If you’re a fan of nude photography, you’re probably familiar with the technical aspects: focus, light, depth of field, and so on. In the four years getting my art degree, technique was something infrequently discussed in the realm of painting and drawing, and was also a minority topic in photography. Never did we discuss in depth what kind of chisels Michelangelo used, or whether Edward Hopper preferred natural or synthetic brush bristles and how technique affected the way we interpreted their resulting artwork. After art school I found it refreshing to hear more discussion of technique. Many years have passed since my undergraduate degree, and outside of art school it seems that technique is the most discussed photography topic, and in some circles technique seems to be the only topic.

In this article I will discuss some of the other ways to look at photography, beyond aspects of technique. This article is about interpreting photography. Not just what technique was used to create the photograph, but the role that you as the viewer play in interpreting the image.

Composition: Composition always has it’s root in abstraction. For example, the flow of shapes, repetition of colors, interplay of positive and negative space. Abstract composition is free of context; look at the image as if it were a landscape, not for the beauty of the subject but for the beauty of the abstract composition. To view abstract composition, forget what the photograph is about, and look at the shapes, color, and lines. Don’t think about light and shadow as defining a recognizable object, but rather as defining areas of composition. Look as the work as a whole instead of dissecting individual elements in isolation.

Reduced to a few elements, the composition of this image is easier to discern. In shades of gray the dominant areas of tonal contrast are obvious.

Look for the dominant compositional elements, but don’t forget to look deeper for more subtle shapes, colors, and patterns.

Look for patterns, and other repeated elements. Has the photographer included any variations, such as contrasting or similar patterns, or setting up a patter and then changing it?

Composition isn’t purely abstraction, only based in it. Context does begin to play a role as you examine composition. It’s nearly impossible to completely forget what a visual element represents unless the photographer has abstracted it beyond recognition.

Look for textures (skin, hair, etc) and examine how they create subtle patterns that play a compositional role. Examine lines; thin, thick, light, and dark lines.

Mentally separate the compositional elements, examine lines, bright/soft colors, light/dark areas, shapes, patterns, forms, etc in their own right; and then consider how they work together to create the overall composition

Visual pathway: A facet of composition. The path that your eye follows through the work is called the visual pathway. Where do you look first, and next, and so on? Why? Are you drawn to light, bright, colorful areas? Do they contrast with the other shapes and colors in the image?

Emotional impact: What is your immediate response to the work? Does it keep you looking, and why or why not? Look for things that you find interesting because they are unusual or unexpected.  Consider the overall mood of the work. What kind of effect do the colors have on the image?

Style: Look for elements of the photographers imagination; are original themes or elements are portrayed, or is the work more of an homage to a different style? By style, we don’t mean is it low-key or high key lighting, that’s just looking at technique again; what is the style of the total package? Style also does not mean genre (figure study, pin-up, etc.) Style is the photographer’s own signature; his or her unique way of doing things.

Subject matter: What is this work about? Does it tell a story or is it a figure study? Could an idea of the story or study be further developed? Look for unexpected juxtaposition or contrasting elements. How does the subject matter fit with the overall mood? Some photographs show a particular setting, time of day, or activity in order to add further context to the subject matter.

Interpretation: Art is as much about the viewer than the artist. What you see in a photograph tells as much about you than it does about the person who created the photo or is depicted in it. There is no escaping this role as the viewer. Consider what the photograph means to you, be as objective (unbiased) as you can, but realize that your interpretation is based on your own background. Think in shades of degree, not in absolutes – how do you think the photograph will be interpreted by a larger audience?

A quote I remember about musical interpretation “It’s just Rock and Roll, nothing more” – can be applied here as well: “It’s just photography.” – but even that is a personal interpretation.