Editorial

Editorial : Who are you Shooting for?

By Paul Whitham LPSNZ

WHO ARE YOU photographing for? This may seem a silly question, but please bear with me as I ramble through my train of thought.

For professional photographers the answer is generally fairly clear. On the whole they are taking pictures for their clients in return for payment. In fact, some professional photographers go so far as to not take any photos unless it is for pay.

The majority of professional photographers do undertake personal work. This may be completely different to what they shoot on a regular basis, or it may be an extension of it. Now for some, this work will simply be to challenge them or grow their skills, but for quite a number the personal work may be related to areas of photography that they wish to move into.

For those of us who don’t make a living from photography, it is very easy to say that we shoot for ourselves. But, is this truly the case?

Many of us enter images into photographic salons and competitions. A lot of people simply dive into the back catalogue to find images that match the theme of the salon. However there are others, myself included, who will often shoot specifically for the competition. In such cases, can it truly be said that we are shooting for ourselves, especially given the topics may not be areas that we usually shoot in? We are shooting images to try to please a set of selectors.

You could argue, and I’m sure some people will, that in doing so we are actually developing our skills and challenging ourselves. There is an element of truth in this, however I believe it is mitigated by the fact that just about ‘no’ PSNZ salons provide any feedback from the judges. Other than receiving an acceptance (or, for some, higher grades), we actually have no idea how the image performed. What is more confusing is that with the subjective nature of assessment it is quite possible for the same image to have vastly differing results.

Compare this to the way that the NZIPP undertake their annual Iris Awards. The judging occurs in open forum, and even if judges are in complete agreement on the grading, the photographer receives some comments back.

I would say that the ultimate assessment process within PSNZ is the honours system.

I have a love/hate relationship with the PSNZ honours system. I managed to get my Licentiate on the second attempt, having failed miserably with the first try. I have started an A set three times, and three times I have stopped it. In each case it was because I came to the conclusion that it was not going to be successful.

The reality was that I was shooting based on what I perceived a set of judges wanted rather than something that I wanted for myself.

Then, earlier this year, I had a “light bulb” moment. I was listening to a broadcast by Havelock North photographer Richard Wood GM.NZIPP. He was talking about the benefit of entering competitions, and particularly in challenging yourself. Admittedly, this was in connection with the style of competition that the NZIPP run.

His main point was that we need to produce images that represent who we are as photographers, and which we are proud of. If the judges like them, then that is a bonus. We should not be producing personal images solely to get high marks with what we perceive the judges want.

That was almost a “eureka” moment, and so the next day I decided that I was going to resurrect my last idea for an A set and finish the rest of the set. But, that it would be my goal to complete a personal project, and in the style that I wanted to do it. If an A set did emerge from it then that would be an added bonus.

That gave me the enthusiasm to shoot the set, and last month I completed it. It was a set of portraits, based around the zodiac, in which each model was representing their own star sign. I had even found a set of Gemini twins.

I am very proud of what was produced and the set has received widespread positive comment from those that have seen it.

In the end, it will not be submitted for my Associate, as it is deemed not to have sufficient diversity of photographic approach. A year ago that would have really annoyed me because I would have felt that I had wasted my time.

Now it really doesn’t bother me, because I shot it for me, and I am happy with what I achieved in doing it.