Question: “What is considered a good photograph?” or “How can I make a good photograph?”
Photography is essentially a form of media for communication and self-expression. Photography has much in common with writing. In writing, we choose words and construct them to form sentences. In photography, we use visual elements (line, shape, patter, color, light, etc.) and then construct them with composition (one-third rule, line, perspective, focus, frame, etc.).
Writing is considered good writing when it is straight to the point and is highly understandable to its readers. Good writing is filled with interesting ideas and meaning, and they have proper grammar making them easy to read and understand.
Similar to good writing, good photography needs a certain subject and clear idea without any disruptive elements. A good photograph also has a well-organized composition of visual elements.
Essentially, a good photograph is a photograph that corresponds with our desired intentions. For example, if we want to create a mysterious and eerie atmosphere, a dark and shady photograph would be more suitable than brightly lit photographs. If we want our photographs to encourage change, like for example to encourage people to care about the environment, then our photographs need to be filled with the message of environment preservation and so on.
In short, there are a few points we need to pay attention to in order to achieve good photographs:
1.Does the photograph have an idea, story, or meaning?
2.Does the brightness and exposure suit the photograph’s intentions?
3.Does it have a suitable composition?
4.Is the choice of lighting accurate?
5.Was the photograph taken at the right exact moment?
The point being, a good photograph is subjective because a photographer’s intentions vary. This is also true for the audience. A photograph considered by some as a good photograph may not be deemed so by other groups. That is why one should not worry so much about it and should just keep practicing to get their own niche.
