When it comes to evaluating our own photographs we’re probably the worst ones to do so.  That’s not surprising because we’re so emotionally tied up in every aspect - the subject, the feelings we had when we got the shot, the work we’ve done on it in the digital darkroom.

There are, however, a couple of things we can do when we look at our work.  The most important thing about the photograph is of course the subject.  That’s where it all starts and that’s the reason for the photograph existing in the first place.  Without the subject there would be no photograph.  But there are three technical areas we can evaluate to determine how well the subject is emphasized and set off.

The first area is composition.  (You might argue with me that composition is not at all technical and you I wouldn’t argue back.)  Probably the most important question to ask about the composition is, “Does the composition serve to isolate and enhance the subject?”  There are principles of composition that we’ll not get into here but good composition is “seeing strongly” as Edward Weston expressed it.  A related question is, “What could I change to strengthen the composition?”

The second technical area is tonality; that is, the overall lightness and darkness of the image and the contrast.  Perhaps that is a bit over simplified but basically that’s it.  Tonality plays a critical role not only in black and white photographs (where the tonality if the primary vehicle for expressing the meaning of the photograph) but in color as well.  Properly used, tonality becomes a strong compositional element, leading the viewer’s eye through the image.

The third technical area is color.  The use of color conveys a tremendous emotional message and can have a powerful implact on the viewer.  One can ask if the colors communicate the mood of the image, if complementary colors are used, and if the level of saturation is believable.

Another way to evaluate your photographs is to get feedback from your peers.  It is for this purpose that we created a new program - Photo Review.  This is a program that provides a supportive environment to submit your photos and get positive, constructive and honest feedback from your peers.  The entire process is moderated and anonymous so there’s no risk of cutting insults or embarassment.  If this sounds interesting check out the Photo Review Submission Guidelines.  If you’d like to participate, there’s a signup form to the right of this post.