wow factor

bcox

bcox

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Lately I haven't been too satisfied with my photos. I can get some decent quality shots and all but really trying to figure out how to get that wow factor. I see photos all the time that are just plain not much going on in them but still when you look at them your just like 'wow'. Could someone please try and explain this too me if possible!? I want to look at my own photos and be like wow I took that and not, wow, did I really do this!
 
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For me it mostly depends on the light and the "moment" especially when they both work together.
If the picture creates or shows emotion that can be even better.
To a lesser extent it may also depend on the viewers relationship to the subject.

From a purely technical point of view (and an image doesn't have to be technicallly perfect to have a WOW)
#1 Have a subject.
#2 Do not have any elements in the photograph that distract from the subject.
#3 make sure the exposure and focus is ok.
#4 Get in close (usually).
 
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Personally, I think we should make the use of the term 'wow factor' illegal.
 
Look at you images, can you define what's lacking in a meaningful way other than "wow factor"?

Are you focussing on technical perfection and ignoring emotion? Are you doing almost everything right but choosing the wrong subject or the wrong time?

Without sample images, this thread isn't going to be very useful to you..
 
It's all about the light!

I'll bet you can't define the 'wow' factor, but if you look at 3 'wow' shots and compare them to 3 of yours, the difference will be 'great light'.

Your task as a photographer is to learn to plan for and to recognise the quality of light.
 
What do you like taking pictures of? The things that wow me may be completely different to what wow you as I'm probabyl interested in different things.

Have a deeper look at work of photographers who you admire - don't just look and move on, really examine the images. What is the lighting like? How is it composed? Is it an amazing subject that is amazing in it's rarity or a mundane subject shot amazingly well?

Remember that we all tend to take an overly critical view of our own work - sometimes I'm just satisfied to be satisfied with my work. We can't produce stunning images all the time, and clever photographers are good at selecting what they do show to others i.e. keep the duffers hidden!!!
 
I would agree, its down to Subject, Context and most of all the light...Either flash or natural.

You then need to know your kit back to front and have a great understanding of Exposure....
Then the tricky bit is Creativity...this you either have (lucky sons of a...) or you don't and you have to learn to see this or create it...
 
Phil V said:
It's all about the light!

I'll bet you can't define the 'wow' factor, but if you look at 3 'wow' shots and compare them to 3 of yours, the difference will be 'great light'.

Your task as a photographer is to learn to plan for and to recognise the quality of light.
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I'm not so sure it's as simple as being about light.

I have a lot of images that I'm very happy with that were taken in simply awful light which is just as well as I live in Northern England.

I'd say any "wow" for me is more to do with a combination of things rather than light as such, maybe a combination of subject, composition, framing and... something... but not necessarily light.
 
woof woof said:
I'm not so sure it's as simple as being about light.

I have a lot of images that I'm very happy with that were taken in simply awful light which is just as well as I live in Northern England.
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But I suspect that your experience and creativity led you to take the right shot for that light . . . . . . . making it good light . . . . . . if you know what I mean . . . :thinking:
 
woof woof said:
I'm not so sure it's as simple as being about light.

I have a lot of images that I'm very happy with that were taken in simply awful light which is just as well as I live in Northern England.

I'd say any "wow" for me is more to do with a combination of things rather than light as such, maybe a combination of subject, composition, framing and... something... but not necessarily light.
Click to expand...

Composition, framing etc are all secondary to light. Light often determines those things.

And whilst it's not something you should rely on, good PP skills will help.
 
woof woof said:
I'm not so sure it's as simple as being about light.

I have a lot of images that I'm very happy with that were taken in simply awful light which is just as well as I live in Northern England.

I'd say any "wow" for me is more to do with a combination of things rather than light as such, maybe a combination of subject, composition, framing and... something... but not necessarily light.
Click to expand...

an example would help here, because I can't think of a single great image I've ever seen that didn't have the right light.

I never said 'bright light' 'golden light' or any other description purposely, I'd love to see the example that proves I'm wrong.

I live in the North of England too, and some of my favourite images have been shot in the most awful conditions, but I've made use of the light in an interesting way. Great lighting and good composition can make the most mundane subject 'wow', but the most awesome subject in the world with boring light and great composition will be so-so, and with thoughtless composition will be destined for the bin.
 
Have you actually thought about what creates that wow factor? colour? composition?
1. find that
2. then read about it
3. then shoot
4. then assess your photos based on what you read
5. throw those away
6. re-shoot
(repeat until you don't like your photos at all)

Then someone will tell you how good your photos are and you will think they are crazy ;)
 
Thank you all for the great advice and suggestions. It was is really appreciated and helpful. To new2me no one wants to hear to your stupid comments that don't have anything to do with what was asked.
 
bcox said:
To new2me no one wants to hear to your stupid comments that don't have anything to do with what was asked.
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Jeez dude! Lighten up! As said already, it's all about the LIGHT :D
 
theurbanclown said:
Composition, framing etc are all secondary to light. Light often determines those things.

And whilst it's not something you should rely on, good PP skills will help.
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I still disagree. Light can make an image but I still say that an image can still (avoiding the use of wow) be an image that grabs you and makes you like it with poor light.
 
Phil V said:
an example would help here, because I can't think of a single great image I've ever seen that didn't have the right light.
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I've learned my leasson posting examples here only for someone viewing on some crappy mobile device to tell me I'm wrong :lol:

We will no doubt disagree on and what makes an image have that certain special value and I suppose it is a personal thing and personally although great light can make an image striking, and I do like that, personally I often look for and seek to capture something... more, different...

This guy says it better than I can...

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/blog_index.html/page/2/

"The poster taught me a lesson, too. That many photographs (many advertising images, for instance) are deliberately intended to catch the eye and provide immediate gratification—but their appeal is often quickly exhausted; and some of the best photographs grow on you slowly , and yet continue to reward long familiarity. I still like photographs that have staying power, and it's something I look for in photographs."

For me... some of my favourite shots are the ones I very nearly binned, or very nearly didn't take :D
 
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woof woof said:
I've learned my leasson posting examples here only for someone viewing on some crappy mobile device to tell me I'm wrong :lol:

We will no doubt disagree on and what makes an image have that certain special value and I suppose it is a personal thing and personally although great light can make an image striking, and I do like that, personally I often look for and seek to capture something... more, different...

This guy says it better than I can...

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/blog_index.html/page/2/

"The poster taught me a lesson, too. That many photographs (many advertising images, for instance) are deliberately intended to catch the eye and provide immediate gratification—but their appeal is often quickly exhausted; and some of the best photographs grow on you slowly , and yet continue to reward long familiarity. I still like photographs that have staying power, and it's something I look for in photographs."

For me... some of my favourite shots are the ones I very nearly binned, or very nearly didn't take :D
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I agree with most of what you're saying, and I've clicked the link and can find no photo's I'd call great (or any other superlative) that would have the same impact with different light.

There's nothing in your post or the link that supports your point that light is unimportant:thinking:
 
Ok I will bite.
Personally I think some of these have the "wow" factor - however I may be a bit biased as they are all my photographs.

#1 This one mainly becuse of the subject matter. The lighting is not good - hospital ward with a window behind me.


Fatherhood by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#2 This one becuse of the moment and content, and that it says Paris. Light is not good and I blew the exposure so not so good technically.


Daily bread? by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#3 Another "moment" and the light is ok (not great).

Thirsty birds at St Ives village green. by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#4 However light can almost make for a 'wow" all by itself.


Winter waves by dicktay2000, on Flickr

#5 When you get moments and light it starts to work, even though technically it is not all that great.

Last practice. by dicktay2000, on Flickr
 
theurbanclown said:
To an extent there isn't really such a thing as bad light, it's just how you use it that's important.
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Agree and disagree with that Ben, if the lights not right, move to where it is, but in landscapes light and luck is what does it for me take this shot beam of light on the beach and 1 that lit the cottages right time right place After Hurricane Katia Cottages On Morfa Nefyn Beach Wales


After Hurricane Katia Cottages On Morfa Nefyn Beach Wales by Just Daves Photos, on Flickr
 
bcox said:
Could someone please try and explain this too me if possible!? I want to look at my own photos and be like wow I took that and not, wow, did I really do this!
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First of all I think this is due to the fact you are fairly new at Photography and your expectations are maybe a little high at the moment. My most important piece of advise, would be to actually take the time to respond to the C&C that has been given to you on your pictures and start asking a lot more questions relative to those pictures ;). Out of the ones you have posted so far you have not bothered with any of them :shrug:
 
u8myufo said:
First of all I think this is due to the fact you are fairly new at Photography and your expectations are maybe a little high at the moment. My most important piece of advise, would be to actually take the time to respond to the C&C that has been given to you on your pictures and start asking a lot more questions relative to those pictures ;). Out of the ones you have posted so far you have not bothered with any of them :shrug:
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Uh will go check posts now Rich :thumbs:
 
Lower your expectations.

Once upon a time, in a more naive world, where magazines were filled with words as they were cheaper than pictures... we were less 'bombarded' by imagery, and more accustomed to looking harder at what we were offered, looking at the detail reading the text around them for the relevance. Our asthetic tastes were then coloured and we percieved pictures on a deeper level, not the superficial instantaneous 'Wow' factor.

In the digital age, we are bombarded by images, many taken by incredibly good photographers, and or with incredibly expensive / specialised hardware, processed heavily in powerful editing suits. But even so... even THEY are still one-in-a-thousand shots, the cream that has floated to the top of a VERY big barrel of pretty mundane offerings.... and oh so often... what is skimmed from the top IS merely what has superficial 'wow' factor, to capture the viewers attention... but NOT keep it.

Think more about WHY you are taking a photo. Who is going to look at it. WHY they might want to look at it. And what you want them to experience having looked at it.

The initial impact is a VERY short-lived emotion. Pure aesthetics, only decoration.

What is the INTEREST. What is the Relevence, what is the MESSAGE you want to impart to the viewer.

Thats the difference between a photo that has 'wow' factor, and one that is truly 'stunning'.

Wow! Thats SO last decade! Go for 'wow' now... and when the next wow fad comes along, it will just be another bit of pase kitch.

Concentrate on the interest, and just capturing that as competently as you can; good photo's will always stand as good photo's.
 
Don't aim for a "wow" shot, just shoot for fun. When you relax and stop thinking about how critical everything needs to be (which is rubbish anyway, as we aren't shooting stock photos for a start...), you'll soon start capturing images you really enjoy.

Take this example what I took in york.


Worried?! by jjohnson2012, on Flickr

It was the only photo on the entire day of taking around 300 shots that was actually out of focus, yet the moment itself tells a story as the officer is about to conduct the queens birthday celebrations in the gardens outside the york transport museum. Forget all the technical **** and just keep shooting and you'll soon get images that document things, that you'll want to look back on, more than simple throw away snaps that people think "oh thats pretty" and then forget about it as soon as you show them something else.
 
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