[Leica] Mediocre Photographs

[imagist3 at mac.com (Lottermoser George)]

In an attempt to help us all avoid creating and posting "mediocre"  
photographs; can we develop a group consensus on what constitutes a  
mediocre photograph? (sometimes we post images which are simply  
interesting visual notes of situations and I believe not intended to  
be seen as anything more - I'm not dicussing about those).

So - as a start:
a mediocre performance ordinary, average, middling, middle-of-the- 
road, uninspired, undistinguished, indifferent, unexceptional,  
unexciting, unremarkable, run-of-the-mill, pedestrian, prosaic,  
lackluster, forgettable, amateur, amateurish; informal OK, so-so,  
'comme ci, comme ?a', plain-vanilla, fair-to-middling, no great  
shakes, not up to much, bush-league. antonym excellent.

And the above can refer to:
        1. subject matter
        2. technical craft
        3. composition
        4. print (or .jpg) quality
either individually or in various combinations.

The interesting thing about this or any other art rests in that in  
the hands of an artist - mediocre subject matter can become an  
excellent expression; likewise for each of the 4 points. The art is  
in having something to say and the means to say it. So we're back to  
the questions:
        1. "Why did you make this photograph?"
        2. "Why did you use these techniques?"
        3. "Why did you compose it in this way?"
        4. "Why did you choose these colors (tones, contrast)?"
        5. "Did your decisions re: the above achieve your desired effect?"


Regards,
George Lottermoser
george@imagist.com