Info on Photo Contest and BORDERS!!

[AZ JazzyJ]

This has been a very interesting discussion and I have allowed it to remain open so that each one of you have been given an opportunity to weigh in on the subject. This goes well beyond a friendly photo competition. This discussion is at the heart of where the photography profession finds itself. It's interesting, nearly all of the concerns we have with digital were valid under film but the cost in time and effort was greater than what photographers were normally willing to accept. With the advent of the digital darkroom those effects have been made much easier so that "mere mortals" can perform the tricks that the masters once controlled. As a result it is now bringing into question every image that is being produced. Is the photo exactly what the photographer saw in the viewfinder or has it been altered? I often wonder why that matters. I would venture a guess that few of us would question it when a painter added a tree or moved a house to give more interest to a painting yet we are appalled when something similar is done to a picture. It appears that society is not yet willing to accept photography as an art form. Our minds are still cemented in the idea that photographs are meant to document reality not be a form of artistic expression. This I think will change as the lines between the lens and the computer screen continue to blur and artists begin using cameras as they would paints or clay. Until then, we are left to try and define our own guidelines.

In the case of Dana's photography contest she has defined the boundaries as no editing other than resizing, cropping, and adding a watermark. It will be to her discretion to decide whether she feels a photo has gone beyond those boundaries. I will expect that any such discussions will be held in private between Dana and the person submitting the photo to the contest. To try and alleviate some peoples frustration since they do alter their photos (in whatever manner they feel appropriate), we'll see if we can offer alternative contests with more liberal rules.

Since this thread has run its course I am closing it before tempers flair or we get too off track.

Jeff