Seven criteria shared by photographic WOW moments
1. They catch the human eye and keep it. Use action, emotion (living things and body language), color, lines, patterns (groups), to do so. Remember, black and white are colors, too.
2. They create an emotional (spiritual) connection between the viewer and something in the photo, or a connection between two or more elements (people, animals).
3. They tell a clear compelling story.
4. They have a clear point of interest--immediately alerting the viewer to who or what is the main character. Use role of thirds, focus, and light and dark.
5. They are simple. Everything not important to the story has been eliminated before or after the shoot.
6, They have a clear cookie crumb trail leading the eye through the pertinent parts of the story. Lines can be actual or perceived.
7, They must be cropped closely in a well balanced manner. Obviously vast landscapes and such must have empty space but only in as much as it is important for the story.
