poprock48

One has to remember that a judges view of your image is just their personal opinion. Nothing more. If you submit an image to competition you must think it’s a good image. That’s all the matters. Once had a judge mark down a submission because of white streaks in the sky of my night shot. Suggested I should have removed them. They were clouds. One month later in the year end competition the same image garnered image of the year when 3 judges were used.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

All judges? Are you saying that objectivity is a bridge too far for judges to go?

Wanda Krack Loc: Tennessee, USA

Yes, judging must be taken with a grain of salt I think. However, if a contest has specific criteria that is being used for the judging, it's easier. Sometimes I agree with the judging in contests and sometimes I don't. I can easily point out aspects of an image that I feel are strengths, and even weaknesses, but when it comes to putting a number on each, unless it's laid out carefully, that part I find difficult.

Judging is definitely subjective to some extent and I have respect for anyone who puts themselves out there to judge art/photographs, knowing they cannot please everyone. I agree with whoever said you only have to please yourself with your art. We all strive to improve, and that is a part of the joy of photography.

Fotoartist Loc: Detroit, Michigan

Well said. Judging is difficult if you want to get it right. Everyone makes mistakes but that's why there are 3 judges (in most cases).

one_eyed_pete Loc: Colonie NY

Sounds to me like you should join a different camera club or join the PSA and compete there.

I recently volunteered to serve as "Competition Judge Coordinator" for 2 years for my camera club. Finding credible judges to commit/volunteer their time for our twice monthly competitions was unbelievably difficult. All judges were provided an established list guidelines and asked to provide some measure of constructive comments on everyone's work. Judging was blind. Each judge was normally used only once or twice a year. Every judge has some bias. Some judges are more informative than others, some are just shy and soft spoken. In spite of all the variations in judging, somehow, the cream always seems to rise to the top. I'm glad I'm no longer saddled with that responsibility. It is extremely stressful.

Ollieboy

One year we had a watercolor artist fill in as a judge at our camera club. She managed to piss off every entrant. Photography, painting, and sculpture etc are very different skill sets. We won't be having any judges that are not photographers again. I have nothing against other arts, as I used to paint years ago.

Ollieboy

👍👍👍

digit-up Loc: Flushing, Michigan

so true!!

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

I have a hard time judging my pictures (that is why my wife picks my pictures to sell. I have struggled with the judging ant our club for over 10 years, along with the club. We all do the best we can. Some judges will judge every one blow and judgers call them all high. Some will mark all nature high and general lower. If you know these things just role with it. See how you stand in the crowd. And keep on doing better. Or sell the camera and/or quit entering the judging.

one_eyed_pete Loc: Colonie NY

A couple times we used a judge who was curator of a nearby Art Gallery. I had reservations but she provided useful constructive comments from a different perspective even though she wasn't a photographer.

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

When we judge (2 meetings per month=one Education meeting the other judging) At the end of judging we go back over the and give pointers on what could have made it better or why points were deducted. It is our clubs task to educate. We also go from Point and Shoot to pros and one that are finalists in the nature photographer of the year and did National Geographic. So we all have the same problems in judging.

timcc Loc: Virginia

I would enter a club competition only to get third-party feedback and possible suggestions from someone with some photographic experience. Given the subjective nature of judging, winning is often a crap-shoot, so not a goal worth sweating over. My 2 cents, anyway.

ski Loc: West Coast, USA

Why are you bitching here???? Bring it up at the next meeting.....

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

We have looked for a solution for 10+ years with 40+ people entering each month. Just live with it and accept it as constructive criticism.
Just realized how can a group individuals in an art with so much creativity going to setup rules. NEVER

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

So much of the satisfaction or frustration people have with photography competitions seems to correlate with the makeup of the judging pool and the organizational scheme for the competition. At the club level, clubs that draw judges from a pool in which judges have gone through training in both image evaluations and in how to critique in a clear and informative way, are probably going to be more satisfied with judging results than clubs who draw their judges from (as one person commented earlier) random club members. That is why some of us here recommend that rather than give up on competitions entirely, instead seek out a club, such as a PSA affiliate, where you know the judges have both skill in their own right and have had training to help develop their abilities to provide quality critiques and evaluations.

IMHO, many club competitions suffer from their organizational setup. The most effective scheme seems to be when a) images compete within predetermined categories (pictorial, nature, monochrome, travel, etc.) and b) when members also compete within ability levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced, master). In other words, within the competition apples are compared to apples, oranges to other oranges, and newbies don’t get compared to masters. Again, many PSA affiliates organize their club competitions in this way, but if that is not a viable option for one’s club it is still possible for a club to organize in a similar fashion.