How do you judge a photograph?

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Two things.

No matter how well the image illustrates your ideal, unless the photo is nearly perfect, technically, it will not translate well when displayed, either as a large hanging piece of art or published in a magazine or journal.

So, in addition to your scale for judging creativity, you will have to add an additional scale of technical quality. With those two criteria, you should be able to narrow down the final selection.

If no the other hand, there is one stellar concept, but it lacks technical quality, you may want to ask the photographer to reshoot or reprint it to bring it up to the technical standards necessary to publish it ... if they are able to do that.

In the end, the image will be reflecting your business, so excellence is paramount.

Sorry, but you are in trouble.

No one can learn visual arts in reading just a few lines. Beside, it's something you must have an authentic sensibility about to hold the responsibilities you have have been endowed with.

You just run a risk as high as to pass as an incompetent person and to do sheer injustice, unintentionally, against some contestants!

Your story strongly resemble an anecdote I personally experienced 15 years ago when I was art director in a notorious advertising agency.
Some day, a embarrassed young women spontaneously came over me at my desk to ask me if I could help her to teach her the most I could about advertising because she was just freshly hired as manager of my department (well, the story happened in France, if ever it may of some help to believe it).

At first I believed it was a joke organised by some colleagues since such things were common practice; but the following days I came to realize that she said the truth!

Its important to look for something special!

When you look at a large selection of images you'll find images that stand out because they are different. Perhaps showing the subject or giving the message with humour or from a different angle. I would place this above images that were the same as others.

Innovation and independent and creative thinking should win over technical excellance but boring or similar images.

The image must conform to all the competition requirements and rules. So an image that is very innovative cannot win if the message isn't portrayed correctly or they failed to comply with the rules.

Its tough being a judge. Good luck.

add a wow factor and perhaps an area for judgeing color or contrast or both. yay 2points!