So whats a good picture?

Its pretty hard to define what a good picture is, since it is often the sum of what you have learned to be a good picture. Its a lot like art, peoples tastes are so different that it is close to impossible to discuss that it is good or bad art. But still we like to discuss it, much like music. If you listen to older people they think that the music today is terrible, and this is probably true for the current generation when they grow up too and something new comes around. Well it seems to be a pattern of "you like what you have learned to like".

But with photography there seems to be some clearly defined things that make a good picture and what ruins it. I think that what we learn is a more abstract notion of what pleases the eye. I can mention some here to get you on the right track:

Repeating patterns. Our brains seems to love the idea of something repeated, wheter it be flowers in a landscape or round stones on a shore. These shots often show depth which permit us to understand the scene and its scale.

Smooth color gradients. Plain looking images with large areas of smooth color gradients often catch our eyes. This is why macros where the background is out of focus often works so nicely. Although most people seem to like the idea of a nice blue sky, it is becoming more appreciated to have some texture in the sky, with clouds. Still many abstracts often have these gradients which work well.

Lines and curves. There is a certain part of the brain that is excellent at finding lines and curves in what we see. That is why putting things on a line works nicely too. It leads the eye and please the part of us that recognize simple geometry. Often combined with repeating patterns it can be very effective.

Offset point of interest. While most amateur photographers often shoot what they see by putting it directly in the middle of the picture, most professionals know that composition where the center of interest is placed off-centre works better. This is because it convey some understanding of the space surrounding the object, hence more clues to the depth and scale of things. This helps us appreciate that the object is related to its surroundings and that is the image instead of just focusing on the tree itself. The rule of thirds is not a coincidence, but a result of how humans like to relate objects to its surroundings. Often the relation can be to the frame itself, so even abstract work benefit from this rule.

Symmetry. There seems to be evidence that people regard a symmetrical face to be more beautiful than a non-symmetrical. This is also related to how we like lines, curves, geometry and patterns. Finding symmetrical patterns in everyday things can produce some interesting images.

Of course there are tons of different things that make up a good picture, but try to take time to study the images you like, and write some words that pop into your mind about why you like it. Soon you will find the similarities and patterns, and as you experiment with your photography, your mind will remind yourself about these "clues" to make a good picture. Your eye will start seeking and the checklist in your brain will be accepting and rejecting more on auto-pilot than you would think. This is when you have a "trained eye". Happy shooting!