When he began entering photo competitions, knowing how subjective judging photography could be, and that he would not know the tastes of the judges, he added scoring to the slide shows he gave to friends. Talking to people afterward, he would sometimes get specific comments on individual images. "I simply thought it would be a good idea to get input, comments and feedback from people in the business," Blaine says, "and from the general public-which is, after all, the viewing audience of my published pictures." At these presentations he most often he used a score sheet, asking people to indicate their favorites. At the start he held slide shows for small gatherings of friends, neighbors and local photographers at his home in Denver sometimes for a larger group at a local library or community center and also to the Colorado chapter of the ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) and to the Denver Press Club. Rather he's talking with serious photo enthusiasts, picture buyers, photo editors and professional photographers, whose work and opinions he values, to rate and comment on the images he's considering for entry in contests and competitions. He's not soliciting the often scattershot opinions he might get from social media. Simply, Blaine asks other people what they think of his photos. It's possible his methods and the reasons for them might make you a better, even more perceptive photographer. And that's where you come into the picture. But there's another factor at work beyond recognition for his photography, and that's what he learns about his photography from the methods he uses to select his contest entries. The awards make for nice additions to the About section of his travel photography website, and they boost his reputation among clients and stock agencies. He's twice been named their Photographer of the Year, and has garnered several individual image and portfolio awards. Not on 500px yet? Sign up here to explore more impactful photography.It's Blaine Harrington's practice each year to enter the Society of American Travel Writers' (SATW) Muster Photo Competition. Similarly, you can put together a book of everyone’s top images to create a family album. You can even use instant film to deliver prints in real-time and have your family curate their favorites for display. This year, choose a handful of pictures from the season, and then work with a local lab (or print them yourself) to create gifts for your immediate family and relatives. Six in ten looked back on old photos when stressed or unhappy, and 43% experienced a mood boost from looking at physical prints. Of the 56% of people who said they believe that people are turning to “real” photos over digital ones, 49% think that printed photos have “more value” than digital ones. Last year, a UK study commissioned by Fujifilm instax revealed that during lockdowns, many of us returned to physical prints. We might live in a digital world, but prints are timeless, and they last a lifetime (if they’re well-made!). Hint: If you’re shooting with holiday lights in the background, open up your aperture for that magical bokeh effect. Turn off those overhead lights, and open up the window shades (or use pretty holiday lights). Remove any clutter, and add some pretty accents or holiday decor to breathe life into the scene. If your location is your house or apartment, do some tidying and styling in advance. If you’re shooting in a public place, time your session to avoid crowds. Shady spots tend to be easier to work with than direct sunlight, so find open patches of shade. Remember to scout your location on a day with similar conditions and take some test shots, so you know what to expect. Select a place where your family feels comfortable and where you know they’ll enjoy themselves. The location could be your house with the Christmas tree decorated, or it could be an ice skating rink or sledding hill where you go every year. Choose a spot with beautiful light, and plan around the golden hour.
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