” Why Didn’t My Work Make The Show ? “
” Why didn’t my work get accepted at the KAC Show ? “
This is a popular question lately, and, while there is no absolute answer, there certainly are some reasons why a photographer’s work may not get accepted for exhibition.
Following is a partial list. Everyone’s comments are welcome. Please post your opinion. We need to establish a dialogue.
Reason 1
POOR TECHNICAL EXECUTION
The photograph is unintentionally out of focus, blurry, or poorly exposed. The operative word here is unintentionally - an accomplished photographer may present an out of focus, blurry, poorly exposed photograph. Actually, an accomplished photographer will often break the rules to his/her advantage. A photographer should only break traditional technical rules of quality after the rules of conventional photography are thoroughly understood.
Reason 2
SUBSTANDARD PRINT QUALITY
Even before the popularity of personal photographic printers, print quality was a major presentation issue. Now with ink jet, dye sublimation and other forms of personal printer technology available, photographers have many more options for presenting terrible prints of dynamic photographs. The print is the vehicle that takes the image to the show. Don’t submit prints that aren’t as perfect as they can be. Colors should be normal and neutral. Prints with raster lines ( stripes in the print ) should never be exhibited - unless they are part of the overall artistic intent. Prints should be free of mechanical defects such as bubbles, scratches and folds. Make a great print of your image ! And, while we’re on the topic, mats should be clean and cleanly cut so that they enhance the quality of the photograph.
Reason 3
THE SUBJECT IS TOO SPECIFIC TO YOUR LIFE
So it’s a great photo of your grandson or a rare photo of a purple breasted rock hawk. When your photo is hanging on the wall by itself, it needs to stand on its own merit and speak to a wide audience. It can’t be a photo of your baby. It needs to be a photo of your baby that metaphorically reminds every viewer of their baby, neice, nephew, grandbaby, or themselves when they were a baby. Photographs of rare animals, that only you know are rare, rarely get accepted. If the photograph needs an explanation by you - leave it home.
Reason 4
THE JUDGE DOESN’T LIKE IT
Plain and simple - some judges like people and some don’t. Some judges like black and white photos while some like color photos. Some like waterfalls and some like tool boxes covered in rust. The judge’s decision is subjective and based on his/her opinion of what is good. Don’t take it personally. As long as you like the photo, and it isn’t handicapped by obvious flaws as mentioned above, then it’s worth entering.
Reason 5
TOO EDGY (NOT EDGY ENOUGH) FOR THE VENUE
Sponsors and venues develop reputations as show sites for experimental or conservative photography. This preference can be compounded by the judge’s particular taste, but the judge is chosen by the gallery or sponsor so usually there is not a contradiction of viewpoint.
Comments are requested - Voice your opinion.
March 17th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Thank you Guy, this was very helpful. Also because this is coming from an experienced judge.
Especially reason nr.3.
I started to look at my photos differently. I used to think,” Oh, that’s a nice photo”, “Oh, I like that one.” Now I think, if I were to hang it up on the wall and a hundred people walked by it, would anybody stop and look at it, would it make an impression on anyone. A photo should speak to others. No?
One thing about judges, it really boils down to one thing “taste”.
“de gustibus non disputandum”
March 20th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Thanks - - great post. Everyone thinks their own photos are great. I have been only happy with a couple of the thousands of photos I have taken - at any rate thanks for an informative post and hopefully will help people “get it”.
I’d make a terrible judge because I’d only allow photos that stir up some kind of emotion in me - that being even more important than technical perfection of course.
View some great photos, get restaurant reviews, and tap into the Central New York Buzz at http://www.cnyforum.org/phpbb/index.php
April 9th, 2007 at 8:58 am
Guy,
These are well thought out observations. Probably many times the operational word is “subjective” [reason 4.] . Even when people may have met all or most of the criteria for the show, the judge has the last word… In view of my limited experience with showing work, my comment may not be valid, but it certainly feels like it.
In conversation with some people, who have a lot of experience exhibiting their work, one of the approaches mentioned when dealing with a single judge, is to find out something about this individual’s work. The style, subject matter, presentation etc. If the judge seems to like highly saturated colors, weak pastels won’t pass no matter how everyone likes it…
Having said this, I have a great deal of admiration for someone undertaking the task to judge an exhibition.
July 31st, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Thanks for some great insight. Although much of the information in this article was familiar to me, the suggestions in number three were simple yet extremely helpful. Since I enter a very minimal amount of competitions, this is something I struggle with. Good suggestion to ‘keep in mind that your photo has to speak to a wide audience’. And I love the tone in which this was written. I can hear you speaking.