Elements of a Great Photograph by Femi Kuti

“A photograph is not an accident – it is a concept,” said Ansel Adams, a U.S photographer. A good photograph is like a well-written story – it presents information that is free of clutter and distractions. The following are the elements of a great photograph:

I. Good photographs are well exposed

 

Light is the heart of photography. Therefore, a good photographer must be versed in the use of light metering, must be able to perfectly control the three elements of exposure (aperture, shutter speed and film speed) and must be adept in flash photography. A poorly exposed photograph will never make a great photograph.

   

 II. Good photographs evoke feelings

A good photograph stirs up emotions in the minds of viewers by capturing the prevalent atmosphere of a story. Is the story about happiness or sadness? Does it portray determination, contentment or feeling of horror? It is essential that the photographer decides the emotion he wants the image to evoke before releasing the shutter.

III            Good photographs tell stories

The major difference between photography and photojournalism is the fact that photography presents an image of a subject or an object while photojournalism attempts to make that image tell a story. Whether a photojournalism piece displays a sport event, an accident scene or an award, the photograph must tell a story to the viewer before he/she reads the article.

IV. Good photographs say something about life

A good photograph shows more than just how something looks; it presents an image in it aesthetic quality. A truly good photograph says  something about life itself. Cute animal pictures, beautiful landscape view and the likes have enormous appeal because they tell us that life can be playful, beautiful, innocent and full of life.








        V. Good photographs are well composed

 “There is a vast difference between taking a picture and making a photograph,” said Robert Heinecken. The overall quality of your photograph is a function of how carefully you arrange your subjects or elements in the picture. This careful arrangement or pleasing selection is known as composition.

Composition is the artistic aspect of photography, unlike exposure which is scientific, here; the creative ability of a photographer comes to play.

Biography

Femi Kuti, who hails from Ogun State, teaches Photojournalism at the prestigious University of Ibadan. As a photographer with ample years of experience, he has garnered high praises from photography critics over the years. He holds B.A and M.Sc degrees in Mass Communication.