How to Critique a Photograph
A. Photography Critique – A Good Explanation
1. How is the technical quality? Let’s start here before we get to the more subjective issues of composition and emotion.
B. Photo Critique Sheet – (PDF) (Word Doc)
How to Critique a Travel or Location Photograph
How to Critique a Portrait
1. How is the technical quality? Let’s start here before we get to the more subjective issues of composition and emotion.
- In focus? (or if not, was that intended?)
- Exposure: Is it too light or dark? Are there blown out or underexposed areas?
- Use of depth of field to control the viewer’s eye.
- Use of contrast? Too muddy or too much contrast.
- How was lighting handled?
- How do the colors look?
- Framing?
- What should and shouldn’t be in the frame?
- Where is your eye drawn to?
- What emotion do you feel when you look at the photo? Or lack of?
- Did the photographer connect with his subjects or do they look tense, posed or stilted?
- Does the photograph tell a story, or part of one? (It could be as simple as, “here are my kids who I adore” or “here’s my dog catching a frisbee.” Or a very deep one such as, “this is what poverty looks like, right in my hometown.”)
B. Photo Critique Sheet – (PDF) (Word Doc)
How to Critique a Travel or Location Photograph
How to Critique a Portrait