River Street

Interesting Carl, in that the two women passersby are completely oblivious to what you are seeing at the moment

6/6

I agree with Ken. It's interesting that everything is muted, almost drab, and then this reflection is so bright. Provocative.

I was concerned that viewers would see the people as the subject, so I desaturated everything except red (although the full shade except for the window might have been sufficient for that purpose). The point of the image is exactly as you've both noted. A judge threw this out of a competition because I "missed the moment". Maybe it's asking too much to ask viewers to realize that if they did look up at the window, they wouldn't see what I'm seeing, given the difference in vantage points.

I've found some judges that should be thrown out of competition. "Missed the moment" seems to be a favorite in their jargon. Alas, they are human also and sometimes just don't "see" it

I love the color tone of this pic.... Excellent composition, too.

Nicely done, Carl. The reflection just beams out at you.

 

The judge is probably one of our mate-raters--not necessarily vicious, just visually-impaired.

I think the two people are an important element to the photo and lead me to the window. I realize you want the window to be the main subject, but for me the window shares the spotlight with the couple. For the windowed reflection to "star" you would have had to move closer and eliminate the people altogether. By doing so it would have been a more typical Carl Root photo, but the inclusion of the people gives it a different feel. The selective desaturation works pretty well here, but I might slightly dodge everything but the window.

 

As for missing the moment? I personally think that term is overblown as there would not be much street photography if we had to rely on only decisive moments. Not that I consider this a street shot in the purest sense, but I think having that mindset would stifle creativity and result in fewer chances taken and thus fewer shots. You always strive to capture those moments, but unlike many other genres of photography it's best viewed as a sum of parts instead of a single image.

 

As for judges? Well I'm getting my feet wet for the first time this year so I'm not sure what they are looking for. I did enter one County Fair competition many years ago, but I'm not sure that counts. I'm guessing it depends on the magnitude of the show, and more specifically the level of the judges. I thought about joining a local camera club until I saw the work it's members did. Pretty much the same pretty flowers and landscapes popular on PN. The same stuff popular in the small Fair competitions usually judged by hobbyists. Fortunately I have seen some very nice works in galleries and it's usually quite different than the usual postcard fare.

 

Jenna, I've done quite well in camera club competitions - maybe some judges are tired of flowers, hard to say - but I'm trying hard to move beyond monthly competitions. At my instigation, our club has formed a critique group where we bring in a series of images every month. It's much more interesting in that people try to evaluate in the context we ask for. It's a good way to transition into galleries and other venues outside of the kind of competition you're talking about.

Hi Carl,

 

I was out of photography for quite some time and pretty much jumped back in shortly before I joined PN. PN has actually been very helpful as I've actually recieved some very useful comments and critiques from photographers I admire and respect. It can be frustrating at times if you care more about feedback than ratings. Sure it's nice when someone likes your work, but I usually find the TRP to be less than inspiring and too politically motivated. There are some fantastic photographers here, many whose work motivates me to improve, and viewed in that context it can be quite helpful.

 

As for camera clubs? It seemed like a logical step for me to take, but as I said I couldn't motivate myself to join a group whose work resembles what I see on the TRP. I doubt all camera clubs are the same, but I don't think it would be constructive of me to join a group whose vision is so entirely different from mine. My primary interests are street photography, documentary work, and the odd things I unexpectedly find while I'm out and about. I go see exhibits, study the masters, visit galleries, and seek out new photographers. As I said the things that garner high praise here are not so different than the things that do well in small "fair type" competitions, yet this isn't the type of work most galleries exhibit or the type of work Magnum would be interested in! Nothing wrong with postcard work or stock photography, but it's just to common to be interesting IMO.

 

You should try some national competitions or some serious juried portfolio reviews. Yes they require fees, but I think any legitimate exposure doesn't come without a price, and it's probably the best way to get a truly honest evaluation of your work and most importantly develop contacts within the industry that actually matter. I just entered a fairly major competition and yes it was probably premature of me to do so, but I guess I would rather be harshly judged my someone that matters rather than be judged by a group of hobbyists competing against one another for the prettiest sunset or flower.

 

A critique group sounds great, especially if you have a well-rounded group that appreciates most genres of photography. Your abstract work is a very nice niche, and a type that would do well in many galleries. Our styles and approach to photography are very different (you definitely have more of a technical approach even if your images are often not mainstream while I often disregard the rules) but I think we both appreciate a vision.

 

 

Jenna, I have three shows coming up. and I've noticed that in the past, reviews tend to emphasize very different things than camera club judges. I'm trying to get my colleagues to change how they look at my images (not just visual design) and they've been receptive. The great thing about a regular group is that they compare your latest offerings to what you've done previously, which you can't get in any other venue. . . . . except on this site (sometimes).

I think I agree with your self-critique above. You wanted to get people's attention on the window, fair enough; but I doubt you needed to use selective desaturation for that. Some people might never get what you were after, for this photo, but well, that's not to say that you need to make your concept THAT obvious just for them. The partial saturation thing, imo, is something to be REALLY cautious with. Better not use it when it could be used than using it when it's not necessary. Regards.

This is another case where camera club considerations drove the decision. Every time I do that, I regret it later (my last POW, for example.) Guess I'm a slow learner.

 

I used this as a test to try to print true B&W and found that the print I like best still had a slight green cast to it. If I use this for the show, I'll probably start over . . .

I'm getting mad at you; I have so many things to do yet I've spent well over an hour gazing at your work. My wife is calling me for dinner and she's pretty insistent, so I must leave. Thanks for providing such a feast for the eyes. This is one of my favourites. Bravo!