Criteria Here’s one possibility that I use “ Every image needs to have SPICE to be a winner” For MVPC, it may be TCI… technical composition impact/interest

6. Judging Criteria S…Subject P…Perspective I…Interest/Impact C…Composition E…Exposure

7. Judging Criteria Here is another possibility to consider… Four attributes 1. Technical • focused • selection of ISO, lens, camera, • sharp • depth of field, • shutter speed

8. 1. Technical

9. Four Levels to a Photograph’s Success 2. Composition • simplicity-story telling • rule of thirds • lines and shapes • balance • framing • no mergers

10. 2. Composition

11. Four Levels to a Photograph’s Success 3. Lighting • direction • color temp • form / edge shape / hardness • contrast

12. 3. Lighting

13. Four Levels to a Photograph’s Success 4. Emotion • psychological impact • trigger memories • happy, sad, angry, worried, • mystery • shows relationships • something unknown or unusual

14. 4. Emotion

15. Four Levels to a Photograph’s Success 1. Technical 2. Composition 3. Lighting 4. Emotional

16. Quote from Alain Briot of the Luminous Landscape “Photography consists of two separate elements: art and science. It is through the successful combination of these two elements that the creation of world-class photographs can be accomplished…. The science part of photography includes technique and equipment. The artistic part of photography includes the photographer's artistic goals, his vision, inspiration and the use of art-related concepts. These two parts need to merge seamlessly for the creation of a successful world-class photograph to take place. If one or these two parts dominates the other the result is either a technically excellent photograph without much artistic interest, or a very artistic photograph lacking technical excellence.”

17. PPA (Professional Photographers of America)TCPPA...The Photographic Exhibitions Committee (PEC) uses the following 12 elements as the “gold standard” to define a merit image. Their “system”…Twelve Elements of Merit

18. Impact Creativity Technical Excellence Composition Lighting Style Print Presentation Center of Interest Subject Matter Color Balance Technique Story Telling Twelve Elements of Merit Bob Hawkins CPP, M. Photog - Dave Johnson

19. 1. Impact…. is the sense one gets upon viewing an image for the first time. Compelling images evoke laughter, sadness, anger, pride, wonder or another intense emotion.

21. 2. Creativity • is the original, fresh, and external expression of the imagination of the maker by using the medium to convey an idea, message or thought.

23. 3. Technical Excellence • is the print quality of the image itself as it is presented for viewing. Retouching, manipulation, sharpness, exposure, printing, mounting, and correct color are some items that speak to the qualities of the physical print.

25. 4. Composition • is important to the design of an image, bringing all of the visual elements together in concert to express the purpose of the image. Proper composition holds the viewer in the image and prompts the viewer to look where the creator intends. Effective composition can be pleasing or disturbing, depending on the intent of the image maker.

27. 5. Lighting • the use and control of light—refers to how dimension, shape and roundness are defined in an image. Whether the light applied to an image is manmade or natural, proper use of it should enhance an image.

29. 6. Style • is defined in a number of ways as it applies to a creative image. It might be defined by a specific genre or simply be recognizable as the characteristics of how a specific artist applies light to a subject. It can impact an image in a positive manner when the subject matter and the style are appropriate for each other, or it can have a negative effect when they are at odds.

31. 7. Print Presentation • affects an image by giving it a finished look. The mats and borders used should support and enhance the image, not distract from it.

33. 8. Center of Interest is the point or points on the image where the maker wants the viewer to stop as they view the image. There can be primary and secondary centers of interest.

35. 9. Subject Matter • should always be appropriate to the story being told in an image.

37. 10. Color Balance • supplies harmony to an image. An image in which the tones work together, effectively supporting the image, can enhance its emotional appeal. Color balance is not always harmonious and can be used to evoke diverse feelings for effect.

39. 11. Technique • is the approach used to create the image. Printing, lighting, posing, capture, presentation media, and more are part of the technique applied to an image.

41. 12. Story Telling refers to the image’s ability to evoke imagination. One beautiful thing about art is that each viewer might collect his own message or read her own story in an image.

43. Remember all that???

48. Time to create your “system”.Choose 3 to 5 criteria..Write them down..Assign a value scale (ei. 1-5, or 1-3, 0-1 etc.)Make it easy to remember and use.