Street photo critique
Criteria for street frames: a clear moment, layers that read, light that supports the idea, and edges free of accidental clutter.
Street photography lives on timing and structure. A street critique should ask whether the frame has a clear idea, whether the moment landed, and whether layers and edges support that idea. Artluni can give an AI-written second opinion on those craft points; it will not feel the pavement under your feet, so keep your local knowledge when the model misreads a joke only locals get.
Timing and the subject
Ask what happened at the instant of exposure. A step, a glance, a gesture, a bit of signage aligning with a stranger: something should justify the shutter. If the file is only "people walking on a high street", say so honestly and pick a stronger frame from the contact sheet. Gesture mid-stride often beats a static back-of-head.
Layering and geometry
Foreground, middle and background can stack into a single story when tones separate. A dark figure against a lit wall, a reflection in a window, a poster that comments on a passer-by: those are compositional choices. Check that layers do not turn into mud. Verticals in cities often want to be straight unless the lean is the point. Leading lines from kerbs and shadows can guide the eye to the subject or out of the frame by mistake.
Light, edges and ethics
Hard sun makes graphic shapes; overcast light suits faces and clothes detail. Night work needs a hold on noise and on blown shop signs. Clean the edges: amputated limbs, bright bins, and logos that overpower the scene are fair critique notes. On ethics, be honest about context: candid work carries responsibility. Critique the picture's clarity and respect without turning the review into a legal seminar.
Next steps
Run a self-pass with how to critique your own photography, then try a free AI photo critique on a shortlist frame. Related genres: portrait for environmental faces, landscape when the city becomes place. Guides: Artluni guides.