Here is an example of the photo the grandmother showed me on the plane, except I am closer than she was with her camera.

While flying out of Dallas, I was sitting by a sweet little grandmother. She had been visiting her grandchildren and was eager to talk about them. She showed me a snapshot of a red dot in the middle of someone’s front yard. The red dot (at least to her) was a compelling photograph of her granddaughter in a little red dress my new friend had made for the child.

All I could see was a red dot, but the grandmother could see the beautiful little girl and her handmade red dress in her mind’s eye. If I had made photographs like that one while I was on my assignment, it would have been the last time I ever worked for that client!

That grandmother held a snapshot that was a memory jogger for her and those who already knew the little girl. A photograph that can communicate to anyone is something else altogether.

If my assignment had included that child, I would have needed to show the cute little daughter up close enough for anyone to see how charming she was, and perhaps through body language, the child could let the viewer know how proud she was of her new dress.

I believe there are two main reasons people make photos:

1. People take pictures to please themselves
2. People take pictures to communicate something to others

Making photos for ourselves is pretty straightforward. We know right away if the image was successful. Either we like it, or we don’t. If we don’t like it, we can probably figure out what would make it better. Photos we take for ourselves belong to the category of snapshots. They are intended for the family photo album to hold memories of vacations, birthdays, and other of life’s special events.

One year I decided to help my father transfer the family movies to video. It was a pretty simple setup, but it worked. We projected the film onto a screen and videotaped them while our family watched the old movies. The video camera captured our comments as we watched the old films. The funny thing is that every time we watch these videos together, the family makes the same comments, and we laugh at how these old pictures always trigger the same responses.

As I think back, I realize that the older films, the ones made before I was born, don’t do much for me. You just had to be there for these snapshots to work.

Okay, so if we want our photos to communicate, we must consider another person’s point of view. So how can we attract and hold the attention of our audience? One way to learn this is by studying the work of photographers whose work does just that.

I suggest aiming for the top. If you like sports, then open Sports Illustrated and study the photos. Ask yourself and others why these photos work if you enjoy traveling photography; learn about National Geographic, Southern Living, or other magazines that do a good job keeping paying audience.

Some key elements keep the viewer’s attention. Editorial photographers try to stop the viewer with their photographs. They want the photo to spark curiosity, to make us read the caption under the picture. A good caption will make us want to read the story.

Here are some of the critical elements that distinguish a good photo from a snapshot:

It is stopping power. The world is full of visuals vying for our attention. There are photos on products, TV, magazines, newspapers, the web… everywhere, pictures, pictures, and more!

I believe the key is to show our audience something different. We take most snapshots from standing height and way too far away. Get down to the ground for a worm’s eye view or get up on something for a bird’s eye view. Get a lot closer. Closer will give our photo a little stopping power. It’s out of the ordinary. It’s a surprise.

Communication of purpose. Engaging with content is the goal. People want to be amused, entertained, or learn something from a photograph. We need to think about why we are taking a picture. If we aren’t sure, no one else will be either, and we’ve made another snapshot.

Emotional impact or mood. Some folks can tell stories better than others. The same is true with taking photos, but we will make better photos if we consider how to bring more drama into them. The key to creating emotional impact is first to experience the emotions we wish to convey. We need to have a genuine interest in the subjects we photograph.

Our photos need to be technically correct, that’s understood, just as we expect a musician to at least play the right notes. But if the image doesn’t draw the viewer in and move them, it’s like listening to a machine perform Chopin. What we choose to include or exclude makes up the graphical elements that can catch the viewer’s attention.

Remember, a technically competent photograph often is no more than a technically competent snapshot and quite dull. Of course, we must be sure the camera’s settings are correct, but this is only the beginning. We need to look for a new perspective, look for another point of view so that people will want to see more of our pictures rather than looking for ways to get out of enduring more snapshots.

Don Rutledge is editing a coverage.

“I have three treasures which I hold and keep. The first is mercy, for from mercy comes courage. The second is frugality, from which comes generosity to others. The third is humility, for from it comes leadership.” — Master Po

“Strange treasures. How shall I hold them and keep them? Memory?” — Caine

“No, Grasshopper, not in memory, but your deeds.” — Master Po

What makes a great mentor is an interested student. I often think of the old TV series Kung Fu, where the main character has flashbacks to his childhood, asking many questions of his master. We do not see the master pressing the boy so much as the young boy seeking out the master’s wisdom. If you genuinely want to learn and are open to criticism, you can learn much from a mentor.

I watched one of my mentors, Don Rutledge, mentor many people. Working with Don and down the hall from his office was privileged. Don Rutledge was a staff photographer for Black Star and later worked covering missionaries around the world for Christian magazines. He traveled throughout the United States and in more than 150 countries.

I watched, noticing that no matter who came by, Don made the time to sit down with the person and talk. They would bring their portfolios and mostly wanted a job doing what he was doing. Most were using Don; some were so bold as to go to Black Star trying to take his job. Many went on to prosperous careers but failed to thank Don for his wise counsel or generosity in providing industry contacts.

Like everyone else, I sat down with Don and had him review my work. But I gained the most valuable insight when Don invited me to come along on some of his shoots. We took trips together where I would watch him work and occasionally hand him a lens. Observing Don is where I learned from a master of the craft.

John Howard Griffin changed his skin color to black for the research for his book Black Like Me. (Photo by Don Rutledge)

I watched as Don got out of the car and introduced himself to the subject. He would talk for a while with the person in a casual conversation, which was an interview. He was listening and learning all he could. What would make a good photograph? What would be good quotes for the story? And by the way — his cameras were either in the car or in his bag during this time.

After each story, during our car ride back, I would ask lots of questions and learn even more about what Don thought as he worked. Then, we would review the photos when the contact sheets came back from the lab. I only knew of a few photographers who sat down and looked through Don’s contact sheets and learned from him how he worked. Most were only interested in guidance about their work; they didn’t know what they were missing.

When looking for a mentor, find someone at the top of the industry with a personality and work you admire. Please show them your work regularly and ask for advice. Ask if you can watch them work, and ask to help them. Most importantly, become friends with them for a lifetime; don’t just use people for your career development. And finally — give back by mentoring someone yourself.

“But Master, how do I not contend with a man that would contend with me?” — Caine

“In a heart that is one with nature, though the body contends, there is no violence, and in the heart that is not one with nature, though the body is at rest, there is always violence. Be, therefore, like the prow of a boat. It cleaves water, yet it leaves in its wake water unbroken.” — Master Po

How did I learn about Don? My uncle Knolan Benfield worked with him from 1969 to 1979. Knolan told me so much about Don that I thought I already knew him when I met him. Don had impacted Knolan’s work and improved his photography.

My master’s thesis was on Don Rutledge; you can read it here. It will take a minute to load.

What I learned from Don changed my life. Today I teach at colleges and workshops, and, like Don, I am willing to help anyone because Don showed me it was necessary. Ultimately, I learned why Don had given so much. It was because, in giving, we receive so much ourselves.