The Heart of the Photograph

01

Is It Good?

AS ONE WHO MAKES PICTURES FOR A LIVING and teaches others to do so, I have long been preoccupied with what should be, one might think, a simple question: What makes a good photograph?

To hear popular photographic culture speak their answers to this question, we could be forgiven for thinking it is merely a matter of meeting a particular technical standard. When we first learn this craft, it’s miracle enough that we can bring our skills to bear on the creation of a photograph that is focused and well-exposed. That becomes our first standard, and often, though expressed with more sophistication, our last. Our thoughts lean toward, “If only I could wrap my head around the complexities of the technique, or the understanding required ...