The National Portrait Competition

An update from Paul Byrne FPSNZ ARPS AFIAP

For many years, I have held the opinion that one of the most significant genres of photography was not as well represented or recognised, as it deserved to be, in New Zealand. In part, this may have been because it did not have its very own national competition. That genre is Portraiture.

Portrait images often seem to do less well, even though they occasionally win the open sections of a variety of regional or national salons. However, you must be mindful of the fact that salons which have a major theme, plus an open category, will usually be judged by people who specialise in the main category, e.g. Creative, Landscape, Photojournalism etc.

In my early days, as a self-confessed portrait photographer, I would love to have heard from judges who were passionate about the genre. I wanted to know if my work was moving in an acceptable direction. It would have been personally satisfying to know that my portraits were being reviewed and appreciated by qualified judges as the main feature of a competition, rather than appearing in an “also ran” open category.

This topic was raised in committee at the Tauranga Photographic Society on a number of occasions. Whilst support always existed, our intentions and efforts were frequently interrupted for reasons beyond the committee’s control. For some inexplicable reason, all the dots fell into position in late 2021, with the result that in September 2022 the inaugural Nation Portrait Competition was launched. By midOctober we had announced our first Champion Portrait image, entered by Auckland photographer Jiongxin Peng APSNZ EFIAP and entitled Miao Old Man. The Champion Open section was won by Dianna Hambleton APSNZ.

As a photographic society, we were extremely fortunate and very thankful that two local businesses offered sponsorship support which enabled the Salon to come to fruition. They were Bay Building and Compliance Management (BBCM) together with Carter’s Photographics. Their assistance was welcomed and very much appreciated.

For those interested in statistics, the Salon attracted entries from 186 photographers. The Portrait Section received 333 entries, with 12 Awards and a total of 38% Accepted or Awarded. The Open Section received 309 entries, with 12 Awards and a total of 30% Accepted or Awarded.

One of the many ways in which photographers can assess how their work is perceived by others is to enter images into competitions and salons. Whilst it can be daunting for some, others will find it just another rewarding step in their photographic journey, irrespective of the outcome.

Club competitions or evaluations form the backbone of most photographic societies and clubs in New Zealand. These are safe places where novices can learn the craft, hone their skills and develop new techniques. Assessments and evaluations by accredited judges offer guidance to individuals to help them through this educational process. As photographers grow at club level, their next logical step is to enter regional or national salons of photography.

Salons are entirely different arenas, because advice and guidance are not on offer. Instead, a panel of judges will analyse individual images as they search for a perceived perfection. They will look for reasons why one image is better or worse than other images in the same competition. Images are compared to one and others, and adjudicated on the merits of the craft, skill, technical and artistic aspects used in the creation of the images, as well as the emotional content emanating from the work. Occasionally, something as small as a dust spot can move an image out of contention for a major award. Thus, great care is needed by the photographer in the preparation and presentation of the final work.

Now that the first National Portrait Salon is complete, our committee is able to draw on its experience and,

... The National Portrait Competition

with the continued support of sponsors, we plan to grow and develop this particular Salon into the future. I can already tell you that next year’s competition will differ slightly from the first portrait contest. We currently plan to have three categories in 2023. Each category will ask for a specific aspect of portraiture to be demonstrated. At this stage, we do not plan to have a separate “open”’ category. We aim for Portrait Perfection and, with this in mind, we hope to build the contest into an iconic challenge which photographers will want to enter and win! Categories for the 2023 National Portrait Competition will be Open Portrait

Any portrait of a human or humans, using any technique. Entries can encompass all aspects of humanity, from birth to death, and all that comes in between. They may be portraits of one person or many. We are looking for images that communicate a story, an emotion, an idea or even just a simple moment that must be remembered.

Person’s Best Friend

Here we are asking for a specific type of portrait, one that explores the relationships and interactions between pets/animals, and humans. For the sake of clarity, the image must show at least one person and one animal. We are looking for both a story and a sense of emotional engagement; emotional engagement between the person and animal and with us, as viewers. We might see examples of happiness, excitement, joy, frustration or even sorrow. Images can be posed, staged, or directed by the photographer, or they could capture those wonderful authentic, unscripted spontaneous moments that make our relationships with our best non-human friends the wonder that they are.

Environmental Portrait

We are looking for images that are executed in an environment that relates to the subject(s) being photographed. The included environment should provide a deeper insight into the personality, emotion or lifestyle of the subject(s). Images can be candid or unposed, lightly directed or posed by the photographer, and may include self-portraits.

Hopefully, you will agree that the above descriptions create a wide variety of situations in which we humans can find ourselves. The possibilities are extensive and the selectors look forward to seeing the myriad of possibilities which photographers can capture. Essentially, the images entered into the National Portrait Salon (NPS) will be created by people, about people, for people.

Now is the time to prepare your entry for 2023. Consider the categories carefully; develop your ideas and start the planning process. Remember, the judges will be looking for fresh, contemporary images which may not have been publicly seen before.

As many of you will be aware, the PSNZ National Convention has changed its date to October in 2023 and subsequent years. As an organising committee, we did not wish entrants to clash with the Sony National Exhibition which traditionally runs conjointly with the convention. For this reason, the important dates for next year’s National Portrait Salon will be:

Entries Open - 9.00 am on Thursday, 1 June 2023

Entries Close - 11.59 pm on Friday, 30 June 2023

Results - No later than Sunday, 23 July 2023

Digital Salon Catalogue will be delivered electronically to all entrants by 1 August. 2023.

Further details can be found at https://www.taurangaphoto.nz

It’s one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like, it’s another thing to make a portrait of who they are ~ Paul Caponigro

Champion Open Image: My Home, My Castle by Diana Hambleton APSNZ

Silver Award: Over There by Judy Stokes

Silver Award: Impermanence by Charlotte Johnson