Believe it or not, this has nothing to do with morals or values or anything like that.

It has to do with what people perceive as “good photography.” I’m constantly amazed at what people can accept as good images.

I recently was sent a video that was both funny and sad at the same time. Funny, because it a good representation of what comes from choosing a “cheap” photographer and sad because these  “pro” photographers actually thought it was a good image to give something that was out of focus. Wow! Even sadder, if their claim is that they have shot hundreds of weddings with this standard, why weren’t they getting more complaints? Just watch and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Now — whether or not you agree with the verdict and such, this is a fascinating lesson in photography. And there are points I agree with and points that I very much disagree with in terms of what the judge said! But, the judge is still attempting to apply a standard to the photography.

In my photography classes at Richland Community College I define good photography. And I have to — otherwise it is a bit tough to judge images for grading. Here’s a simple way — does the image succeed in communicating? Does it tell you something? And how well does it do the job? A sharp, technically correct image will easily tell a story. A blurry, out-of-focus image may give you an idea but it rarely tells a story.

At one point in time, before the digital age, it was common to shoot fewer images. After all, who had the money to spend thousands of dollars on using lots of film. I’m not advocating that we head back in time whatsoever. What I am advocating is that we start learning how to edit and throw away bad images. I’m sorry to be so blunt, but the out-of-focus and badly posed image of your daughter’s most precious wedding is just not a good way to remember the event. Cheapness has a cost.

Another, Wow! How can anyone actually call themselves a professional and not even know what equipment or lenses they are shooting with? Or what effect cheap equipment has on the final images? If you spend any time on sites such as Flickr you will see some absolutely wonderful images. And even more not so wonderful images.

I’m constantly amazed at what some people will accept — and that I can’t even get to the point of being able to show! I had a bride and groom several weeks back absolutely gushing over an engagement photos a friend shot. It was blurry (motion blur) and it had things growing out of their heads. I’ve always thought that flag poles should stay in the ground and not grow out of a person’s head. Ouch! And, to top it all off, it was greenish! And this is where it gets difficult, how do you tell someone that a shot is bad when they think it is wonderful?

If you want to learn more, you are also very welcome to come to one of our seminars on basic photography.

Give a call to Richland Community College (217) 875-7211, ext. 265 -or to the Decatur Arts Council (217-423-3194)  to see what I’m up to in teaching!