1. Formal elements
This should help your writing about your analysis of your work as well as your analysis of other creators’ work…

2. In your notes on your work and that of others…
Your analysis should incorporate your notes on the formal elements whenever appropriate. Those formal elements are –
FRAMING - What has been chosen to include within the boundaries of the photo?
VIEWPOINT - What angle as the photograph been taken from?
LIGHT - What areas of the photograph are highlighted? Are there any shadows? Can you guess the time of day? Is the light natural or artificial? Harsh or soft? Reflected or direct?
COMPOSITION - How are the things contained in the photograph arranges? How does your eye move around the photo?
FOCUS - What areas appear clearest or sharpest in the photograph? What do not?
LINE - Are there objects in the photograph that act as lines? Are they straight, curvy, thin, and thick? Do the lines created direction in the photographs? Do they direct our attention?

4. Intention - What do you think the photographer is trying to achieve?
Theme - Is there a dominant idea in the image / series of images?
Setting - Where has the image been taken? What is the effect of this?
Narrative - What do you think is happening? What story is being told?
Background - What is behind the main subject? How does it affect how we view the subject?
Expressive - Do you think the photographer is trying to portray an emotion?