A wild and cold walk along the wall gave some time for thought and reflection.I thought a great deal about the concept of 'Value Added'. This (sadly) is a well worn path in my current line of work and while I hesitate to transfer over, it did, for me, allow a framework for thinking.

There are many ways to define a good picture; many are 'liked' on Facebook with a near instant, unconsidered gut reaction. This is a valid route in my opinion. In the 'real' world we may be seduced by the tactile aspects of the finished print or paper. The careful dissection with regard to rules of thirds, lead in lines, foreground interest etc may also provide a route to determine goodness or even greatness. The question that will be considered in a future post is 'Has the photographer added value in some way?' Have they been somewhere that the viewer cannot themselves go? Have they secured an image that would be technically too challenging for the average? Have they captured a unique and unrepeatable moment? What elevates this image above the ordinary?