Looking at photos throughout these forums for almost the past 2 years, I clicked the "like" button many times. At first I would click it because most of the shots were much better then mine having just started out.
After a while I would get to know a few people and would click "like" on their shots just because I liked them personally. Even if they put up a shot I really didn't like at all.
Lately I have quit doing that. I still do it when I see improvement in people's shots, but no longer just because I like them on a personal level.
Here are a few things that make me go for the "like" button in order of importance.
1. Emotion. This is the main thing for me. Does the photograph do anything for me when I first look at it? For me this is much more important than anything else.
2. Subject matter. Landscapes, wildlife are on the top of the list. Especially wildlife actually doing something other than just standing there. (This one is tough to get but it is one of my favorite subjects)
3. Composition. Very important IMO. You can ruin a perfectly executed shot with great subject matter with a badly composed shot.
4. Execution.
Most important for me would be in focus. You have an out of focus shot, you may as well toss it. Nothing worse than seeing a perfectly composed shot with great subject matter doing interesting stuff, and the shot or some critical part of the shot, like the eyes be out of focus.
Execution would also involve getting the right settings as far as exposure is concerned.
These are the main things that I like to see in photographs that I'm viewing whether here on the forums or anywhere else for that matter. I also strive to achieve these very things in my own photos.
After a while I would get to know a few people and would click "like" on their shots just because I liked them personally. Even if they put up a shot I really didn't like at all.
Lately I have quit doing that. I still do it when I see improvement in people's shots, but no longer just because I like them on a personal level.
Here are a few things that make me go for the "like" button in order of importance.
1. Emotion. This is the main thing for me. Does the photograph do anything for me when I first look at it? For me this is much more important than anything else.
2. Subject matter. Landscapes, wildlife are on the top of the list. Especially wildlife actually doing something other than just standing there. (This one is tough to get but it is one of my favorite subjects)
3. Composition. Very important IMO. You can ruin a perfectly executed shot with great subject matter with a badly composed shot.
4. Execution.
Most important for me would be in focus. You have an out of focus shot, you may as well toss it. Nothing worse than seeing a perfectly composed shot with great subject matter doing interesting stuff, and the shot or some critical part of the shot, like the eyes be out of focus.
Execution would also involve getting the right settings as far as exposure is concerned.
These are the main things that I like to see in photographs that I'm viewing whether here on the forums or anywhere else for that matter. I also strive to achieve these very things in my own photos.