Twelve Elements of a Merit Print

Program by Dave Huntsman, M.Photog., Cr., F-KPPA, KDE

Twelve Elements of a Merit Print

Impact Technical Excellence Creativity Style Composition Presentation Color Balance Center of Interest Lighting Subject Matter Technique Story Telling

Impact

Technical Excellence

Technical Excellence
Print Quality Properly exposed, color corrected.

Under exposed image, poor color.

Technical Excellence
Cloning Tracking

Problems & Concerns

Technical Excellence
Cloning Tracking

Problems & Concerns

Technical Excellence
Cloning Tracking

Problems & Concerns

Technical Excellence
Lighting, over saturation, over sharpened.

Oversharpening Problems & Concerns

Technical Excellence
Lighting, over saturation, over sharpened. Over sharpening

Problems & Concerns

Technical Excellence
Over sharpening, usually obvious by a contrasting line following the edges of the image elements. Poor quality retouching, not blending facial retouching or retouching some areas while ignoring others. Cloning tracks, where the item being cloned has not been blended to make the cloned area unnoticeable. These are a few of the more obvious concerns when looking for technical excellence. If you'll keep these elements in mind when working on your images you'll find the quality in your everyday work improving dramatically.

Creativity

Creativity

Composition

Composition
The eye travels through the image in a curve. It is best that we don't put anything in the image to stop the eye until it has moved through the entire image. The examples below show how roadblocks or stoppers (elements that visually stop your eye movement) can effect an image.

Composition

Great use of an S Curve and the use of color to create interest.

Print Presentation

This Mat is distracting.

This mat is too heavy/dark for the subject.

Problems & Concerns

Print Presentation

This presentation doesnt add anything to the portrait or the story and is confusing.

Problems & Concerns

Print Presentation

The original image presented to the judges. There is a strong photograph within this presentation, it just needs a little help. Problems & Concerns

Print Presentation

Since the eye travels from left to right we hit a stopper at the back of the mans head. If we do start to look through the image again we are pulled out of the far side by the contrasting torn paper.

Problems & Concerns

Print Presentation

Flipping the image horizontally helps us come into the mans face.

Problems & Concerns

Print Presentation

Problems & Concerns

Print Presentation

Removing the torn edge and representing the image makes it much stronger than the original that was presented. Problems & Concerns

Print Presentation

Which presentation do you like best?

Print Presentation

A well presented image, using colors from the image in the mat and keylines, without pulling your out of the image.

A very nice image but the repeating background draws your eye out of the image.

Print Presentation
Finishing Your Prints

The jurors sitting in the end seats will be viewing the edge of your images. The white paper base is very distracting visually.

Print Presentation
Finding the image within the image Using a marker to blacken the white edge on low key / dark prints, reduces the visual distraction created by the paper base. If the print is mounted on white core board I would also darken the edges of the board on low key / dark prints.

Color Balance / Harmony

Both of these images show a great sense of color harmony.

Color Balance / Harmony

Center of Interest

Strong Subject matter and good composition to pull you into the image.

Center of Interest

Center of interest can be very subtle or very strong. Both of these images contain a strong center of interest but are very different visually.

Lighting
The strength of these subjects is well portrayed because of the strong lighting used in each. The essence of the man is shown through his well defined features that are lit so wonderfully. The maker choose the perfect time of day for this scene. Utilizing the setting sun to create a sense of drama.

Lighting

Beautiful short light, defines the shape of each of these lovely faces.

Subject Matter

These two images are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to subject matter, yet each tells a great story.