How to win photography competitions
I was recently asked to be one of the judges in a photography contest run by Crestock. (more about the competition in one of my previous posts). It’s a pretty high-profile affair: The prizes are very good, and there’s a lot of judges on the panel, including some esteemed bloggers, experienced writers, and successful stock photographers.
When it comes to this competition, it works like this: As one of the judges, I choose the 10 photographs I like best. For round 1, that meant choosing 10 out of 491 photographs. In other words, for every 50 photos, I can only choose one. Words can’t describe quite how difficult that is: A lot of talent and creativity goes into competition entries, and a lot can be said about.
I won’t lie to you - while I am a moderately successful blogger (hey, you’re reading my blog right now, aren’t you?), a soon-to-be-published author (my book goes on sale in about a month and a half) and a washed-up freelance / stock photographer who decided that I could only do photography as a hobby, because doing it for the money was soul-destroying - I have never actually judged a competition before. While the guys at Crestock were quite helpful in offering guidelines and ideas as to what I should be looking for, it got me a-thinking: What can you, as a photographer, do to maximise your chances in the battle of shutter times and lighting, against the rest of the pack?
A quick disclaimer: I’m writing this before I’ve seen who the winners are of round 1, and as such, some of the ideas and thoughts below might be completely contradicting the people who actually won. On the other hand, there are 13 judges, each with 10+1 vote, so in theory, 143 votes could be cast. On my own, I have very little (well, a thirteenth, or about 7.7%) influence on the final decision.
It’s also worth noting that everything in this posts are merely my own opinions, and for all I know I might be the rank outsider: All the other photo judges in the world might very well disagree with me.
1 - Stick to the topic
First off, you would be amazed how many people submit photos that don’t actually fall within the area of the competition. To use a concrete example: In the 1st round of the Crestock competition, the title of the photo was to be ‘The Meaning of Life’. Now, I’m all for having a wide array of possibilities and interpretations, but there’s something to be said for at least tenuously staying on target.
Take the image shown to the right, for example (check out the much bigger version over at Crestock). On its own, it’s a pretty good photo: It’s okay lit, and from my days of LAN parties (The Gathering, anyone?), I can totally see how caffeine-laden drinks and computer keyboards can be part of the meaning of life.
What you have to remember, however, is that a lot of the judging that is done is based on people’s own experiences: To most people, the meaning of life will not involve a can of Dr Pepper, and while I imagine it could successfully be argued that it might be the meaning of life to some, that is an ascertation which would fill the viewer with sadness.
The closer you manage to stick to the target, the better. It doesn’t matter if it’s an illustration (a pair of lovers, as in ‘the meaning of life is love’) or a more abstract take on the subject (a beach chair in sunset, as in ‘the meaning of life is to relax’). Making the audience (in this case, the judges) think about what they are looking at is great, but don’t push it too far.
In the photo shown above, for example, with the lady with the red hair (see a bigger version here), initially seems to be way off target: What does a middle-aged woman with bright hair have to do with the meaning of life? But at the same time, the photo sent me into a train of thought: Of course it makes sense. She’s ascending. She’s on a journey. She’s going somewhere. And she doesn’t care about the rest of the world. Hell, that’s as good a meaning of life as I’ve ever heard of…
2 - Know the rules - then break them
Ansel Adams, seen by many as one of the greatest photographers to have ever lived, said something along the lines of ‘there are no rules for great pictures, there are just great pictures’. What he meant by that? Beats me, but it sounds good, no? Okay, just kidding. What I think he meant is that there’s no way to create a set of criteria which guarantee a good photo. Photography is viciously subjective, and ultimately your audience will think what they want. Take the rule of thirds, for example (as discussed here, and in more detail here): It isn’t an iron-fast rule in itself, but people who don’t understand it, break it in ways that are un-pleasing to the eye.
The trick is to do something that works. In my experience, this means that you have to know all the ‘rules’ of photography (Get the exposure right, mind your backgrounds, have a vision, and get it all to work together), so you can choose which ones you want to break for a particular photo. Take the photo up there (I am, right now, pointing in vain at the photo, realising that you can’t see me point. Hmm. I can see this might be a problem. Try here for a bigger version, either way), with the person walking on the train lines. Composition-wise, I would have done this photo very differently indeed. Barefoot might have been better. Throwing the rails off-centre would have helped. And yet, the pale colours, the reflection, and the notion of travelling somewhere by walking on trainlines somehow resounds strongly with me. It’s not the done thing. It breaks with rules and regulations, and it’s awesome. Just like this photo.
3 - Keep it simple
When submitting a photo to a photography competition, it’s tempting to select a photo you’re particularly proud of, or one that shows off a vast amount of different things at once. That’s not necessarily the best strategy. Remember that what you’re trying to do is to a) stand out from the masses of other photos and b) tell a story.
As I said a while back (and again in a more recent photo critique), photography is very much about telling stories, and while you are using a visual medium to do so, you still need to be a good storyteller, and have an eye for what appeals to people.
I guess it says something about me as a person, but here’s yet another of the competition entries (higher res here) that spoke to me strongly: The simplicity of this image: a couple walking towards the sunset on a road reflecting the light of the golden hour makes this photograph stand out strongly.
4 - Tell a powerful story
I’ve worked as a journalist for a long time, but I remember one of the things they always said in J-school: If it has a human element people can identify with, the story is far stronger. That’s why newspapers after a disaster will tell the story of Mr. and Mrs Smith and their individual tragedy, rather than the much drier factoid that 300 people died: We need to be able to feel that the people involved are related (or at least relevant) to us in one way or another. The best photographs, in my opinion, do the same thing. It doesn’t have to be a tabloid story of murder, deceit, or deception, but if you manage to get an emotion in there somehow, you’re onto something.
There are several levels of involving your audience emotionally. At the most shallow level, there is a recognition of emotion: A photo of a mother looking at a child might invoke this: You might feel that the mother loves the child, but the photo could leave you cold. Another photo would cause you to feel with the mother: Where you understand the feeling at a deeper degree. Finally, an image might be so strong that not only do you recognise and understand the emotion, you might actually feel the same.
The photo of the lovers in black and white, above, for example, works strongly for me at all levels. I recognise it as passion, I sympathise with the people in the photo, and I empathise strongly, in that this particular photo (not really safe for work, but look at the bigger version if nobody can see your screen anyway!), with the feeling of pure, unbridled love and passion.
Similarly, I am affected by the photo of the young woman above. The image (bigger here) is titled ‘religion’, and while I’m not a religious person in the slightest, I recognise it as a powerful ‘meaning of life’ force driving many people. It helps that the photo has a beautiful girl in it and is cleverly captured. The same photograph could easily have been slanted in the opposite direction, with a mosque towering over the same model as an imposing, powerful overlord. The fact that the lady is much bigger than the spire representing ‘religion’ speaks to me, in that the human element is far more important than religion: Religion is built up of people. This interplay of symbolism, great photographic skill and tangential on-target-ism means that this photo definitely deserved one of my points.
A final example of the same is the photo of big feet / little feet (bigger here). The pure simplicity of using two pairs of feet as a symbol of family, love, and a meaning of life? Sheer brilliance.
5 - Technical perfection in pair with strong vision
As you may have guessed from the name of this website, I love doing photo criticisms. I’m a right opinionated little bastard, in fact, and some times, people disagree. A while back, I had a vicious argument with someone over a photograph which was - objectively - technically superior. His strongest argument was that I should ‘look past the technical imperfections, and see how beautiful the model was’. Love makes blind, but you can’t afford to be blind about photos you are going to submit to photographic competitions: You’ll be up against some brilliant photographers (like SUBA, who captured the intensely likeable photo of the laughing girl to the left - check out the bigger version, too!), and even small slip-ups will cost you enough points to lose you a competitions.
The thing is, creativity and originality can make up for some things, but there’s only so much I’d be willing to forgive. A slight over-exposure on an extremely good, unrepeatable action photo? I can forgive that. Not getting the focus right on a studio shot? Not good enough. Go back, learn from your mistakes, try it again.
As a camera operator, you are a technician. Photography, in many ways, is pure physics. Optics, to be exact, but physics nonetheless. As with everything in optics, everything can be calculated. Exposures, refractive indexes, focal distances: Everything can be described mathematically. With modern cameras, you don’t have to worry about much of it, but nonetheless, you still need to get it right.
The analogy is often drawn as such: A snapper that is technically perfect but lacks vision will never be a great photographer. You can imitate, but not learn true photographic vision. On the other hand, having a great vision of what makes a good photo is not an excuse not to acquire the technical skills you need to express your ideas.
In my opinion, all arts are the same: As an artist, you need a message (ideas, vision, originality, inspiration) and a means to express this message. It doesn’t matter if you use a keyboard (poetry, prose), a paint brush (watercolours, oils) or a photo camera (polaroid, pinhole, SLR): If your means of expressing your message aren’t up to scratch, your art simply isn’t good enough.
When it all comes together, you end up with photos like the person laying down in the hallway, above (bigger here).
6 - The X factor
So, you’ve worked hard, and everything seems to be coming together. You’re on topic, you’ve carefully chosen which rules to break, your photo isn’t over the top, you’ve got a story to tell, and your technical skills are as sharp as they come. What could possibly go wrong?
The final thing you need to keep in mind is that you’re up against hundreds of other photographs. If you submit a photo that is similar to what other photographers have done, you both lose impact, and will probably both not win the competition. The key is originality.
And yet, even if your photo ticks all the boxes and is refreshingly original, you may find yourself struggling without a bit of X-factor: That special, invisible ingredient which will transform your photographs from very, very good to ‘Wow, this is simply amazing’.
To me, in this round, the photo to the right does all that, and more. To try and explain why, let me walk you through the process:
When I think about the meaning of life, I think about many different things. Independence is a strong part of it, as is the idea of travel, of being on a journey through life. Love is important, as is loyalty, passion, and a sense that ‘if you’re happy, you need nothing else’. It was something that struck me when I last visited the Caribbean: Many of the people I met had little except each other, but seemed to be the most relaxed, lovely, and happy people ever.
The photograph of the hobo and his dog (check out the full-size version here) is right on the money in all of those things: Homeless? Maybe, but the guy seems happy, he’s got a dog he loves, and he knows that it could be a lot worse than spending a day in the sunshine with his guitar. Compounded by the message, this photo is technically superior: The strong greens and blues of the grass and sky, the heavy shadows on the dog and the man, the way the sun catches his beard - it all comes together perfectly.
And the final tip… Develop your own style
There are a lot of fantastic photos out there, and a myriad of tutorials for how you can recreate them, but that’s only half the story: you have to take something and make it your own. Think of it as cooking a new dish: Do you follow the recipe perfectly, or are you confident enough in the kitchen to use it as a base, and remove some things, and add others? If you’re doing the latter, then you’re probably doing the right thing…
Good luck!
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Categories: Competitions | PC articles | Photo Theory | Photo tips
Tags: Crestock | Stock photography
This entry is © Haje Jan Kamps / Photocritic.org, and was posted on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
here
#1 - May 23rd, 2007 at 00:27
[…] Read More… […]
#2 - May 23rd, 2007 at 07:04
This was a really good read!
Thanks for the tips and quick tour of the competition Haje :)
#3 - May 23rd, 2007 at 10:29
How to win a photography contest
One of the judges of a major photography contest writes at great length about the things he looks for in a competition winner. A very interesting read if you’re into photography, or just curious how these things are judged!
#4 - May 23rd, 2007 at 12:12
Very nice read. Thank you very much for sharing this. I cant begin to describe how useful this was to me. You have made me think about stuff I never thought about before, and I am going to end up a better photographer. Thank you :)
#5 - May 23rd, 2007 at 14:37
[…] contests out there currently, that photocritic Haje Kamp should provide readers with an article on how to win a photography contest. He offers six tips one of which I really found interesting: 2 - Know the rules - then break them. […]
#6 - May 23rd, 2007 at 16:46
Very nice article. It seems to me that the ‘X-factor’ always seems to out weigh all others. Its the one thing that will get your photo noticed out of the stack of 490 other photos. You have to achieve this before all else if you have any hope of winning. From there, obviously the photo should be technically correct.
#7 - May 23rd, 2007 at 18:12
just what i was looking for and didn’t even know it. thanks for such great tips, i can’t wait to put them to practice.
#8 - May 23rd, 2007 at 21:27
Very nice post.
#9 - May 23rd, 2007 at 21:38
Hi there. Im a big fan of your blog. I even have RSS feeded you. ;-)
I read somewhere in your blog that you had been in Norway and studying on Folkhögskole. I dont have the norwegians letters on my key so its a Ö instead. What school was you at? Myself are going to northen norway this year and study for a year. Will be a great fun!
Have a nice day ad keep the blog updated :-)
#10 - May 23rd, 2007 at 21:46
Hi there Johan! Yeah, that’s right, I went to Buskerud Folkehøgskole, between Tønsberg and Kongsberg - I did a writing course, but also spent a lot of time in the darkrooms and video editing suites (and in bed, lazily sleeping my year away, heh). I recommend it to everyone, actually, and I bet you’ll have a phenomenal time - enjoy!
I wrote more about my year at FHS on my personal blog, that may be where you had spotted it :)
#11 - May 23rd, 2007 at 22:39
[…] How to win a photography contest […]
#12 - May 24th, 2007 at 07:22
[…] very interesting read if you’re into photography, or just curious how these things are judged!read more | digg […]
#13 - May 24th, 2007 at 07:47
Great advice!! I cant stand it when people submit off topic photos to a contest, and get way more votes than on topic photos…
#14 - May 24th, 2007 at 08:18
Fairly useful ideas. Maybe they are not 100% effective to help you get the prize, but very good tips to help understand photography. :D
#15 - May 24th, 2007 at 09:11
[…] to win a photography contest Filed under: Uncategorized — recar @ 9:10 am How to win a photography contest One of the judges of a major photography contest writes at great length about the things he looks […]
#16 - May 24th, 2007 at 09:31
very good read…
#17 - May 24th, 2007 at 09:32
[…] I agree of the part to tell a powerful story in your photograph. Read it here. […]
#18 - May 24th, 2007 at 11:02
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#19 - May 24th, 2007 at 11:13
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#20 - May 24th, 2007 at 12:04
Very good article. Thanks for writing it! :)
#21 - May 24th, 2007 at 12:27
Information like this one encourage people to do better photography. Great article, thanks.
#22 - May 24th, 2007 at 13:44
Hey, this is a great refresher… I enjoyed it a lot. Not just for competitions but in general.
#23 - May 24th, 2007 at 14:12
Thats some great advice for a newbie. Thanks. Anyone know where I can find some photography contests for beginners?
#24 - May 24th, 2007 at 14:17
http://www.photocompetitions.com/ is great for finding competitions, Mike. Good luck!
#25 - May 24th, 2007 at 16:01
This is a great read, Thanks for posting it!
#26 - May 24th, 2007 at 17:55
Hi I’m an amateur photographer. I’ve entered a few contests, but every site says they are interested in the photo, but it’s always followed up by them wanting money for a book or something else. Are there any sites that are legitimate contest sites that I can enter or at least get some real criticism on my work? My work— http://flickr.com/photos/45009766@N00/
Thanks for the post
#27 - May 24th, 2007 at 18:32
Not sure about the advice, though I’ve won several contests in the past from national to regional.
#28 - May 24th, 2007 at 21:36
Good advice, but at the end of the day in any competition each judge will have their own individual tastes and interpritations of what makes a good image.
#29 - May 24th, 2007 at 22:43
[…] [Link] - How to win a photography contest. […]
#30 - May 25th, 2007 at 01:46
[…] Photocritic » How to win a photography contest Como ganhar um concurso de fotografia (tags: photography tips photo tutorial contest toread howto) […]
#31 - May 25th, 2007 at 06:22
[…] Photocritic » How to win a photography contest (tags: photography contest) […]
#32 - May 25th, 2007 at 21:34
[…] How to win a photography contest (tags: photography competition tips) […]
#33 - May 25th, 2007 at 23:29
[…] Photocritic » How to win a photography contest (tags: photography tips) […]
#34 - May 26th, 2007 at 14:41
[…] More… […]
#35 - May 26th, 2007 at 16:21
[…] How to Win a photography contest […]
#36 - May 29th, 2007 at 06:12
[…] How to win a photography contest […]
#37 - May 29th, 2007 at 19:23
Excellent tips! Thanks!
List of photography contests and awards at:
http://www.featurepics.com/Editorial/Photo-contests-awards.aspx
#38 - May 30th, 2007 at 21:03
[…] Some good photography advice, especially since TPID will be entering Photo Marathon in a couple of weeks. I might even bring along a string tripod. […]
#39 - June 1st, 2007 at 12:02
[…] Hajejan Kamps, Betreiber des englischsprachigen Weblogs photocritic.org in seinem Beitrag über Fotowettbewerbe […]
#40 - June 6th, 2007 at 17:59
[…] Links: * Beitrag Photocritic.org * DrWeb Newsletter * Crestock Fotocontest * Rules of thirds mit Beispiel erklärt * Beitrag zur […]
#41 - June 7th, 2007 at 16:23
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#42 - June 10th, 2007 at 16:53
[…] entering a photo contest. This “skill” is more common sense though, as the judge that wrote this says that some people don’t even follow the guidelines when entering. When it comes to […]
#43 - June 10th, 2007 at 22:59
i’m a young photographer, and i’m still trying to perfect my pictures. this article has given me great tips! thank you! :]
#44 - June 14th, 2007 at 12:10
[…] has an excellent article describing the steps to take to win a photography competition. Haje Jan Kamps was asked to judge on a recent photo competition and spelled out in the article the […]
#45 - June 14th, 2007 at 17:00
impressive!
i have been to several photography seminars and lectures, but i must say that this, although not a “live” talk, has great insight! photography is not just about winning competitions and stuffs, but telling your own story.
i personally feel that your blog not only teaches us how to win a competition, but how to develop the correct attitude towards photography, and from there, how to improve one’s skill!
thanks for the tips!
#46 - June 26th, 2007 at 11:04
impressive article, thanks!
#47 - July 1st, 2007 at 14:04
[…] photocritic.org published an article on How to win photography competitions which got me thinking a little bit more about it, specially the judging part of […]
#48 - July 3rd, 2007 at 15:56
it may be easy to take part in the photo competions, but it is very hard to teach/guide on the guidelines which you have done very successfully in the above blog. i hope it will bring new faces in the competitions and the art photography will have a fresher look since the thinking and the subjects are limitless. the art have no bounds. accept my heartfelt congratulations.
#49 - July 5th, 2007 at 13:56
[…] How to win photography competitions ||| Photocritic blog (tags: photography contest photo tips) […]
#50 - July 5th, 2007 at 15:51
Great post, wonderful ideas, and not just for winning a contest, but for taking better photos.
#51 - July 10th, 2007 at 08:51
Very good read. Unless one breaks the rule, photography will be monotonous. Thanks for the wonderful article.
#52 - July 25th, 2007 at 07:24
fabulous…….love all your tips
will try to remember all these things which is not an easy task but practice brings it
thanx a lot for such a nice article.
#53 - July 31st, 2007 at 19:25
[…] And here’s some help : How to win a photography competition […]
#54 - August 3rd, 2007 at 03:21
[…] Link Posted by lucpher Filed in Photography […]
#55 - August 10th, 2007 at 23:03
Very important info. I think every Photographer at all skill levels should read this.
#56 - August 27th, 2007 at 10:08
[…] about how to win a photo contest. It’s got a lot of great insights, and worth the quick read Click here to jump there. Thanks to my buddy Jeff Revell for turning me onto this […]
#57 - August 27th, 2007 at 12:40
[…] to win photography competitions? Of course you do. Why else would you enter? Well, head on over to photocritic.org for an interesting post about how to do just that. It’s got a series of good tips and even a […]
#58 - August 28th, 2007 at 15:05
Thank you for the article. Because of it…I am a finalist in the Lowes Home Improvmeent contest. I am a top 25 finalist and the winner gets a $25K home makeover. Voting starts today and runs through September 8th. I can use everyone’s vote to win.
Here is the link to the contest site: http://www.lowesfindinspiration.com and here is a link to see me picture of a blue shell I took in Sanibel Island Florida.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1169/1195974699_ba47f7bb52_o.jpg
Cheers,
Laurel
Gainesville, Fl
#59 - September 11th, 2007 at 21:47
Fabulous tips, thanks for sharing them!
#60 - October 13th, 2007 at 06:02
Nice AND VERY USEFUL tips for those who really are serious for teckniques of Photography.
#61 - October 16th, 2007 at 12:28
[…] FiltersJuice Box Pinhole Camera. ВидеоReverse Macro RingSB800 Location Lighting in MexicoHow to win a photography contestStudio lighting - instant lightsphere - the emergency diffuserHow to create the LensBaby effect in […]
#62 - October 30th, 2007 at 14:31
[…] read more | digg story […]
#63 - November 10th, 2007 at 20:59
Excellent info on winning comps. If anyone has info on upcoming competitions or are in need of images, contact me at my site.
#64 - November 15th, 2007 at 08:29
[…] Haje of Photocritic.org listed 7 tips on how to win photography competitions. […]
#65 - December 1st, 2007 at 03:10
[…] find the photo you gave them. I suggest participating in constructive criticism groups and reading competition tips prior to entering […]
#66 - December 4th, 2007 at 14:24
[…] How to win photography competitions […]
#67 - December 12th, 2007 at 07:40
Very good and interesting reading. But what is amazing - agreeing with you on all parts of your text I can’t agree with you in many things in the examples of photos you provided.
If you allow I will go one by one and then add a few words.
The one with open Dr. Pepper - is a OK but does not bring too much of emotions.
Red hair on the escalator - I agree very interesting
On the rail - color tone is very questionable
The walking pair - nice but technically questionable with the parts of dark background catching up with the lady. The story of this photo is somewhat too simplistic, don’t you think?
The lovers - beautiful shot, piece of art but there is no story - there is a great model and photographer working, I would rather call it a dance - then it makes the story of great dancers showing love through their art. The real lovers don’t pose they make love they are completely in it - so this is not a story of love.
Religion - looks to me as a purely staged shot, I have no trust in it, though it is nicely done.
Feet - is really a great and lovely photo - I fully agree with you on that one.
The laughing girl shot that you so admire - to me is very mediocre. Too much glamor in it reduces the impression of catching the moment. The girl looks as if she has a lot of makeup on her. Editing is too obvious
Finally the very last shot looks to me the weakest! All it has - an interesting angle with over saturated colors, too deep of shadows, no details of the faces of the person and the dog.
I just want to repeat how appreciative and thankful am I for your writing and ideas expressed in it. The only purpose I wrote my brief opinions on the photos and actually the only purpose of this comment is to show how people with same ideas and same understanding of things in theory still disagree when it comes to concrete pieces of art. This is a problem of contests in all arts not only photography. Should Cartier-Bresson, one of my most favorite photographers, applied to a modern competition, he would probably stand a very little chance of winning. But he would have remained Cartier Bresson.
Thanks again for your article and sorry for my far from perfect English, which is obviously not my mother tongue.
#68 - December 22nd, 2007 at 07:11
You can apply all these tips trying to win one of these latest photo contests.
#69 - January 18th, 2008 at 06:46
[…] How to win photography competitions - Seven Tips on how to win a photo contest. These are also good hints on improving your photography if you do not plan to join a contest… […]
#70 - January 18th, 2008 at 17:13
I recommend trying these techniques at Shutterpond Photo Contests!
#71 - January 21st, 2008 at 02:41
This is really helpful . It covers from A to Z for Photo Contest quailty photos.
Thank You,
Kat
#72 - January 27th, 2008 at 02:51
I thought that information was very detalied and specific. It outlined the basics of photography and explained everthing in the eyes of a judge so we now know what theyre all on about!
#73 - January 29th, 2008 at 15:19
I would also like to add: Look at many pictures! The more pictures you see, the more you learn from them. My friends and I have just developed a web based photo recommendation service, where you can see many pictures easily. Maybe you can get help from our site.
Good luck!
Anders at inSuggest
#74 - February 4th, 2008 at 07:51
I am just getting back into competitions after many years. Great stuff.
#75 - February 11th, 2008 at 10:20
[…] an dem Artikel “How to win photography competitions” ist nicht der eigentliche Hintergrund Fotowettbewerbe zu gewinnen und die Jury zu überzeugen, […]
#76 - February 20th, 2008 at 04:22
Thanks for artical about win photo contest.Carefully read your matters,Unfotunatly you avoid one things,Politicaly vision,Specialy this year world press photo contest result ,what teach to the photographer,I want discuss with many of you ,i know most you are not agree with me.but have somthing in any compitition ///////
#77 - March 11th, 2008 at 15:43
I am a total beginner at photography, and I am hungry to learn, as I have travelled much in Africa working for various Non-Profit Organisations, It is often extremely difficult to describe to people what I see, and in December 2007 I finally saved up enough to buy my first camera. Even if I don’t end up entering competitions every little bit that I can learn about the art of painting images with light, is a bonus to me, I have learnt from reading this article, and I hope that it will allow me to share my world with others in a different light. Thank you, most insightful
#78 - April 3rd, 2008 at 15:39
Your text about how to win photography competitions was very useful to me: I won the dispute in a small amateur competition. I followed the tips you gave like sticking to the topic and choosing simple photos. Thank you,
Fabio da Fisica
#79 - April 7th, 2008 at 19:36
[…] guess this sort of follows from my post about How to win photography competitions: It’s important to start thinking as if you are viewing your photographs from the outside. […]
#80 - May 4th, 2008 at 18:06
Winning Photography Competitions…
For aspiring photographers, photography competitions are an interesting way to get some exposure. Though winning them is „slightly” tricky. Usually it is not quite clear by which standards the images will be judged.
Haje, member of a photo competi……
#81 - May 16th, 2008 at 13:12
I think the photos you use to illustrate are mainly stereotype