Szarkowski

Szarkowski found that there are five elements photographers are aware of:

⌠ Thing ⌡ - The thing is the subject of the photo. Although the photographer is, at first, capturing a piece of reality, the captured image will survive the original subject and become the remembered reality.

⌠ Detail ⌡- To focus on detail is to isolate a fragment and document it, giving it significance. Photographs of the trivial force the viewer to take a second look at something they would normally overlook or ignore.

⌠ Frame ⌡- Creating a relationship between figures is one way of framing a photograph. Selecting what will and won't be in the photo, which is the central act of photography, forces viewers to focus on the picture edge and is also a way of framing.

⌠ Time ⌡- All photos capture a piece of time, which is always the present.

⌠ Vantage Point ⌡ - Photos that give us the sense of the scene while withholding the narrative are making use of vantage point. Examples of vantage point include the backs of people and bird's eye view.

⌠ Favorite Elements ⌡
I think that I work best with thing, frame, and time. I often find I want my photos to be focused on something, whether it's a person, animal, landscape, or object. Abstract photos are interesting in their own way, but too many of them can become boring.

When I take photos, I find myself framing the subject, sometimes without even realizing it. As for time, if a certain lighting or unusual weather conditions stands out, I feel that it's more worthwhile to take a picture.