One Click—Why Do We Keep a Photograph?

Creating a photograph involves a range of factors. Many of these elude reflection at the moment of capture. The act of photographing is shaped by both conscious, cognitively grounded decisions and by intuitive impulses. After photographs are taken—whether during fieldwork, on commission, or in the studio—an equally complex process begins. Once the clearly flawed images have been discarded, a more deliberate selection follows. At this stage, the photograph’s fate is largely decided. It may remain a private memory, perhaps preserved in a family album, or enter the public sphere. Evaluating photographs, comparing them, and ultimately retaining the strongest images requires not only professional criteria but also individual considerations. The decision can be approached from artistic, aesthetic, and psychological perspectives. A more profound understanding of these factors may offer new insights, even into one’s own photographic practice and image selection methods.

When photographers decide which images to delete, share, or include in a creative portfolio from the large number of photographs they take, many criteria may come into play. Yet these decisions are preceded by the act of making the images themselves. Already during the act of photographing, the photographer’s personal system of values plays a significant role. At the same time, much also depends on the technical conditions of image-making, which can guide the creator and shape the work’s artistic language.^[1]

Digital cameras, for example, often provide various forms of reference for settings: they measure light levels, suggest aperture or shutter speed settings, and offer immediate feedback on exposure. These features may allow the photographer to rely more heavily on intuition. By contrast, cameras with fewer electronic functions—or fully analog devices—often require greater attention, such as more precise light metering. They also offer fewer opportunities for immediate adjustment. At the same time, modern digital cameras typically allow easy cropping or selection of image styles directly on the device.

At first glance, it might seem that easier handling and a higher number of adjustable settings provide more space for creative freedom. This, in turn, would benefit the photographer. However, it is also important to consider that the abundance of settings can distract attention from the subject. During digital work, the photographer is not compelled to produce the fewest possible exposures while striving to make each one count. The multitude of options makes decisions more difficult. More possibilities also mean greater risks and more factors to weigh.^[2] Digital technology allows the creation and storage of tens of thousands of photographs. With cloud storage services, nearly unlimited numbers of images are possible. In contrast, photographers working with film operate within clear limits. A traditional roll of film typically holds only thirty-six exposures.^[3] Additionally, purchasing and developing film involves tangible financial costs.

For precisely this reason, analog photography may lead to more deliberate work, as it requires a more concentrated creative presence. Intuition also depends greatly on the photographer’s ability to remain present within the environment in which the photograph is taken. This sense of presence may be reinforced by the higher stakes of each exposure—due in part to the cost of film—compared with digital techniques.

Digital photography, precisely because the stakes are lower, often yields far more images, making the process of selecting photographs more demanding. Psychological research has repeatedly shown that while a wide range of possibilities may initially seem appealing, excessive choice can later unexpectedly reduce the motivation to make decisions.^[4]

In amateur photography, the shareability of an image often plays a decisive role in determining which photographs are kept and in motivating the creation of the image. Social media platforms also provide opportunities for users to construct a particular image of themselves. Photographs chosen for the purpose of self-representation are therefore selected through a conscious process. Interestingly, this process closely resembles the selection practices of professional photographers when choosing among their completed works.^[5]

In professional contexts, intuition may play a smaller role because the client’s expectations usually take precedence. Even so, intuitive choices—those guided by an immediate impression may still appear. Photographers often think from the client’s perspective, which moves decision-making closer to deliberate reasoning than to purely intuitive judgment. In both cases, focused attention is required; only the direction of attention changes. It may be directed outward, toward a client’s expectations, or inward, toward the photographer’s own emotional and aesthetic responses. These orientations cannot occur at the same time. Attention can focus only on one direction at a given moment.^[6] There is no such thing as divided attention; nevertheless, both perspectives may appear within the broader decision-making process. To accommodate both, the photographer must conduct two separate selections, engaging both emotional and rational evaluations.^[7] The process might take longer because human consciousness can sustain attention on a problem long enough for careful reflection.^[8]

A similar aspect arises when photographs are selected not by the photographer, but by another party—such as a colleague, an editorial team, or a private client. Here, selection usually comes from a pre-selected set of images. The person making the choice does not evaluate the basic quality and does not think in terms of a success-versus-failure dichotomy. Instead, they browse through already refined images and select according to their needs. Here, too, a distinction may emerge. For example, a couple choosing a wedding series will likely select based on emotional considerations. An advertising agency, by contrast, may prioritize professional or functional criteria.^[9] Despite the apparent contradiction, the situation is not as clear-cut as. Professional concerns may influence couples, and emotional responses may play a role in professional selections.^[10] For instance, an art director choosing a single image from a series of equally strong photographs of a model for a billboard campaign may be swayed by emotion. To avoid excessive individual bias, agencies often involve several people in the decision-making process. Multiple perspectives help ensure the final choice does not simply reflect one person’s subjective opinion.

Even professional decisions—those based on experience—can be influenced by bias, whether personal or professional.^[11] An art collector may consider not only the work’s artistic quality but also its potential as an investment. An aesthete might approach the image from the perspective of art philosophy or social impact. An art historian, meanwhile, may evaluate the work in relation to its precedents and its place within a broader historical framework when deciding whether to highlight or ignore a specific image.

Although it may appear straightforward, it is important to note that professional and personal or emotional criteria cannot be ranked hierarchically. One is not more valid than the other. When evaluating a photograph as art, neither perspective can be dismissed. A photograph is composed of impressions created by light and color and of technical parameters.^[12] Even when aesthetic or philosophical interpretations distance evaluation from individual psychological reactions, it is essential to acknowledge the viewer’s subjective nature. This subjectivity inevitably plays a role whenever photographs are evaluated, interpreted, or ultimately chosen.