The judges decision is final, but is it always right ?

[Dylan-06]

so, I entered this image into my local camera club competition last night.....after seeing some of the other images I realised that my image would sadly not be a contender

But what really miffed me was the comment the judge made :
' I can't understand why you have done this, a flower always looks most beautiful
when photographed from the front, and should be done this way' !!

Am I wrong to think a flower can look just as beautiful/interesting from a different perspective ?
Was the judge right ? I would be really interested to know what you all think



Camera Canon EOS 7D
Exposure 1.3
Aperture f/11.0
Focal Length 105 mm
ISO Speed 100

[RichardTaylor]

I don't agree with the judge.
(I shoot flowers from different angles)

The only thing with this pic is that I feel that the cropping is a bit tight with some of the leaves having the ends chopped off.

[MidnightSWolf]

The judges are human after all, and have their own opinions, so they won't always be right. I do think that it is a nice photo, and the flower looks beautiful. However, it's just not as interesting as a front shot would be. A flower from that angle would look nice if it were facing something, like the sky, or a landscape. The focus is still on the flower, but it helps to lead the eye into the shot. Since there's only the flower in here, and nothing else, I don't really want to see the back of it. Right now, it feels like the stalk is leading me into the shot, and then I'm stopped suddenly at the back of the flower.

[BigFuzzy]

When it comes to opinion on aesthetic issues (ie art) how can anyone use the words "right" or "wrong" or in the judges case, "always"..

I don't agree with the judge at all as there is no "always" in art else it'd be a science. Yes, a flower can be beautiful for many different angles.

Having said that, the tight crop and the two differing b/g colors (ie the green on top and light color on bottom) make me not love this image. The angle isn't particularly appealing in this instance for me either, but I'd never say it could never work. It's not bad, just doesn't blow me away. But I do very much like the almost painterly feel of the colors.. nicely muted.

But in the end, there is no "right" on this issue. Better luck next compitition.

[NathanFranke]

I like it for its novelty. I've seen 10,000 photos of flowers from the front. It's generally how I see them in my garden with my Mk I Eyeball. Flowers from the front no longer intrigue me, and honestly I only ever spend about half a second looking at those photos. So far, I've spent a solid 10 seconds looking at this one.

Like Al, I dig the muted colors. Like you, I disagree with the judge. Judges should never deal in absolutes--photos that follow all the rules can be pretty boring. Breaking the rules with purpose and forethought can separate a great photo from a mediocre one.

[SwissJon]

I agree with BF.. I like the colours, but the angle and crop might have been better, and perhaps putting some light through the petals so you can see the internal structures.. I certainly agree that you shouldn't say "never" or "always" when it comes to art.. It's a very subjective thing.. Would you say this photo would have been better shot from the front with the sun reflecting off the petals? I wouldn't.

[andyw]

Originally Posted by Dylan-06

But what really miffed me was the comment the judge made :
' I can't understand why you have done this, a flower always looks most beautiful
when photographed from the front, and should be done this way' !!

Am I wrong to think a flower can look just as beautiful/interesting from a different perspective ?
Was the judge right ? I would be really interested to know what you all think

Don't get miffed by what judges in local camera clubs say.
Very often their skill and experience has come out of a book which says "this is art, this is not. This is right. this is not".

If that comment had come from a successful photographer who makes a living selling pictures of flowers then fine, take notice and learn but from a camera club "judge" - nah.

Art (and photography is an art) is subjective. I think much modern art is just total and utter rubbish. But then heck, what do I know.

If the pictures are being judged purely on their technical merit then no doubt there are loads of things that it could be faulted on, just as 99% of mine and others could be.

But we do not take pictures (at least I hope we don't) just to show of our technical skills but also our vision and artistic ability.

I like your picture, bollards to the judges.

[CurlyCorry]

[QUOTE=SwissJon;1336178]I agree with BF.. I like the colours, but the angle and crop might have been better, and perhaps putting some light through the petals so you can see the internal structures.. I certainly agree that you shouldn't say "never" or "always" when it comes to art.. It's a very subjective thing.. Would you say this photo would have been better shot from the front with the sun reflecting off the petals? I wouldn't.


Like this?:

[SwissJon]

[QUOTE=CurlyCorry;1336206]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

I agree with BF.. I like the colours, but the angle and crop might have been better, and perhaps putting some light through the petals so you can see the internal structures.. I certainly agree that you shouldn't say "never" or "always" when it comes to art.. It's a very subjective thing.. Would you say this photo would have been better shot from the front with the sun reflecting off the petals? I wouldn't.


Like this?:

Thank you.. You made my point rather perfectly!

[dlambert]

I don't know about everyone else, but I get pretty twitchy when I hear "always" (or "never") applied to art. I'll buy into "almost always" or "very rarely" (etc.), especially for beginners, but one of the things we revisit from time to time here is the idea that beginners need to learn the "rules" for good composition, but at some point, they need to understand when to start breaking those rules.

Some of the best photos I see are the ones that make me look at an ordinary object in a way I've never seen it. That's art.

Having said all that, it's also true that the appeal of art is a connection between the artist and the viewer. If the viewer (the judge in this case) only wants to see the front of flowers, then you run the risk of displeasing this person with something else. The safe route is to give the judge what they're asking for; the bold (and riskier) route is to give them something else and hope to astonish them with your originality. In this case, it didn't work, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad approach; it just means you failed to blow any sunshine up this particular judge's skirt, so to speak.