How do you know if a photo is good?

I’ve Tweeted under one guise or another now for about a year but recently I dropped it as a socialising tool and more of a marketing tool.  It is however impossible, in my opinion, to Tweet without meeting like minded individuals that express a passion on a subject with little effort, that is in this case, photography.

It is one such individual that set me the mother of all questions.  Now I’m not totally convinced that I am the best person to answer this question, so I’ll set the ball rolling and by way of Tweeting, Commenting or even blogging about this post, let’s see if we can’t answer the following!

To make sure everyone understand’s, I am no art critic, nor am I a photography impresario, I just know what I like and I guess the basis of that lies in the basic principles of photography.  When I look at a photograph I ask myself, is the subject appropriately lit (i.e is it exposed correctly)?  It’s important that I try and understand what the photographer is trying to do with the photograph in all aspects but it’s the lighting that provides focus to a subject and mood or emotion to the frame.

Now I blog about my own work in general, I certainly don’t do tutorials, I don’t have the patience and there are a hundred and one blogs and websites out there that you’ll find ramblings on the principles of photography so I’ll gloss over things like focus, colour etc because they are all equally important in the context of the photograph.

Actually that last point is key in my opinion, is everything in context?  There are rules but once you know them and understand them, breaking them can add extra dynamic to the end results.  If a photograph is completely out of focus it doesn’t make it bad as long as it’s in context.

There is a reason behind every photograph that was ever taken, I challenge anybody to say otherwise but when you ask if a photograph should have meaning, to me it’s in the eye of the beholder.  Take a picture of a mother holding a new born child.  To the mother, father, the family it freezes a very special moment in time for all posterity and can be incredibly personal.  Post the same photo on Flickr and everyone will experience something different, just check out the comments people make.  I think you can take a photograph and it mean nothing to you, I think with some types of photography its important that you feel something or else the photograph won’t convey the appropriate meaning (i.e. Wedding photography).

Is there such thing as a bad photograph?  Well sorry to end this article on a bum note, or have I?  Even the worst photograph in the world can’t get it all wrong.  Never delete a photograph until you have learnt what it is that went wrong or your client didn’t like.  Every click provides potential learning material, OK you might not post it on Flickr or your blog but take time to review your photographs, check the histogram, RAW data here you will find invaluable information!

Thanks to @al2615 for the inspiration for the article, please take time to click his name and follow him.  You can also see his photostream here on Flickr!