On Sun, 2 Jan 2005 20:48:50 +0100, Jens Bladt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I'm sorry if I have posted this image before.... > http://www.flickr.com/photos/bladt/2828279/ > > I entered a local competition with this. The judge didn't like it - at all. > He said the lighting was bad. That's what bothers me: Is it really wrong to > try to just photograph something the way you see it? As I opened my front > door one morning in late August (the day after I received my new *ist D), I > noticed this flower, which I believe it is a weed, not a "culture" flower. I > shot it right there - from my doorway - as I saw it - that fine morning. My > front door is facing east, so naturally, it's back lit! The almost-black > background is just the shadow-side of my hedge - noting artificial/arranged. > All the best
Well, first things first: your photo. I think it's quite good. Despite what the judge says or thinks, it is in fact the lighting that makes it. It's quite a bit different from many other rather mundane flower photos, but beyond that, it just "looks pretty" to these eyes. Next thing: The judge. I see a few others have called him an idiot or said he's wrong. I don't disagree with them, but I suppose that's one of the problems with entering competitions where there's a subjective element to them. I've always had problems with the concept of judging art, for that very reason. Who's to say what's "good art" and what's "bad art"? It seems that such competitions at most must play into the biases and preconceived notions of the judge(s) - try thought they might not to fall into those traps. At worst, they discourage art from being innovative and daring, leaving participants to adhere to guidelines and "rules" if they want to be successful in such competitions. Final thing: Your question, " Is it really wrong to try to just photograph something the way you see it? " Well, of course there's nothing ~wrong~ with it. Just like there's nothing "wrong" with taking uninteresting photographs of your ugly aunt while on vacation (I have no idea whether you have an ugly aunt or not; I have several, so perhaps I should have said "my" ugly aunt <g>). The question here is whether such "found" photos, or photos "the way you see them" are good or interesting or have some redeeming feature. In the particular case at hand, of course, your photo did work very well. But it has nothing to do with whether it was "arranged" or not. Oh well, just some silly ramblings on my last day of a long weekend that actually isn't very long for me... cheers, frank -- "Sharpness is a bourgeois concept." -Henri Cartier-Bresson
