Photography Photography Photography !!!
“Is Photography Art?”
"We hear over and over the question as to whether photography can be considered as its own form of Art. And we see numerous treatises on yes it is and no it isn't. The main objection seems to be that it is primarily a mechanical process that handles most of the work—that the photographer has nothing further to do with it, other than some manipulation in the printing of the picture. ..... I have no argument with photographers showing their work in the usual displays. But when they try to pass off mediocre work as Art, work that is technically competent but without the true quality that Art demands, I raise an argument..... For photography to have its place in the world of Art, it must have within it that quality of having been achieved by the hand of a competent Artist, along with the hand of a technically competent photographer. Many technical photographers do magnificent work in the way of recording what the world has, but only Artist-photographers can do work that can hold its place in Art salons and Collections."
Robert Balcomb, Master portrait photographer
"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know."
"I always thought of photography as a naughty thing to do -- that was one of my favorite things about it, and when I first did it, I felt very perverse." Diane Arbus, (1923 – 1971) an American photographer and writer
"The charm, one might say the genius, of memory is that it is choosy, chancy and temperamental; it rejects the edifying cathedral and indelibly photographs the small boy outside, chewing a hunk of melon in the dust."
Elizabeth Bowen, ( 1899 – 1973) was an Anglo-Irish novelist and short story writer
"If the man who paints only the tree, or flower, or other surface he sees before him were an artist, the king of artists would be the photographer. It is for the artist to do something beyond this.
James Mcneill Whistler, (1834 – 1903) an American-born, British-based artist.
"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE."
Ernst Haas, (1921 - 1986) Austrian Photographer and photojournalist who was
influential for his innovations in colour photography.
"Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter. "
Oscar Wilde, Wills Wilde (1854 – 1900) an Irish writer, poet, and prominent aesthete
"Photography to the amateur is recreation, to the professional it is work, and hard work too, no matter how pleasurable it my be." Edward Weston, (1886 - 1958) the most influental American photographer
of the 20th Century
"Photography is truth. And cinema is truth twenty-four times a second. "
Jean-Luc Godard, a French-Swiss film director, screen writer and critic.
"The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera."
Dorothea Lange, documentary photographer and photojournalist, best known for her
Depression-era work
"No matter how advanced your camera you still need to be responsible for getting it to the right place at the right time and pointing it in the right direction to get the photo you want."
Ken Rockwell, an American photographer
"Most things in life are moments of pleasure and a lifetime of embarrassment; photography is a moment of embarrassment and a lifetime of pleasure."
Tony Benn, English politician
"By competing with other artists in photography contests, photographers are required to push themselves a little harder to get that perfect awe-inspiring shot. Photography contests are also a great way to reward deserving artists. Most importantly, our photography contests are the best forum to get feedback and improve your photography skills.
Photography Contests
Summary:
Photography contests provide an excellent platform to showcase your talents as a good photographer. With the Internet being one of the largest promoters of such contests, it has become easier to participate in them.
What are photography contests and why are they so popular? The answer lays in showcasing talents where “pictures speak a thousand words”. A photograph is a visual capture of an image that we want to look at for a long time to come. It captures great moments and memories. It is important to participate in photography contests for a budding photographer. A good photo is the one that is able to capture the essence of the moment, when the picture was taken. It also includes factors like focal point, light, background, contrast, balance, distance and more. Once you master these technicalities, it will be easier to produce some great photos that are worthy to compete in online or offline photography contests.
Photography contests are all over the Internet. The medium of online photography contests has made it easier for participants to be abreast of upcoming events and take part in them. There are various websites like Flickr, Kodak, Photo.net that promote good photography techniques & photography contests. These photography contests also improve your skills. It provides a learning experience and makes you aware of the current trends, latest technology and other ace photographers. How do you stand out as a photographer in such photography contests? Does your picture convey all that it wants to? What is the “x-factor” in the photography contest entry? Are you aware of basic rules for each photography contest? These are a few questions that you need to answer before you participate.
When you submit a photo for a photography contest, you must be very critical of your entry. Try to see the positives and the negatives. Some of the most important features in a good photography contest picture are:
- Proper lighting
- Eye pleasing colors
- Good and balanced composition
- Perfect sharpness
- Right exposure and other essential elements
These are the qualities judges scrutinize in a photograph contest entry. Photography contests have certain rules and regulations that must be adhered to. Contestants are required to read them carefully before participating to avoid problems."
Once you have understood the technical aspects of capturing a good photo; the next step is to understand the photo itself. The other important factors to pay attention to get the perfect photography contest winner are:
1) The photograph must convey the subject. It is vital to understand the subject and make sure the photography contest entry is able to convey the same.
2) As a good photographer, you must understand photography contests can make you famous. For that, the photography contest entry must stick to the norms yet be different. It must send the viewer in to a train of thoughts.
3) Simplistic photos have always captures the interest of the viewers and judges. A photography contest entry must relay a story visually. A simple photo must capture all the nuances of the moment, yet not be complicated to understand.
4) A prize-winning photography contest entry is the one that can evoke emotions in the viewer. They must be able to connect visual representation to the human emotions
Photography contests are held to promote good photographers. The panel of judges look for a particular photography contest entry that can speak a thousand words yet is simplistic and eye-catching. You are allowed to use any kind of camera – digital or traditional and use software tools for enhancing the picture (read contest rules!!). The photography contest entry must be aptly titled, creative and have the right balance to be winner."
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