Elements of a Good Photo
- Poor focus
- Poor exposure
- Busy composition
- Camera or subject movement
- Distractions
- Proper exposure
- Balanced composition
- Good Focus
- Subject Interest
- Purpose
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We know a good photo when we see one, but what exactly makes a good photo? Considering what makes a photograph appealing and how to describe a good photo will help us as photographers see what the elements of a good photo are.
Bad Photos
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Another method we can use to figure out what qualities make a good photo is to determine what makes a photograph bad and work in reverse. What things make a bad photo?
In looking at that list, we see things we all have done. The trick is to figure out not just what made it a bad photo, but why that happened. Knowing why it happened will give us the ability not just to avoid mistakes but actually make better photos.
Elements of a Good Photo
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Since we already know mistakes to avoid, what makes a photograph bad, let’s see how to describe a good photo. Elements of a good photo will include:
Proper Exposure
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Exposure is a basic skill we start to learn as soon as we pick up a full featured camera. A full featured camera might be a smartphone with a great camera app like a Galaxy of an iPhone 12 12 Pro Max. Other full featured cameras might be point and shoot style or bridge cameras. Of course DSLRs and mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras.
The primary feature we’re looking for is user input for exposure control. Either adjusting how the camera figures exposure settings automatically or making these settings ourselves.
The reason why we want this feature and should learn how to use it is because the technically “correct” exposure may be entirely inappropriate for the creative vision we have. In some cases, over exposing or underexposing the photography will emphasize or diminish certain aspects of the scene which make for a better photograph.
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Balanced Composition
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In photographic art, composition can mean many things. Early on, we learn some of the most useful guidelines such as Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, S Curves, Symmetry, and Negative Space.
Most of the time with composition, we’re seeking balance. Balanced composition is peaceful and makes people feel good about what they’re viewing. But balance is always best for certain images. We can create a sense of power or intrigue with a composition outside of the classic balanced compositions.
Included in our thoughts of composition would be taking note of and adjusting for distractions in the scene. For portraits, we can include posing as part of the composition.
Good Focus
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Bad focus is easy to pick out, good focus can include many variables. Included in our focus considerations will also be a control involved in our exposure settings, the f-stop or lens aperture.
The lens aperture factors in focus equations in that a smaller f-stop results in more things being in focus, generally speaking, and a large or wide aperture gives us a more selective focus. Depth of field is the term used for this.
Depth of field also works with composition in allowing to either isolate and emphasize a subject with shallow depth of field or have subject elements blend together with deep depth of field.
Subject Interest
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Using the tools above, exposure, composition, and focus, we can create an interest in the subject. When considering what makes a photograph appealing, the subject commanding interest from the viewer is a prime part of the elements of a good photo.
Some subject interest will come naturally for some viewers in regards to certain subjects. A view of our last vacation, a great portrait of a friend or loved one, or a beautiful flower in our yard, all of these already have our personal interest.
Making these subjects interesting to others not personally involved may require a little more effort on our part. Adjusting exposure, composition, and focus have the capacity to turn a good photo into a WOW photo that can be pointed to by anyone as an example of a good photo.
Purpose
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Not every photograph is deserving of widespread exposure. Nothing wrong with that. How many times do you look at the entire album of your friend's wedding? Not that anything is wrong with any of those excellent images, but what was the purpose of those images? The purpose is mostly for the bride and groom and their loved ones.
So, what is the purpose of any of our images? Some may be meant for limited distribution while others are destined for wider distribution. And we also need to determine what we want out of images as far as a reaction from others.
Some images will benefit from our extra attention to the elements of a good photo. Sometimes, less is more. Instead of posting 66 images from our flower garden online, maybe it would make more sense to spend a little time capturing the image, processing it, and then making a giant physical print to display.
What Makes a Good Photo?
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The elements of a good photo are not a cut and dried exact equation. There are many variables, including our own intentions and purpose of the images. Learn how to make a technically good photo and then take control of the process to make a photo that matters to you and fulfills your intent for creating it in the first place.
Those are the elements of a good photo.
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