[Leica] What are the most important aspects of a photographic image ?

[rcmphoto at yahoo.com (R. Clayton McKee)]

--- On Sun, 1/2/11, Geoff Hopkinson <hopsternew at gmail.com> wrote:
> If you look at that summary from
> Tina, it is exactly the same advice that
> Ted has given us too.
> No surprise when you look at the talent and experience of
> both of these fine
> photographers.


I have to argue that the answer depends on circumstances and the purpose of 
the photograph.  


If you're shooting for yourself or for history, or for something other than 
news, of course, the priorities that T&T posted are spot on... 

If you're shooting for a news publication, though, the most important thing, 
absolutely, is that you capture the significant moment of your story.

If you get "the moment" and your lighting and technique are lousy, you get a 
snarl from the editor, and you're probably going to be hearing about it for 
a while, but at least you have usable pix.

If you have perfect lighting and composition and you missed the moment, you 
got nothin', or at most a sob story at the local watering hole.  In today's 
world, too, if you repeat the offense very much you also have a lovely pink 
paper to decorate your loo with.


R. Clayton McKee
PhotoJournalist
from somewhere just south of somewhere else...