A judge's lament - photo competition judging

PSA Journal, Feb, 1992 by Bill Black

Okay, the judge is here. Club members greet him. Some jokingly, some with apprehension. The meeting begins and he sits through a short (hopefully) business portion. He mentally prepares himself for the task ahead. He remembers an amusing piece he recently read call "Here Came Da Judge..." is the audience really of that mind? Judging can and should be fun, but it is a significant responsibility, especially at the club level where many people are still learning and are sensitive to criticism.

So what does it feel like sitting in the infamous judging chair? Let's take a hypothetical competition night.

The judge now is seated comfortably and is preparing to view and evaluate some 80 to 100 photographs. The slides begin to flash on the screen. Perhaps these thoughts take

* Oh great! Another silhouetted sunset. Nice shot, but what can I say about this to make it sound interesting and constructive--and different? Oh well, "The problem with sunsets is..."

* Here's another African/South American/(fill in) native. I wonder if they ever do anything but stand there and look bored.

* Whew! What a muddled scene! There's got to be a main subject somewhere. But where? I wonder what the photographer saw?

* Oh boy! White-on-white against a gray sky. What in the world was the maker thinking? Maybe it's time for the "high key" comment. Now say something nice.

* I guess everyone went to the same model day shoot. This is the sixth girl. Same toothy grin. Same poor background. Another white outfit. Same flat, on-camera lighting. Now be constructive and kind ! * Look at all the edge mergers. If only the maker would have taken time to study his viewfinder. I wonder if he knows what a cropping mask is?

* Oh, oh! Here's another animal/bird/insect/etc. studio setup. Can't help but get this one right.

* Look at all the cute little highlights. Looks like a bloody blizzard ! * This one looks like selective focus in the extreme. Cameras still have preview buttons, don't they? Well, maybe this shot is supposed to be artistic. Now don't be narrow-minded.

* My, what a great shot of a pure blue sky! Looks like it's about 60 percent of the photograph. That must be what the maker wants me to see. Now, be kind! Let's see, "Blue is my favorite color, and I want to thank the photographer for giving me so much of it to enjoy." Hmmm, maybe that's too sarcastic ! * What a beautiful, serene scenic. I wonder why some other judges don't like them? This has superb color, it's nicely composed, makes me wish I was there.

* Back-to-back scenics. And this one is really moody and monochromatic. Misty, thought-provoking, well-captured. Wish it was mine.

* Good grief! A blacked out night shot. No separation between the skyline and sky. Let's see: "It would have been better if the photographer had been able to be here a little earlier. Skyline shots are best done in the magic time of twilight." That ought to hold them for a while. Did I just hear a snicker?

* Boy! An over-exposed slide right after that night scene. That sure taxes the eye muscles.

* Wow! What imagination! I wonder what it is? it's probably obvious to the audience, but I haven't the slightest idea. Better use the "artistic" phrase on this one.

* Is this the result of camera shake? Deliberate soft focus? Just a lack of preview? My eyes are going. My voice is going. Is this the last slide?

Whew, it's over! I wish I could rescore that slide of the ... (fill in). Was I too high? Was I too tough? Was I fair? Did I hurt anyone's feelings? Did I help a fellow photographer who had a problem?

As with judge-ese, the list goes on and on. Largely it can be a judge's way of entertaining him or herself while getting thoughts together for constructive comments. Fortunately, most judges enjoy the process of photo evaluation, and hopefully, are diligent in their efforts to help other photographers if help is needed. But there is life beyond the competition. Frankly, I like to evaluate because I like to look at photographs. It's pure enjoyment. It gives me a vicarious feeling. And it's a continuous learning process.

The next time, while you are sitting in the darkened room listening to the standard phrases being spoken, amuse yourself with thoughts of what the judge might be thinking in his/her preview. And remember, it ain't easy being in the judge's chair.

The Footloose Photographer

Making Lemonade, a guide to photography: The morning we were scheduled to photograph gorgeous glacier-gouged Lake Louise, in the Canadian Rockies, did not excite us. The sky was grey and thick like our oatmeal. The brochure had promised a bowl of cherries, but this looked like lemons. Defectors headed for the lodge's cozy fireplace, but others put on coats and the weary looks of those who knew they were on a fool's errand.

The peaks behind the lake were lost in mist and the colorful poppies drooped with dew. Then we saw the red canoes, tied together at the bow and fanned out like a winning hand of card positively glowed, reflected in the still water. We composed, threw pebbles into the reflections, and photographed some more. Next morning, with sun shining, the whole group assembled along the shore. I gratefully made more pictures of the classic scene, but the image of Lake Louise that tells the story best, that pleases me the most, is the tightly cropped composition of the canoes, glowing warmly in the mist--an image as refreshing as a cool glass of lemonade.