Is this a good photograph?
I have a problem with this photo...
The problem is this: I have no idea why I like it. I just know that I do.
To provide some context, I was fiddling around with my 75-300 kit lens in preparation to snap some birds nearby, when this guy wandered into the shot. I didn't even pay that much attention to what was happening. So I got home, dropped all the images on my PC for editing and all that, until I came across this photo, and it's been bugging me ever since. The original was in color, out of focus, and over exposed, so I messed around with it until I landed on what you see above.
I then decided to get some outsider opinions on it. Do you like it? Why? Can you spot some photography theory hocus-pocus that could possibly qualify it as a "good photo" even though it was completely accidental?
Looking forward to some discussion on this one! So let me know what you think.
I can understand why you like it... he is running but where? etc... for me something it's missing.. maybe that why I stop by to try to figure it out?! thanks for sharing and I'm wondering what other folks will say ;)
It was more of a brisk walk than a run, but yeah, he's definitely going somewhere! I guess the unanswered question creates a degree of intrigue... And who doesn't love a good mystery?
You don't need a reason to love.
This is true. Yet the question still bugs me. :)
Hey @pm-me-your-dog, wanna weigh in here?
Was just going to, then I noticed the comment.
Sometimes we just like some photos more, then what they are worth. Like you said it's out of focus, and over exposed. And if I there to look for any "good" photography things in the background, composition or the subject, I can't spot anything great, it's just a regular decent photo.
Different people like different things and for some reason, which you can't even understand, you just like this one.
I guess that's why it's bugging so much... Technically speaking, it's nothing special. I'm still rather fresh in this whole photography thing, and I've been reading up about things like composition and such quite a bit. And there's not a lot of that here. A thought that did cross my mind is that with this particular photo it could very well be me liking the process more than the actual photo, and then subconsciously attributing that enjoyment to the actual photo. Does that even make sense? Ever happen to you?
Yes it does. So often I come home after a hyped photo shoot, just to look at most of the shots being just bad, sometimes I will still like them and post them, to receive little to no feedback, sometimes I'll just scrap them. Photos don't have to follow rules to be good, but if the photo is good you'll notice it in an instant.
Well, I do appreciate your feedback here. And apologies if I asked prematurely. I get excited sometimes :). I'm guessing this is the lesson here... There is no set in stone recipe for a "good" photograph, but there are plenty of bad ones. Being objective is a good thing to keep in mind when deciding what to spend time on and put out there for the world to see.