GEA - day 2

GEA - day 2

I’ve decided how to deal with the idea that one shouldn’t just give awards to one’s friends. Along with GE awards for pictures that I think meet the highest standards, I’m using my own user awards for pictures that are a bit more niche. I don’t know if anyone else’s felt the need to do this, but it seems a reasonable compromise.

I think that if you’re doing the job really conscientiously, you probably need to put aside 2 hours each day that you are Guest Editor, and you need to spend some of this time looking at the pictures that you shortlisted to decide which are really worthy. And yes, I had to ask someone else how to use that!

I’m finding that looking at every single picture posted is rapidly lowering my tolerance for birds on sticks, full length shots taken from to close in with a wide angle lens and showing the feet, and architectural images with what might be termed a one-tenth Dutch tilt. I cannot imagine any occasion on which an image that is half a degree out of true should receive any sort of award. Of course it happens when you take pictures, but even the most basic editing should include correcting the horizontals.

And I realise that some people aren’t posting in search of excellence and just want to share what they’ve done with their friends. That’s entirely OK, and I wish them well. And if they ever want to do more ambitious stuff the critique gallery will welcome them and help them – though in that case, it’s a big help if they respond to comments and answer questions directly and thoughtfully.

One response to yesterday’s blog suggested sticking to my own areas of interest – but that feels like a copout. Surely one of the reasons for doing something different is to learn oneself. And although – for instance – I have almost never taken a picture of a bird, I know what’s sharp and what’s out of focus, what’s badly exposed, or carelessly composed. I’ve seen enough excellent avian images that I can offer an inexpert but sincere view of images. And surely a good picture, in any genre, will have an appeal to everyone?