64
B+W
COMMENTPhotographic competitions come in all shapes and sizes but,
as Tim Clinch points out, to be successful they need to be thought
through carefully by both judges and participants.
A FORTNIGHT AT F/ 8Arecent conversation
I had with a workshop
participant about
entering photography
competitions has got me
thinking. He had taken a very
nice, simple picture and I
suggested that he should enterit into the monthly competition
organised by his camera club,
but he told me that he didn’t
think that the regular panel of
judges were looking for that
particular style of picture as
they were ‘really into composites
at the moment’.So, if I may be so bold, I am
going to give a few suggestions
for both judges/organisers and
participants when it comes to
photography competitions,
be they monthly at your local
camera club or big, yearly affairs.
Participants: Never try toAll images
© Tim ClinchThe pictures shown here are all
from a hotel shoot I did a while
back at the lovely Barnsley House
Hotel in the Cotswolds. As always,
during a hotel job, I am obliged to
shoot all the obvious stuff such as
bedrooms, but always relish the
lovely little details I can capture
which will often find their way
on to my website.THE PICTURESsecond guess the judges or what
they want. You’re on a losing
wicket before you start. Try to
be true to yourself and pick the
images you like. And remember,
yes, you need to know about
technique, and use your skills
to the best of your ability, but
photography is not, and never
will be, an exact science. Very
often two plus two equals
five. If you like your picture,
then it is a good photograph.
Confidence in your work is
one of the most difficult things
to achieve, but also one of the
most important.
Judges/organisers:
A regular panel of judges is a
very bad idea. People will grow
to expect the same criticisms
from the same people, and
adjust their work accordingly.
Try to get some new blood on
to the judging panel. A new eye
on participants’ work will make
all the difference. I understand
that there may be monetary
restrictions, but try getting a
local professional in, or a tutor
from a nearby art college. Just
as with the participants, shake
things up. Everyone, yourselves
included, will benefit from this.
Participants: Don’t be like Dull
Dave (Dave doesn’t really exist
but we all know one). Dave will
enter the same picture, with a
slightly different composition
every month, or will enter thetimclinchphotography.com | @clinchpics | clinchpics