Photography News Issue 45

Photography News | Issue 45 | absolutephoto.com

Profile

Before the judge TonyWinfield

Join us for our monthly chat with a photographic judge. When it comes to picking winners, TonyWinfield’s passions centre on the mood and feel that good photography can capture...

Competitions are a major part of a camera club’s activities. They probably account for a third of a club’s programme. They are a great way for club members to share their work and get ideas on how to improve their images. The feedback from competent judges promotes self-development as photographers, and the impact of competitions is medium to long term – the more you experience, the greater the benefit. I have been a Midland Counties Photographic Federation (MCPF) listed judge for several years following my early retirement. Each year I judge at around 20 clubs and I do get invited back which is one measure of success. I also present lectures to camera clubs. I have enjoyed camera club photography as an amateur photographer for over 40 years and felt I should give something back. After all, without willing volunteers to judge there would be no more competitions. Camera club members often say to me that they couldn’t be a judge; that it is too difficult. In my younger years I might have agreed with them. Speaking in front of a group of people is challenging for most people. However, the more you do, the less this will bother you. I had the benefit of delivering training courses to groups of people at work, so appearing in front of camera club audiences was not much of a stretch. Judges require a combination of abilities.Theymustbeabletoanalyse and evaluate pictures quickly. To do this they must have sufficient knowledge of photography and what constitutes a good photograph, be able to describe shortcomings in a tactful way, and suggest how the work may be improved. As well as constructive advice on how to overcome shortcomings, a judge must also be able to identify good features of an image. Making comments which show a lack of knowledge, understanding or experience greatly diminishes the judge’s credibility. Harsh, rude or nasty comments should always be avoided – potentially good

Biography

Howmany years in photography? Over 40 Home club? Stafford Camera Club

What is your favourite camera? Panasonic Lumix LX100 compact camera. What is your favourite lens? Sigma 12–24mm f/4.5–5.6 DG HSM What is your favourite photo accessory?

Manfrotto Monopod 679 Who is your favourite

photographer? Simon Marsden

What is your favourite photographic subject or technique? Infrared What awards/distinctions/ medals have youwon? A gold medal for best monochrome print at MIDPHOT, an annual exhibition by Midlands camera club photographers. One of my images was selected and published in collection 9 of the Landscape Photographer of the Year book. I won best nature print in a competition run by the National Memorial Arboretum. I achieved both print of the year and DPI of the year in this year’s annual competitions at my home club. I have recently published my first photographic book – A Guide to Monochrome Infrared Photography.

I don’t have a system of judging other than saying something positive about each picture, pointing out where a picture could be improved and praising good features in pictures that are successful. The hardest part of judging for me is quickly deciding my final order of preference if there are many exceptionally good shortlisted images. The standardof clubphotography is generally good (some outstanding) but it depends largely on the size of the club and the number of advanced photographers that it has. In my experience, photographers entering a club’s novice competition class commonly fail to understand the need to avoid distractions in backgrounds that take away from the main subject. Uncluttered backgrounds work best. Highlight areas carry strong visual weight and the viewer’s eyes are drawn immediately to these areas. Highlights unintentionally included in a picture should be removed or darkened to avoid drawing the viewer’s eye to them. Photography is a subtractive process. A strong image is as much about what you leave out as what you include. It usually proves to be an enjoyable, rewarding experience judging at camera clubs. It gives me a chance to talk with like-minded photo enthusiasts, to see some terrific images and toget ideas formy own photography. I get a real buzz when I see a good picture. When at the end of the night individual members approach me unsolicited and tell me that they have had an enjoyable night even though they did not win, then it is a jobwell done.

photographers have been lost to club photography because of ill-advised comments by judges. Photography is both a technical exercise and artistic expression. For me, what the picture communicates carries greater weight in my scoring than picture content or technical aspects. I favour images that convey feelings, emotions and mood, those that tell a story, and those that show inventiveness or present an idea. Record type pictures, with little interpretation by the photographer, rarely make my shortlist. I cannot think of an instance when I have rejected an outstandingly good picture artistically because of poor technical execution. In my experience, those capable of great artistic expression do not lack technical ability. The winners on the night are those that had the most emotional pull for me personally. I always listen carefully to a judge’s comments when my own work is being assessed. It is always difficult distancing yourself from your own work so another knowledgeable person’s opinion

is valuable. I don’t always agree with a judge, which is OK since as individuals we all have our own opinion when looking at a piece of artwork. When one of my images bombed at a competition I was asked by a fellow club member if I accepted the judge’s decision. I said yes and she asked why. I replied, “He was the judge”. It is important that the judge is shown respect by club members on the competition night. Before judging, I always point out to the audience that they are getting my personal opinion about their images and that another judge would undoubtedly have a different order of preference. Judges can be the object of criticism when they make ill- considered comments. A judge once gave a print of mine top marks, giving the reason that his girlfriend would have liked that sort of image hanging on her wall at home. She wasn’t actually there doing the judging! The same judge gave a creative flower print of mine 10 marks saying it would have got 20 marks if it hadn’t been given a Latin title. Some judges have pet hates. One judge is known to dock marks for every duck that appears in a picture. Another judge dislikes white vignetting around picture edges. Another thinks that nature shots should be in colour only. A creative monochrome shot of a duck with white vignetting around the edges and a Latin title would be an instant competition failure! Judges should avoid talking about themselves and their photography (unless asked to do so) and be aware of the need to avoid applying personal prejudices regardless of whether a particular technique suits the picture being assessed.

What do you think?

Have you seen a photographic judge at work who you’d like to see profiled in Photography News ? If so please drop us a line to opinion@photography-news. co.uk with the judge’s name and, if possible, their contact details.

tonywinfieldfineartphotography.com