So now I know why photo clubs are useless

[jp]

It would be interesting to submit a forgotten classic by Weston, Stieglitz, or Adams and see if any judge awards it, of if it's bypassed for the current fashion.

You could do that with their name attached. Just enter with their name... Contests I've seen are judged anonymously from jpegs.

[malexand]

In the fine words of Groucho Marx -
"I would never join a club that would accept me as a member."

[Jim Jones]

I've received similar comments on some of my photos.
My response was that the judges were idiots. . . .

- Leigh

Over many years I've learned a lot from those idiots.

[Eric Rose]

I started the Calgary Large Format Users Group probably 10 years ago. I absolutely HATE photo clubs for all the reasons stated above. I tried liking the Calgary Photographic Society but what a bunch of A-holes. My father told me when I first got into photography to stay away from clubs and especially their competitions. His reason being you will be forced into a "group think" way of making your photographs plus if you enter a competition you might well have the best photo there but if the judges get all gooey over pussy cat photos and your isn't a pretty pussy cat photo you will loose every time.

Our LF group has no president, no organization at all actually. We meet once a month, talk gear, technique, photos and politics. We always have a theme for each month and some give it a whirl and some don't. There is NO judging, just encouraging. People with attitudes don't stay around for very long. We try and get out together as much as possible. It's a USER GROUP plain and simple. A collection of similarly interested misfits. We also have good representation from women as well.

Eric

[pgk]

From which we can only conclude that people are different. So be it.

[Leigh]

Let's take a very specific example...

I took a photo of one of the lock houses on the C&O Canal just north-west of Washington, DC.
It wasn't fine art, but it was a nice photo with fall leaves on the ground and good lighting.

It was criticized because there was a Coke can visible in the picture. True, there was a Coke can.

Why was that a basis for criticism? I did not put the can there, nor did I remove it.
Perhaps I wanted to use the shot to illustrate an article about trash at public parks.

In any case, it accurately recorded reality. What would be a basis for criticizing it?

- Leigh

[Two23]

Let's take a very specific example...

I took a photo of one of the lock houses on the C&O Canal just north-west of Washington, DC.
It wasn't fine art, but it was a nice photo with fall leaves on the ground and good lighting.

It was criticized because there was a Coke can visible in the picture. True, there was a Coke can.

Why was that a basis for criticism? I did not put the can there, nor did I remove it.
Perhaps I wanted to use the shot to illustrate an article about trash at public parks.

In any case, it accurately recorded reality. What would be a basis for criticizing it?

- Leigh

People often excel at finding fault with something
It makes them feel important.

Kent in SD

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Its easy to find fault. It is harder to praise someone.

[Jim Jones]

Let's take a very specific example...

I took a photo of one of the lock houses on the C&O Canal just north-west of Washington, DC.
It wasn't fine art, but it was a nice photo with fall leaves on the ground and good lighting.

It was criticized because there was a Coke can visible in the picture. True, there was a Coke can.

Why was that a basis for criticism? I did not put the can there, nor did I remove it.
Perhaps I wanted to use the shot to illustrate an article about trash at public parks.

In any case, it accurately recorded reality. What would be a basis for criticizing it?

- Leigh

You chose to record reality. Photography also has the ability to idealize a subject. This is the norm in some areas of photography. Perhaps you encountered a judge who rigidly follows that school.

[Leigh]

You chose to record reality. Photography also has the ability to idealize a subject. This is the norm in some areas of photography. Perhaps you encountered a judge who rigidly follows that school.

Hi Jim,

Of course, photography can be artistic, even fine art.
I have no problem with that.

But when it records reality, it should not be down-graded for doing so.
That simply reflects an obvious prejudice on the part of the judge.

If a contest is restricted to artistic shots, that should be stated.
It was not in this case, with the field open to all.

- Leigh