Sour Grapes

Photography is a passion of mine, and having thought about it, I'm surprised that I haven't actually written a blog on the subject. So, having made a big song and dance about it recently on my Twitter and Facebook accounts, it seemed the appropriate time to start.

I have entered rather a few photography competitions in the past few years, since I've had the passion; none of which I have won. However, until last week, every time I haven't won, I've looked at the pictures that did win, and in awe, fully understood why those images were chosen ahead of mine. They generally have been taken using a top range DSLR camera and various lenses, and therefore can take better qualities images. Those I do not begrudge.

The competition I entered last week was won by an image that had been badly edited; the contrast so low that all detail was lost and it looked flat, with very little in focus. The image that came second was an Instagram photograph - THE HORROR! I think Instagram is the worst thing to happen in the world of photography for years. The false aged photographs have been done with no skill what so ever. It makes people think they can take beautiful photographs, when really, all they've done is point their iPhone 4S with no thought. But the worse thing about the particular photograph in question is that it was dubbed 'funny' and 'ironic'. A 'Polling Station' sign in front of a military tank is neither.

The image that came third is okay. It technically doesn't follow the brief given for the competition, but otherwise, okay. The trouble is it was taken on nothing better than a mobile phone. Sure, subject wise it was nice, with the sun reflecting on the river and Canary Warf in the background. The quality is rubbish, with very dull colours, and again, no thought or consideration. And then there was fourth place; the best of the top four in my opinion. An 'aerial shot', of sorts, taken at night, with the street lights below and in the distance, as well as being well thought about and sticking well to the brief. Quality was a slight issue, but the only deserving winner.

So, why am I so bitter about these images winning? Well, because the winner was chosen by Facebook users. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: The general public are idiots. Don't give them the choice. Give professionals the choice; people who know what they're talking about. The other reason is that it stopped being a photography competition about an hour after they were published. It ended up being a competition to see who could rally the most likes. The images that had 27 shares won. The ones who weren't shared at all garnered not very many.

My image came sixth. You may argue its sour grapes I'm complaining, but I'm certain it's not. I know my picture wasn't the best, but my favourite image out of the 12 final images, only got 22 likes. The top four received 428, 419, 315 and 165 likes. Mine received 53.

In the end, this competition shouldn't have been put on Facebook; how hard is it to decide in a small group what pictures should win? The reason is because the company that ran the competition, to by cynical, wanted to get more Facebook likes on their page; and it worked.

The main reason I'm annoyed is because I worked hard to create that image: This is the image I entered:

Nice? I think so anyway. Not brilliant, but it stuck to the restricting brief and is beautiful with lots happening and a lot of consideration. I spent days waiting for the right conditions to take the image; a sunset during the week which left London under a veil of fog for four days. Interestingly, the image was rather false in the end. I shall reveal my secrets.

Firstly, the sunset didn't create many nice colours, so I had to colour the sky myself and then add a filter to give the objects the sunset glow. Secondly, in the original, the sun was behind the building slightly, so I walked a little distance and got the full setting sun in a picture. I then added it to my masterpiece. And thirdly; you think I trained those gulls to be exactly where I wanted them? I wish. This is where an old image comes in handy… The birds just flew straight from one picture to the other with a little push from Photoshop. Marvellous.

  

And there you have it… My covert work is exposed!

So, I am disappointed I wasn't somewhere in the top four; I honestly think I deserved to be. However, the people have spoken! In an announcement a few days later, the runners of the competition revealed that the finalists will all received a little thank you for entering. What that is I don't know; a sharing bag of Galaxy perhaps. It's a shame my name wasn't one of them. However, I do hope 'Stuart Colleyer' enjoys his consolation prize...

Anyway, I haven't got time to sit around and vent all day; some of us have essays we're procrastinating from.