What criteria do you judge your photos by?

As the title says.

Would I want to hang it in my home, or more importantly...would I feel comfortable with it hanging in public with my name attached.

The same that has been used for centuries and then whether it looks like one of my images or not.
http://char.txa.cornel​l.edu/language/introla​n.htm

Here is only one criteria - I have to like it.
Criteria to like it - no criteria.
I just have to like it.

It is not so simple as it might looks like.
If "they" are going to like it is to be criteria to judge, it is going to be another cliche.

I ask the simple question. Did I create the image I set out to create?

kf095 wrote in post #16070507
Here is only one criteria - I have to like it.
Criteria to like it - no criteria.
I just have to like it.

It is not so simple as it might looks like.
If "they" are going to like it is to be criteria to judge, it is going to be another cliche.

So what makes you like something? There has to be a reason or in other words some kind of criteria and having a style is not cliche its what separates the ones that have it from those that don't.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #16070516
So what makes you like something? There has to be a reason or in other words some kind of criteria and having a style is not cliche its what separates the ones that have it from those that don't.

I'm not the guy who could explain - I judge this photo by this and this and such and such.
And I don't depend financially on my pictures.


It depends on final designation for photo.
If it is for public use or for particular person - I have to obey some common rules.
If audience is average Joe, kind of.
If it is something for me, personally, to share it only with very few people like me later, as I mentioned - I have to like it.
Nothing else. I don't care how sharp it is, how heavily processed it in PS, or even if it is in focus.
It has to be picture which is somehow unique.

May be I'm trying to say, here is one set of criteria to judge your photo to be accepted by stock, may be different set of criteria to be at the top of 500px crowd, another set to be liked by mods from Flickr Street hardcore and then ... where are pictures which you just like, personally.

After about 100K pictures taken with DSLRs and another thousand, two on film, with some pictures published, few contests won and more of them lost, I'm getting more and more far away from tops at Flickr, Picasa and 500px. Where is nothing to me to judge.

If the check clears.

Good light, compelling subject matter.

When I look at someone elses photos the first thing I notice is the composition interesting? It can be any old subject or something new but does the way the photo presents itself interesting. 2nd thing I notice is the lighting. Is the photo moody or blown out. Does the lighting evoke any feeling. From there I guess it gets more standard looking at color, sharpness, etc...

Techniques (exposures, adequate sharpness, color, white balance, and contrast), compositions (lines, geometries, and framing), and then the meanings (what the shot is about and should I even bother to care).

If I can call it Art with capitol A, I like it.

If I can't, then it doesn't matter if it's properly exposed and composed - I just brought another piece of poo into a world saturated with photos.

Of course my definition of art keeps changing as I go.

Mostly I just look for good bokeh.

kf095 wrote in post #16070634
I'm not the guy who could explain - I judge this photo by this and this and such and such.
And I don't depend financially on my pictures.


It depends on final designation for photo.
If it is for public use or for particular person - I have to obey some common rules.
If audience is average Joe, kind of.
If it is something for me, personally, to share it only with very few people like me later, as I mentioned - I have to like it.
Nothing else. I don't care how sharp it is, how heavily processed it in PS, or even if it is in focus.
It has to be picture which is somehow unique.

May be I'm trying to say, here is one set of criteria to judge your photo to be accepted by stock, may be different set of criteria to be at the top of 500px crowd, another set to be liked by mods from Flickr Street hardcore and then ... where are pictures which you just like, personally.

After about 100K pictures taken with DSLRs and another thousand, two on film, with some pictures published, few contests won and more of them lost, I'm getting more and more far away from tops at Flickr, Picasa and 500px. Where is nothing to me to judge.

For personal work there are no rules. Learning how to truly see and knowing the language frees you from all rules. A great photograph is a great photograph period no matter what label anyone wants to put on it. A great photographer once told me that either everything in the frame is helping your photograph and if its not helping it ,then it's hurting it.

What I shoot for a living the client is the only real worry and its all about their guidelines. But what I shoot just for me is a totally different thing. I have had a fair amount of success with my personal work and I have been supporting the family quit nicely for a couple decades with my professional work.

tracknut wrote in post #16071114
Mostly I just look for good bokeh.

That goes without saying, as good bokeh is the epitome of photographic genius.