Curating a Photography Exhibition/Judging a Photography Competition

In this post I take a different direction from my usual, which is analyzing photography and art concepts in terms of my own photography.  The work of other photographers and visual artists also has an impact on my work.  And, in this vein, it is my privilege to judge and curate photography and art exhibitions as well as competitions. Further, I have advised photographers and artists through the process of portfolio reviews and resumes/statements, which also require constructive critiques.  I have often been asked about the criteria I use to guide me through the process of curating or judging other artists' work.  I have several standards that are a great help to me and I thought I would share these.

I always step back from my own art when judging another artist's work.  I am an architectural photographer whose images, both commercial and fine art are very specific and recognizable.  I set the principles I use for my own photography completely aside and look at the images of others with fresh eyes.  Just what does that mean?  If I am curating or judging floral photographs, I cannot expect these to imitate architecture.  I see them for what they are: photographs of flowers or whatever the subject may be.  Typically, my fine art photography is monochromatic, black and white or sepia.  When curating and judging, I appreciate the use of color in works to which color applies.

However, as much as I detach myself from my photography in critiquing other photographers' and artists' work there are fundamentals that always apply to all images:

Composition
Form
Line
Values (light and dark)
Technique
Presentation, which includes appropriate framing and matting
Uniqueness
Style or personal relationship of artist/photographer to the subject
Story

There are other criteria, but I have targeted the most important for me, as a curator and judge.  First and foremost, it is critical that certain principles of aesthetics be followed by the photographer/artist.  There may be one line on the page or canvas, but the placement, quality, form, shading and texture of that line will determine whether the work is merely a line on a page or a work of art.  The composition, form, light and dark, and technique used can make one line a masterpiece or an amateurish creation. Abstract photography and art are rooted in knowledge of fundamentals that have been successfully used as framework for images for centuries.  Therefore, the same principles that are applied to representational photography and art are the underpinnings of abstraction.

Presentation of a photograph or art work is also very important.  A sloppily framed piece with no mat or an unevenly cut mat will surely detract from a work.  Presentation of an image can either enhance or detract from its appeal.

The uniqueness of a photograph or artwork is important.  The Mons Lisa was painted once.  The photograph of the sailor dipping the nurse while kissing her is another famous work.  These are iconic works that have been copied many times, but never surpassed in their unique quality.  A photograph or artwork can be unique simply by telling the artist's/photographer's story.  Recently I advised a photographer to shoot a well-known monument from an angle that is not common.  Frequently, I judge a work because it attempts to present a different perspective than simply copying the many recognizable images on Google.

The photographer's or artist's style should be associated with his/her body of work over a period of time.  Even young artists should try to develop a style characteristic of their relationship to subject and the story they are telling.  One can easily pick out a Picasso painting in a gallery or a Karsh portrait.  Their styles are distinctive and closely relates to subject.  Further, style imparts the story of the photograph.  A wintry scene that is blindingly while with a small red bird in the foreground definitely tells a story.  The same scene without the brightly colored bird may be just another snow scene.  The image that draws the viewer in truly stands out among the competition.

These are some of the qualities I look for when judging or curating.  Perhaps there same characteristics may be measures of works in museums, galleries, printed materials or on the walls of homes.   

  

The Art of Architectural Photography 2-16-2016

The romance of Valentines Day was as overwhelming as it was charming.  Tweets, blogs, cards, chocolates, champagne, roses and all the sentimental harts and flowers are lovely and, to some, very meaningful.  At least for one day of the year, love was definitely at the top of the list across the media and perhaps for most of the world.  I remember Valentines Day fondly from my days of growing up in Brooklyn.  In those years, there was not the commercial frenzy that exists today, but Valentines Day was decidedly a commercial affair even then.  It was also my Mother's birthday so we celebrated both occasions with many desserts, prettily painted heart shaped boxes of confections and flowers. Since those days, Valentines Day has somewhat shifted away from painted valentines and into photographs of all things romantic to purchase for a loved one.  Commercialism.  That's OK, but I still like romance for the sake of romance.

Romantic photography is a rather tricky affair.  In order to create romantic images, there is a fine line that separates the truly evocative love photographs and the saccharine commercial pictures.  I very much admire wedding photographers, that group of sometimes under-rated, always hard working and ever commercialized segment of photographers who are by and large extremely skilled at their craft and, in the majority, manage to get the love theme into pictures while documenting a singularly important event.  Some food photographers also create deliciously sentimental portraits of the foods, especially those connected with Valentines Day, such as heart shaped cookies, oysters or chocolate cakes: all around a romantic theme.  Numerous photography themes target the subject of romance, as do other forms of art, such as painting and sculpture.  The creation of these arts do not necessarily have to involve a specific event or day, but the images should convey aesthetically subtle feelings.  Subtlety is often the difference between artistic works and commercially crafted material.

Mood can be infused into a photograph through subject, color, tone, composition and form.  Traditionally I use monochrome as a medium for my architectural photography.  Once in a while, the romance of color appeals to me.  The allure of sunrise on Lake Pichola as it illuminates Udaipur's magnificent City Palace inspired me to take this photograph.  It is a romantic scene of sensual color, composition and back-lighting that spotlights the architecture I photograph.  The Lake Palace Hotel, built in the middle of Lake Pichola, is the ultimate romantic setting.  This view out of my hotel window at an unparalleled architectural setting will remain a lovely memory of the beauty Udaipur offers. 

Architectural Photography: View of Udaipur City Palace and Lake Pichola from the Lake Palace Hotel

The Art of Architectural Photography 2-6-2016

There is a magic component to any art form, in my opinion.  There is the skill of getting on pointe for the dancer or drawing a head conceived by the portraitist or taking a photograph that depicts what the photographer wants to convey.  But to lift the skilled to a level of genius there is an often undefined magic that the artist adds to the work to elevate it above all others.  This fantastic quality greatly appeals to me.  As far back as I can remember, the magic that was combined with skill became the reality of the art.  The intangible ingredient that heightens the truly great from the good (By the way, being a "good" artist is no easy task: many never achieve that status!) is, perhaps, instinctual for the genius who can bring it to life.

When I was a small child, Walt Disney's Fantasia had a profound effect on me.  It actually characterized the magic in art for my young, evolving aesthetic.  Today I see some fantastic images through my lens and I usually file them away for my own enjoyment.  Once in a while, the architecture of a place, its mood and this special ingredient intersect to create the feelings about art that began when I was a child in a darkened theater watching flowers dance on dew drops.  Having dinner recently in the Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur, I gazed out into the night and saw, in effect, a fantasy double exposure by way of reflections.  The lights, table's candle and arches of the restaurant were superimposed on the dark, light rippled water, while the City Palace glowed across the lake: magic.

Architectural Photography: Udaipur, India

The Art of Architectural Photography 1-30-2016

There is something so appealing about entering a realm of the future.  Of course, the future may be 20 years hence or a moment away.  It depends on one's point of reference.  Some await the far future.  Those who think of life in other galaxies, for example, yearn to connect with beings light years away.  In terms of time and distance, these encounters may be centuries from now.  It is true that light is a breathtakingly swift element, 300,000 kilometers per second in fact,  but as I understand it our space travel/exploration capabilities, while more advanced than let's say those of Galileo's day (maybe), have a ways to go before intergalactic trips become reality.  Except in the movies. The point being that there are those individuals whose thoughts indeed dwell in the distant future. 

On the other hand there are those who look forward to an art opening or other enjoyable occasion a week or day away.  That is also a means of projecting towards the future.  Most, I believe, look forward to impending delights or enlightenments, such as getting together with friends or loved ones or participating in favored activities, whether they be next door or on planet X.  There is a thrill to anticipating upcoming events.  Few people I know gladly anticipate war, plagues or other catastrophes, excepting monumental acts of nature, which can be very appealing even though destructive. Some photographers I know could not wait for Hurricane Sandy in order to turn their lenses on the natural chaos.  And check out the NYC Instagram pix of our recent blizzard......many were stockpiling, imbibing and cheerfully tucked in for the storm before the first flake dropped. Future planning!

For me, the future is but a step away.  Rarely do I think of events months or years in the future as I did when I was a child.  Then I looked forward to summer vacations from school starting around November!  However, the future always held and still holds something new and promising for me so I think of time as an elixir not to be taken for granted.   I often view doorways and stairs without the instinctual.  In other words, I think about going through a portal or descending a staircase in terms of time.  I believe my childhood, steeped in stories such as Through the Looking Glass and The Tinderbox, influenced my outlook regarding entering dimensions, even those familiar to me.  Staircases are especially marvelous because there are so many levels to experiencing the journey: distance, elevation, relativity, perspective and distortion.  Composition and form, light and shadow also come into the odyssey.  It may seem peculiar to liken going up/down a flight of steps to a sort of trip or even weighing steps as advances towards the future, but for me as a photographer the mundane for others may be transformed into a vehicle for imaging.  When I entered this stairwell in Europe, I was captivated by texture, pattern and grandeur.  Each tread became a quest into the future of my photograph.    

Black and White Architectural Photography

The Art of Architectural Photography 1-23-2016

Today we are experiencing a blizzard in New York City.  The first serious storm of winter.  The snow blankets all in a crystalline white powder that thickens by the minute.  I am not a snow person, although it is pretty to look at.  A favorite Dutch painter,  Hendrick Avercamp (1585-1634) made snow come alive for me when I saw his paintings years ago in London's National Gallery.  Just as the Spanish Impressionist Sorolla made the heat of Spanish sunlight come to life, jumping off the canvas with the fever of Spain at noon in the summer, Avercamp used the frozen winters of the Netherlands as a light source.  In these, Avercamp's cold light shines from his paintings as if illuminated by actual fluorescence.  And so thinking of light in Avercamp's paintings as I look out at the frosty swirling snow, I shiver and turn to my recent photographs of India.  They warm me as no heater can.

The mystical city of Orchha was indeed hot when I visited there in November: at least 100F.  However, within the walls of the Jahangir Mahal nothing exists but the alluring majestic beauty of the place.  The design and intricacy of the architecture transcends any thought about weather or agility.  Yes, climbing around the building is critical to appreciation of its structural delights.  Steep stairs and narrow balconies; lofty precipices overlook the old city and the beautiful Betwa River. Each part of the place glows hot in the sunlight that accentuates the arches, domes, carved rails and elaborate details of the Mughal-style architecture. It is a gem of many architectural features: design, structure, texture, pattern, shape and form combine to create a visual feast.

Dreaming of Orchha dispels the wintry day outside my studio.  The testament to genius architecture and design in Orchha can serve as inspiration in the storm. 

Black and White Architectural Photography: Jahangir Mahal- Orchha, India

 
 

The Art of Architectural Photography 1-18-2016

There is something compelling about texture.  Texture creates dynamic interplay in a composition.  Architecture of the past depended on the juxtaposition of texture to add to the beauty, purpose and aesthetic to the structure.  Carved moldings, brick work, smooth marble and rough sandstone all contributed to the architectural appeal and drew the eye to all parts of the overall design.  Statuary and relief-work told the people who saw the building things about it.  For example, many places of worship etch symbols onto their facades to entice and/or inform worshipers.  Forts and palaces also used elaborate detail to make statements about power, worth and community.  The textures and designs of these buildings proclaimed meanings to the societies they rose above as well as to the populations they conquered. Further, textures underlie motifs to bring them to life.  Texture also weaves patterns and concepts into fluent design.

In India, I saw extraordinary pairings of textures and patterns.  What I thought was elaborate and ornate in Western architecture pales by Indian standards.  The textures and designs are so layered and intricate that just when you think you have seen the height of embellishment, a new design augments an already astonishing amount of detail.  Looking at architecture in India is as breathtaking as it is inspiring.  The use of texture and pattern melds into wondrous compositions that perhaps would not work in one's imagination, but are perfectly appropriate in reality.  At once India's architectural detailing that is so much a part of Indian architecture is as practical as it is mystical: marvelous to behold.

On the drive to Khajuraho, I stopped at the city of Orchha, which dates from the 1500's.  There I saw the Jahangir Mahal, a stunning example of Mughal architecture.  It is entered through wonderfully textured and huge wooden doors with iron fittings.  Layer upon layer of stone carved design frames these doors in both smooth and rough materials all in proximity with flat and coarse slate flooring.  The intricately interlocking carvings and the aging of the 400+ year old palace urge the eye to continuously roam around the structure, seeking new visual delights.  Visiting Orchha, a place that has lovingly preserved the magnificence of a once established empire, remains a highlight of and insight to the fabulous Indian architecture I saw in India.

Black and White Architectural Photography: Orchha, India

The Art of Architectural Photography 12-12-2015

There is always a fascination with looking through one dimension and beyond.  Perhaps when Leonardo DaVinci said: "The eyes are the windows to the soul," he was referencing that beyond concept.  Beyond one plane lies another.  The anticipation of going from one place into another location, whether that be visually or physically has always greatly appealed to me.  The reality of beyond is exciting, provocative and speculative.  I have the ability to imagine what is around the corner, through the portal and find yet another sensation.  The reality of more comes into play here, as well.  Knowing that there is another sight to see, another experience to encounter and new adventures to add to my cache entices me to go through that doorway into the beyond.

While traveling in India I encountered many such doorways.  Each offered new and unique vistas: some mythical and some stark reality.  However, there was always the sensation of traveling through one dimension into another to explore and discover and to even learn a bit more about myself as a photographer and perhaps as a human being.  All by going beyond. 

Monsoon Palace: Udaipur, India

Tomb of I'timād-ud-Daulah: Agra, India