Photographs

I think I've told you I belong to a Photography Society.  I like taking photographs, sometimes I'm even good at it (but not often) however, as I'm sure I've said before, I have no discrimination.  I don't know a good photograph from a hole in the road - although that might make a good photograph.

The photog soc has a lot of competitions, generally two a month.  This is probably because most of the members are a) men and b) long-standing.  Sidebar here, if you think joining a a photog soc is a good way of meeting men you will be sorely disappointed.  If you think joining a photog soc is a good way of meeting obsessives... For a mere hobbyist like me, the photog soc seemed like an opportunity to learn how to take better photos, what makes a good photo and how to make a good photo brilliant.  Unfortunately, this hasn't happened.  As I said most of the attendees are long-standing members and when you've been doing this for umpteen years, do you really want a studio night in using aperture priority to shorten depth of field etc.?

No what you want are competitions, especially if you are a man!  Men need to rate themselves against other men and be given pieces of paper (certificates) showing where they come in the pecking order.  Men need to be able to constructively criticise (rip apart) each other's work.  I am MAN, hear me WIN!  Now don't get me wrong, I've got nothing again healthy competition and the members are, by-and-large, good humoured, helpful and positive.  However, I have been put off entering the competitions by the sheer importance that is given them.  (Also by a lack of self-confidence and a dislike of making a fool of myself - the judging is public although individual photographers aren't identified).

However, the next competition has the theme 'texture' which, if you've looked at my flickr photostream is one of my ongoing projects.  So I  chose four images and tried to put them in the correct format.  For some reason (I think my brain was switched off) I managed to muck it up completely.  Luckily one of my mates from the photog soc (see, I said they were good people) offered to format them correctly for me - he has better photography software than I do - and has also suggested some tweaks which might improve the final images.  We're meeting tomorrow and he's going to show me. I've spoken to the photog soc secretary and he's agreed to accept my entry via email - I think he's being nice to me because he knows I haven't entered anything before so I'll be sending them to him tomorrow evening.

I'll let you know how I get on and maybe publish the finished images.