Awards…...again?

Hello and welcome, hope you’re well?

I’m good but don’t mind admitting that this week has been one of those weeks, mainly through a combination of workload, work directions, accommodating time off and just general life stuff. You know the sort of things well this has led to a very mixed bag of thoughts for this week’s theme.

Normally when I feel like this with so much going on, that I almost have too much to write but not sure which is interesting/relevant/worthy, I step back a little bit and do a google search on the word ‘photography’. This is partly to see what I’m missing and what bits of photography are making the general news. When you get so busy you can sometimes not see the wood for the trees so to speak and miss so many intersecting things, so it’s a great chance to see what’s making news in relation to this most beloved/used medium.

Mostly the searches are formulaic and result in a combination of talking points about specifics on either landscape, closeup, family, comedy wildlife, awards, vintage erotica and war. This time in addition to those, there are a couple of very interesting exhibitions as well as equipment reviews which I believe are shaped by algorithms of previous (I’ve been looking at the new M6 plus a few of the new photo shows in the uk/abroad…the internet is always listening…)

But the one constant that is always there, no matter when or how I do this, is news of Awards. Now I’ll confess that I have mixed feelings on these competitions, it raises many different questions, questions that never seem to be able to be answered. Now the more established of you dear readers, especially the ones that know me, will point to the fact that I never really entered any during years working. Two reasons for this, firstly because I never felt the right vibe of the ‘pay to play’ type comps and secondly that I never got anointed by the right people to get one in the other sorts. Then the rights grabs comps started and the whole thing got murkier and murkier, so I left alone but that’s another story for another blog I think.

One of the results of the increase in the amount of these comps, is that it has led to a rise in the amount of proclaimed award-winning photographers, especially in areas that are more commercial/direct commissioned. I do understand why people have it in their bios and I do understand why newspapers, magazines and google searches feature it so prominently as it’s both a ratification of skillzs and a safe bet that someone else made the decision so others don’t have to put their heads on the line. BUT I am shocked at the sheer amount of image makers that I see using that tagline, it is more and more it’s a phenomenal percentage.  

Again the cynically minded could point to a few factors here that seem a little suspect, the few that have scant record of what/how/when they won, the amount of suspect specific awards, for example the one that recognises good photography on a Tuesday in October while wearing a red t shirt, ones that are so geared in getting your money, I mean entry, to gain the flow of constant new rather than established etc. What are the recognised quality checks and balances here?

Another factor then with the sheer amount being promoted then what does that do in terms of the value of the statement “award winning’ and could it ever devalue the term? Think this at its very heart this is an interesting discussion to be had, but again that’s for another blog (possibly).

Still there has to be a level of trust/honesty here doesn’t there? Is it the same as the trust you display that when someone shares pictures they are actually theirs?

Interesting.

Regular readers will have also heard me mention the idea that I may have an image suitable for some awards recently, as I thought I may have made one, but alas on giving it time and space I realise that it is not, so back to the drawing board and continuing the question of how long I’m brave enough to have ‘non-award-winning-photographer’ on my socials etc? I do wonder what people do think when they see that? Would love to hear your thoughts on this as well as any criticism, critiques, thoughts, statements or feedback, get me through the usual channels.

Now for an image and what a difficult choice to make for this subject. Strong enough to look good, interesting enough to look like it may be a comp image and enough in it to be able to have a few words dedicated to its reason.

As a bit of a departure from the scheduled postings, thought I’d share an image from my cd/neg/early digital archive, this is one from a competition (see and praise the tenuous link) from an Air Guitar competition at the Roadhouse (rip) in 2002, this makes these images just over 20 years old!

Have been actively archiving recently and as I look back at some of these images, think the best word to describe how I feel when I look at them is ‘cringe’.

Specifically feel that when I look at the constructs, the quality, creation, composition etc but then I realise that I must look back on them with kinder eyes as there was a lot going on then, this was at the sharp period of transition from film to digital, I believe that the flash quality hadn’t caught up and so many other things all contributed to this work. I also realise that the night-time event side of Nathanphoto crosses over into other profiles but it’s an interesting one that I may return to in future blogs, so thought I’d start the ball rolling.

As a note to myself think these future ones will look back on quality, usage, where I situated myself back then and the other factors that made it into the final product.

Will also comment on my slight apprehension about posting this old work here to be judged but I’m nothing, if I’m not open and honest about the work that I did, so feel free to critique away. Here are three from that night, possibly out of a selection of 5/6 that I submitted, imagine the flash blur went down ever so well in the newsprint of 02 but there you go.

Thank you for reading and as ever if you have anything then please get me on the usual channels.