Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

Some of you know me & have liked my photos whatever they may have been. I have put some into my local photographic club as photos & digital but have never come anywhere as in 3rd to 1st.

If any of you are judges or pros or even amateurs (only an amateur myself) what do you look for in a photos composition etc in order to achieve any form of recognition worthy of praise?

Thanks in advance for any constructive feedback.

Baz

Northlander Loc: Waipu, New Zealand

We had our monthly competition yesterday. Our judge had a background in photo journalism and so, in every entry, he was looking for the story, not just an object doing nothing, going nowhere, and nowhere to go. His comments were most appreciated.
My first one (Red Ensign) got a Highly Commended. My second got an Acceptance - simply because it was "just a bike".
The subject was Red. Hope that helps a little ;-)

Red Ensign

(Download)

My new bike

(Download)

Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

Thanks for yr contribution to my query. Judges have so many likes & dislikes one has to research their individual quirks.
Not meaning to sound critical but I personally believe that yr photos would have achieved more/looked better if the background was blurred in both photos using an aperture of maybe 2.8 - 5.6. That is purely my thoughts & please don't take my comments in the wrong way.

Baz

anotherview Loc: California

1. Find an interesting subject.

2. Make a good composition. Follow the Rule of Thirds in the beginning. Later, you can deviate from it for good reason.

3. Get a good exposure in the camera.

4. Learn and use a photo-editing program to develop your photos to bring out their potential.

5. Keep at it. Photography functions as a craft, and so requires continual practice. You will improve your photographic skills over time.

Happy Halloween!

Northlander Loc: Waipu, New Zealand

No - any comments appreciated. Actually, the judge commented on the background in that it (background) didn't detract from the subject. So - one thing we have learned over the past few years is that no 2 judges seem to have the same likes and dislikes. I often think how interesting it would be to put the same image in front of 2 or 3 different judges on separate occasions.

Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

From Annes comment, subject matter being "Red" our comp tonight was B&W there was numerous subjects in B&W mine included lines in my submission as shown in my photo No1 but achieved nuffing. :)

Please comment on the photo if you wish but please stick to my initial query.

Baz

No1. Lines

(Download)

Haveago Loc: Swindon, Wiltshire. UK.

Well it's now 00.40hrs UK time so I will see later as to what other comments we get. Thanks up to now for yr comments.

Baz

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

A $50 bill will usually get the judges attention.... ;)

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Baz,

Impact and the wow factor makes a winning photo. Leading lines, color, and communicating your intent for creating the image.

Stan

JoeDesertrat Loc: Daytona Beach, FL

Looks to me like it is simply a matter of personal taste or worse, current accepted style. I love the photo, I wish I had taken it, but many judges might find it too "busy". I photograph at events where there is always a lot happening, in my photos I usually like to show that there is a lot going on all around and in the background, but I've noticed the "pro" photographers almost always leave the backgrounds fairly dark or shoot with a small depth of field and leave them blurred. Sometimes things are small and personal, but usually it is part of a huge whole. My suggestion is to keep taking the photos you like. They may not win contests because the judges are fixed on something else, but a few will notice and who knows, you may someday be getting recognized for your own personal style. So shoot your photos, enter the contests, don't worry if you win or lose (Philistines!) but whatever you do, keep making images you like!

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Baz, this is not directly answering your question, but one of the very first post I started here was called "Prize Winning Photos, Got One, Post It"!!
You might want to take a look at it and see if your pics fit in. Those photos are mostly about composition, so It may be of interest to you, along with my several posts on Composition!! ;-)
SS

excaliburgc Loc: Daytona Beach Florida

The Big question is? are you having fun? If so, why care?

DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

In the UK a lot of the club invitee judges (as opposed to club members doing the judging) all swallowed the same book on what makes a good image. They will witter on endlessly about composition not having any 'empty space', if you take a wildlife photo then the only thing that counts is the eyes are in focus, and all the other clichés.

Some years back a colleague in Namibia submitted a wildlife image to a club in the UK of an animal in the lower left hand corner of the frame, one eye barely visible, looking out of the frame, which was filled with a dry lake bed. It was basically panned as a bad image, with lots of helpful 'advice'. It went on to win it's section in a major international competition where the judges had interpreted it as the photographer intended, a statement of the desperate state that animal was in.

This goes to show that perhaps club judging is rather set in its ways with an accepted set of rules that constrain the composition and style of photography used to get on the winners podium. Once you get beyond that there is wider scope perhaps for a different interpretation.

There is no doubt that club judgements of images are useful critiques in helping a photographer to develop, but perhaps the being a winner is not as important as developing your own style and technique?

CO

The Professional Photographers Association has their 12 elements of a merit image criteria. Take a look at it on this website:
http://www.ppa.com/competitions/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1792

par4fore Loc: Bay Shore N.Y.

The Twelve elements have been defined as necessary for the success of an art piece or image. Any image, art piece, or photograph will reveal some measure of all twelve elements, while a visually superior example will reveal obvious consideration of each one.