When I think of a good photo, I think there are four C’s that make the quality of the photo ( much like the 4 C’s of diamonds, but you can’t make your own diamonds – easily, at least ). Let’s review these 4 C’s to get a better idea of how they impact the aesthetics of our images :
#1 Color
Good color can make or break an image. Unfortunately, humans like to see dense rich colors in images ( color images at least ), and nothing is less appealing than photos that either represent colors incorrectly or represent them poorly. Let’s look at a quick example. In photo 1 below, we have a pretty interesting shot, but something’s not quite right. It lacks the pop we’d expect from a good photo – and the whites are a little dull and gray.
Now that we see the photo needs some work, let’s bring the whites back to white and pop the colors to bring more interest to a potentially powerful photo.
Now we have a photo that might actually get someone’s attention!
#2 Clarity
Sharp images get noticed, period. Of course, it depends on the subject and the overall mood of the photo – since soft focus/blurry images can make for powerful photography, but especially when you’re talking about landscapes, still life and macro, sharp images make the subject stand out. There are some easy ways to make sharp images – here are a few tips :
- use a tripod : this is the best way to avoid camera shake.
- shoot at high f-stops : this will allow your depth of field to remain sharp in front of and behind the subject. For landscapes, this is often critical. f/16 and up are good places to start.
- shoot at high shutter speeds : unless you’re trying to exaggerate the subject motion, shooting a high shutter speed can almost always guarantee that if anything is moving, it won’t appear to be in your photograph.
- use the sharpest lens you have : sharp glass begets sharp images – capturing a sharp image on the first click will save you heartache once you get your images back to your computer for processing.
#3 Contrast
Contrast is one of the most important aspects of a good photo. The human eye detects more levels of contrast than your camera is capable of capturing, but in spite of that, contrast still matters in photography. Contrast can bring greater interest to a photograph, it can also turn a good photo into a boring one because there’s just no *pop* to the image – and this is the pop that includes, but goes beyond the color pop we talked about above. Many times, you may have to re-evaluate contrast after the shot is taken and add a little more contrast to the image if the light did not provide it for you when you shot the original photo.
#4 Composition
It goes without saying that a good composition can make or break a photo. Good composition comes with practice and following your instinct. Using the Rule of Thirds is always a great place to start, but learn to break that rule – shoot out of the box, experiment, play – learn to construct a good shot regardless of what rule you’re using or breaking. Remember, the key to composition is making the components of the photograph intersect with an aesthetic of your choosing. And don’t forget the 5th C, which is rolled into the 4th : Crop. Good cropping is about good composition – they go hand in hand in making a more effective photo.
So now that you’re familiar with the 4 C’s of a good photograph – get clicking! Practice makes perfect!
K:M
