The 3 main components of your best work

I’m often asked how I identify the best images when I’m reviewing (or ‘blitzing‘) a photographer’s work.

My background is in advertising photography and high end commissions from around the world, so I tend to be drawn to images which will also attract advertising creatives, designers and art producers.

Having said that, the top shots I’ve selected for photographers have been the same pieces that have later been the faves of art curators and highly respected jurors around the world.

The fact is, a good shot is a good shot.

It’s a very intuitive process for me, but in a nutshell your best shots probably have the following three factors:

1. A strong message, and which you ‘get’ upon first glance.

Advertising photography is all about communicating a message. Quickly. But in magazines, online and even on an art gallery your best work should grab attention, and stop people in their tracks.

I wrote about this a bit here.

2. A strongly emotive feeling.

Your work should evoke an emotional response in the viewer. It will be far more powerful and memorable if they feel something. And it doesn’t have to be warm and fuzzy. Calm, meditative, exciting, shocking…it’s all relevant.

More on this here.

3. Believability.

Believable performance, casting, make up, styling, retouching, and all other production elements that make a shoot come together. I have rejected many technically beautifully images that are spoiled by overly heavy make up, bad styling or a wooden model. Your work is worth the right team!

Find out 5 ways to reality check your work here.

Your best work has tremendous power and informs everything about your brand, so get blitzing now, ditch the rubbish, and don’t settle for second best!