erica_scourti

<p>To follow up, here is a link to the article I wrote based on everyone's responses, it's on Photoworks's website: <strong> <a href="http://photoworks.org.uk/makes-good-photograph/">http://photoworks.org.uk/makes-good-photograph/</a></strong></p>

<p>Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's responded and joined in on this thread- it's been very interesting hearing people's opinions. As I said, the piece I've written will be posted on Photoworks' site, some point next week, I'll leave a link here when it's up so you can take a look- hopefully you won't mind the artistic license I've taken in interpreting some of what you've written to make a new text out of it that reflects some of my ideas, or my approach anyway.<br> Also, I saved some of the commenters' photos and have supplied then to go with the article, fully attributed, but I am going to contact each of you whose photo I used now, to obtain explicit permission.<br> Thanks again!</p>

<p>I agree in that there is no clear-cut answer- and actually there is not really clear-cut question, since as everyone's responses attest to, it very much depends on what is meant by 'good' in the first place (which the people who asked me to write the article also did not specify...)</p> <p>What I'm interested in on a personal level is 'what matters'- which is what I ask myself whenever I set out to make something. Does this matter, in some way- to me, to the world? While staying aware, of course, that what matters to me may not matter to anyone else...but still, I would at least hope it does.</p> <p>Beyond that, I suppose I value any direction the answers and investigation take- I don't have a outcome I am pursuing- or perhaps the debate itself is the outcome, rather than any specific answers.</p> <p>As for your question of whether people are following the herd in their favouring...I would say yes, not because we are sheep necessarily but because images which are famous, well-loved and known have a power quite regardless of their intrinsic value or formal qualities as images; in fact it's almost impossible to differentiate or to say whether they are loved 'as' images or as as images that are already loved by everyone else (which also happens with famous paintings). Part of their value is the fact that they are widely known and referenced, which creates a circular argument of sorts- but I wouldn't necessarily say it was about them being 'better' photos.</p>

<p> Thanks everyone for your responses, considering how broad and generic the question is, as Sally (“Might as well ask what makes a good book.”) and others pointed out; and as many others picked up, it ends up becoming a question of what do even mean by ‘good’, and whether is there any objective definition of good to work by, and so on. <br> Also I found it interesting to see that for some people, the photo is deemed good, or successful, if they themselves liked it- “I have no audience, nor am I aiming my photos to one. A good photo is the one that satisfies me.” (Thomas K.) For others, it’s to do with the audience, or viewer response- “a good/effective photograph to me is one that stimulates an emotional reaction in the viewer” (Steve) or even “good photography pisses off all the right people.” (Lex) For others the two are inter-related- communication was mentioned a few times (Wouter, Arthur) which for me is very much about the photographers connection to their audience.</p> <p>Like Wayne, I tend to think that, whatever their supposed ‘quality’ or formal attributes, some photos “are more important to some than any other photos in the world just because they exist as records.” But then this negates all the attention and care given by photographers to capture an image that matters to them, since the importance resides with the moment being captured, and the time/ people/ experiences it evokes- rather than it’s representation in a specific photograph.</p>

<p> Thanks everyone for your responses, considering how broad and generic the question is, as Sally (“Might as well ask what makes a good book.”) and others pointed out; and as many others picked up, it ends up becoming a question of what do even mean by ‘good’, and whether is there any objective definition of good to work by, and so on. <br> Also I found it interesting to see that for some people, the photo is deemed good, or successful, if they themselves liked it- “I have no audience, nor am I aiming my photos to one. A good photo is the one that satisfies me.” (Thomas K.) For others, it’s to do with the audience, or viewer response- “a good/effective photograph to me is one that stimulates an emotional reaction in the viewer” (Steve) or even “good photography pisses off all the right people.” (Lex) For others the two are inter-related- communication was mentioned a few times (Wouter, Arthur) which for me is very much about the photographers connection to their audience.</p> <p>Like Wayne, I tend to think that, whatever their supposed ‘quality’ or formal attributes, some photos “are more important to some than any other photos in the world just because they exist as records.” But then this negates all the attention and care given by photographers to capture an image that matters to them, since the importance resides with the moment being captured, and the time/ people/ experiences it evokes- rather than it’s representation in a specific photograph.</p>

<p>Hi everyone...big question, I know!<br> I'm asking because I'm an artist and writer who's been asked to write a piece on what makes a good photo. I thought it would be more interesting to get the views of other people via photography communities- so, my apologies if I'm posting in the wrong place or if this is off-topic!<br> Anyway- <strong>what, in your your own opinion makes a good photo, one you are happy with, a successful photo?</strong><br> For example...what response do you aim for in your audience, how important is equipment and skill over theme and subject etc. Any ideas or thoughts very gratefully received- and I'll post responses in the piece itself, which will be posted on Photoworks UK site later this month, with links to your if you supply one.<br> Thanks in advance<br> Erica</p>