image quality - Is there a set of common criteria for evaluation of photographs?

Is there any set of criteria for evaluating a single picture that is in common use?

I have the following situation: I want to write down my criteria on how I rate my pictures. At the moment I give stars from 0 to 5 to my images but I just do so as I please. However, I thought it would be good to write down how I've done it, so that I get reasonably consistent results.

I am thinking of writing something down like:

1. ★ In focus, exposure makes subject visible. Basically, I have rated this image and it is okay.


2. ★★ Nice picture, subject has a nice expression on face (if human, etc.)


3. ★★★ Technically correct picture, very publishable.

But isn't there something like I am thinking to codify already out there? For example it might be used by professional reviewers in competition or stock photography.

Answer

I am certain there are no such generally-accepted criteria, because there are too many variable factors. Even technical aspects of image quality are subjective, and one person's "too much blur" may be another's "sense of motion".

I'm sure many specific contests have their own scoring systems and scoring rules, to help with consistency across years and between judges, but I don't think I'd want to apply those rules to my work, because my goals would be different from the goals of the contest.

The Professional Photographers of America association gives twelve elements for judging images for their annual exhibition. These range from "technical excellence" to "lighting" and "color balance" to "story telling" and "creativity". You might find these useful, but it's not really a simple star scale. I can imagine applying some sort of weighted score to each, generating a final number, and boiling that down to stars, but I think the particular weights would be a matter of endless debate.