RPS Eastern Region Exhibition Selection

I spent yesterday at the above event. Members submit prints and digitally projected images (dpi) for selection by 5 judges (all members of the RPS). Yesterday there were 68 members who submitted 4 prints each and 28 who submitted 4 dpi each. One of the four (print and dpi)  go through from each member but the remainder are in competition with all other submissions. The standard was very high as would be expected.

It is the third time I have been but this time rather than sitting there disagreeing with the judges' decisions I looked at the images applying what I have learnt from the Course so far. Composition was a key element in the successful images particularly in ensuring that the image was seen as a whole.  The use of light in the morning or evening scored highly, more so where it gave a sense of depth to the image. Colours were generally muted and only a handful of images had strong colours. I had little chance of assessing whether the correct ratio of colours was a key element as this requires an analysis that is impossible in the very brief period of time that each image was on view.

I will get another chance to see all the successful entries as I am helping man the exhibition on a couple of days during the two weeks that it is being held in August. It will be interesting to take the opportunity of a more leisured look at the images to see if my first impressions are supported by closer examination.

Whilst this analytical approach is a great learning experience there is a danger of missing the whole picture that actually makes an image successful or produces a positive response from the viewer. Having been present at a large number of exhibitions and competitions where there has been an individual judge who expresses an opinion before awarding a mark I am certain that the mark is awarded almost on first sight of the image. Whilst closer examination may reveal technical flaws that may lead to a reduction in the mark generally we react to an image and then try to explain why (rationalising the irrational).

Overall it was a very valuable day and made me more aware of the elements of an image and hopefully will enable me to incorporate these elements into my own images.