JimGray Loc: Albuquerque, New Mexico

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When you get there you will answer that for yourself, and wonder why youd ever asked. Learning is about doing, not about "information". Information you can look up. I still use the User Guide for devices, but thaz not like learning. I dont do trial and error. I do trial and learn. "Error" is just judgemental thinking.

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

Self taught is merely a state self denial and a general lack of self awareness. Enjoy the journey

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Thus spake the Great Man.

"Lack of awareness" ??!?! ROTFLMFAO.

When you get there if you get there you will see, unclouded by nonsense.

Likewise enjoy your own "journey".

A few hogsters have really adopted that word "journey", always directing it at others. Rather amusing.

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

Never gonna end up in your place. Pride rewards itself for false success, Wisdom asks someone who knows.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Exactly. If you think you’ve “gotten there” it’s an indication of your limitations. There is always more to learn. Sure you can teach yourself some things but being open to what can be offered by others can reveal whole new worlds of possibilities that never occurred to you.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I have been involved in photographic contests, competitions, etc., whatever you want to call them, mostly through a professional association for a very long- long- long time. I participated both as a competitor or entrant and a judge. I also attended many open judgings where I could observe the various scores, opinions, and challenges within the judging panel.

If you want to be critical, find fault, talk "sour grapes", brag, or positively or negatively opine on these kinds of activities, I am sure there is the good, bad, and evil, and some politics you can argue in all of these contests. Whether they are beneficial or just a pain in the neck for you or any photograher all depends on your or their attitude.

I find that, on the whole, they are FUN, can be educational, can keep you on your game, and can, if you are a pro, score up some good PR brownie points in the eyes and minds of your existing and potential clients. If you take these contests too seriously, are a sore loser, or let your successes cause your head to swell- you are in trouble. If you can't take the occasional punch, don't get the ring.

In professional competitions, there are judging parameters, rules, categories, and criteria. Usually, these are not anything outrageously abstract or totally subjective or objective- just the usual stuff like composition, craftsmanship, presentation, technical merit, and specialized points such as posing in portraiture or content in photojournalism. Creativity, originality, and all that good stuff are always a consideration. Usually, these criteria are set forth inthe entry requiems or forms and I you don't agree with these standards, don't enter. If you feel they are fair enough- have at it!

Yes, there can be problems, unfairness, miss judgments, politics, etc. I have seen good images land inthe toilet and mediocre stuff scores too high. Judges are human beings, who have prejudices, make mistakes, etc. but that does not happen too frequently. Usually, the judging panels are made up of well-qualified folks, there are challenges and conversation and most of the results are fair.

I always judge it to be educational. I could observe what the judges thought of my entries and those of others. I especially like the challenges where a judge could challenge and ask for correcting of what he or she believed to be an unfair score. I enjoyed challenging the other folks on the panel if I found an inconsistency when I was judging. You have to make your cases quickly and concisely and ask for a re-score.

Bad things? A few! Sometimes folks begin to "shoot for the judges" instead of being creative, different, or out of the box. I have heard photographers say that they know who is on the judging panel and that "that guy or gal likes low-key portraits of old wrinkled guys or pastel-like image of babies in high key", whatever, etc and things stagnate.

If any of y'all feel that entering these competitions is beneficial, educational, stimulating, and/or fun, as I do, go for it. If not, nobody is forcing you to enter. Be realistic, you win some, and you lose some. I always learn SOMETHING. It could be how to improve my work, or that I am a good photographer, or that I learn how NOT to judge or run a competition. I especially like the ones where after the competition there's a critiquing session of the images that did not score well- postmortems if you will!

A for ribbons, trophies, and accolades? I always said that I can visit an agricultural fair and see animals get ribbons for being the biggest pig, the best of the breed as a cow or bull, or as somebody growing the largest pumpkin. The award shows on TV give me a headache, especially when all my favorite actors show up in the "In Memorium" category. Nonetheless, award-winning movies and shows sell more tickets and attract more advertising revenues. So, I try to win a few trinkets, plaques, certificates, and trophies, and "proudly" display them in my showroom. The clients think the are cool and I don't need to brag!

mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA

JimGray Loc: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Very well put. Very good points.

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Slog along if you insist ...

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Sure theres always more to learn, even when others can no longer provide that for you. You hafta focus.

frangeo Loc: Texas

Who are the judges? Professional photographers and photographers of merit? Judging photos ( non athletic ) My scores were always close to other judges at professional events.

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

I joined a local photo club. I enjoyed it for a long time, but I got tired of the judges. Sometimes they would talk at length about a photo and how good it was, and then give it no placement. Sometimes they would just ignore what I thought was the best photograph. I have learned that judging makes no difference. I listen to them because I want to understand what makes a good photo, in their opinion. And how to improve my art. Sometimes I agree with them, but usually, I don't.

You can't take the judge's comments seriously.

I understand that a long time ago, my club had Ansel Adams as a judge. I would have loved to be at that judging.

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Very possibly you might have found him to be no different, just another judge ... perhaps much better than the others at public speaking.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Sadly, Mr. Adans is no longer with us- except in spirit! It is therefore not likely he or anyone else from his era will be judging a competition any time soon. This does not mean that folks who are currently judging their various events are incompetent, stupid, narrow-minded unfair. At major associations' competitions, there are statute requirements, qualifications, training, and standards that judges must qualify for before they can sit on a judging panel. Even at camer club events, the competition chairpersons usually select s professionals or at least folks who know what they are looking at and talking about.

Nonetheless, judges are human beings who make mistakes, have prejudices, and suffer for all the human frailties that everyone has. Every now and again, one can encounter a judge who should 't be a judge. He or she may be a good photograher but can't think even a little out of THEIR box, or is prone to render harsh and nonconstructive judgments and criticisms. That can be enough to discourage fols and scar the off contests and competitions or make the quite photograher. Some disappointed folks spend the rest of their involvement in photography with a sour grapes attitude. My advice is simple. If a poor score or critique is disappointing you can take the advice for what it is worth and try to improve- suck up and do someth about it! If you sincerely feel it is unfair, enter more competitions. If every judge gives all your work the "thumbs down"-, you may have some real issues to work on and improve.

Good judges make concise judgments and offer constructive critiques and encouragement. The WORST judges will want to give everyone a trophy and make the feel good. They will try to "read in" good points about work that's simply poorly crafted with NO really redeeming characteristics.

I'll let y'all in on a little secret. Weh I was 14 years old I took on my first employment in professional photography. I got the boos to hire me as a gofer, janitor, darkroom cleaner/chemical mixer/and kinda slave. Later on, I was promoted to "official passport photo photographer" When I started to soothe odd portraits or assist at weddings as a second shooter, the boss encourage me to enter my prints in the local P.Pof A branch competitions. The boss insisted that I stay for open judging and critique sessions. I had lots entire in the reject pile- fodder for the cannons of the Master judges! Someof these judges were tough old guys who made mincemeat out of someof my prints. Well! I have a kida "juvenile delinquent" mindset at the time, I love when they got aggravated and said harsh things. I enter a shot of a rat that discover in my basement while changing a fuse, in the pet=portrair- one judge howled a really cool series of expletives and I couldn't stop laughing! To make this worse, I yelled out, I'm too poor to afford a cat or a dog so I adopted that rat". Everyon in the room was laughing uncontrollably and I was banned, for a couple of months, for open judgings.

Seriously, I did the critiques to hear and began to improve. I still relished in aggravating the judges but I stopped shouting. I come into the studio every day after school and the boss would sometimes ask how I did in athe last print competition. I would laugh and say."Well, they didn't say my work was "S**T like last time so I improved a bit! He would smil and say "that's better"! Now I am an old man with a gray beard but I still enjoy the competition. They are still FUN and I win some and lose some! If the averages stay in my favor, I know I am doing OK!