Here is a story that might entertain you. A couple of months ago I submitted a series of pictures to the Phillips’ Mill Photography Exhibition . I love and respect this show very much but, alas, this time none of my entries were accepted. Since they were submitted “physically” (what they call framed), the next Saturday I had to pick them up. And while driving over there, I remembered that on the same day the submission to Ellarslie Open 33 in Trenton City Museum was taking place. Ellarslie Open is a well known annual show where various visual art forms are presented. I am not a big fan of such mixed shows: our modest photo-masterpieces often get overwhelmed by huge canvases, sculptures and other creations of human imagination. But this time I decided: why not? After all, the pictures were already in my trunk, plus the museum was almost on my way home. And so, from the 4 phill-mill-rejected photos I rather randomly selected 2 (which is a limit for Ellarslie) and in half an hour they were submitted. A couple of weeks later I learned that both were accepted, and on the opening day one of them got the Best in Show Award for Photography.
Now the question: which of the two juries made the “right” decision? The correct answer is: they both did. Even more correct answer: there is no right or wrong here. Each jury has their own preferences and visions and make their selections accordingly. And that’s it.
I am writing this because some of my friends photographers are still getting verrrry-verrrry upset when their images are not accepted to this or that juried show. Please don’t! Hope this story is a good illustration why.
And in conclusion here are the two pictures in question. I am leaving for you to guess which one got the award (in my opinion the other one is not worse 🙂 ).
