Was asked by NZIPP to do some blogging on the day. These images that come through are the best of the photographers in New Zealand have taken in the year or two previous and they are putting them forward to be judged by the top photographers in the country.
In the walk through there were some absolute stunner of images. I have two in this category and am quite nervous about them. This is not an area where I am trying to pull off a win in a category ( you really need to put in 4 to have a chance...three at a minimum). It is a place where I have put in the extra two images that I loved but that didn't fit the other two categories I was hoping for a win in. So not as much is riding on this except my hope for points to help finish off my Masters Points. 3 points still needed. Two in this category fingers crossed.
There was one that I saw in the category that I just adored I can't wait to see the actual print and see who did it....Stunning! Was of a Elizabethan woman...just magic. Will be interested to see what the judges say about it.
For this competition they start with showing a "run through" of the images where you get to see everything that is going to be displayed. You want to make sure you are there for that so you know roughly when your images will be coming up for judging, if you miss it you are afraid to go to the bathroom until the judging is completed for fear of missing one of your images. Sometimes something that comes through on the big screen can look completely different when you see the print. Often the highlights are blown out and the dark lumpy, often the colours are completely wrong to the end print so it is always hard from the seats behind the judges to make assumptions about what they are actually seeing. It isn't until the judging is done that you get to see the winning images displayed outside that you get to make your mind up solidly about things.
The exquisite printing of some of these images just makes me so inspired. I desperately want to invest in my own printer and start playing with art paper more. I am a bit frustrated this year with my printing and the lack of control I have had with it handing it off to someone else to do it. Going to start getting more control freakish about these things I think.
Now for some judges comments on some of the more outstanding images:
Image I know of Richard Wood's has just come up of his daughter looking at origami birds. I love this one when I saw it on his website: initial score of 81, Judges comments: treatment lovely, takes you into somewhere else, take it up into silver distinction, Expression, light play, textured background, creative piece, Critiques: direction of girls legs, foreshortened,light in her face lifted, staticness of the birds, other judge argued that. Final comment nice idea and have worked it well. Rejudging........86.
Pirate Kid Image: Steve Sharp argued: Believable kid, kid is in his own world, lighting is nice, wide angle works well, really effective, superior communication, I want't to be a kid again and I want to play with this guy. Door open bugged one of the judges, muddy color want to , he is a pirate should be grubby. Photographer has transported us there bring it to a gold please..........87 Final Score silver with distinction.
Two girls in a Forest:
Steve is arguing for a high gold. Has everything that we ask, ebb and flow, symmetry of girls, story telling, contemporary old fashion, complex image, luxurious as well as brooding, have to look around it a lot. An elaborate image, Beautiful.........93 final score!!!!! GOLD.
Right one of mine just came up the one of Eva, I am not thrilled with my printing of it but it got a bronze...So whoo hoo. No comments from the judges but I probably would have been cringing with them if they had. The blacks were a bit clogged up and it was a last minute printing job.....next time.....next time I plan on getting things done a month ahead and not last minute as per always.......argh.
Plucking Duck Image: If I had to guess I would say it was Richard Woods. The intensity of the look in the subject is fantastic so many elements you could look at it for ages. The boar on the wall....initial score 84, Tony carter, professionally handled. Would have gone higher if I could see more of the duck, commercial print quality, total control, He feels it is an early gold. Lack of detail around the duck seems to be the judges biggest issue. Interesting creative shot. Communication, guy does not give a flying bit about detail, face on chest looking at the duck. Russell willing to go gold. Feels need to go higher. Tony going up to 97. Loving being photographed doing the damage....Back country image. Must look at it quite a bit to take it all in. GOLD at 93!!!!!!!! Saw Richard in the audience grinning his ass off and starting texting after the judging so I imagine my guess was right.....I would not like to have been the image that was placed up after that image was scored.
Naked Woman on on couch with Dove, And mural of Demeter on wall: I LOVE THIS IMAGE! Scored as a 90 Image initially. Goddess, Richard Wood: Cropped off the toes or close too, give them room or cut off completely, Gold once and again, Moves your eye around, Figure has become part of the painting, she is a piece of art, the background and subject blend together, becomes something more than individual items, printing is exquisite, skin tone is exquisite. See as a piece of art that is working together. Enjoy the tension of the toes....really love the intimacy and tactile nature of the hands in the feathers of the bird, pubic hair honest shot (yes this was Russell's comment). Re scored as 94 GOLD.
Initial score of 83 for a Little Pirate or crusader. This person knows lighting, hair lighting separateing it off the background. Blended in beautifully. No harsh shadows or highlights. Silver distitinction, colour palate beautiful. congrats on the lighting. Tony questioned the story telling aspects, like the colour range, Russell loves looking at it and doesn't care what the story is because he loves looking. Enjoy looking at the lighting and construction. Silver with distinction at 85.
Little Librarian....I love this one of this smiling Librarian initial score of 87. Tony on 93, that woman is taking me where ever she is with that book, image is well handled, exquisite, doesn't like vignetting at the bottom, but likes the colour palate, isolated the lady off the background. Steve, don't know what to say bad about it his 84 is miserly he thought he would be talking people up. "I have a fence post up my ass at 85 too." Russell. Tony pushing for gold with distinction.........94 GOLD!!!!!
Judges just fought it gently out for a 96 for one of the most beautifully rendered portraits of a naked woman with an wreathed halo. My niece arrived and I was having a cuddle during the judging so couldn't document it properly but you have to see this image. I cannot wait to see the Print!
Bugger....first one to come up that didn't make the cut. It was my favourite portrait too. Sometimes you just get it wrong. Sorry Ella....not this time.
OHHHHHH Here is my FAVORITE!!! Beautiful Elizabethan woman. She is faded to white, just the merest hint of pastel palate, printed exquisitely, cropped to square. Inital score of 89.....BS!!!!!! Quick Tony talk it up!
Hand on right taking off, Dress in bottom, beautiful lined, total control, colour pallate, Beatuful posing, dress to the edges, calculated placement, everything is bold and included, Well thought through. Blur bothered felt it was messy and not well controlled. Tony feels comment about blurring is poppy cock. He feels total control. Arguing for Gold with Distinction. Rescore.......93 GOLD.
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