Beginners' Guide to Scoring Your Images 

As they say, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Having said that, I would be proud to have most of those images on my hard drive.

Simon, I find it hard to believe you still get any 1 or even 2 star images these days. You have an impeccable eye. Most of your compositions I would walk past/through without ever noticing for myself. I would give the 1st image maybe a high 3? So a 4. Thank you for the wonderful content, as always.

Great video, Simon. This is the kind of material that really helps one to see critically and evaluate composition. Thanks!

1st image 4 thanks for an informing video I learnt plenty

Love the explanation on why and how the scene works!

Very very intresting lesson Simon....thanks!!

Your 1s are my 5s, Simon. Thank you for a very informative and entertaining video (as always!)

Hi, Simon. What a great video for education. I would put the first image as a 3. What brings it down for me are RH corner highlights. I love your explaining, as it assists me greatly as a camera club judge, where we see ones through to the fours and every now and then, fives. Cheers

So well put together Simon 👍🏻

spectacular!

Those beech trees in Padley Gorge are in one of my favourite and regularly visited spots since seeing it one autumn as we were walking our dog. I've worked that clearing for photos so many times - I went this morning and there's been a couple of neighbouring trees fallen into the clearing so that view is now filled with big horizontal tree trunks and severed branches - such a shame. Thanks so much for your excellent videos and beautiful images - such an inspiration

Nice work again Simon. The beech tree one is my favourite. Going back to that day in the Peak District my wife and I came across you. Cheeky me asked for a selfy with you and you abliged. Stay safe. Rodders 👍

Thanks for the video - always informative. I rate the first photo a 4 for its bucolic feel but mostly for the progressive flow of the shades of green. Generates an immediate restive ahhhh feeling.

I really have to compliment your style of photography youtube vlogs/videos, Simon. You really keep it photography focused and don’t get bogged down in making a ‘RU-vid video’, with faux excitement or comedy. Some of the most informative videos - when it comes to explaining compositions, and you’re very knowledgeable on the flora and fauna too, you’re one of the best imo. You really honed in on identifying composures, how to stay composed in the field & not lose sight of problems outside of a good, strong subject.. I hope that wasn’t to much! lol 💜

Very informative, you always give me some more advice to take with me on my next photographic venture. The first image I would give a 3 towards a 4 but I might be biased as I love woodland and trees. Your superb 5 image I think was taken in one of my favourite locations 'Padley Gorge' a photographers paradise especially in Autumn. The leaf I would happily put on my wall. Thanks for keeping me focused.

Interesting video Simon. I would rate the 1st image as a 4. For me, it could be improved slightly by giving a little more room at the top of the image to the horizontal branch. In addition, I feel a little more contrast to the foreground would accentuate the brighter background . With a couple of tweaks it could perhaps have been a 5. Nice image though and well developed composition.

I may be mistaking the exact thought but someone once said about pornography that it’s tough to define but you know it when you see it. As usual Simon helps to define but that seems to apply here as well. Judging by the websites I’ve seen which apply the same 1-5 system, high drama and heavy post processing seem to garner the highest scores and likes. I’ll take Simon’s precise quality any day.

Great video Simon it's a 3 for me

Hello Simon Interesting video with realy nice images, but scoring images is always a matter of taste and the mood of the moment. Your first image I would rank as 4 to 5. It is like from a fairy tale and says, stand up an go through. Left all the sorrowes of the world behind you :-). Have a nice time and see you in your next video :-).

I love the first image and my initial reaction is a 4 star ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I gave that first image a 4, it held me and fascinated me.

In my photography I use a golf style scoring system. Plenty of below par images & rarely any albatrosses. As subjective as it is I am aiming for birdie images to put out for others to see!

Great video Simon but so subjective. The first image for me is a 3; the fungus is a 4. The Beech trees are easily a 5; faces in the water a 2 - sorry. I have given up submitting lanscape images in camera club competitions, they never do well.

First image definitely ranks a four for me. It conjures up visions of the enchanted forrest. A mystical rabbit steps onto the path in the distance only to be hit by a sunbeam,,, Always enjoy your films. All the best from the Philippines...

Thanks Simon…

HI Simon, what a great tutorial I really learnt about composition and rating. I would give the first image a 4 . I think it would only improve if it was re taken in the heart of autmn with all the golden colours that would give. Thanks again and please keep them coming. I so look forwad to them .🙃

Long time subscriber and follower of your channel. Your rating system hit home with my own process. Many years ago I created a rating system of my own using some logical guidelines, however as you pointed out, there is a lot of personal subjectivity involved. It is also noteworthy to state that this is within one's own body of work... My 4 is probably your 2 or 3! 😀 3.1 Rate Photos in the Library module. Ratings are from 1 to 5 starts. Each rating as a progression from the previous level. However, these are guides and subjective personal preferences and experiences must be factored into the grading. 1 Star = Technically acceptable only and not interesting. • Records of locations, family functions. 2 Star = Engaging with some redeeming quality. • Faces, Interesting objects and subjects, juxtapositions. 3 Star = Compositional elements which are easily defined. 4 Star = Minor flaws prevent this from being a 5 star. • A minor thing which cannot be corrected in post processing. • Lack of shadow or highlight detail.

Lots of winners throughout. I particularly liked #1. Had you not mentioned the derelict wall I may have missed it. That wall really made me think of how old it may be....Roman, pre-Tudor, pre-Stuart. If walls could talk. Notwithstanding your comment about some photographers not doing much with macro, did you give macro a look at the moss spore capsules on the log where you sat for the final ~9 minutes? Initially they were backlit, but became shaded as you finished. Thanks for making my Sunday afternoon.

At close to 40 mins this was a very long video to watch but enjoyable and certainly educational in it's content. I would be honest and say I don't take enough care over my images as far as composition goes - I have a thought plan that if I like a scene I will shoot it. Of course I will try and use rule of 3rds etc and try to eliminate distractions out of the scene if I can but I don't worry too much about it. With that in mind & having really tried to take on board your tips regards marking images I would say my own photography is full of 1s & 2s. You woodland floor / close up images are something I have always admired and I have often gone out with trying to shoot a "Simon Booth" but I always come back disappointed - I did that very thing this morning in my local woodland. The subject matter was great but getting it back home it didn't have that wow factor... I gave it a 1.5... lol. I gave your opening image a 3. The 5 star beech woodland image is easily 5 and we can all see why - a question would be that if the light was not as good as it was would it have dropped to a lower figure in your estimation? regards Alan

Lovely video, Simon. Thanks. I would rate your first image as a 3.5 going on 4. My reasoning? The image invites you on a journey to who knows where.

Hi Simon, great video and for me the M50 image is a 4 for me , it has more depth to it and the details are more visible... Possibly would crop it as you did in the stills image to remove the sky from the top.

The initial image is very nice. I would say 4 stars.

Really helpful way of thinking about the quality of images and their potential. I find myself making faces or noises when I take an image - that acts as a guide for me - my own reaction when I first look at the back of the camera. Ooooh. . . . Is usually a higher quality image! Hahah. As for what I think that first image is . . . . It ain't a 1, I'm debating a 3 or 4, leaning more towards 4 I think.

Photography is so subjective. It is an expression like any other art. Ansel Adams said there are two people in every photograph. The photographer and the observer. Both independent. The photographer's job is to show what he saw and what he felt. The observer is to judge what that meant to them. Sometimes it's the same thing. Others not.

I'd quite happily give that first image a 6!!!

Simon, another great edition, thank you. I would give your first image a 4…. Curious what you rated it? As always, keep snapping!

Interesting to see your rating process. Mostly agree/understand the ratings (which don't mean I could do it myself). The exceptions were the "high key" ones and the last five star which I don't get at all.

Loved that first shot,did you just put your hand up to the lens hood to bloke out the unwanted light?

As it passed by, I immediately went for 4. Then I paused it and stared at- the trees, roots and moss (?) on the left I found appealing. Something looked wrong on the right side and the path. So.... a three, maybe a shade towards a 2. That said, I've fully equivocated- gut reaction was a 4, but the considered view dropped it to 2 or 3. What do I know? Great presentation! I would love to know how you processed that water image- Cheers!

It’s a 5 from me 😊x

I thought the first image was a 3.5 to a 4. But I preferred it on second view at the end of the video than the first time you showed it in the film. I was wondering about the trunk on the left hand side of the frame and whether we need to see the source of that arching branch, or have that branch arching in without seeing the rest of the tree it came from. I can’t decide.

Look at you with your snazzy red trousers!😂

Personally I’m against the whole idea of rating images. I find it arbitrary and formulaic. I also feel we need some distance from the experience in the field to judge an image. I do agree we tend to work our way towards an improved or refined composition and this is something worth exploring. I enjoyed the video and your photography, however. A pleasure to watch you work, as always.

I would rate it a 3 star, get the feeling the left is carrying the right side of the image. Just a personal thing judging images. I agree with your 5 for the beech trees, it draws you in

In my dull and mundane photography "journey," I'd score that woodland path image a 5 for me, even though the path leads to nothing remarkable.

Well, using this method I have only gotten as high as a three so far for any of my images. And the image you asked about, I think you scored it as a 3.5.

It’s a 4.5 from me… just needs someone wearing a bright red raincoat to walk into frame ((o;

ide mark it a 3 star

5 for me

Very interesting video. I think your first image is a 2/3 for me. it's good but just not enough interest to hold me for too long. I don't and never will have your 'eye' but like a lot of comments scoring is down to personal choice and we don't all see things the same way. for example I would have deleted the image you gave a three star rating as it didn't do a thing for me and I really didn't like the top left brightness one little bit. good job we're not all the same eh?! thank you Simon for a very informative video.

Definitely at least a 4

I'd give the shot a 4, do I have to say "all day long?" 😏 Though I'm not against rating it's not something I do regularly and think there is enough subjectivity in many aspects of photography without adding another layer.

There is something you've overlooked . Pics shouldn't be taken to keep others happy . You take pics that makes YOU HAPPY . That's the end game

Is your first image a 4 Simon?

Simon sound quality is very poor, hissing and fading as move away from your camera.

Really enjoyed watching and how you score your images. We just love order don't we. Based on my own scoring I have 3.5K - 1s, 126 - 2s and just 7 - 3s. I've not reached the heady heights of a 4 or 5 yet 🙂 Liked your first image looking down the path towards the light and of course the 2 trees at 32 mins.