There are many elements in photography that come together to make an image be considered “good”. Some of these elements include, but are not limited to lighting, the rule of thirds, lines, shapes, texture, patterns, and color. All of these things play an important role when it comes to photography. One of the most important of these elements is lighting.
Lighting is one of the most important elements of a photograph. If you take a photograph with terrible lighting, the image you are trying to produce will automatically be terrible as well. There are many different ways to light a photograph. One could use natural lighting (sunlight) or artificial lighting (softbox, ring light, umbrella, flash, model light, ect.). When taking a photograph, one must also change the settings on the camera so that the light will go through the lens and make the image lighter or darker as necessary.
Another important element used to make a good photograph is the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is basically a rule of thumb that photographers use as a guideline for where to place the subject in the image. Rule of thirds is also used to make the image visually appealing, more interesting, and to catch the eye of the viewer. You can also use this guideline horizontally or vertically, depending on the photograph itself.
Another element that photographers use to make images more appealing to the eye, is lines. Lines may not seem very useful or important, but they add a great deal to the overall composition of an image. They also serve two purposes in a photograph. That is to lead the viewer’s eye around the photo, and to also keep the viewer’s attention.
One other element that photographers use to make an image better is shapes. Most images contain one or more shapes, but those photos where the photographer uses shapes in interesting and unique ways really stand out and make a good photo even better. Much like lines, shapes also help catch the viewer’s eye.
Texture is also an element that is used when taking a “good” photograph. Texture is the surface of an object that has shapes, lines, color, patterns, and depth. While capturing texture in an image, details are very important. If a photographer captures the fine details, it makes the photograph more lifelike.
Photographers also add patterns to a photograph to add to the composition. Patterns are a repetition of colors, shapes, and objects. Using a pattern is the key to having good composition in an image. Patterns also give add interest to a photo. Photographers add patterns to images to keep the viewer’s attention, and to also draw them in.
One more element that photographers use while photographing is color. Believe it or not, the color wheel is something that photographers use as a guide to which colors go best together in a photograph. Colors on the color wheel are often referred to as hues. Normally, colors opposite from each other on the color wheel typically go best together. Photographers also typically either use cool or warmer colors in a photo to give off a certain mood that they are trying to accomplish.
There are many elements in photography that come together to make an image be considered “good”. Elements like lighting, the rule of thirds, lines, shapes, texture, patterns, and color all work well together to add interest and a great deal of composition in photographs. These things all add to images in their own unique way and photographers typically use them to their advantage to improve their images and make them as well and professional looking as possible.
FAQs
There are many elements in photography that come together to make an image be considered “good”. Some of these elements include, but are not limited to lighting, the rule of thirds, lines, shapes, texture, patterns, and color. All of these things play an important role when it comes to photography.
What are the 4 elements of a good photograph? ›
Johnston detailed the four primary elements of good photography that can create compelling images; light, composition, timing, and gesture/expression.
What are the 3 most important things in photography? ›
Understand the exposure triangle. The exposure triangle simply refers to the three most important elements of exposure; ISO, aperture and shutter speed.
What are the characteristics of studio photography? ›
Studio photography refers to taking photographs in a controlled indoor space, typically a photo studio. In contrast to outdoor photography, where photographers are dependent on natural lighting conditions and environments, studio photography allows complete control over lighting, background and atmosphere.
What is the #1 rule of photography? ›
Use the rule of thirds.
It involves evenly dividing the frame between two equally spaced horizontal and vertical gridlines, creating a three-by-three grid. In order to create balance and flow within the image, compositional elements should be placed where these lines of the grid intersect or segment your image.
How to tell if a photograph is good? ›
So a good first step when evaluating a particular photo is to check that it is sharp with a good tonal range, that it has good contrast between shadows and highlights, and that it's focused correctly on the right portion of the scene.
What are the 5 C's of photography? ›
I personally like one called "The Five C's of Cinematography" by Joseph Mascelli. It's an old book, printed in the fifties or sixties, and The Five C's of Cinematography cover pretty much all the technical aspects that we need to know about. The 5 Cs are Camera angles, Continuity, Cutting, Close-ups, and Composition.
What are the 3 C's in photography? ›
Our “3 C's” are “Content, Concept, and Composition”. As a part of the creative photographic process, I believe mentally assessing the close interaction of how we are expressing all “3 C's” will lead us to making more successful photographs.
What makes a strong photograph? ›
Elements of a Successful Photograph
Your lighting, composition and the overall quality of the image has to be just right. If the colors aren't vibrant, the staging isn't eye-catching or the picture does not look professional, the viewer is not going to focus on the image long enough to appreciate the content.
How to take a quality photo? ›
Top 10 Tips for Great Pictures
- Look your subject in the eye.
- Use a plain background.
- Use flash outdoors.
- Move in close.
- Move it from the middle.
- Lock the focus.
- Know your flash's range.
- Watch the light.
25 Expert Tips to Run a Successful Photo Studio
- You Have to Market your Photography Business. ...
- Social Media for a Photo Studio Matters. ...
- Photography Businesses Need to Spend Money Wisely. ...
- Define Your Target Market. ...
- Niche It Up: What is Your Photography Niche? ...
- You Should Advertise Your Photo Studio. ...
- Rent Out Your Photo Studio.
A good starting point is to set ISO value on 100 and the shutter speed on 1/125. You can then experiment with the aperture and power setting on the flash head to find the desired lighting values. Alternatively, a flash light meter can be used to quickly find the best values.
What determines a good quality picture? ›
High quality images should be apparent from their quality, such as the visual clarity and lack of blurriness. However, if you want to determine the detail of an image properly, then checking its DPI or PPI is the most exact method.
What are the principles of a good photograph? ›
There are 7 principles of Photography i.e. Pattern, Balance, Negative Space, Grouping, Closure, Colour and Light/Shadow. By applying these 7 principles, Photographers can create a complete image in the foundation of art theory. Patterns makes sense of the visual world through regularity.
How do you evaluate a good photograph? ›
What Makes a Photo Good?
- Is there a clear center of interest? In a strong photo, the viewer can immediately identify the subject. ...
- Is the image composed well? ...
- Is the focus tack sharp and is the exposure appropriate? ...
- Does the photo tell a story. ...
- Does the lighting enhance the subject and message? ...
- Is the approach creative?
Sharpness, distortion, vignetting, Lateral Chromatic Aberration, noise, and dynamic range are the principal factors that can be measured at this stage. Most of these measurements can be clearly classified as good/bad.
