I do think, occasionally. Recently with this Photographic Club thing I've been thinking a lot. About competitions - yup, I know, the lifeblood of the Camera Club scene. There are open competitions every so often (any subject) and there are the odd specialist competitions from time to time. The next one is 'Textures', There's also the Will McCrum Memorial Cup, which is all about portraits. I doubt if I'll make that one, though, since the deadline is early next week and I'm really not organised enough to get a print to Belfast in that time.
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| Down by the sea in Portstewart the other week. Pretty calm, it was. The Square-Cam, on HP5/ID-11. |
As I said, Mr Karlsvik's post got me a-thinking. I'm not wasting as much film as usual these days. Has this, I wonder to myself, anything to do with the Club Thing? All I'm thinking about these days is 'Textures'. OK so a bit of a challenge and focus can be good, but not if it's all-consuming. And do I really want to go down the inter-club competition route at all? I mean, does the whole thing just get too competitive then? Perhaps that's the point! I'm comfortable doing the FADU monthly print exchange - I mean, there's no competition there...I send off a print of anything that I like, get some supportive comments posted online and do the same with a print I receive from another member in the post. All very friendly and it gives you a gentle nudge to get printing something every month. Maybe that's all I want. Maybe that's all I need.
I dunno. All this competition melarky. I see from comments on the Club's FB page how some people react to getting a 'Starred Print', or 'A Mention'. Fair play to them. I've lived long enough to know that the real competition is with myself - hence the low standards you see on this place. So I'm not sure how this will play out - probably I should just shut up and get on with it, grow the skin a bit thicker maybe. I'll keep you posted.
So, you're into some thinking about all the noise around competitions and such inside the Club. I very much see what you mean, and I have been thinking a bit about something similar lately. Not the deep thinking thing, but still. I think it's fair to say I'm going to stay clear of competitions unless I feel I can get something delivered for review without costing me sleepless nights and lots of work. Might be fun to join a few every now and then, but I do not see myself throwing everything else over board just to get a half decent print delivered in time.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, the real competition will always be with myself anyway so no particular reason seen to add a lot to that.
Then again it might turn out to be fun and not much of an issue anyway for all I know. I guess we'll find our own ways in the end.
I think I am in agreement with you, Roy, with regard to this competition melarky. Keeping it fun is, I think, a pre-requisite!
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