Examples of Criteria for Evaluating Your Prints

Some of this info is gleaned from different sources. Again, I’ve been getting requests for this kind of guidance.

First, look at the print from normal viewing distance. This is roughly three times the diagonal measurement of the print. Do you get  feeling of “wow”, or “yawn”?

Do the colors appear as you want them to? Are they believable and realistic? Or do you want a palette that leaps off the page?

In the same vein, did you choose the right media? Do you need the pop and contrast of glossy paper, or do you need the painterly feel of fine art media?

Do you see the details in highlights and shadows? Is there undue noise in either area?

In highly saturated areas, is the color consistent? Do you see any digital artifact, like banding, or is it nice and smooth?

Particularly in skin tones, do you see nice, smooth transitions from highlight areas to shadows? Any signs of stairstepping, loss of detail, etc?

Look along lines where contrast changes significantly - for example, the horizon/sky intersection in a landscape image. Is it clean, much as your eye might see if you were there? Or does it break down into inappropriate colors, aliasing, stairstepping, etc?

Selected comments I’ve collected over time that might be helpful:

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1. •Is the print in "pristine" condition?  (presentation, mounting, lacquering, etc.)
   

2. •Does the image have a center of interest that is apparent? 
   

3. •Does the title of the print immediately find purpose? (Important!)
   

4. •Is the technical quality of the image satisfactory? 
   

5. •Does the image sell itself?  (emotion - story telling - breaking rules advisedly)
   

6. (Dixie Laval, M.Photog. Cr. the Professional Photographers Association of Greater Kansas City)
   

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1. 
   

2. Over and above an absence of technical flaws, finalist photos are (excerpts):
   
   

3. •About character: The subject has a distinctive and appealing presence or intrigue. The
   

4. essence may be entirely innate—an expert rendition of reality by the
   

5. photographer—or the effect may have been enhanced by the photographer.
   

6. 
   

7. •Creative: Judges tend to prefer subjects and composition they have not seen
   

8. before. While most judges would not rule out selecting a sunset (or a national monument) as a winning photograph, such a piece would have to be absolutely spectacular.
   

9. 
   

10. •Direct and to the point: The subject and theme of a great photo are
    

11. immediately obvious. A not infrequent critique is that an image is “too busy”
    

12. or multifaceted.
    

13. 
    

14. •Either rich in color saturation or delicately shaded: Both approaches
    

15. accentuate mood. Brilliant color is always a plus. In black-and-white images,
    

16. high contrast without sacrificing detail creates a compelling tension.
    

       (Bill Katzenstein)

There’s more of course. I suggest that you visit websites of the professional photography associations, like PPA and WPPI.