Earlier this year, a fellow photography club member told me about the State Fair of Texas photography competition. Hmm, thought that sounded interesting.
The online information stated that there are many different categories in both Black & White and in Color. However, you were limited to entering only six photos. Also, the photos had to be taken within the last two years.
Participants are classified into one of three levels: Youth, Adult, and Professional/Teacher.
Now to start the task of sorting and selecting which of my images I thought were the strongest for a particular category. For example, under Color Photography were People, Flora, Landscape, Other than Texas, and many others. The same categories were listed for the B&W images.
Each image with its matt, could not exceed 11 inches by 14 inches overall. Some of my favorite landscape images lost a lot of impact when cropped to those dimensions. They lost the feeling I was trying for when I took the photo. For example. this image is from New Mexico.
Original crop: This is the way I intend for it to look, a vast empty landscape displaying after rain sun and brightness on the left and the dark storm clouds moving off to the right. The main subject is not the abandoned house but the contrast in the weather. We have all seen weather events like this.
However when cropped to comply with the rules, the house becomes the dominant feature, and the storm is background. It does not have the same impact. It does not have the feeling that I had in my mind when I took it, so it was laid aside.
A few other images that I really liked were taken three or four years ago, therefore did not qualify. Naturally, many of the categories had a Texas theme.
In the end, six images were submitted: Here they are:
B&W "Ranch Foreman"
B&W "Sister Nun"
B&W "Littlest Cowboy"
Color " Last Taps for Stan"
Color "Early Launch"
Color " H-town Sunset"
Today I was notified that two of my images won a first and a second place in their respective category. The winners will be on display during the State Fair of Texas in September and October this year.
Taking second place in the B&W Child category was: "Littlest Cowboy"
His portrait was captured in Hempstead, TX.
Then taking a first place ribbon in B&W Other than Texas, "Sister Nun"
The nun's portrait was captured in Valladolid, Spain.
Neither the Nun nor the boy cooperated in having their portraits taken. These were snap quick street portraits. One shot and the scene is gone. There are no re-dos, no directing models, no second chances. You either got it or you did not. There is a real challenge in Street Photography to capture interesting images on the fly. It requires concentration, attention to detail, and fast reflexes.
If you attend the State Fair of Texas in Dallas this year, check out all the winning photographs in the Arts and Cultural building.
Ride safe, ride long
CCjon
