Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

Above

Black Fog

Adam Williams is no stranger to winning a photography contest.

His moody landscape shot here won the 2015 Focus Awards

EPSON

International

Pano Awards

Judge: Adam Williams

Dos & don’ts

Do

Include a strong subject

Remove distractions and clutter

Look for great light and breathtaking

weather conditions

Have polished post‑processing (see

the ‘don’ts’ below for to what to avoid)

Read the rules (top to bottom)

Enter your photo as per the image

specifications (pixel width, colour

space, etc.)

Don’t

Have images with missed focus

Submit shots that aren’t sharp enough

or are too sharp

Have light bleeds and halos

Include funky colours

Have dust spots

Send images with wonky horizons

As a judge, I am looking for an image that

grabs and moves me, and I am hoping the

photographer will show me the unique way

they see their world. More than that, I want

the photographer to be open, vulnerable and

authentic, allowing me beyond how it looks

and into the realm of how it feels. Insert eye

roll at my wishy-washy artistic explanation...

Out of the 2,500 photos I judged in the

2019 EPSON Pano Awards, three or four fit

the above description, and the other judges

likely had very different favourites. It’s for this

reason that actually winning a major photo

competition requires a degree of luck. So

rather than focus on the specifics of winning,

let’s look at the factors of giving yourself the

best chance of being in the top few.

A strong subject

What is your photo of? Could a stranger point

out the subject within a fraction of a second?

A strong, obvious subject is contained in 80%

of award-winning photographs.

Simplicity

Is your photo free from clutter and

distraction? A distraction is any

element within your photo that doesn’t

directly contribute to the story you are

trying to tell. Simplistic photos focus on

telling one clear story, so be sure to remove

any distractions and seek out uncluttered

compositions for your images.

Great light/conditions

Whether it is an incredible burst of gold light,

dramatic storm clouds or mysterious fog,

your chances of scoring well will be increased

by breathtaking weather conditions.

Polished post-processing

Once you’ve captured that incredible photo,

you need to be able to finish it at the highest

level. Having a great understanding of how

to get the most out of your photo in software

like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop is going

to help make sure you get the best score

possible. You would not believe how many

gold-potential photos go begging due to

poor post-processing.

Finally, as cliché as it is, don’t take the

contest too seriously. It is your opinion of

your own work that counts most, and no

score or award should influence that.

©Adam WIlliams

I am hoping the photographer will show me

the unique way they see their world. More

than that, I want the photographer to be open

GO PRO

Above

BlackFog

AdamWilliamsisnostrangertowinningaphotographycontest.

Hismoodylandscapeshotherewonthe 2015 FocusAwards

EPSON

International

Pano Awards

Judge:AdamWilliams

Dos&don’ts

Do

Includeastrongsubject

Removedistractionsandclutter

Lookforgreatlightandbreathtaking

weatherconditions

Havepolishedpost‑processing(see

the‘don’ts’belowfortowhattoavoid)

Readtherules(toptobottom)

Enteryourphotoaspertheimage

specifications(pixelwidth,colour

space,etc.)

Don’t

Haveimageswithmissedfocus

Submitshotsthataren’tsharpenough

oraretoosharp

Havelightbleedsandhalos

Includefunkycolours

Havedustspots

Sendimageswithwonkyhorizons

Asajudge,Iamlookingforanimagethat
grabsandmovesme,andIamhopingthe
photographerwillshowmetheuniqueway
theyseetheirworld.Morethanthat,Iwant
thephotographertobeopen,vulnerableand
authentic,allowingmebeyondhowitlooks
andintotherealmofhowitfeels.Inserteye
rollatmywishy-washyartisticexplanation...
Outofthe2,500photosIjudgedinthe
2019 EPSONPanoAwards,threeorfourfit
theabovedescription,andtheotherjudges
likelyhadverydifferentfavourites.It’sforthis
reasonthatactuallywinningamajorphoto
competitionrequiresadegreeofluck.So
ratherthanfocusonthespecificsofwinning,
let’slookatthefactorsofgivingyourselfthe
bestchanceofbeinginthetopfew.

Astrongsubject
Whatisyourphotoof?Couldastrangerpoint
outthesubjectwithinafractionofasecond?
Astrong,obvioussubjectiscontainedin80%
ofaward-winningphotographs.

Simplicity
Isyourphotofreefromclutterand
distraction?Adistraction is any

elementwithinyourphotothatdoesn’t

directlycontributetothestoryyouare

tryingtotell.Simplisticphotosfocuson

tellingoneclearstory,sobesuretoremove

anydistractionsandseekoutuncluttered

compositionsforyourimages.

Greatlight/conditions

Whetheritisanincredibleburstofgoldlight,

dramaticstormcloudsormysteriousfog,

yourchancesofscoringwellwillbeincreased

bybreathtakingweatherconditions.

Polishedpost-processing

Onceyou’vecapturedthatincrediblephoto,

youneedtobeabletofinishitatthehighest

level.Havingagreatunderstandingofhow

togetthemostoutofyourphotoinsoftware

likeAdobeLightroomandPhotoshopisgoing

tohelpmakesureyougetthebestscore

possible.Youwouldnotbelievehow many

gold-potential photos go begging due to

poor post-processing.

Finally, as cliché as it is, don’t take the

contest too seriously. It is your opinion of

your own work that counts most, and no

score or award should influence that.

©Adam WIlliams

I am hoping the photographer will show me

the unique way they see their world. More

than that, I want the photographer to be open

GO PRO