What makes a great photo ?

[kiwi]

Thanks Darren , As Kym said a photo that grabs you emotionally , Well after finding this one , And posting it , I broke down and have been in tears for the last hour , I guess just knowing what he went through and the innocence on his face at 18 !!

The story makes the photo, thanks for sharing your pride and emotion, and Jim, I hope you have that photo of yours digitally stored and backed up for posterity also

[bobt]

In my view a good photo has to create an emotional response in the viwer that is not apathy, boredom or disinterest. Interestingly, I just wrote a piece in our club newletter that referenced this sort of thing. I recently visited a local gallery and was struck with the thought that much of the photography presented lacked that essential element.

I am afraid there is a lot of photography (and art) which relies on the pedigree of the author as much as genuine artistic merit. The fact that the maker is a credentialled "artist" is often enough to earn a lack lustre image a place in galleries. People seem reluctant to discount any work of a recognised "talent" simply becuase it is assumed that because that person created it then it must be art by definition. There seems to be a reluctance to accept that even professionals can create rubbish.

Unfortunately, to me this tends to devalue the definition of what is truly artistic. I feel each work should be judged on merit rather than by the company it keeps.

[PH005]

I'm not sure why you have an issue with PP, it's always been part of photography and still is. You might as well ban all Jpeg images as they are all processed too according to individual preferences.

I don't agree at all with the OOC is pure brigade really. In saying this I typically loathe poorly conceived and executed post processing in all forms

Digital art is really just another form of painting and should be discussed separately

No issue with PP at all.

[kiwi]

That's good to hear :-)

To add a bit to the discussion, perhaps take away the personal element of a personal photo. So, yes, every photo I have of my family is great for me but blah for the general population

[neil70]

like the majority of wedding photos, there are the usual dozen that people will say are great shots and then the rest just mean something to the couple as a record of great day(hopefully). I have an out of focus motion blurred photo i took at a super x race that myself and my boys love, the colours just all blend together, it is the only piece of "art" we have in the house.

[Wayno]

A good photo can evoke good memories. For a great photo you will always want to keep looking at it.

[ving]

can i say none of the above?

...yeah sure i can.

photography is an emotive thing. those that have the greater emotive value are the best.
I have seen shots of all types that are perfectly exposed, sharp (or soft) and well composed that have left me feeling well... a bit ho hum. I have seen others that lack any really technical qualities at all that excite me on an emotional level and that is what i am more likely to be attracted too.

[BecM]

Thanks Darren , As Kym said a photo that grabs you emotionally , Well after finding this one , And posting it , I broke down and have been in tears for the last hour , I guess just knowing what he went through and the innocence on his face at 18 !!

William I have a photo of my father's grandparents, their 6 children and many, many grandchildren. It was taken shortly before my father, his sister and his parents escaped to Australia, just about every single person in that photo was eventually killed in concentration camps. It is for me the most powerful photo I have ever seen.

For me a good photo is a photo that evokes a strong emotion. I prefer that emotion to be a nice one though