Photo Judging/Critique Guidelines

by David E. Price

Emotional Impact - with the following being considered, among others:

Impression - What is your first impression of the photo? Does it grab your attention? Or did you have to look for the subject(s)? Are there too many subjects or details?

Holding attention - Does the photo hold your attention? Does it make you want to explore all the areas of the scene? Does your gaze keep being drawn to the photo? Do you want to go back and view it again after moving on to another photo?

Creativity - with the following being considered, among others:

Unique subject - Is the subject unique?

Unique approach to a common subject - Did the photographer use a unique approach to a common subject?

Unique viewpoint - Did the photographer use a viewpoint that emphasized the strengths of the subject?

Unique medium - Did the photographer use a medium (color, B&W, colorization, etc.) that was unique or complementary to the subject?

Composition - with the following being considered, among others:

Simplicity - Is the photo simple, not too busy? Did the photographer do all he/she should to simplify the composition?

Rule of Thirds - Are main subjects positioned on or near the lines and intersections of lines that divide the photo into thirds when appropriate? Is alternate placement eye-catching or pleasing?

Orientation - Are objects facing, pointing, or leading your eyes in the appropriate direction? (A person facing the center of the photo gives a feeling of balance, a person facing out of the photo gives a feeling of conflict. Either can be appropriate at times.)

Lines - Were parallel, intersecting, and/or diagonal lines used to enhance viewability? Do lines draw the viewers gaze into or out of the photo?

Balance - Does the photo appear pleasantly balanced? Does the placement of objects give a pleasing arrangement? (Note that an asymmetric arrangement may or may not be off-balance.)

Tones - Were colors and/or tones used to focus attention on the desired parts of the photo?

Focus - with the following being considered, among others:

Overall sharpness - Is the sharpness appropriate for the subject? Is it too fuzzy, or too sharp? (Note that not all photos should be tack-sharp.)

Point of focus - Did the photographer focus on the right point in the scene? (Is the background sharp and the subject fuzzy? Is the person's nose sharper than the eyes?)

Depth of field - Is the depth of field appropriate for the subject? Should it have been greater, or less? Is the center of the focal field located at the right distance from the camera?

Exposure - with the following being considered, among others:

Average tonality - Was the overall exposure appropriate for the subject? Is the photo too dark or too light for the subject?

Scale of tonality/contrast - Does the photo contain the appropriate range of tones for the subject? Is the contrast too high or too low for the subject?

Pure white/pure black - Does the photo contain areas of pure white and pure black when appropriate? Does it contain either or both when the subject does not warrant them?

Exposure midpoint - Are the middle tones in the photo appropriate for the subject, or should middle tones/grey have been shifted toward other areas of the scene?

Note to Judges - Even though the technical categories of Composition, Focus, and Exposure are listed after Emotional Impact and Creativity, they are important, and photos with technical flaws should be downgraded appropriately.