This document provides guidance on how to properly critique photographs. It explains that a critique should evaluate both positive and negative aspects, not just focus on flaws. When critiquing, one should ask what is good about the photo, what could be improved, and how. The four basic standards to examine are value (lighting and contrast), clarity, composition (visual elements), and presentation quality. Following these steps and considering technical and aesthetic factors can help one provide a well-rounded critique that is constructive, not just critical.

1. How to critique
Mackenzie peacock

2. Critiquing is not Criticizing
• In a good critique all aspects of the photograph are
evaluated, good, bad or any part of the photo is looked
at closely and judged.
• Criticizing is only when you are pointing out the
flaws, and a true critique is when both the positive and
negative comments are equally balanced.
• There are three basic questions to ask yourself about
each photograph critique: What is good about it? What
is not good? How could it be better?

3. Where do you Start?
Most people, when asked to judge a photo will start by
saying whether they like it or not. People often like a
photograph when they like what’s in it, and to dislike a
photograph when they don’t like what’s in it.
The first thing you should do is put aside your obvious
likes and dislikes and go into it with an open opinion,,
find the key factors in each picture that stand out to
you and define what exactly they are.
The main difference is between the Style and the
Standards

4. Four Basic Standards
The four basic factors determine a photographs
standards: value, clarity, composition, and
presentation.
In a close to perfect picture a photograph will be
critiqued positively on each of these factors, but one or
another factor may be better represented than the
other, or still looked at as a solid picture when it lacks
one subject and stands out greatly in another .

5. Value
Value in a photograph means to the range in the lighting that the
photograph has, the black that turns into shades of grey and white. The
more contrast the photo has or the wider the range in the dark and light
colors the more of an effect it gives the eye. If everything in the photo is
either black or white, without any gray it may have a lot of impact but will
most likely lack in interest. It is important to evaluate between good and
bad grays.
• When you have determined that the value of the photograph is weak the
next question is : How could it be better?
• Too much light will cause a dark looking “muddy” print, and too much
will cause white areas to be “ washed out” or “burned out” which makes
the photograph so white that you can’t see the details

6. Value Continued
How the film is processed will also affect the values. The longer the film
stays in the developer, the more contrasty the photograph becomes. Gray
areas are caused from being developed for to long, get blacker and blacker
on the negative and the lighter and lighter on the print, all caused from
the improper use of the developer.
If the film is removed from the developer too soon its contrast will be low
and will be cause the picture to look weak in color and become gray.
It is also very useful that you are being careful and consistent while the
developing process and you have a solid darkroom to use while
developing.

7. Clarity & Presentation
This is the second key factor, the key to clarity is focus not just whether or not the
photograph is in focus, but also whether or not it is correctly focused.
In correctly a correctly focused photograph the subject will either be soft or sharp.
When something is out of focus, the edges blur more than they are supposed to.
The questions to ask are: What’s in focus? What should be in focus? What is not in
focus, and why is it not?
The third factor is to look for is the care and skill that the photograph resembles.
Look at how clean the picture looks , look for white spots, that can be known as
satellites, glitches, scuzz, hickies or glop of stuff that shouldn’t be on the picture
Other things to look for are neatly trimmed edges, and squared corners.

8. Composition
Point of Interest: You need to first find out is there a point of interest?
Does it stand out or is it lost in the surrounding confusion? A photograph
most likely should have one clear point of interest. Usually being near
the middle of the frame.
Cropping: Consider the cropping or the way it is framed. Ask is it “ tight”
? Is the frame filled with important elements or is there wasted space?
Look at the balance of shades and colors in the photograph , it can be
balanced in two ways: static or dynamic.
Static just sits there but can be effective to the photograph. Dynamic
balance has a certain movement.

9. Composition continued
The lines and curves in a photograph have a big impact
when you are looking at it. You need to look closely to
locate the straight and curved lines.
A single straight line in the picture that is pointed out
can draw the attention to that spot in the picture in a
positive or negative way.
All of these add a visual impact on the photograph that
creates an appealing “ visual tension” to the eyes.

10. Aesthetics
Style is makes a big difference in determining if the
picture is from a skilled photographer or is just a
quality picture taken. Sometimes photographs will have
all the right elements but will still not work, and can be
looked at negatively by the personal judging it.
On the other hand, a photograph could lack extremely
important elements and still work.
Sometimes the picture just works for people and there
is a certain spark in the picture that makes it stand out
.

11. Observations: Starfish Picture
• I think that the shades of blacks and grays are a good
balance with a consistent amount of black and white
within the picture, and it makes the center of interest
stand out. All elements of the picture are clear and in
focus

12. Observations: Sample 2
The center of interest in the picture stands out and
is different from the rest, because of the color
scheme. I like how there is a good balance of light
and shadow in the sky, and the colors all blend in
together perfectly. I dislike how the man is
completely all black however, I do like how clear it
makes him look.

13. Observations: Sample 3
• There is too much light in this picture because of the sun
shinning through.
• I like how there is the crop photography and you can only
see certain parts of the forest.