What Makes a Good Photo?

After a day of shooting a photographer, sits at his computer, relaxes and opens up his memory card to review his photos. How does he decide what photographs are worth keeping? He has to make calls on the quality of each photograph. Deciding the value of a photography is an oft discussed matter. It is my opinion that the quality of a photograph can be deduced by evaluating two different qualities: the composition and the moment.

Composition is frequently cited as the primary indicator of a great photograph. Composition is the framing of the photograph and how the viewer interacts with the image. An excellent photographer is able to quickly evaluate the different parts of the photograph and accentuate or detract from each different section.

Composition "ok"

Composition "great"

My personal belief is that a photograph is all about the moment and less about the composition. After all, a well composed photograph of a tree is still just a picture of a tree. I personally am at fault in this category. So many photographers are caught up in the composition or the lighting that they forget what is really important: the subject. Photographs have a life of their own, that is what makes old film images, with their faded colors and improper framing so striking; they capture a moment that will never again exist.