Look at pictures
Today a bit of my opinion.
Let’s learn to look at pictures again, learn to look at the essence.
Lately I find that a lot of photo contests no longer are about looking at pictures. They are more about how well and how far you can go using photoshop. Or the more ‘friends’, ‘followers’ you get to vote on your picture the more chance you have to win. But people vote not because it’s a good picture but because they feel as if they have to, you did asked them after all.
But still people are not looking at the picture, they just instinctively push ‘like’.
People also tend to dislike or they are unable to give a comment on pictures that isn’t their thing, for example you don’t like soccer so a photograph of soccer isn’t good even though the picture might be a perfect one. People tend to bash what they don’t like without having a base upon which they build their comment.
Sharpness, composition, light, … it seems as if it doesn’t matter much. People like pictures almost automatically, maybe the enormous number of pictures we get to see each day, it might numb our sense of what we see and feel about a picture. Our mind gets numb in a way.
With the photo club we have a set of ways to look at a picture. There are four points:
- describe
- analyse
- interpretation
- appreciation
First of all make a description of what you see in the picture. In this way you can find all details and what makes the picture what it is.
Second point is to analyse the picture, analyse how it is made, what was important to take into account when shooting the picture. Here you can go into technicalities.
Then you are ready to make an interpretation. This might not be the interpretation the photographer made for himself but it is your interpretation of his/her picture.
And finally express your appreciation. You don’t tear it down or praise it high above but you say how you feel about it, how you think it could be better and why you think it is better or worse. Be fair and be polite. Good comments might help grow the photographer and it might help yourself too, to improve, try out new things. You can say you don’t like the picture but you need to work with the points above. Frame your own opinion in a context of objectivity.
Keep in mind that the photographer might have made the picture the way it is on purpose, there are no real rules and breaking the standard rules might even get a better picture. When engaging into civilized conversations it is possible to grow as a photographer, as a person.
Sometimes the photographer had great ideas but doesn’t posses the skillset (yet) to achieve a technical perfection of the image.
Also keep in mind that it’s not about showing off your knowledge and skills when critiquing someone else’s pictures.
Another point the have in mind is the context. You should look at the purpose of the picture, was it made with a reason, for a contest, to illustrate something, … It might change your first glance at the picture into a deeper understanding and help you to give a better critique.
Never throw out your critique immediately, take a moment to look, look again, use the points above, take a deep breath and be polite when you deliver it eventually.
On the other side the photographer should also keep in mind that people can not always understand the moment or the event of the picture by just looking at it. A ball leaving a basketball player’s hand can be a beautiful picture of movement but only the photographer knows if the ball went through the hoop. For the photographer the picture can be the one of the ball leaving the player to make the goal winning the game. For the viewer it is just a ball being thrown up. It doesn’t mean the viewer doesn’t appreciate it, it only means that the viewer can but see what the picture shows.
Letting a post on facebook decide with the ‘likes’ whether your picture is good or bad isn’t a good idea neither. Rather seek out other photographers that are willing to take a look at your images.
And my final point is, use self critique. Don’t take your own work for granted. No one is the best in arts you can only strive to become the best you can be, and you should try with all of your heart and soul. Criticising yourself is an important part to achieve this. Dare to see imperfections, be proud when you got that image as perfect as you can make it. Set your pictures asside for a week and look again. Learn from others. Grow!
—
Wim