S10E02 | The Judges Panel: A Deepdive Discussion into the International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards
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Panel Discussion: The Judge’s Choice
Don’t you wish you could be a fly on the wall watching the judging that goes on behind the scenes of the International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards? Well now you can be!
We brought together the five judges of the 2021 Awards: Alice Loder, Cat Race, Craig Turner-Bullock, Sara Glawe and Caitlin J. McColl to share their top tips for pet photographers entering awards AND a members-only bonus deepdive video into their “Judge's Choice” favourite images. It’s totally fascinating to hear the judges agree about what they loved about each image - and argue about what could be improved. A definite must-watch panel discussion for any pet photographers interested in learning more about what catches the eye of these leaders of our industry.
Click here to watch the Panel Discussion video in the Memberzone
View the Judges feedback below!
P.S. Registration for the 12 Week Business Foundations Challenge closes this Thursday at 10am Rome! Secure your place here.
THE JUDGES’ TOP TIPS FOR ENTERING THE AWARDS
Make it stand out
“Have a look through the entries and winners from previous years - and your own previous entries - and try to find something unique. An image that stands out from the crowd is more likely to score highly in that final “Judge’s Response” criteria. When we’re looking at twenty five images from the final shortlist and they are all technically and visually great, it’s that wow factor and originality that will set you apart from the rest - so you want to make sure your submission isn’t something the judges have probably seen hundreds of times before.”
Nail Your Technique
“When we’re looking at two equally creative photographs that might both be visually stunning, as judges we’re trying to find what will make one image beat the other. Technique is the easiest criteria to lose points, because it’s the least subjective - the devil is in the detail, so something as small as some dirt that could have been retouched or a highlight that may be clipping could be the difference between an image making it through to the next round or not.”
Use Competitions to Push Yourself
“Often we can become stifled creatively when we’re only ever working on client images, so competitions like this one can be a great opportunity to stretch yourself, to look inwards and create something new. It’s not always about going with the current photographic trends - you can use competitions and personal projects to really invest yourself in a new idea and then to see how the world and our industry responds.”
Trust Yourself
“At the end of the day, you have to feel confident and comfortable that the images that you’re submitting represent yourself, your style and your business. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed if you ask for feedback from too many different people - you should trust yourself and enter the images that you personally respond to the most (even if those don’t seem to match the current ‘trends’).”
Make time for personal projects
“In the personal project space you are creating work for yourself, from your heart, that allows you to experiment creatively without the pressure of client briefs and expectations. The freedom of that creativity is what allows you to create images that the judges’ will notice. It’s so, so important that you make time for your personal projects!”
