What is Good Photography?

    A lot of Blogs and Articles that discuss concepts for creating good Photography tend to focus on technical aspects of the craft rather than the craft itself. A lot of Blogs and Articles that discuss concepts for creating good Photography tend to focus on technical aspects of the craft rather than the craft itself. Good Photography relies on core rules, like those of good lighting, lines, shapes, form, texture, color, space, and tone. One can even say you learn these rules to be able to eloquently break them in pursuit of developing one’s unique style. But to think of Photography in terms of these rules alone is a detriment to the long history of art itself and the many Photographers of the past that pioneered the art into what it is today.

    So, what is good Photography? How do you go about learning how to take captivating images that promote personalized expression and point-of-view that enlighten, entertain, and captivate an audience? To answer these questions and more, it is perhaps better to ask a different question. “What is Photography used for?” At its core, Photography is fundamentally a medium used to tell a story - like so many other forms of art, Photography is a tool for Storytelling. What story is being told and whose is the decision every Photographer must make and can ultimately cover any topic. From the segregated ethnic groups of Africa to historical political figures, to chronicling family portraits once a year, and even advertising products.

    To become good at Photography is to become good at Storytelling. So that next time you find yourself snapping away, hoping to capture that next great image, ask yourself, “What story am I trying to tell here?” Figure that out first and let it be your guide to capture truly inspirational imagery that transcends Photography into a work of Art.