Page 53 - CPH_MJJ22_14-67

but the ultimate goal is whether the viewer wants to keep coming back to look at it and whether it stays in their mind.
■ To me, art is not about a technique, it’s about creating work that tells a story or at the very least evokes an emotion. It should challenge the viewer, not just try to play the role of decoration. I think a lot of the entrants have mixed up using an alternative process as meaning art.
■ The art category is a chance to show who you are as a photographer, not what techniques you can apply to imagery.
■ A camera is just a tool. Just let your imagination and creativity take over; it’s all about taking risks.
BLACK & WHITE
■ Too many entries were just three versions of the same photo. If you’re given three entries in a competition, take advantage of that opportunity. Three different frames of the same thing shows a lack of effort.
■ Black and white photography isn’t just desaturated colour; it’s tone, form, shape, texture, and subject all combined so that colour just isn’t necessary. Watch your histograms and don’t clip your blacks and whites.
■ Black and white calls for supreme understanding of tones: just because a camera can capture a seemingly infinite amount of tonal information doesn’t mean we can’t show restraint in our images.
■ If you can see in tones then you’ve won half the battle. Don’t just desaturate an image; go out and shoot with the intention to capture the contrast, tone, and texture as part of the composition. Once this is mastered you can worry about the subject.
DOCUMENTARY
■ Worktohaveastrongthreadthatholdstheseries of images together: this could be a place, person, issue, or concept. Returning to the project multiple times over a period of time and narrowing the work along the way is the foundation of doing documentary work. For the final series, avoid redundancy. Each image should further the story, not repeat something you have already communicated in other photographs.
■ Themostsuccessfulstoriesdisplayednotonly terrific photography, but taught the viewer something about the subject’s experience. There were stories of both joy and despair, told equally well and from each photographer’s particular visual perspective. For me, seeing how photographers see is one of the great pleasures as a judge.
■ A successful documentary essay draws the viewer into the lives or subject matter that you’re trying to convey. Choosing a story that you believe in is a great starting point.
Consider linking images in a consistent style or approach, building the narrative over time. It’s more than a series of similar images created at one event. Considered work that shows a real sense of intimacy and connection to the story and people the photographer is working with is what I’m drawn to most.
■ I found the successful folios gave me a glimpse into the relationship the photographer had with their subject matter, allowing the viewer a true connection into what the photographer was feeling and wanting to communicate. A good documentary photographer has a story to convey and a critical eye for the subject. In some of the folios the ‘rawness’ of the imagery reinforced the subject matter to stylistically create an intimate ‘fly on the wall’ approach allowing relatability for the viewer to the photographer’s story.
LANDSCAPE
■ Regardless of where you go to make images, the most important tool you can ever take with you is your own personal vision and understanding of the world. Don’t just be a facsimile machine, capturing whatever is in front of you; learn to see, process and empathise with the environment around you, and then convert those feelings into a sophisticated and emotional response.
■ While there were many highly commended images demonstrating sound camera craft and very strong compositions, it was images that
presented something ‘different’ and ‘new’ to the judge that were awarded. It was these images that stood out and captivated the judges’ attention.
■ The landscapes I found most engaging were of a lyrical and poetic nature. They were evocative, mysterious, and atmospheric without being cliched. There seemed a deeper, personal connection to the landscapes they were depicting. Finding the essence of a landscape involves spending time observing it, developing a relation to it, and then capturing its distinct elements.
■ What would often cancel a portfolio for me was there would be multiple formats and horizon lines all over the place that just didn’t work. Some images were overcooked in Photoshop, but I tried not to allow bad Photoshop skills to influence my estimation of the potential of the images.
■ A number of the images felt technique driven, and a lot of the techniques used were employing the old tropes. It felt to me the photographers were relying on a style. Numerous images felt like the photographers were making post cards, rather than looking for a connection to the landscape.
■ Technique alone will only take you so far. Combine it with mood, style, impact, and some narrative, or even simple aesthetic, and you have the recipe for strong and memorable imagery.
■ Interestingly, given our recent history of extreme weather events, there were very few
Shot by Alan Coligado, Top 20 (Black & White).
[capture] may_jul.22
capturemag.com.au
65