The Best of The Best

Just how good are you?

I'll admit I'm only average. But that doesn't keep my form trying. I enter every show I think I can qualify for and I do the best to submit an image which is dramatic, interesting and visually stunning.

And yes I even enter the shows where the painters play. Not because I think photography is inherently better, I don't, but I do think on the South Coast the painters have all the top guns. You don't learn a thing by playing with folks your own size. You have to go play with the Big Kids if you want to grow. Sure you'll get a skint knee of two, maybe even get your nose out of joint, but if you want to get better that's where you have to play.

The Oregon Coast Photographer's Assn. is a wonderful place for photographers to learn, swap ideas and just commune. The people are nice, the organization is great and they are very, very active. If you are a dedicated photographer there's no better place to meet new friends, pick up news or just yak about equipment.

http://www.oregoncoastphotoclub.com/

Unfortunately, for me, I tend to spend far too much time talking about new equipment, suffering Nikon/Cannon envy or just talking. You want to be really shut out of a conversation get two photographers together and casually say, “The new Nikon is supposed to be far better than the Cannon...” You won't get in a word for the next four or five hours.

So I try to stay where people don't think PhotoShop is the most interesting piece of software ever developed. And it also helps me see in a different way.

Photographers work hard at developing their Eye. That's the way they see the world. Back in the Jurassic Period, when Kodachrome was a good general purpose film and Ektachrome at ASA 64 was fast stuff in deed, I was an eighty-five millimeter guy. It helped that I had a F1.4 85 m/m Komura producing 83 line per millimeter and it could see in the dark. I still see in that short telephoto way even though I use a digital camera these days.

Part of developing that Eye is to see the way other people see the world. Yes, even if they are painters. I learn a lot from painters. I was talking with one, a local, from Charleston, Plien Air painter who likes to talk but for the purposes of this entry shall remain nameless and we were talking about shows and entering them. I mentioned another local, who goes by initials only and shall also remain nameless, and I said, “You see her work everywhere. She gets out and works hard at finding a way to stay in the Public Eye. The sage of Charleston agreed and mentioned that he no longer enters because he's too old. That's too bad, he has a fine hand and many styles and still works at the top of the craft and should really enter because he has a lot to teach but at an age when most of us will be hunched in the corner, drooling on our shoes, with or without medication, I guess he has a right. But the point is clear, if you aren't at an age where if you were wine you'd be called vintage and fine, why aren't you entering?

Okay, so Expressions West and the Maritime Show don't take anything but painting. I repeat that's not fair, but them's the rules. If you don't like them go out raise a bunch of money, put the arm on the Man in the Carpeted Office and do your own show. And while you are raising the money, putting the arm and thinking about what you want for a theme, think about who you will let in. Do you want the best images or just the best paintings?