10MPlayer Loc: California

Beautiful. Made me smile. We have twin 20 month old grandsons so I'm very open to kid photos lately.

davyboy Loc: Anoka Mn.

It’s a personal thing only you can determine that

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

The answers are numerous and varied, depending on the responder's thoughts and feelings. Many might say the image must somehow speak to the viewer or arouse some emotion or feeling, maybe bring to mind a pleasant or unhappy memory, or even something else. The title question may be in the book I received today, titled, "The Heart of the Photograph, 100 Questions for Making Stronger, More Expressive Photographs" by David duChemin. I've not read it yet but have the belief it will be of benefit to my future photography.

Last evening, my wife and I attended the opening of an exhibition by a local camera club, held at a local University. The displayed photos were varied in subject matter and each and every one was evocative, interesting, unusual, beautiful, imaginative, colorful or contrasty, or much more. To each of us attending the opening, the photos elicited much positivity, appreciation and enjoyment of the expertise of the photographers. Were those photos "worth looking at" because they were in an exhibit, or were they "worth looking at" because they were good photos or maybe some other reason. Whatever the reason, they were appreciated and well received.

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

An excellent, beautiful photo. WOW is insufficient to describe it.

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

Thank you.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

You did say you felt that people were "forcing" their views onto you. Sounded like a grievance to me.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

If you want a simple answer, it's the subject, but it's the photographer (a person) to see it and capture it.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Thanks.

rlv567 Loc: Baguio City, Philippines

Again, rhetorical question!!!!! (Used to illustrate a point.)

And nobody can "force" anything on me (except the government, unfortunately). I'm always open to entertaining suggestions and/or constructive criticism, however.

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City

bonjac Loc: Santa Ynez, CA 93460

Anything that evokes an emotional response.

nikon123 Loc: Toronto, Canada

Your photo is an excellent example of the precise moment but ever more special due the vagaries of life!

MJPerini

Re "Worth Looking At"
I would answer it this way: From the Photographer's point of view, if he or she thinks enough of a picture to "put it out in the world" -to show it, we can probably assume that the Photographer feels it is 'worth looking at' that it captures the intent of when it was made. Some photographers are more selective than others with what they show to the world, but viewers never know that.
Speaking only for myself, my process is this. If i don't believe it is a good picture, I don't show it. Second, even if it is good, I ask myself is it personal? --do I think it is good because the people or place have meaning to me (that they probably won't have for other people) So I generally won't show those. If the picture is, in my opinion, good, and has an interesting, informative or more universal aspect to it --then it has a chance to be interesting to others.

People generally show too much. But having said that, I do not believe this is something we should think about when making pictures or editing pictures. The mindset I find most helpful is to make pictures for myself , period.
If other people like them, that's great, but it is also ok if they don't.
I spent years doing commercial photography and later Wedding Photography with my Daughter, where pictures were made for Clients. That is different. Even though I tried always to produce work I was proud of and that the clients liked, I am much more 'invested' in work produced for me. Work for clients often makes you a better photographer, because you have to have the skill to always deliver---and I enjoyed the challenge. It is just that I learned that using whatever skill I developed to making pictures that had no other criteria than those that spoke to me is the most satisfying.
I'm not sure this is an 'Answer' to your question, but it works for me.

dsnoke Loc: North Georgia, USA

As others have said, there is no single answer. For me, the images I find worth looking at have changed quite a bit over the years. Right now, old pictures of my parents and siblings are much more interesting than most of my nature images. However, those images of nature that recall fond memories are still interesting, not because they are artistic, but because they invoke memories. I think that is the key: what images get you to recall pleasant or important events in your life of the lives of loved ones.

goldenyears Loc: Lake Osewgo

An emotional reaction when first seeing a photograph is a wonderful experience if it happens. On the other hand, hearing what others have to say about a photograph can reveal qualities overlooked when first seeing it. I might experience a greater appreciation for the photograph as a result, but the reaction to seeing something missed never approaches the intensity of an emotional reaction.

reverendray

I would guess each category you put a picture in would have it's own set of variables that are most enticing and interesting to the general public. This would include breaking each general category down into smaller and smaller number of sub-topic or category. I find when someone would ask "Do you have a photo of............." that further probing often can help them define what specifically they are looking for....sometimes.