Often when we look at a work of art, our first reaction is an emotional one: "I like it" or "It looks awful." Our feelings and reactions are an important reason for creating art, and they are certainly a valid response to the work of others. But as with any artistic discipline, a little further study can enhance our ability to communicate successfully.
One way of learning how to appreciate photographs and make our own photographs better is to follow a three-step process of evaluation: first, describe the work objectively; secondly, analyze the influences our culture (or the artist's culture) imposes on certain subjects and ways of looking