Classic Portrait Category | NZIPP Iris Awards 2011

I am in the middle of watching this category being judge and am experiencing a mix of frustration and joy.  This is the first year they have separated out the categories one classic portrait...ie it needs to be real. Then Creative Portrait where there are no limits except it needs to expound on the character of the person photographed.
There are several entries to this category where the people who entered just really didn't read the guidelines well and put in some very heavily albeit on occasion beautifully done photoshoped pieces.  Their inability to interpret where their images should be placed has cost them heavily as the judges are put in quite a strange position to try to see through the photoshop to what is left over.  These images have tanked for the most part but the odd one has gotten through with a low bronze.  Has frosted me a bit....as I don't feel they really should be rewarded in this category because it violates the rules.   Being a stickler I know, but I would have hated to be a judge up there myself this year as it must have been a bit frustrating for them as well.   One gold received so far and so warranted ...stunning peice of a man playing chess so simple and conveyed such a story.  I can't wait to see it up close and to   see who the author was.   Beautiful.  Also a stand out for me was one of a lovely girl wrapped in silk.  I think I know the author and can't wait to go out and find out.
Cat image has just come up that is one of my favorites in the walk through.  Beautifully centered, perfect capture of the personality of a cat I would definitely not want to live with.  I am screaming in my mind for gold.  They are debating Steve sharp is arguing for gold. Lets see if he wins....was at 84....91GOLD!!!!!!  You are gonna love this one!  Excellent capture, excellent debate among the judges.  Good arguing Steve!
There was an image that the judges loved and commented on highly it was of an old what looks like Maori gentleman with a rough and tumble dog, and behind him is a swastika and he is wrapped in an old blanket and appears to be begging.  Your eyes just travel right around the print and you are drawn completely into the story.  Beautifully done.  I think it got a silver distinction.
Gotta love Russel's comments..... that boy shoots straight from the Hip.  I love the rawness and passion he brings to the debates.  When he likes something he really fights hard.  Just brought up a beautiful pregnancy image to a Silver from a bronze with his Alpha male commentary and interpretation of the scene.
As a whole, babies and smiling children have tanked in this category, just hitting in professional standard for the most part.........
Growling internally in my chair at the moment.  There is a beautiful image that has come up of a girl sleeping but geeze even the judges are commenting that it is an average image but has been treated beautifully.  If they had put it in creative it might have done better but I am just not buying the argument it should go to silver.  Again wrong category.....it has been overworked so much.  Liked the comments of the judges in terms of the issues with the dark lines  76 - rejudged to 80.....gonna have to see this one up close.  Sue says she doesn't think it has been photoshopped too much....hmmmmm.  Not really buying it from the cheap seats.

Lovely image up at the moment of a couple holding hands, photographed at a distance from behind.  Steve is arguing that there is not much story....beautiful image but he doesn't really feel it is a silver.   The rest of the judges disagree and find it a beautifully printed piece. Quaint piece of art, great space, great colour.
Final score silver with distinction at 85.   Looking forward to seeing this one up close.

Beautiful portrait of a blond girl just came up debating a gold from Russell...Beautiful printing, high caliber,  Steve states he will be coming up.  only thing that bothers him is the pose...he felt was too serious but Russell felt this child had been here before.   The more the judges look at it the more they love it.  They seem to be solidly talking it up to a Gold.  Presentation, pose and hair, child looking more into you than you are looking into her.
I think they will push it to gold.....84......................................90 GOLD!!!!! Excellent work!

Scene with a man in a church.  Steve's comment that there are beautiful elements of crosses, coming back to his face could be a gold if the guy was giving me more in his face. Felt was a bit photoshopped and wasn' t going to debate that.  Felt that the image had the potential, but that he should have been brought forward to tell the story better.  Great debate about the image and interpretation of the image.  That in enough shows the image has power.   Debate brought up to a 82.

The most apt comment made by one of the judges was Richard Woods comment regarding the use of post production in this category was equivalent of  swinging on barbed wire.