Judging at the 36th Annual USGS National Photographic Competition

I was invited to be one of the judges for the Thirty-sixth Annual U.S. Geological Survey National Photographic Competition 2010
The rules of the photography competition are visible to all, but the submission deadline was Friday, November 26, 2010. During this week, I am scheduled to judge the entries.

This competition as well as previous Competitions are also available to see online.

I will be at the opening reception in January at USGS in Reston, Virginia.

The results will tour the country to:

• Reston: December 15, 2010 – January 28, 2011
• Denver:  March 2011
• Rolla:  May 2011
• Menlo Park:  July 2011

I look forward to seeing and judging the entries and picking the winners.

Want to know how I judge any photo contest? Read my post on this.

Judging Silver Spring Camera Club’s Annual Competition

This May, I will be judging the Annual competition for the Silver Spring Camera Club. I was a judge at one of their prior monthly meetings in 2008, but they asked for more. I happily agreed to meet a few members in mid-May to pick the winners for their end of the year competition of prints and slides. They are a talented bunch as you can see on their website. The number of entries is unknown until the day I get there, but 2-3 hours of work is expected. If you want to improve your photography and network/socialize with people sharing this interest, consider joining a local camera club for feedback and new friends who like to share their results.

One of the chief issues I have seen at some camera clubs in the past is low resolution printing (that’s a bad thing). If I can see (or even count) pixels, it’s OUT. If I see jagged edges on any lines in a print, it’s OUT. Be sure that if you decide to print your photography that you go for 300 dpi (ppi) or higher…regardless of the size of the print. Bigger print does not make it a better print. The “impact” of a big and bad print makes it worse, not better.  

If the subject for a competition is trees (for example), make sure there is at least one tree in the photograph. A photograph with some grass and random shadows don’t get very far in this type of competition if I am the judge. I will say something to the effect of “There may be a tree there in the future, but I don’t one here now. OUT” If the subject is not very prominent, it better be really well composed or otherwise it’s OUT.

Good luck and keep shooting.

Free NPPA Workshop For “Navigating The Downturn”

Email to the NPPA sent on 4/28/2009:

Hi,

I noticed the “Free NPPA Workshop For “Navigating The Downturn“

I imagine this workshop will be recorded for future posting online or offered as a live webinar, RIGHT?! This is not new technology so I don’t see any reason why it would not be recorded and posted on the NPPA website, Youtube and/or as a podcast. Or will this workshop be limited to the few people who show up? This is a national or even global issue, is it not? Might a virtual attendance be even larger, less expensive for everyone and more welcoming event to the entire membership in comparison to a 1950’s style townhall meeting with just some west coast residents. Embracing (and using) the technology of the 21st century (instead of resisting it) is one way to ‘navigate the downturn’, broaden our horizons as well as open up other income possibilities. This isn’t about shooting this versus that, but rather understanding how to run a business today which sadly most photographers don’t know how.

Please advise what this workshop will do for the rest of the membership outside of Seattle as well as other photographers in the world.

Thank you.

Henrik de Gyor

I will post the reply, once I get one.

Are you networking with other professionals?

It is very important to network and be social with other professionals because this is how you find out the about the latest and greatest…opportunities (not just new toys) and makes other people aware that you are interested in seeking more work. Now this doesn’t mean stealing the other person’s idea or client (that will happen anyhow regardless of what you do because it is that sort of business). You will also learn about ‘new’ techniques, skills and ways to be more efficient in your photography business. 

So where do you network as a photography professional? If you are around the Washington DC area this week, you don’t have much of an excuse not to come to the Northern Short Course, network with many professionals, learn about the business and get your portfolios reviewed on 3/19/09 through 3/21/09. I will be there as a portfolio reviewer, among other professionals.

Sharing of ideas, contact information and bringing unity to this business are all good things. Hiding in your cocoon or cave will not help you nor your business regardless of the economic situation.

So what about after the Northern Short Course, what is around me that I could attend? Most photography associations hold meetings for networking and idea sharing and they often don’t require you to be a member either.

Here are a few I have attended and participated in:

APA

ASMP

ASPP

Each of these groups have local chapters which meet every month around the US. 

What if I live far away from all these? Look for local photography groups and even camera clubs.

Start networking online with their blogs, facebook, linkedin groups and twitter.

Make sure people know you exist, work in photography and are able to help them with their photography needs.

Full disclosure: I am not compensated by anyone nor any organization to attend the NSC nor write this blog. That will probably remain this way too. At the time of this posting, I am a NPPA member, but you don’t have to be a member to attend the Northern Short Course. Get out there and start networking.

Why do you still print your photographs today?

Why do you need to hold prints in your hand in the 21st century? Why do you need to hang them on your wall?

If you were to visit Bill Gates’ house in Seattle, he does not have printed art on his walls. He has large monitors which alternate digital images of art on his walls. You and I can buy a digital picture frame which does this on a smaller scale.

Printing work is passe. Consider this: You shoot something with your digital camera today. Now you want to share the photographs.

Will you print everything, spend a fortune because you are printing everything and not know what do with all those prints?

Or will you download it all on your computer and post it on a website to share the photographs with everyone or a select few where they can view everything and request to get a copy of just what they want? Then they get a digital copy of what they want or just a print of what they want to have?

Now consider what happens to all those prints.

What are they doing right now aside collecting dust and space. They will be rarely referred to again. If they are referred to again (without the photographer or subject) few will remember what the context of the printed photographs which defeats the purpose.

Compare this with digital photographs which may have metadata associated to them or at the very least a date when it was taken.

Sure, printing is cheaper when you send it out. You can send the files to a store and pick them up or even have them delivered to you. While this is less expensive, if you print it all, what are you going to with all those prints? Are you going to charge for them all? Will someone buy them? Or are you wasting your time and money? You are counting all the time it took you to get all those prints, right? Not just the $0.07 per 4×6. You are still making a profit when you print your work, right?

Don’t believe it costs a fortune to print photographs at home? Epson, HP and Lexmark make most of their profits from the sale of ink cartridges alone, not the printers. From this $23 billion market, how many prints do you get per ink cartridge when you print at home? That includes all the practice and test prints too, right? How much did you pay for that paper and ink and the printer? Now how many printer are you getting out of it. The reason why the printer might have been so cheap is because vendor knows you will be back for paper and ink by the box load. If you paid a premium for the printer and it does not yield a volume of prints, they really got you good.

So if you goal is to drain your wallet for no reason, keep printing at home. If you want your prints to take up space because you have too much of it at home or in your office, keep printing everything at the store or via website. If you want start embracing the 21st century instead of resisting it, stop printing. If you need something printed, spend your money more wisely and outsource it to a website which specializes in printing services. After all, it does matter how mad you get about the cost of printing if you keep paying the same price.

So, what make the printed photograph better than a digital copy? Nostalgia of a past era. Start living in the present and move on.

How to critique a photography portfolio

Critiquing photo portfolios, whether you know the person who created the portfolio or not, is the same process. Don’t play favorites based on the person, but rather on the work which they are presenting. That is what is being critiqued.

Job interviews are different because you are reviewing both the work (the portfolio) and the person for a position.

I believe a portfolio should not be printed because this is the 21st century and printing anything today is a waste of time and money. Photo portfolios should be digital and displayed in some kind of digital format. Some photographers add their portfolio to their iPod too and at the spur of the moment can display it to a potential client.

Portfolios evolve as does a photographer who tries to do better. As a photographer, you are only as good as the last photographs you shot. Not simply what you shot in 1969. If you have not updated your portfolio since then, there is something very wrong and it will show you are trying to live off your reputation (kind of like Kodak did for years), but you can not  produce anything of value today. It does not matter what equipment you use, how long it took to create what you are showing nor what your name is. It is the end result that counts. You are judged on what you present and how you present it.

Photographers should tailor their portfolio to whom they will be showing it and what they are trying to do with it. You should not have one portfolio unless you only shoot one thing and one kind of photography. If you photograph door knobs as your hobby, build a portfolio of it. If you photograph weddings, build portfolio from several weddings. If you shoot photojournalism, you include a photo story, general news, feature, portraits, sports and spot news (if they are all really good). Don’t throw door knobs in the wedding portfolio. Get rid of the cliche photographs. Sunsets, flags, etc. 

Do not  include “filler”.

The number of photographs in the portfolio does not have to be a round number.

It is not quantity, but rather quality that matters.  I would rather see very few good photographs, then some good, some ok and some bad. Get rid of the filler photos. Include only your best. 

Many of the same rules apply to a portfolio review as it does to a photography contest.

In case you are interested, I will be reviewing portfolios at the Northern Short Course again this year.

Sign up for the Northern Short Course

The Northern Short Course is being held from March 19-21, 2009 at the Hilton Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia.

They have a good line up of lectures, informative workshops, contest and portfolio reviews.

You don’t have to be a professional photographer to register for this conference, but there will be a lot of photojournalists present since this is a conference geared towards photojournalism.

There will be an expo with major manufacturers and vendors with the latest photography tools of the trade to look at, use and buy.

I will be reviewing portfolios in the evening.  It is worth attending for the nominal fee and is a great networking event for photographers.

Self-development for those working in the photography market today

Newspapers, magazines and many other businesses are slowly fading away. They are also laying off in record numbers and it is far from over. Lots of people panic and are being irrational. Some just sadly wait their turn for the layoff or hope for a buyout.

Want a running list of who has layoffs and who is closing their doors? Magazine Death Pool and Papercuts are two sites which list the losses in the magazine and newspaper industries respectively. You don’t even want to know how many freelance photographers can’t find work right now. The wedding photography business is full of both professional wedding photographers and photojournalists that brides could have them bid against each other for a lower rate. Sad, but true for working photographers today.

It is truly a buyer’s market and it will only get better for buyers in 2009. If you are a photo editor, you are probably getting great deals from outside photo vendors eating each other up. Just look at what happened to Jupiterimages which was the #3  photography vendor (soon to be owned by Getty Images still running in the #1 position). This is a business and it is not personal. Treat it that way and reap the rewards.

If you are a photographer working for newspapers or magazines, what are you doing about this situation right now? Well, you can’t do much to save the paper printing dinosaurs which publish outdated information each day, week or even a month after the fact. They will either become an online publication with very little printing in the future OR they will probably just die off with the rest of them. Amazingly, these publications will not be missed by the current online generation for very long. This is a matter of adapting to change, not resisting change. After all, advertisers are realizing this fact and giving print publications much less money.  Readers as well as advertisers want to be able to access more for less money and quicker. When is the last time you saw a print publication do that? Remind me, why do we need to print something today? Do we really need to hold a printed product in our hands in order to read it? Well, the same applies to printed photographs. This is the 21st century and we need to not only start living in it, but thriving in it. If you don’t keep up the times and technology, you risk being left with the outdated information…in the recycling bin.

If you get laid off, you could do nothing. Feel sorry for yourself. Fall into depression. Wonder “why me?” or “Why now?”. Drink your worries away each day. None of these are recommended.

What I do recommend is the following either before a layoff or after a layoff

• Realize that layoffs have nothing to do with you personally.  Focus on job searching and work on the following:

• Website. Do you have one? Does it have your current work and contact information displayed? Does anyone know about your website aside from your family and friends?
• Learn about new technologies, not just about the latest digital camera. The newest digital camera is just more outgoing money. No one will be hiring you based on the camera you have, but rather on the quality of your work.  There will be new professional camera every 18 months and new consumer camera every 6 months.  Learn about what is used after you photograph something instead. There will be another new of version Adobe Creative Suite every 18 months too. Do you really need the new features or is it just a new toy?
• Improve your workflow. It should take you less time to process your work after a photo shoot now that you are digital unless you don’t have the tools or don’t know how to use the tools you already have.
• Treat your photography like a business. If you sell your work or services as a photographer, this is a must if you plan to stay in business. Read the book by John Harrington
• Learn more about your trade such as lighting, posing for portraits and dealing with people as subjects and/or clients.
• Join an association or society which hold regular events you can attend. Go to the events and meet people you don’t know yet. Be social. If you aren’t social (beyond the bar), start now.
• Network. Have you networked with others photographers recently? How about people who need photographers aside from your employer, if you shoot for them?
• Promote yourself. What are your photographs doing right now? Are your photographs working for you or just sitting there collecting dust. What are you doing right now? When was the last time you entered a photo contest? Does anyone know about you as a photographer who could give you work? Are they in touch with you? Are you in touch with them?
• Show off your work. Get feedback. Meet people with similar interests or that need your help. It may mean getting work. You could be the ‘greatest photographer who ever lived’, but you will starve as photographer if you don’t show your work to anyone and promote yourself.
• Social Networking. Do know what this is? It’s another opportunity to promote yourself. Use social networking like Facebook, Linkedin groups, Twitter, Flickr and many others. These are all free!
• Share the knowledge. Be known as a resource to others.
• Refer others. Instead of trying to be a master of all trades, refer others who are much better at it than you are. They may return the favor. You could even ask for a referral fee, if the gig monetizes itself. They may buy you dinner too.
• Start a blog. Write about what you are passionate about and contribute to the blog regularly. If it is of interest to others, you may get sponsors.
• Don’t let grass grow under your feet. There is no job security in the 21st century. Believe it. Where will you be going to work if you lose your job tomorrow? Keep all your options open.

The value of self-assignments

Would you like your photography to grow? In a runt? Want to get out of boredom?

Try some self-assignments. These are  assignments you assign yourself that you want to accomplish in the near future.

Mark Gilvey gives a great example of self-assignments

Mark’s ideas interested him. He turned an idea into a project. The project is a self-assignment. So he:

1. Planned what was needed to do the self-assignment
2. Executed it and learned from mistakes along the way
3. Finished the self-assignment
4. Shared the experience with others to learn and enjoy

At the same time, he will have fun, learn something and become a better photographer. If his list of projects don’t peak your interests, you could:

• Try something new that you have not done before
• Try something you want to improve
• Create a photo story
• Try out different technology with a end goal at the end the assignment

The idea is not necessarily to master what you are trying to do, but have fun while learning because you picked the idea which interested you.

If you are totally lacking inspiration or ideas,

• Visit a museum
• Visit a library or bookstore
• Go on vacation

Everyone can make the time to do something for themselves. That is what a self assignment is.

Once you have finished your self assignment (however long it takes you), share it with others. Tell people what you have photographed and share the experience you’ve had. By simply sharing your experiences with others or just writing it all out, you will learn even more.

Self-assignments can help you develop portfolio pieces too. No matter who you are as a photographer, you can improve your portfolio. In an upcoming post, I will discuss I what I look for in a portfolio (whether it is for a job or not). Meanwhile, self-assign yourself a project.

How to be a good photography judge

Years of experience as a photographer (to know how it is done)

Years of photo editing experience (to know how to select the best images or the ones which are needed)

Award winning images under their own belt (to know what winning is like)

Their ability to vocalize how/why they come to their decision (to know what they are saying)

Their ability to know how most photographs are created by simply looking at them carefully (to know what was done)

Their ability to explain how to improve anything they see (to be a critic)

Their ability to provide feedback so that others may learn (to be a teacher)

The common error that many judges do is look at an image and say simply

• “that’s nice”
• “good”
• “bad”

The reason this is an error is because:

• This is not feedback which other people can learn from
• It doesn’t tell the audience nor the photographer anything of value. The judge’s opinion is valued only if they can justify it objectively.
• It does not vocalize nor explained WHY you see it that way.
• If the judge can not explain why something is good, bad nor how it could be improved, they are out of their league and should leave it to people who can do this properly.

Yes, It is not only a matter of whether a photograph “moves” the judge, “how it makes them feel” or evokes emotion that makes the image an award winner, but that is a plus to keep in mind.

How I do judge a photography competition with an audience such as a camera club meeting or photo contest?

1. I look at the format which the photographs are presented anonymously:

• prints
• slides (aka transparencies)
• digital

1. I study the rules of the competition (which vary per competition) and ask any questions for clarification prior to the beginning of the competition.
2. I check to make sure everyone can hear what I am saying. I had an occassion when I was judging in a large hall facing the work (not the audience) as I pointed things out. I needed to act like a weather man with a small map to make this work. Only the front rows could hear me because there was no microphone! Shouting for hours does not work well for most people.
3. I preface my judging by telling the audience that my judgements should not to be taken personally, but rather as constructive criticism which they can benefit from by learning what the issues are with corrections suggested.
4. Many volumes of photographs I have judged can narrowed down and filtered “OUT” due to simple technical issues. I quickly mention what the flaws are (such as focusing issues), what could be done to correct the issue (for the benefit of the audience as well as the photographer), then move on to the rest of the images.
5. Next, I narrow down any photographs which look:
   1. Too posed (including portraits)
   2. Manipulated (like bad Photoshop work)
   3. Too far from the subject
6. I look at the:
   1. Composition
      1. Foreground/middle ground/background
      2. Edges of the frame
      3. What is included/excluded
      4. Simplicity/complexity
   2. Quality of light
   3. Action/moment captured
   4. Story told
   5. Emotion evoked
   6. Main subject
   7. Secondary subject
7. After I am done with what I can objectively review and filter down, I look at the aesthetics which is mainly subjective. This is where my Art History degree helps.
8. If there are still entries to narrow down to, I select what moves me the most from the selections which are still “IN”.

The number of entries sometimes determine the number of winners. The less awards there are to give away, the easier it is for the judge to make the decisions needed. Trying to decide who gets 13th place instead of 8th place in a fair manner can get tedious and time consuming.

I hope this is a useful guide of how I judge photographs and helps other on the criteria to consider when looking at photography they see.