David McWhirter, above left, won the photographer of the year award at Seen 2013. It was well deserved. He is prolific and very talented, working in a variety of styles. He took first in 11 of 30-odd categories. I heard something about him being a judge at Seen 2014, which would clear the way for some of us back in the pack.
There were some lessons for me to learn from this year's show: work more slowly. Think more, press the shutter less. Very hard things for me to do since I spend my work days reacting as fast as I can to a barrage of stimuli. It doesn't foster contemplation.
Seen 2014 (or year of your choice) is the big year end photography show and contest at Studio Altius. The opening reception and awards ceremony was Saturday night. David Cerven, above, the owner and impresario, presided. The irrepressible Shawna Ventimiglia is in the bottom picture.
I did okay but other years have been better. I won the photojournalism and humor categories, which were notable for their lack of competition. The PJ category is up and down the center of the middle shot, the top and bottom ones being mine. The prize went to this one. I got the humor award for this. Nothing in the top ten.
There was some awfully good work in the show. Now, to qualify as a photography judge you need to have a few screws lose and a thick skin. (Same for the legal profession.) Everyone knows that. The show's judge's taste sometimes ran to the well-made conventional. Particularly in two categories (which I will not name), the prizes were awarded to technically superb, perfectly-executed, um, well . . . (yes, this is my occasional rant), one an emotional manipulation and the other as banal a topic as you might hope to find. Moral: be true to your own artistic vision but work on your technique.
