Contests - What do judges look for?

[Fleetwood271]

Can anyone tell me what criteria judges use when judging a contest? I know that's a [FONT=&quot]vague question, but just looking for general thoughts.

I just came from a local contest and I really did not see anything at all special about any of the images that won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place in any of the categories.

In fact, there were many more appealing shots that came in way down the line like 20th or 30th place.




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[CCericola]

Technical expertise, Composition, Following contest rules, original and interesting interpretations of the contest's objective. Really, it depends on the contest and who the judges are.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Yup, it depends entirely on the judges.

 

[The_Traveler]

In my small experience, formal older judges (typical psa contests) lean towards technical perfection and formal composition (read 'boring') while actual working photo journalists lean towards impact.

 

[Fleetwood271]

Well, for example, Nature was one of the categories. This included flowers, birds, animals, etc, etc, etc. The picture that won 1st place in Nature was of a flower. Is there any more common picture than a flower? I mean, isn't that what most of us start shooting when we first get our camera? I still shoot flowers. In fact, last night after dark, I shot a tiger lily after dark, using an off camera flash. But there was really nothing at all special about the one that won in this contest. It was....just a flower. I am really confused.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

:yawn:

 

[KenC]

Well, for example, Nature was one of the categories. This included flowers, birds, animals, etc, etc, etc. The picture that won 1st place in Nature was of a flower. Is there any more common picture than a flower? I mean, isn't that what most of us start shooting when we first get our camera? I still shoot flowers. In fact, last night after dark, I shot a tiger lily after dark, using an off camera flash. But there was really nothing at all special about the one that won in this contest. It was....just a flower. I am really confused.

I've noticed that most judges give high scores to what is familiar to them and low scores to what is not, which is essentially what Lew said. In most camera club competitions you will see the same pictures over and over, or at least the ones that do at all well will be the same. Hence the flower in the nature group, accident scene in photojournalism, etc.

 

[The_Traveler]

I agree with KenC. Judges have to have some metric by which they rate pictures. If a picture goes outside of their experience, they can't seem to relate to it well.
I have won one contest in my photo life - and that was with a pretty standard kind of picture (the one in my signature block) and the judge was a PJ.

 

[Fleetwood271]

I just received a message from someone who talked to the judge and was told that she was looking for the "it" factor, which in her definition meant an image that was taken in an instant, by being in the right place at the right time.
Anything that was staged, set-up, or posed in any way did not have a chance.

The winner of the Best in Show was a cat rubbing up against the head of a horse. And this print was enlarged to 20 X 30 and framed in a very elegant, gold frame.

There was an absolutely beautiful shot there of a little, blond-headed girl, playing in a creek, with a waterfall in the background. Now that was a great shot. Exposure looked great. Composition was right on. It was sharp. Colors were accurate.
But this image did not even place.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

It's fun judging pictures we can't see.

 

[mishele]

Art is in the eye of the beholder........and juried art contests are a great example. You have to have tough skin to enter.......it's 2 people in the whole world that are going to like or dislike your shot!

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

And when you win, what does that actually say about your photography?

 

[mishele]

And when you win, what does that actually say about your photography?

LOL nothing except that 2 people liked your shot...
Ok, the money is nice....lol


Oh and BTW....I'm going to win the contest I'm entering...lol

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

:thumbup:=

 

[Aye-non Oh-non Imus]

I have won one contest in my photo life - and that was with a pretty standard kind of picture (the one in my signature block) and the judge was a PJ.

So my vote counted? :cheer: