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Author Topic: How to judge a photo competition  (Read 1766 times)

robertDthomas

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How to judge a photo competition
« on: March 06, 2017, 07:19:00 pm »

I consider myself a reasonable amateur photographer and have been fortunate to be selected in a good number of juried shows and even got a few awards. I guess that's one reason I was asked to judge an upcoming exhibit at another club's show. I would like to do some justice to the review and selection and so I turn to this forum for some guidance.  Any suggestions or sites for direction would be much appreciated.
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GrahamBy

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #1 on: March 07, 2017, 06:27:56 am »

Maybe the answer is to think about it like a job interview: what is the job description? Was there a theme, were the photos supposed to elicit or persuade or have some other purpose?
In general, I think it's very difficult to say that something is "good" or "the best" without knowing "for what?"

And if none of that is specified, then you are free to just choose whatever you most wish you'd taken yourself :)
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RSL

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #2 on: March 07, 2017, 08:36:42 am »

Hi Robert, I've juried several shows and I can tell you that there's no by-the-numbers way to do it. (Actually there is, but the outcome usually is ridiculous when the results come from a checklist.) The best solution is to immerse yourself in visual art. Look at everything you can. Take the Great Courses (now too few) offerings in art. You judge a show pretty much the same way you frame and shoot a street shot. Your immediate impression is the most important thing; not whether or not the photographer applied the rule of thirds, etc. The problem you'll then run into is that some by-the-book guy will hassle you about, say, the crop, the sharpness, the colors, the composition, etc. (Same responses we run into on LuLa in User Critiques.) Bop the guy on the head if you can, or to avoid an invasion by the cops, simply ignore him.

Good luck. Judging art is not a hassle-free thing to do.
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BrownBear

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #3 on: March 07, 2017, 10:00:55 am »

I've been well served (and asked repeatedly to return!) by being very clear in my thinking before I ever walk through the door. By that I mean that I list and rank the three most important criteria for me in my own photography, then I judge by those standards. Won't even tell you what the criteria are, because that's a very personal choice reflecting who you are. I try not to be greatly affected by subject matter, but that's the toughest part of the job sometimes.  I've actually hated the subject matter in some photos but judged them positively simply because the photog did a very good job with the subject, all my prejudices aside.

One other thing I do that's made me popular with shows: I write brief comments to each photographer on 5x7 sticky notes, paying especially close attention to the non-contenders. I specify my 3 criteria and point out which they did best with. It's my job to be encouraging to all who entered, but that's where the extra work is needed for the also-rans. 

You can choose to put in as much or as little effort as you want on shows, but I take the job seriously and see it as part of the job to help the budding photographers' growth. If you remember back to the first competitions you entered, it was often more than a little mystifying when trying to assess why you lost, and especially how to improve.  The notes are a popular help for that.
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RSL

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2017, 10:59:14 am »

Hi Bear, I certainly agree that it's a good idea to tell folks about how you look at pictures before you begin judging their stuff. What I used to do was hold a short session for the group a couple weeks before the show, and run through a series of pictures I think are great. I'd explain why I think that, and answer questions. On the other hand, giving out a list of "criteria" by which you'll judge sounds to me exactly like what I mentioned earlier: judging by checklist.

I most emphatically disagree about subject matter. Subject matter matters, and to try to pretend it doesn't would sound like BS, and be off-putting to me.

I don't like the idea of handing out critiques to the losers. Let's face it, a contest like this isn't a by-the-book kind of thing. It's a call shot on the part of the judge. If the contestants understand what you consider to be good work, that should answer their questions. Just looking at what you gave the prizes to should send a strong message.

In the end, judging isn't deciding what's right and what's wrong. It's deciding how much you like a picture. Different judges will judge differently. Any contestant who thinks there are hard and fast rules for judging art have been spending too much time reading courtroom drama.
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robertDthomas

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2017, 03:21:54 pm »

Brownbear ans RSL,

Thank you for your responses.  It seems that judging by how you feel and determining why you feel that way is a good starting point.  I have been critiqued on the technical aspects of my photography as well as the artistic implementation and found that feedback helpful but also realizing even though they may be skilled in the subject it is from that persons viewpoint .  I have Googled and found a list or two of 'criteria' but I think I will just use them as elements that may help me determine why I like a particular image.  I like the idea of meeting with a group and discussing how you look at pictures.  But at this point I will wait till I have judged enough shows (if I am called back or by others) to have a substantive discussion on the topic.

Thanks again for you input.
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BrownBear

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #6 on: March 08, 2017, 02:33:28 pm »

Hi Bear...I most emphatically disagree about subject matter. Subject matter matters, and to try to pretend it doesn't would sound like BS, and be off-putting to me.

I happen to despise auto photography. Neither rhyme nor reason for it. Yet I voted one such photo best of show simply because the guy (actually gal) did such a good job of photography.  I also love wildlife photography, yet I've bypassed good photos of some of my favorite animals simply because other photographers did a better job of photography. 

Strokes and folks and floating boats.  I'll stand by my method as being the perfect one for me, no matter how much it sounds like BS to another.  The organizers certainly don't have to invite me back. But they do.
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RSL

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2017, 03:01:29 pm »

No kidding? What, exactly, do you mean by "such a good job of photography?" Was the show advertising photography for an auto company? If not, I'd have to conclude you're talking about things like sharpness, rule-of-thirds composition, good color, etc. All of these things are nice, but they don't necessarily define "good photography." Good photography grabs you by the heart. As far as being able to explain why the picture strikes you that way, it's nice to be able to explain it, but if you can't explain it you're looking at a real winner.
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Alan Klein

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2017, 03:58:02 pm »

I haven't juried but submitted to them and watched the judge.  Many go through all the photos quickly first getting a sense of the range in quality and which ones they like off the top.  The when they go through slowly, they don't apply the wrong scores to the early ones they look at because they didn't know what was coming.  I don't know how you're judging, but at ours, the judge gives his thoughts one what's good and bad in each photo as the entrants are there.  It's nice to know how the judge judged. 

How do you intend to score?  There are different methods.  Are there different categories?  B/W vs. color for example.

BrownBear

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2017, 04:29:38 pm »

No kidding? What, exactly, do you mean by "such a good job of photography?" Was the show advertising photography for an auto company?

If the subject matter is within the guidelines of the show, your opinion as judge on the subject matter has zero relevance to the show. 

You're talking about a popularity contest, not a measure of photography skill.  Seen shows like that, mostly at county fairs.  Here's their criteria:  Cute and cuddly animal. Cute and cuddly kid. Hit the saturation button hard on all your sunset photos.  Put a cute little kid holding a bunny rabbit in front of a sunset, and you're going home with the grand prize ribbon.  Congratulations!  ;D
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RSL

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2017, 04:59:23 pm »

What do you think a juried photographic competition is if not a popularity contest, Bear? The winner is something that's popular with the judge or judges. Neither cute and cuddly nor oversaturated photographs grab you by the heart. What grabs you by the heart is something like Gene Smith's Tomoko Uemura in her bath, though that's way out at the edge of the world of grabbing. Another picture that ought to grab you by the heart, perhaps to a lesser extent, is HCB's "The Locks at Bougival." There are other examples. I've included one. It's nowhere near a Gene Smith or an HCB. Technically it leaves a lot to be desired -- sharpness and all that -- but if it doesn't grab you, even mildly. . . well . . .

And Alan, you're quite right. You don't start assigning places to winners until you've studied everything that's there. You make notes as you go and then come back to the ones that grabbed you in one way or another. And it helps to give your thoughts once you've finished. On the other hand, I've always made it a point not to be there when the winners are announced. I don't need that kind of hassle, and I don't owe the losers an argument.
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GrahamBy

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Re: How to judge a photo competition
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2017, 08:00:21 am »

If the subject matter is within the guidelines of the show, your opinion as judge on the subject matter has zero relevance to the show. 

You don't think selection of the subject matter is a photographic skill?
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