E V E R Y D AY I S A S C H O O L D AY
E V E R Y D AY I S A S C H O O L D AY
D R PAU L W I L K I N S O N
D R PAU L W I L K I N S O N
Introduction
Whenever you enter an image into a print competition, you hope for two things: that your entries are judged fairly and, of course, that the judges aptly reward your undeniable creativity. Let’s be fair: everyone wants to win and thinks their images are strong enough to do so. Otherwise, why would you enter? Having spent days selecting your entries, finishing any retouching and getting them printed, you send them off and keep your fingers crossed. If you’re lucky enough to win, everything is fine and dandy; you crack open the Champagne and hit social media with how humble you are to receive an award from such eminent judges. Yet, if you don’t happen to win (and let’s face it, the judges can only award a handful of the thousands of entries), well, then it’s a mix of disappointment and confusion about how the judges overlooked the qualities that you saw. The judges didn’t know what they were doing! So, fresh from the BIPP National Awards just a month ago, I thought I’d describe the process of judging, what we look for in judges and how we work tirelessly to ensure that each image gets the attention (and the score) that it merits, even if you disagree with the outcome!
Who Are The Judges?
Great judges are collectors and hoarders. They are the magpies of the photography world, collecting ideas and absorbing influences, burying them away for future reference. They are constantly on the lookout for inspiration. And they have to be. One minute they’re evaluating a wedding image, the next it’s the macro image of a spider’s eye after that, the avant-garde. Judging requires every influence and experience to arrive at a fair score. Although most judges have an area for which they may be well known, all genres will fascinate and excite them. If you’ve ever listened to a judge’s conversation after a judging session, you’ll hear the excitement and enjoyment of the entries, irrespective of the style of being 46 the PHOTOGRAPHER / 2021 / Issue Four
judged. In my opinion, judges have many qualities. They are experienced and well qualified (otherwise, you wouldn’t respect the panel’s decisions), but they are kind, curious, enthusiastic, respectful and dedicated. They are also good listeners as well as able to articulate their own views. But, just as importantly, they are willing to learn and develop based on the experience of the other judges on the panel. Becoming a judge takes time and experience, but it is still essential to have fresh eyes and new talent in the mix too. Typically a panel will have at least one newer judge (a judge in training) sitting in to gain experience and help make sure that the competition stays relevant.
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Just imagine that; five photographers in a room, getting excited about images but not making a sound.” The Judging Panel
The panel of judges consists of seven judges and a chairperson. Five judges will be on the panel at any one time evaluating images. But that doesn’t mean that the other two can head off for a cheeky beer or to watch daytime TV, far from it. There must always be ‘spare’ judges who can step in at any point. More of that later. On the other hand, the chairperson’s role is to oversee the whole process, ensure that every image is judged fairly, and record the final scores accurately. It is the chairperson who will resolve any issues or discrepancies. And it is the chairperson that ultimately is responsible for adhering to the rules and guidelines of the BIPP.
What Are The Judges Looking For? I’ve written about the judging criteria in a previous article, but as a quick recap, these are the current BIPP criteria: 1. Content of Image 2. Creativity 3. Subject Matter 4. Interpretation 5. Composition 6. Centre of Interest 7. Perspective 8. Direction 9. Use of / Control of Light 10. Style 11. Expression / Narrative 12. Print Quality 13. Tonal Range 14. Graphic Stability 15. Design 16. Texture 17. Workmanship 18. Technique 19. Freshness / Unique Appeal While judging, these are the criteria that every judge uses to assess the image and then articulate their views if required.
The Process
At the beginning of each category, the chairperson picks five of the seven judges to form the panel. The five judges sit in a row facing the print viewing area, and the print handlers bring each image for judging. Each judge has the judging criteria in front of them and the scores required for each prize category - Gold, Silver or Bronze. They also have a scoring method - these days a tablet or smartphone to enter scores into the system. The lighting of the print is set to be consistent, such that the image can be seen clearly from each judging seat without any glare! It is also calibrated for brightness. Judging is undertaken in absolute silence. Just imagine that; five photographers in a room, getting excited about images but not making a sound.
Not a harrumph. Not a sigh. No breathy whistle between the teeth or quietly muttering. No eye contact, no enthusiastic hand waving or leaping out of the seats. Nothing. Absolute silence. Weird huh? You only have to hear the hubbub and chatter as the judges start a day; everyone is excited about what we might be about to see. Everyone has stories to tell and notes to compare from previous sessions. Then it goes silent. Just the shuffling of the reference sheets and the usual requests of “chuck us a chocolate before we start!” And why do we inflict such muffled torture on the panel? Simple: because it is all too easy to influence another judge (or, conversely, be influenced by another judge). Every judge must arrive at their score freely and independently based on their own experience and views. Once the judges are settled, each print is brought in and displayed in the viewing area. The judges take whatever time they require, and each judge can step forward to examine the image in detail. Each judge then commits their score to the system. That is the most nerve-wracking part of the process, if I’m honest. A million considerations are racing through your head with your fingers hovering above the keypad. But enter the score you must. And then you wait. The system calculates the overall score, and the chairperson declares it to the room. A round of applause will often erupt if the image has achieved a high score; even without an audience, the panel of judges (and anyone else in the room) will still celebrate a great picture!
Challenges
But the overall score may not be quite the end of the story. After the chairperson reveals the score, there is an opportunity for a challenge. A challenge is where a judge feels the image hasn’t received a fair score or where the scoring system itself suggests a judge might be out of step with the rest of the panel. the PHOTOGRAPHER / 2021 / Issue Four 47
