Hi all,
I’m a total beginner in photography and I decided entering a phase called “I don’t even know what I’m supposed to see”. My main issue is that if a photo doesn’t show something or a situation very clearly, I don’t even know where and how to approach it to try to understand.
How do you usually read a photo? Are you looking for composition? Lights? Subjects?
Since you're in street I assume that's just what you're interested in reviewing.
Street pictures should tell a story: about someone's character, what they're doing or going to do, about a scene unfolding or a situation. They may sometimes be more about the graphic image than simply a people story. If people are the subject more than the situation then they should connect to the viewer.
Light, composition, subjects all need to work to tell the viewer story - it's not enough to simply plonk a person in the centre of the image in dull lighting and expect them to speak to the viewer. Show them in a crowd if that's key to the story. If they need to be alone to tell the story then they should show separation. Light should be used to catch, to hold, to emphasise, to hide. Composition - are they in a powerful place in the picture or hidden like an afterthought at the edge? Is their placement awkward and subractive or strong and additive?
Technique and being technically 'perfect': If technique or equipment is not what stands out about the picture then it is most likely successful, but if the first thing that is noticed about the image is poor technique or processing then the image is already a failure before anyone has even seen it. Good enough is fine with perfection quite un-necessary, but not good enough simply isn't.
A good photo can make the ordinary seem amazing, a poor photo will make the extraordinary seem dull.
Someone above mentioned "Afghan girl" no doubt it's a nice shoot but if it was posted by someone on this forum it would get a dozen "lovely shot , look at those eyes comments " and that's as far as it would get .
It's a powerful portrait, but the situation it was shot in and the exposure it was given assured that picture iconic status. If it were someone's daughter on here, well fed and clothed, then yes, we'd say "nice photo" because there would be nothing exceptional about the circumstances it was taken in. It was also taken at a time when photography had a much higher value, when it was a closed book to ordinary people who would use their point-and-shoots and then wait a week to get crappy enprints from Boots or Truprint.