PHOTOGRAPHY EXPOSED
by John Peters A.R.P.S.
E.T.O.I.L.E.
ETOILE, the french for a star so I liken this to 'star quality' in a photograph, identifying a winner. That's the link.
ETOILE is an acronym used when taking photographs and for rating your own photographs or those of others. No smartphone, no computer, no Excel app, nothing else required like other systems. It's easy to remember too.
'Impact' is possibly the most important factor from a judges point of view. Ive used ETOILE for many years now and found it to be a very good system, introducing a degree of consistency when rating work. Very useful for judges or photographers alike.
Remember, If your images are judged by someone, it's simply their opinion, their judgment, their score or rating, they may be right, they may be wrong. Don't take it to heart. As the great Clint Eastwood said in one of his films, "Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one!"
TOP TIP When your work is rated or commented on by someone else, be prepared for dissapointment as well as success. If your success rate is better than your failure rate, then the chances are you are doing something right.
If we consider ETOILE, If you have at least 3 or 4 elements of ETOILE, you probably have a photograph with some potential. Using the above image as an example, we have E for Exposure which is good, accentuating the coldness by including the shafts of sunlight and the sheeps breath. T - for Technique is satisfactory, the photograph is sharp enough and the background sets the scene. O - for originality but sheep have been photographed many times, so this image might rate fairly low on origiality. I - for impact is reasonable, but not creating particularly high impact, probably not a winner. L - for lighting - location - longevity, all 3 rate reasonably well with backlighting used to good effect. E - for emotion - effort, well the coldness is apparent with the sheeps breath highlighted along with the snowy backdrop and telling us a story about the conditions at the time of the photograph and probably a wee bit of effort should be rewarded for shooting in such cold conditions.
The "rule of odds" is also apparent and the scene is well balanced. My EB method has been used, shooting directly into the sun but keeping colour and a wide range of tones. A little 'dodging' to emphasize the breath was also used, a little 'burning' to darken the shadows, a photo is never just ideal without editing and extra work.
The sky and the reflection in the shot below, coupled with good composition lead to the success of this picture of a well photographed scene. Shooting from an unusual viewpoint adds to success of the photograph. EB was used again, a tripod with cable release and of course - editing. All objects tend to lead the eye to the horizon and the distance.
TOP TIP ETOILE scores well, try it. Use it when taking a photo, use it after editing and don't forget F.A.C.E.. Note the leading lines of the water outlet and how the diminishing lake leads you through the scene. Your concentration is kept within the photo being bordered by the hills and sky and the foreground. Subtle but satisfying. Foreground to distant sharpness helps the picture, use a small aperture for this technique.
L - Good lighting and location are needed for most succesful photographs, and along with longevity, score reasonably well in this image. Don't have anything in your photo that date stamps it. As I said, quality lighting and a unique location are 'must haves' for there to be a chance of any success.
TOP TIP 'ETOILE' Remember it. Think of the French for star. Possibly the most important aspect is 'I' for impact. A judge may have to view 50 or 100 images, you want yours to be remembered, create an impact.