Thanks, E. The Pink Cadillac is part of the mailbox project I started years ago. I love that mailbox but the photo of it isn’t that great. I don’t think my rating system is much different that most other photographers rating systems in the respect I look for the same things in rating a particular photo. Certainly, it should meet a technical requirement for the subject. For instance, a flower photo could be slightly soft in focus or even blurry and still be acceptable. But other subjects require sharp focus, not necessarily a deep focus, but a point that draws the viewer’s eye in. Most modern cameras have incredible autofocus these days and I rely on it about 72% of the time. The same goes for the cameras auto exposure systems. RAW files still contain a lot of information even in overexposed and underexposed files but sometimes it’s not enough to save a photo. So meeting technical requirements is the first priority in the rating. After that, subject matter, composition, and personal interest are evaluated. Sometimes, while looking at files at the end of the day, I’ll wonder why I shot a particular photo (it could be that bad).
All these factors lead to the rating on a photo. But I left out one factor: time. If anyone searched the metadata on some of these photos they will see that many of them are not all that recent. If you go back and review older photos you may see something in a particular photo that you like and put some time into developing (“developing” – get it) the potential it may have that you didn’t first notice. I’ve always believed that a photo needs to be processed in a manner that brings the photo and the photographer together. The processing, whether slight or extreme, plays an important part in the rating. So time is a critical element in the process.
There is one more element that has a significant weight in the rating system: mood. Yes, photographers tend to be moody sometimes and I’m no exception. Your frame of mind can influence the selection process greatly and it’s important to realize this.
So a rating system can be in flux sometimes. It’s a way to constantly improve our personal creativity with the craft and get more enjoyment from it.
Or you can use the Tarot cards. It’s probably more accurate that any system you can devise.
2clicksaway 
I’ve already used up my pun . . . I could comment on pink Cadillac, but I ain’t got that song in me.
Interesting shots . . . I’m curious how you decide rating/side. Is it technical merit, subject matter, personal whim, or Tarot cards?
Thanks, E. The Pink Cadillac is part of the mailbox project I started years ago. I love that mailbox but the photo of it isn’t that great. I don’t think my rating system is much different that most other photographers rating systems in the respect I look for the same things in rating a particular photo. Certainly, it should meet a technical requirement for the subject. For instance, a flower photo could be slightly soft in focus or even blurry and still be acceptable. But other subjects require sharp focus, not necessarily a deep focus, but a point that draws the viewer’s eye in. Most modern cameras have incredible autofocus these days and I rely on it about 72% of the time. The same goes for the cameras auto exposure systems. RAW files still contain a lot of information even in overexposed and underexposed files but sometimes it’s not enough to save a photo. So meeting technical requirements is the first priority in the rating. After that, subject matter, composition, and personal interest are evaluated. Sometimes, while looking at files at the end of the day, I’ll wonder why I shot a particular photo (it could be that bad).
All these factors lead to the rating on a photo. But I left out one factor: time. If anyone searched the metadata on some of these photos they will see that many of them are not all that recent. If you go back and review older photos you may see something in a particular photo that you like and put some time into developing (“developing” – get it) the potential it may have that you didn’t first notice. I’ve always believed that a photo needs to be processed in a manner that brings the photo and the photographer together. The processing, whether slight or extreme, plays an important part in the rating. So time is a critical element in the process.
There is one more element that has a significant weight in the rating system: mood. Yes, photographers tend to be moody sometimes and I’m no exception. Your frame of mind can influence the selection process greatly and it’s important to realize this.
So a rating system can be in flux sometimes. It’s a way to constantly improve our personal creativity with the craft and get more enjoyment from it.
Or you can use the Tarot cards. It’s probably more accurate that any system you can devise.
Love this comment!
Thanks, AJ. I may have gotten carried away but sometimes I have no self-control.
I’m glad you’re posting these ‘b sides’. Like disperser I wonder what criteria you use. Number 4820 is a beauty.
Thanks, Ash. I wrote a too long reply to disperser you might find interesting.
Edit
Very interesting.
Hmmmm…B side or Robert Frank photos??
Definitely not Robert Frank but I appreciate the compliment, Howard.
They look ‘Frankish” to me 🙂