What Makes A

Winning PhotographHOW TO GIVE YOURSELF AN EDGE WHEN ENTERING PHOTO CONTESTS

Presented by Paul Keske

This Presentation…

Has Multiple Components

• In Camera

• Contest Rules

• Image Selection

• Image Prep (Editing/Printing)

• All of these come before a judge looks

at your image

How Do You Choose An Image for

Competition?

The Bottom Line

The image you select to enter

needs to catch the judges eye in

order to be considered for

placement

Your job is to simply provide an

image that catches the judges

eye.

The Bottom Line

Your image needs to catch the

judges eye to be considered for

placement.

The Problem is – How

do we do that?

How Do You Choose An Image for

Competition?

Start with the Rules…

What images are acceptable

Are there categories

Color or Black and White

Editing

Image size

Presentation

Print or Digital

Mounted, Matted, Framed

Some Things to Think About

Divorce yourself from the emotion of the moment. Look at what is

really there rather than the emotion that you felt during capture.

Live with the images you select. Place them where you will walk by

them daily and if you still like your choices after a few days they are

probably good choices

Have someone you trust (but is removed from the images) review your

choices and offer criticism

Don’t look as your work as a fan but rather be your own harshest critic.

As you’re going through your portfolio looking for entries…

Most people judging a contest are

competent photographers

When reviewing a group of images a good judge can

spot technical and compositional flaws rather quickly.

The fewer problems your photo has the better chance

it will make it past the initial cut and be considered for

a placement.

What does a Judge Look For

Images that are…

Technically Perfect

Good Composition

Have Gesture/Moment

These Items are Scored by the Judge

Technical Aspects

Composition

Gesture/Moment/Impact

Each Category is given equal weight.

Some Things to Strive For

Subject Centric

Simplicity

Tells a Story

Taken at the best

Moment?

Your Image Review - Technical

Properly Exposed

Blown Highlights/Clipped Shadows

White Balance

Sensor Dust

Properly Sharpened

Noise

Good Contrast

Straight Horizon Lines

No “Bad” Photoshop

Examples – Sensor Dust Spots

Examples Crooked Horizon Line

Example – Blown Highlights

• Blown Highlights

• No Sky Detail

• Horizon in Center

• Distracting Element

• Sensor Dust Spots

Examples – Bad White Balance

Example – Over Saturated

Examples – Cut off Elements or

Awkward Elements

Bad Photoshop

• Plastic Skin

• Transparent Hair

• Over Whitened

Teeth

• Mismatched

Eyes

Missed Focus

Over Sharpening

Eliminate Distractions

Change your position to the subject

Change your POV relative to the subject

Try a different lens

Try a different aperture

Composition

Subject Centric

Framing – Horizontal, Vertical, Square…

Remove Distractions Eliminated

Subject Placement in the Frame

Lines

Horizon Lines

Visual Mass or Pull

Patterns

Symmetry

Example

Photo by Michelle Wittensolder

Gesture/Moment The “Wow” Factor

Have you ever seen a best of show images that has an

obvious technical flaw but was still chosen as BOS?

An image that elicits emotion will

often trump the technical or

compositional aspects of the

photo.

Gesture/Moment--The “Wow” Factor

• Elicits an Emotional Response

• Makes You Feel Something

• Tells a Story

• Interesting

• Expresses YOUR Vision – What you saw and felt

This is what determines WINNERS

How do you know if your image has it? If you have to ask that

question it doesn't. If it’s there, you know it.

Gesture

Example

Photo by Michelle Wittensolder

Moment Trumps Technically Perfect

“ It is not the sharpness of the image to which people will respond.

They will not, one day in the distant future, speak about your stunning

histograms.” ~David DuChemin - The Soul of the Camera

Is Editing Necessary?

In most cases, some editing is

necessary. How far you go with

editing depends on the contest rules

and your editing skills

Remember – even SOOC images

are edited. Your camera

processes jpg images based on

the settings/choices you make

before pressing the shutter.

Straight Out of Camera Images

Must be shot in jpeg format, so…

Have to properly set…

Exposure

White Balance

Horizon Lines

Contrast

Saturation

Must Not

Have Sensor Dust

Have Vignettes due to Wide Angle Lens

Lens Distortion

Chromatic Aberrations

If you are using images SOOC

Shoot at the highest jpeg quality

Pay attention to White Balance

Choose a picture style that does not give a flat image scene

i.e. Portrait, Landscape, Vivid…

Shoot in Adobe RGB

Keep your sensor clean

Pay strict attention to Horizon Lines

Keep Distractions out of your scene

Minor Editing That Should Be

Performed

Remove Sensor Dust

Straighten Horizon

Crop for Print Size/Composition

Tweak White Balance

Basic Editing

All RAW images must have some editing at a minimum to convert them to a useable image.

Exposure Adjustment – Tonal Adjustments

White Balance – Color Adjustments

Choice of Picture Styles and Camera Profiles

Cropping for print size

Removing Sensor Dust Spots

Straightening Horizon Lines

Converting to B & W when needed

Sharpening

Remove Distractions

Creative Editing – Giving Yourself

an Edge

Tonal Adjustments

Dodging and Burning

Color Adjustments

Correct White Balance

Vibrance and Saturation

Creative Effects

Vignettes

Selective Color to Improve Tones and Colors

Color Grading

Monochromatic Images/Toning

Selective Sharpening

You be the Judge

SOOC

You be the Judge

Creative Edit

Presentation

One sure way to be eliminated from consideration is to present

your image poorly.

• If you want the judge to consider your image it needs to

look professional

Print and Mat Yourself vs Having it

Done Professionally.

Do It Yourself or Not -

Things to Consider

Monitor Calibration

Prepping for Print

Cropping for Print Size

Paper Choice

ICC Paper Profile

Soft Proofing Image

Inkjet Printing

Finishing

Pre-cut Mats

Custom Matting

Flush Mounted