An The Winner Is...

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 2013

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.          

SEEN 2012 - Opening Night

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Last night was the opening of our big year-end photo exhibit and competition, SEEN 2012. It is held at Studio Altius, a wonderful photographer's resource. The owner, David Cerven (tall guy in the first picture) provides professional lighting, backdrops and props for photographers who don't have their own. He also runs workshops, classes and group shoots. This is the sixth year of this show and it attracts some of the best local work.

I did okay. Judges at all kinds of art shows are, of course, completely crazy. They never pick your really good stuff. If they accept something, it's one you threw in at the last minute. The top prizes are awarded to treacly nonsense, except for two years ago when I got first place (that was different). Anyway, I got third in the Action category with this, first in Humor with this (hey, Virginia!) and first in Travel with this (check it out, Kim!). The latter was given ninth place out of more than a hundred images in the show (which, plus $2.25, would have gotten me home on the bus). Try again next year.

In the pix below, Mrs. C reviews an album of past winners; photojournalism shots were hung in front of multicolored backdrops; and Shawna performs the most important function at the show.

SEEN 2011

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The opening night and awards ceremony of SEEN 2011, STL's year-end photography show and competition was held Saturday might. Above, Studio Altius' owner, David Cerven announces the winners, while studio manager Shawna Ventimiglia reacts to one of David's wisecracks. He hardly needs the step-stool since he's about 6 feet, 7 inches, or about 200 cm tall.

I didn't do very well this year. There were a number of topical categories and some of my best stuff didn't fit any of them, like this and this. It was nice to get first in Fauna with Blackbird, below, since there were a couple of spectacular macros of colorful insects, NatGeo quality stuff. I got third in Action with Night Dancer, at the bottom.

Local photo fans should check out the show. There's some very good work. Studio Altius is located at 2301 S. Big Bend in Maplewood. The show runs until early January.

Sino - St. Louis Relations

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Like the fine print says: there is a portrait of Mao Zedong on the wall of my office, a sarcastic Andy Warhol image (it's not meant as adulation). There is also a 10 yuan note on my desk, just in case, under a crystal ball designed by one of my favorite artists, Jenny Holzer. The crystal ball predicts the world to come: the inscription inside reads the future is stupid.

HEY, SPEAKING OF ANDY WARHOL, THIS IS WAY MORE THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES OF FAME: Studio Altius is a St. Louis photography venue that rents professional studio space and lighting equipment to shooters who don't have their own, holds photography workshops and hosts exhibits of local artists' work. At the end of every year, they have a competition and show "for the best photography created in that year from St. Louis area photographers," or at least those who get around to entering something. SEEN 2009 opens soon and I was notified today that seven of my images were accepted (I'll post links to them as soon as I get a chance). This means one of two things: there were very few entries this year or the judges have exquisite taste. Take your pick.

The opening reception is Saturday, December 5 from 6 to11 PM. St. Louisans, be there or be square. You will have the opportunity to buy Bob's stuff. Studio Altius is located at 3518 Greenwood in Maplewood. The show continues until January 16, 2010.