Jordan Black

Period 3

PHOTO CRITIQUING

• Value: concerns light; refers to the range of light in the photo

-The more contrast a photograph has (the wider the range between its darkest and lightest elements), the greater impact it will have on the human eye.• Clarity: whether the photograph is correctly focused

-To determine whether or not the photo is in focus, ask yourself what is in focus? Should that object be in focus? Next, ask yourself what is not in focus. Should it be?

-If the background is clear enough to provide a context, but not steal the attention from the subject, the background is usually focused correctly.

FOUR STANDARDS

• Presentation: is the photograph clean? • Look for:

-scratches, white flecks, etc. that should not be on the negative• Composition consists of…• Point of Interest: ask yourself if there is a clear point of

interest. Does it stand out or get lost in its surroundings? A good photo will have one dominant focus

• Cropping: the way a picture is framed should include the important elements and eliminate wasted space

-The balance of the photograph should be even. Look for pictures that are top-heavy or lop sided.

FOUR STANDARDS CON’T

• Cropping (con’t)

-Compositions can be balanced in two ways: static or dynamic

-Static: stands still, focus the object in the center

-Dynamic: movement, focus the object towards one of the sides or the corners• Lines: lines and curves can point focus towards an object

and can be vital to the eye’s focus. If a line distracts or pulls the eye away from the intended focus, it is a negative line in the photo.

FOUR STANDARDS CON’T

SAMPLE CRITIQUE

The photograph’s contrast is a little weak. Some of the areas are gray and bothersome because it seems like a light gray film is covering the entire photo. However, since the background and the woman’s shirt are both very dark, and her skin and hair are very light, they contrast each other nicely. All elements of the subject are very clear.

SAMPLE CRITIQUE

SAMPLE CRITIQUE 2

The photograph is very clear and focused. The point of interest is to the right of the photo which gives the eye

something different to look for. The colors contrast each other nicely and although the gorilla blends in to the dark background, the green of the plants make him stand out.

SAMPLE CRITIQUE 2

SAMPLE CRITIQUE 3

All of the elements of this photo are attractive to the eye. The colors contrast each other nicely and the sky brings the eye’s attention to the house, which is a bright color. It is a

focused photo and the trees naturally frame the house which makes it pleasing for the viewer. The photo has a

nice balance however some of the elements get lost in their surroundings because there are a few main focal points.

SAMPLE CRITIQUE 3

"THE RICHARD AVEDON FOUNDATION." THE RICHARD AVEDON FOUNDATION. Web. 11 Jan. 2013.

<http://www.richardavedon.com/>.

"Yellow Field, Architecture, Beautiful, Field, Flowers, Grass, House, Houses, Landscape, Nature, Peaceful, Sky,

Trees, Yellow | Wallpapersus.com." Yellow Field, Architecture, Beautiful, Field, Flowers, Grass, House,

Houses, Landscape, Nature, Peaceful, Sky, Trees, Yellow | Wallpapersus.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Jan. 2013.

CITATIONS