What Makes Good Photography

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If you know me, you probably know that I’m at nearly every campus event, camera in hand. I take a lot of pictures.

Yet answering the question what makes a photograph “good” is something I can only scratch the surface of. There are many disciplines of photography, from photojournalism to landscape photography and everything in between. While I wouldn’t consider myself an expert by any means, I have representative work from most of the major categories. Across all of these there are some basic elements which can be said to make pictures “good.”

To aid in writing this article, I reacquainted myself with stellar photography by reviewing many of Reuter’s “Photos of the Week,” the National Geographic photo contest, and The Atlantic’s “Year in Photos.” It goes without saying that all of these images have the basics right. If you want good photography, having the correct exposure is only the beginning. If you want to produce good images, this has to be the easy part.

Composition falls in a space between the basic and the more advanced. It is equally necessary in producing a good image, but also more creative, more unique to the photographer, something less automatic and more calculated. Good composition leads to proper emphasis on the intended focal point and removes or downplays distracting elements. Simplicity in a photograph helps nudge it toward “the good.”

Good composition also leads to a special connection with the viewer so that they feel more present in the image. This is a particular goal of photojournalism: transporting the viewer to newsworthy scenes. Most pictures seek an emotional response from the viewer, and good images achieve this. Certain subjects lend themselves to this better than others, particularly those of people or animals. Almost every picture from the Atlantic’s year in pictures, or from Reuters “Photos of the Week” provoke a strong emotional response. Other photography can also evoke this, such as beautiful landscapes or exciting animals.

Without light, there would be no pictures. Good photographers know this. Certain types of photography give you great flexibility with light, such as landscape photography where the scene doesn’t move away meaning one can wait for more exciting light. Other photographers, particularly photojournalists, are less fortunate and have to work with whatever they have, tasked with capturing the moment, either getting the shot or losing it. For those with time, the light can be worked with by moving to better angles, using reflectors or diffusers, or even by supplementing it with your own. This last example, shaping the light to do exactly what you want allows for a lot of flexibility and creativity, something which studio photographers have to become very good at. While a component of light is necessary in the “basics”, coming to a better understanding of how to work with light helps take the images the extra mile.

If I were to offer advice on how to get better images, it would be to shoot more often. The camera does not make the photographer, and even modern smartphones are becoming quite competent.

Don’t go too crazy taking a million pictures of the same thing, but shoot for variety and shoot people. People are more likely to be remembered and provoke an emotional response. If you ever are in the position to be paid for your photography skills, you can’t look at it differently because it is a job. There is still a story to be told and an emotion to capture.

Creativity is important, so play around with different techniques, take classes, look for new things to capture. You really can’t lose anything by it, especially in the age of digital photography. As my friends would roll their eyes and tell you, I’m always willing to talk photography—admittedly, maybe too willing—so if you ever have any questions, or want another hand to pull off that cool shot, find me, or send me an email.