473: The Photo Critique Blueprint: Learn What Professional Photographers Look For

In this episode of The Beginner Photography Podcast, we explore the invaluable skill of critiquing your own photos to elevate your art. By understanding what your images are trying to convey and asking targeted questions like "Where does my eye go?" and "How is the visual weight and composition?", you can discern the strengths and areas for improvement in your work. Drawing parallels with Jerry Seinfeld's method of refining jokes, I highlight how revisiting and refining initial ideas can lead to profound outcomes.

The Big Ideas:

• Embrace Critique for Growth: Critiquing your work helps pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, accelerating your growth as a photographer.
• Seek the Good Moments: Focusing on capturing compelling moments enhances your ability to tell powerful stories through your images.
• Analyze Composition Thoughtfully: Assess where the eye is drawn in your photos and adjust the visual balance to improve overall impact.
• Know Your Artistic Voice: Understanding what you love about photography guides your style and helps you communicate more effectively through your images.

Photography Action Plan:

• Practice Shooting in Manual Mode: Set aside 15 minutes daily to use your camera in manual mode. This will help you understand light, shutter speed, aperture, and ISO settings better. Aim to capture five varied photos during this practice session, like a portrait, a landscape, and a close-up to challenge your settings adjustment skills.
• Critique Your Own Photos Using the Four Key Questions: After each photo session, pick out at least three photos and critique them based on, Is there a good moment here? Where does my eye go? How is the visual weight and composition? Is the subject clear? This method sharpens your photographic eye and helps quicken your learning curve by identifying common missteps and success patterns.
• Watch a Video Walkthrough on Photo Critiquing: Visit https://beginnerphotopod.com/313 to view a break down photo critiquing in easy-to-follow steps. Focus on applying one new technique from the video during your next photo shoot session.
• Create a Portfolio of Your Work: Select 10 of your best images from your critiques and compile them into a digital portfolio. This portfolio will serve as a practical reference for your progress and helps you visualize your improvements, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Share Your Photos for External Feedback: Join photography groups online or engage friends and family to get their opinions on your work. Asking specific questions about your photos, such as "How does this composition make you feel?" or "What story do you think this photo tells?" can provide insightful feedback and fresh perspectives.

Resources:
Free Photo critique breakdown video - https://beginnerphotopod.com/313

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https://beginnerphotopod.com/minis

Connect with the Beginner Photography Podcast!

• Join the free Beginner Photography Podcast Community at https://beginnerphotopod.com/group
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Thanks for listening & keep shooting!