Contest Photography - If you enter contests/challenges, read this

Up too early on a Sunday AM and I finally got around to checking in on Zack Arias' blog. I stopped doing the DEDPXL assignments because, well, I just did. And when I saw the post for the final assignment I thought about what I could do, and what I had time for, and then decided to skip it figuring, "I never even got pulled for critique when I busted my butt for some of the first 6 - I'm not going to kill myself over something that I've got no shot at."

So, after reading the winner announcement from Sara Lando, I consider myself righteously chastised. There's more to be earned by busting your ass to do something that may never get recognized than the potential prize at the end. And there's more to know about contest shooting than what's stated specifically in the announcement.

If you like doing stuff like this, the post is worth your time.

The #DEDPXL07 Winner by Sara Lando · DEDPXL

Interesting reading. I would had felt a bit empty if I had participated and wondered why I did.

Disclaimer: With what I said, I could not have done better, mainly because I never understand what they want beyond telling a story. The best content of the article was the Roosevelt qoute.

I found value in pretty much everything she had to say, even if it was in the way I decided to dismiss it. LOL

With this contest specifically there were three judging hurdles that made it particularly interesting - Phase 1 in which you had to please Zack and Meg Arias, Phase 2 where you had to get votes from the masses, and Phase 3 where you had to please a single judge. Her statement, "I’ll start by letting you know that I wouldn’t have picked any of these as the clear winner.", simply goes to show the randomness from which some contest results are derived. Please the final judge and you may not get through selection. Get through selection and you need to beg for votes.

If nothing else I come out of it with two things: 1. If you're going to shoot something specific, do the time or don't bother. 2. Contest photography has little to do with how good your photography is and everything to do with how you present it.