Photo Competitions

Bloody photo competitions. If you ever want to feel like the work you put your heart and soul into is absolutely worthless, enter a bloody photo competition. This goes double if you enter a competition run by a radio station, newspaper or some other populist media because unless it is a slightly blurred, out of alignment, totally asthetically and technically void picture of a child doing some “oh so fucking cute” thing, then you haven’t got a chance in hell.
Or maybe you can go in one of those on-line comps and get a letter telling you that you are a finalist to win $10,000 but you have to travel to Las Vegas (the cost of the trip ends up being a lot more than $10K) or, failing your ability to attend, please send $300 for the cost of your trophy and a copy of the coffee table book they will publish featuring YOUR photo on the cover. Feels great for about a nanosecond when you realise this old scam – EVERYONE got the same bloody email and EVERYONE’s work is in the bloody book, they just change the cover to suit each schmuck!
Nup, the only REAL photo competition is the one you have against yourself on a daily basis as you strive to get THAT image. 1st prize being the look on someone’s face when they see your work, the tears in the eyes of someone moved by your art, and, let’s face it, the $$$ you get when somebody not only likes your work but wants to give you cash for a print.
The problem is, that competing against yourself, you will never really win because