John_Metcalfe
04-16-2008, 09:28 PM
I have been apprehensive to post this paper I wrote for another forum due to being new to this one...
But having heard comments and people sharing their anxieties, I thought it might be the right time. If you find not worthy... well, I guess I'll crawl back under my rock. HA!
BTW, I would also like to welcome any discussions referring to competitions, subject matter & especially lighting...
Competition & Cup holders
The judges… What were they thinking?
Cup holders we have them everywhere…
They let that image in?
At the table, on the lawn chair…
Then at the same setting, they deny this image which clearly took more effort!
We have hats with them they’re in the swimming pool…
Why do they let some in that clearly need to be canned, while others that look ten times better not?
They are in the car. Heck, we even have harnesses with cup holders for our dogs…
Cup holders…
These are but a few questions I’ve overheard and used to wonder myself.
Questions there are already answers to. Still every competition the people and the questions return to the familiar places and set their libation into one of their many holders. Hardly ever bothering to get up and if so, step out of arms reach of their binky. Most times when going into competition, they photograph within their realm, wandering if their image will have enough juice and pray that the judges will have the courtesy to comment on their print this go around.
While still we all would like to hear comments on our prints, it is especially hard on those who have just started entering or are settled in and waiting for the judges to come to comprehend their way of thinking, not to mention harbor distaste from years past and or an almost image or in some cases images.
I’ve heard it all…
“I refuse to enter anything but clients work”! “I was stuck shooting it that way!” “I know I should have asked them to coordinate better.” “I’m not comfortable shooting without having an on-camera flash!” “Didn’t have time to wait”, “couldn’t get any help”, “couldn’t wait for the right time of day”, “didn’t feel like changing to the long lens”, “couldn’t find my meter”, whatever….
Does a judge hear any of this? Do they want to? Even though, try as they might to think through things, NO is still the answer. They can only work with what is there.
They wish to be presented with an image that sings. Another words, they are given a seat YES, but they only want to use the edge of it! They want to have something to talk about. Remember, these people at this table have pretty much seen it all. They are just hoping for YOUR print to knock it out of the park!
Now, what keeps your print from achieving glory? First let me ask, what is your goal? Do you want to merit, or do you have higher aspirations?
Think about this…
If your aim is to get an eighty image and you fall short, what happens? Back to the drawing board, that’s what. But, if you shoot for nineties and fade a little what do you get? A merit of achievement you can hang on to. See the difference?
What can you do to make your image more worthy? First, create impact. The title and when your image turns to the panel will hold the most weight. You can make a panel happy, sad or mad. You may even be able to pull a combination of more than one of these three in the same print, but the impact has to be there. If you have impact they will loosen up the parts of the scoring.
I would like to tell you my concentration is set on the impact & the title (or story in the image), but I’m not. I am not here to talk about me, I am here for you. I wish to disclose food for thought towards your image. Yes, image not images. A slave can only serve one master. That’s the first step in the process. Next you need a theme. What are your strengths? What do you have a passion for? Now find controversy, in this subject matter. Find something for people to talk about. Give the viewer a reason to look deeper into the print. Make them lean forward, ask questions, and if you can pull the right strings, GET OUT OF THEIR CHAIR! You want them to say, “WHOA! This is what I’m talking about!”
So, pick your drink up, get out of your easy chair, take the shackles off and take a walk. Scratch that. Don't walk run! Let’s turn this thing on its ear!
But having heard comments and people sharing their anxieties, I thought it might be the right time. If you find not worthy... well, I guess I'll crawl back under my rock. HA!
BTW, I would also like to welcome any discussions referring to competitions, subject matter & especially lighting...
Competition & Cup holders
The judges… What were they thinking?
Cup holders we have them everywhere…
They let that image in?
At the table, on the lawn chair…
Then at the same setting, they deny this image which clearly took more effort!
We have hats with them they’re in the swimming pool…
Why do they let some in that clearly need to be canned, while others that look ten times better not?
They are in the car. Heck, we even have harnesses with cup holders for our dogs…
Cup holders…
These are but a few questions I’ve overheard and used to wonder myself.
Questions there are already answers to. Still every competition the people and the questions return to the familiar places and set their libation into one of their many holders. Hardly ever bothering to get up and if so, step out of arms reach of their binky. Most times when going into competition, they photograph within their realm, wandering if their image will have enough juice and pray that the judges will have the courtesy to comment on their print this go around.
While still we all would like to hear comments on our prints, it is especially hard on those who have just started entering or are settled in and waiting for the judges to come to comprehend their way of thinking, not to mention harbor distaste from years past and or an almost image or in some cases images.
I’ve heard it all…
“I refuse to enter anything but clients work”! “I was stuck shooting it that way!” “I know I should have asked them to coordinate better.” “I’m not comfortable shooting without having an on-camera flash!” “Didn’t have time to wait”, “couldn’t get any help”, “couldn’t wait for the right time of day”, “didn’t feel like changing to the long lens”, “couldn’t find my meter”, whatever….
Does a judge hear any of this? Do they want to? Even though, try as they might to think through things, NO is still the answer. They can only work with what is there.
They wish to be presented with an image that sings. Another words, they are given a seat YES, but they only want to use the edge of it! They want to have something to talk about. Remember, these people at this table have pretty much seen it all. They are just hoping for YOUR print to knock it out of the park!
Now, what keeps your print from achieving glory? First let me ask, what is your goal? Do you want to merit, or do you have higher aspirations?
Think about this…
If your aim is to get an eighty image and you fall short, what happens? Back to the drawing board, that’s what. But, if you shoot for nineties and fade a little what do you get? A merit of achievement you can hang on to. See the difference?
What can you do to make your image more worthy? First, create impact. The title and when your image turns to the panel will hold the most weight. You can make a panel happy, sad or mad. You may even be able to pull a combination of more than one of these three in the same print, but the impact has to be there. If you have impact they will loosen up the parts of the scoring.
I would like to tell you my concentration is set on the impact & the title (or story in the image), but I’m not. I am not here to talk about me, I am here for you. I wish to disclose food for thought towards your image. Yes, image not images. A slave can only serve one master. That’s the first step in the process. Next you need a theme. What are your strengths? What do you have a passion for? Now find controversy, in this subject matter. Find something for people to talk about. Give the viewer a reason to look deeper into the print. Make them lean forward, ask questions, and if you can pull the right strings, GET OUT OF THEIR CHAIR! You want them to say, “WHOA! This is what I’m talking about!”
So, pick your drink up, get out of your easy chair, take the shackles off and take a walk. Scratch that. Don't walk run! Let’s turn this thing on its ear!