photography

[stuart wanuck]

what defines a great photo some look like paintings and other appear realistic?

[Arthur Morris]

A great photo is one the folks look at and say, "Oh my..." Or something similar. You will know them when you see them....

[Doug West]

I've always had the belief that you can't. If 9 people say that's a great photo, but one person says
it isn't, who's right? You simply can't rule by majority.

The reason is, everybody's eyes sees and processes the information different. It's that moment
you wonder if that person is looking at the same image as you.

Hope that makes some sense :)

Doug

[Duane Noblick]

I think what makes a great photo is one that makes you as the photographer say "Oh my". I have maybe 2 or 3 images that I've taken that made me say that to myself but others saw them differently. I have taken many images that people love but I deleted them for one reason or another. I have to agree with Doug....each person sees an image differently.

[stuart wanuck]

My question really pertained to the difference with a photograph vs a image that photographically resembles a painting not truly a defined photograph

[Daniel Cadieux]

Stuart, I'm not sure I understand your question but the same as what the others above replied would apply to any medium or final product. If a photograph resembles a painting but still makes me say "wow" then it has been defined as a great one according to my personal taste.

[Grady Weed]

Stuart, why are you asking this question? Do you have thoughts about your own images or someone else's images? Has someone made comments about yours that made you think deeper about what you take images of? Perhaps to obtain the answer your seeking we might need more information than you provided.

[Diane Miller]

Actually I think this has a simple answer. A great photo, whether realistic or painterly, is one that sells for $2M at an art auction and that each and every one of us would have deleted on first look. : -)

[David Stephens]

I've always had the belief that you can't. If 9 people say that's a great photo, but one person says
it isn't, who's right? You simply can't rule by majority.

The reason is, everybody's eyes sees and processes the information different. It's that moment
you wonder if that person is looking at the same image as you.

Hope that makes some sense :)

Doug

I think that I know what you're talking about Doug, but I do believe that if 9 out of 10 think it's great, it is great, at least at the moment. Ten-years from now, the view of the one may become the new majority. Art goes in and out of style and what moves people to react and want to look again and again changes over time.

What's beautiful to a Persian might be ugly to the average US citizen, but that doesn't make it ugly. Many Westerners now prize Persian art, but certainly not all.

Intrinsic beauty comes from nature, but our eye can become acclimated to alternative realities.

[Don Lacy]

Stuart, I like Ansel Adams quote on the subject so much I put it in my signature "There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs". Its kind of like defining human beauty science can tell us what dimensions we find more attractive then others but there so much more to it then that.

[kevin Hice]

A great photo has that special something.I like to call it pop it just stands out, It has that special something I belong to Dayton focus club and we have monthly competitions. When images are displayed on the screen I know right away if it pops and I can tell right then That it has something special about that image and of coarse I am comparing it to mine.I know it has better overall chance of out scoring my photo.I like being competitive in competition but recognise a better photo and try and learn from it.So I can improve mine just like here on bpn.

[Dave Mills]

The word is called IMPACT!!!!