02 Apr 07

First Photo Contest Win

Posted in: Daily Life, Photo/Misc

Thumbnail: In A Flash Contest Results

Not the grand prize, but I won the portrait category for my pictures of Chaos from Canada Day ’06, and Gerry from my Gerry Project.

Our judges had their hands full. With close to 100 entries, and photos of everything from penguins to crocodiles to war veterans and other UCC luminaries, it wasn’t an easy decision to compare these apples and oranges. Ultimately, the judges decided that technique and content counted in equal measure.

To create as fair a judging process as possible, names, grade, and graduation years were left off the photos, and replaced by a number. That way, current students and Old Boys all had an equal shot. (To ensure no judge was swayed by the opinion of another, each wrote down his or her favourite number, with no prior discussion.)

It was a blind judging, and as a result, my two photos tied with each other for first place without the judges knowing that they were both from one person. Not bad for the first photography contest I entered.

Seeing my pictures in print is great, but winning isn’t the important part.

The most satisfaction comes from knowing that I could step out of my comfort zone to call a stranger and take pictures of him, which was the main goal of the Gerry Project.

Being recognized for the pictures was a nice little bonus.

10 comments — Follow the feed
#1Aaron

You have to get me a copy!!! Chaos will want to know he’s a celebrity!

#2Nick R

Congrats on your win Jeff. That’s awesome!

#3trolley

Congratulations man! Those are amazing photos, and I’m glad to see you’re getting recognition for them :)

#4Bronwen

I’m so proud of you!

Thanks, guys. Hopefully I’ll receive my extra copies of the article soon. They also promised a modest prize, so I’m guessing that they’ll come together.

#6Reno

I’m glad to see that picture of Gerry got out into the public. I really liked it.

Wah! Gung hei ne! But those are the least of your pics in my opinion….

Coolllll. kudos.

#9Darren

Nice Man!

@Reno — I’m really happy about that too. Since Gerry is also an alumnus of UCC, he gets a copy of the newsletter as well so he’s bound to see his picture. It’s currently being enlarged to an 8×10 and framed, which I’m going to give him as a present.

@Xibee — It’s funny you should say that. None of what I would consider my better work fit into any of the categories (nature, action, digitally enhanced, portrait, and campus life, humor), so I didn’t think I had a chance. It was quite an unexpected surprise.

@Pearl and Darren — Thanks. :)

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