What IS a GOOD photo? Hot in the heels of my previous journal entry titled
"What IS a beautiful photo" which examined stereotypes with regards to portraits and often the rudeness and blindness of some people and the comments that they leave on a photograph, comes this! For this edition, I wish to examine a few things and do a breakdown and analysis, on
"What IS a good photo?" It seems here on DA, which I do NOT consider a professional photography place by ANY stretch (I wanted to get THAT out from the get go!) there is a type of mentality among most, and almost all, (dare I say 90%) that a good photo contains subject matter what they are interested in. You, my watchers, have no idea how many times I have heard "Oh it's nice but I don't like cars". Since when does someone have to "LIKE" a subject to make it a great photo? This is worrysome trend among those who are fresh to the artistic form of photography, I fear. But then again, I won't generalize either, because I have gotten it and also seen it on others works from people who are certainly established shooters.
The False Prophet of Hope-- Can you stop and imagine for one second if we only shot things we were interested in? I shoot everything, subject matter aside, I have an entire collection of photography that has never seen the light of day here on DA, commercial orientated stuff, mostly...portraits, etc. I shoot because I love to shot....period. Isn't that what photography is about? The camera? The technique? The capturing of the image itself? Yes it is. I think the entire "I am not interested in this pic because the subject matter doesn't interest me" attitude stretches maybe from the same attitude that says "I didn't bring my camera with me because I didn't think this would be interesting/think there wouldn't be anything good to shoot" attitude. Ya know what? A good photographer FINDS things to shoot, every time. regardless of where they are at. There is always something to be caught in the lens. No matter the circumstance, no matter the place, no matter the scene.
Stuck in the Middle-- Granted I suppose people will be drawn to things that interest them, but ask yourself, when was the last time you walked out of your lil 'feel comfortable' personal space and browsed other galleries on DA? Browse a gallery you normally wouldn't browse....and try to get in the mindset of "what makes this unique? What makes it good? What are it's technically strong aspects?" Leave the "subject matter coat at the door" and put yourself in the photographers position. When you do this, you not only in terms of how you see things, you mature as a photographer as well.
Just my 2¢ for what it's worth!
--John
News You Can Use!!!!! More action goodness! Go and get 'em folks!
Most Popular Photography Blog Articles--- And these should be read by everyone who owns a thing called a camera!
The Great Photography Rights Grab by Corporate America--- Stuff like this makes me totally SICK to my st9omach. This is WHY you ALWAYS read the TOS when entering a contest!
The Ultimate Ball Head Guide--- This is just invaluable and if you have a tripod, you need to read and bookmark this! GREAT stuff!
Do you know what Hyperfocal Distance is?--- If you don't, you may want to start, as it is a very important aspect of photography!
If You Put That Picture On The Internet I’ll Call My Lawyer!--- I am really starting to get sick of these assclowns....yet another photog harassed .....
My Old D2x Versus my New D300--- Here is one for you Nikon people, and quite an interesting read too!
5 Ways to deal with negative photo critiques--- I know a few of you who could stand to read this one! lol
12 Ways To Never Miss A Photo Opportunity--- This sums it up!
So You Wanna Sell Your Art?!?!?--- Exploring one way of making $ with your art that many have come to do!
25 Cent Fortunes--- How Microstock Photographers are rolling in the cash and how you should be, too!
When Are Photos Like Penny Stocks? --When They Sell!!--- An inside look at the business of Microstock and Photography.
Murphy's Law of Photography--- Because whatever can happen often will happen!
Creative Commons is BAD for Photography!!!--- A Heated Photography Debate--- Exploring the morals and ethics in "is it ever wrong to take a picture??"
An Open Letter to The DA Administration--- My not so candid thoughts on making this site better.
My HDR Workflow--- An examination of how I use HDR in my photos.
Why RAW Works!--- If You aren't shooting in RAW, you sure as hell should be!
Let's Talk Marketing Your Photos--- Examining different ways to get your work seen and sold.
Marketing Your Images, pt2--- The second installment on marketing your work.
Let's Talk About Keywording--- Making keywording in your images work for you!
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What IS a GOOD photo? 
Some Of The Artist's I Admire 
Artistic
Devious Comments
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On devrait toujours dire avant, l'importance que les gens prennent tant qu'il est encore temps.
David Hallyday
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visit my stock account please
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On devrait toujours dire avant, l'importance que les gens prennent tant qu'il est encore temps.
David Hallyday
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visit my stock account please
a normal photo shows us the world as it is, a good photo shows us the world in ways weve never before experienced
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" Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. "
My Gallery: [link]
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"“The greatest ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about"
The Shutterbug Forums/ John De Bord Photography
A photographers most potent tool is 15 cm behind teh camera
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" Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. "
My Gallery: [link]
I try not to get stuck in one sort of photography but I think each photographer has a certain style or eye on how they see things.
One word I really dislike using is never, I think it limits us. So even if a subject might not initially grab me I think there can be interest, feeling and beauty in it.
Thank you for sharing an interesting discussion.
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Life is an adventure in forgiveness.
And great topic...
I understand why you wrote it.
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Living is easy
with eyes closed
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That's what your mom said, before I shaved her back! ATHF
Is there some tread left on those tires, or is it just like throwing a hot dog down the hallway? Family Guy
I think that there are two ways to appreciate art. The technical way, in which you can see how it us created and the ability and skill that went into producing it.
The emotional way, where technique is transcended and the work speaks to us beyond technique, which is irrelevant.
Admittedly, technique is a tool to help an artist create such a work, but it is something deeper and beyond technique which makes a great work of art. The artist may not even know what they have done, only that it is what they feel.
I can see any kind of photography and appreciate technique, use of light, composition etc, but there are certain things that touch my soul.
These may be to do with the content of a shot, and they may be to do with the way that the content is communicated or presented...but certainly, it helps if the content does emotionally engage us a little.
You used the car example. I have seen some incredibly well taken shots of cars, beautifully lit and composed, outstanding technique...but above all of that is the fact that my soul isn't moved by cars. I find them completely uninteresting, which means that the photograph has to be really special to engage me.
If it is of a subject that does speak to my soul and spirit, then I'll find it easier to engage with the image, even though it may be technically inferior to the shot that engages me.
At the end of the day it all comes down to taste, and in that we are all different.
I'm not sure that everyone can find images of everything interesting. I like many kinds of photography, and like you don't upload a lot of stuff I do here (photojournalism, architecture, travel, wedding and interior shots are all things that I do, some for fun and some for commision, that I don't submit here).
However there are things which just turn me off. Things that we "like" that speak to us can't necessarily be explained, and all the technique and skill in the world can't make a fantastic work of art appeal to someone who simply isn't touched by it on a deeper level...even if they appreciate the technique.
Look at fan art. HUGELY popular here on this site, loads of people do it and love it. I'm sure there is a huge amount of technique in some of it, and some of it speaks emotionally to many people...but not to me.
It's like some people can be moved to tears by a Mary Carey song or whatever, whereas personally the only emotional response I get is to leave the room or turn it off.
It's just the way we are made.
So here I go again, disagreeing with you a little...don't get mad at me
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