Rhys
10-05-2008, 08:12 PM
A while back, I found the State Fair was coming and decided to enter the photographic contest as a professional. Thus I put in two reasonably good images and didn't expect to get through the selection. In fact I got through and am on the second row of the photographic exhibits.
Today they had the opening night so I turned up and was a little disappointed - not because I didn't win any prizes as I didn't enter to win a prize. I entered for the publicity that entering would give me. I was disappointed by the low standard of workmanship. Most of the photographs were little more than casual snaps. I'd say there was probably a little more thought that went into some of the amateur stuff.
I went to the opening with my mother-in-law who's a bona-fide artist. She does a lot of watercolours. We concluded there was very little imagination and inspiration in many of the exhibits. Of the Amateur section the only photo I can recall is of two turtles humping each other on a log. It was very clear what the judge's leanings were and we were disappointed by the lack of abstract work. The winning photo of elephants in a car wash was not one of our favourites. Neither of us think highly of pasting elephants into a boring car wash picture. In fact I reckon the guy who did that, did it to take the mickey out of the event. The fact that he won said a lot about the event and the judging.
My mother-in-law said that it was the most disappointing State Fair she'd ever been to. She's considering entering with some real watercolours this coming year in order to raise the standard.
I'd say some of the amateur stuff was better than the pro stuff and that's not saying much at all.
Has anybody else entered competitions and wondered what on earth a lot of the other entrants were thinking when they entered their submissions?
Today they had the opening night so I turned up and was a little disappointed - not because I didn't win any prizes as I didn't enter to win a prize. I entered for the publicity that entering would give me. I was disappointed by the low standard of workmanship. Most of the photographs were little more than casual snaps. I'd say there was probably a little more thought that went into some of the amateur stuff.
I went to the opening with my mother-in-law who's a bona-fide artist. She does a lot of watercolours. We concluded there was very little imagination and inspiration in many of the exhibits. Of the Amateur section the only photo I can recall is of two turtles humping each other on a log. It was very clear what the judge's leanings were and we were disappointed by the lack of abstract work. The winning photo of elephants in a car wash was not one of our favourites. Neither of us think highly of pasting elephants into a boring car wash picture. In fact I reckon the guy who did that, did it to take the mickey out of the event. The fact that he won said a lot about the event and the judging.
My mother-in-law said that it was the most disappointing State Fair she'd ever been to. She's considering entering with some real watercolours this coming year in order to raise the standard.
I'd say some of the amateur stuff was better than the pro stuff and that's not saying much at all.
Has anybody else entered competitions and wondered what on earth a lot of the other entrants were thinking when they entered their submissions?