Photography is a visual art where the author, with the help of its knowledge and photo camera, records world around him to present it to the public. He is capable of converting simple and lifeless cadre into a work of art. In modern society, photography as a medium has a significant influence in all spheres of human activity. Due to photographers number growth, caused by increasing availability of photographic equipment, a need for determining who is better in the visual recording of events was initiated. Photographic societies and organizations implement photographic competitions around the world to give credit to authors by valuing their work and to promote the photographic profession. From the invention of permanently fixed image until today, there are a variety of professional and scientific analysis of the interpretation of photographic works. Opinion of the jury and contestants may not always coincide after the results proclamation. Photography explication is a complex act subjected to a different interpretations conditioned by cultural and emotional states. However, a set of criteria can be defined that cover the technical an technological same as syntactic and semantic characteristics of the photographic image. This paper deals with the perception and interpretation of photographic images and visual and media literacy as a basis to a successful interpretation preceding valorization of photos on the photographic competitions. The purpose of this paper is to review the basic criteria differences according to an application and the methodology of judging photos in a different types of photography competitions.