How is your Photograph Critiqued?

The purpose of the clinic is to provide instruction through constructive critical comment and evaluation. Remember, it is not a competition, HOWEVER FOR LEARNING PURPOSES, THE PHOTOS WILL BE SCORED. Critiques are done in a general forum with one External Judge and 2 Judges who are Club Members. These Judges use the following criteria to critique the photos:

Members comment using 3 categories:

1. Pictorial or Artistic Merit (IMPACT)
2. Technical Skill
3. Interpretation of Subject

Pictorial or Artistic Merit (IMPACT)

This is a measure of the SUCCESS of the COMPOSITION.

Factors include the “RULES OF COMPOSITION”:

• Rule of Thirds
• Balance
• Lighting
• Framing
• Tonal Range and Texture
• Pattern and Rhythm
• Lead-in Lines

Technical

Here you measure the skills of:

• Exposure
• Depth of Field
• Focus
• Shutter Speed
• Filters
• Panning
• Mounting, spotting (prints)

Interpretation

Here you evaluate how well the photographer interpreted the topic photographically.

• Is the subject matter appropriate?
• Has it been chosen carefully?
• Has it been captured in an interesting way?
• Does the subject communicate itself clearly without distraction?

Note: a TITLE may or may not assist in this process. It is only one factor to be considered.

(some titles are merely labels, and are therefore neutral).

Download the PDF of this information for reference