The document provides guidelines for critiquing photographs, including asking questions about strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. It outlines standards for analyzing value (contrast), clarity (focus), presentation (cleanliness), and composition (point of interest, lines, cropping). Sample critiques are given that evaluate photographs based on these criteria and suggest ways to increase interest through adjusting contrast.

1. Critiquing Photographs
Amelia Zurcher
Photographic Imaging I
Mr. Boothby

2. Analyzing
 Ask 3 questions:
 What is good about it?
 What is not good about it?
 How could it be improved?
 Analyze based on standards:
 Value
 Clarity
 Presentation
 Composition

3. Value
 Ranges of light:
 black through shades of gray to white
 The more contrast  the greater its visual impact
 If all white and black  less interesting
 Grays should be consistent and clear, not “muddy”
 “Washed out” or “burned out” highlights are
undesirable

4. Clarity
 Correctly focused
 Sharp focus
 Edges clearly defined
 Soft focus
 Edges blurred
 Amount of blurring may vary per style
 Question that should be asked
 What’s in focus? What should be in focus?
 Subject should be focused
 Blurring should be intentional
 A dark subject on a dark background can lack clarity

5. Presentation
 Photograph should be clean
 No
 white flecks
 Fingerprints
 Scratches
 Dark circles
 Should have
 Neatly trimmed edges
 Squared corners
 Proper adhesion to mat board

6. Composition
 Point of Interest
 Should have a clear dominant element
 Better near the middle, but not in the center
 Lines
 Lines can pull or point the viewer’s eye toward or
away from a point of interest
 Adds to visual impact

7. Composition
 Cropping
 Frame should narrow in on what is important
 Eliminate unnecessary details
 Negative space has more impact if it interacts with the
central image
 Should be balanced
 Static
 Concentrate point of interest near center
 Dynamic
 Weight composition away from center or toward edges

8. Sample Critique #1
This photograph has a lot of
visual impact. There is a
good range between blurry
and defined edges. The
presentation is good.
However, there is so much
contrast that it doesn’t
attract attention for long.
By reducing the contrast
slightly, the picture could be
more interesting and still
have a powerful visual
The Photographic Eye impact.

9. Sample Critique #2
The presentation is very good.
Lines do a good job pulling in
the eye.
The point of interest is not
completely clear. The contrast
between light and dark is
distracting to the eye.
This photograph could be greatly
improved by decreasing the
contrast.
Photo.net

10. Sample Critique #3
Clear point of interest. Strong
visual impact. Good presentation.
Frame narrowed in well.
Not incredibly interesting, because
of sharp contrast and very defined
lines.
Interest could by increased by
decreasing the contrast.
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