Week 7 EOC: What Makes A Photograph Great?

While watching The Bang Bang Club, a film about the group of photographers that documented the Apartheid movement in South Africa during the 90's, the question was asked: What makes a great photograph. The photographer being questioned was really at a loss for words for an answer. Truthfully, there are so many variables and conditions that go into the making of a photograph that it is nearly impossible to determine what exactly makes it "great," without being subjective. Things such as composition, lighting conditions, facial expressions, subject interaction, etc. are all considered when determining its greatness. In the case of war photography, photojournalism, and sports photography, the decisive moment is key. To quote an article from takinggreatpictures.com, "The decisive moment happens when the action reaches an apex, when a subject portrays the perfect expression, when the [subject] conveys a special look, when the light becomes its most dramatic."