A Different Kind of Photo Contest for Top Photographer Dreamers

Last updated on February 7th, 2013 at 05:50 pm

Hello Top Photographer Dreamers!

Ready to challenge yourself with a different kind of photo contest?

Over the past few months I’ve been looking for ways to break out of my own shooting comfort zone. I’ve entered contests on the Internet, submitted images to experts for feedback and joined some local and online photography groups.

I’ve done the ‘photo a day’ challenge, planned outings with my meet-up group and entered a bunch of amateur contests – and all of it has been supportive and at the same time, a little too doable.

So I started to think about a different kind of photo contest.

I believe that at the heart of any image that tells a story is inspiration. A purpose, a passion – an essence we see, strive to capture and share with the world.

So where do you find your inspiration?

When I need to get inspired, I tend to look at the paths of the photographers before me – their images and their words.  I can use those words and images to center myself – to uncover the unknown or to get in touch with the story I’m wanting to share.

Here are a few quotes from some famous photographers.

Your photo challenge is this:

• Find a quote that you like, one that speaks to you.  Take it to the field and capture an image that best reflects that quote.
• I’ve created a Flickr account called “8 Women Dream Top Photographers”.  Once you pick your quote and capture your image, I invite you to upload your images to that site.
• Over the next month, I’ll get the women of 8 Women Dream to pick a few winners, based on your ability to showcase your quote through your images.    The winners will get a prize, something photography related – and will also be showcased here on the blog in November.

Only a few rules to participate in this top photographer photo contest

1. You have to pick a quote and then go shooting.  You cant do it backwards.  You cant upload your best shot and try to make one of the quotes “fit.”  Get the importance of that, right?
2. Feedback you give to others and their images should be supportive and constructive.
3. You have to challenge yourself, whatever comfort zone issues busting that means for you.

Good luck to you Photographer Dreamers. 

When words become unclear, I shall focus on photographs.  When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.  -Ansel Adams

“Sometimes I arrive just when God is ready to have someone click the shutter”.  -Ansel Adams

To the complaint, “there are no people in (your) photographs”, I respond: “There are always two people, the photographer and the viewer”.  -Ansel Adams

“No picture has a single meaning”. - Simon Watney

A mad, keen photographer needs to get out into the world and work and make mistakes.  -Sam Abell

“The photograph that I call my best is not always the client favorite but its the one that gives out the most emotion to anyone that looks at it?.  -Marsha Cairo

I think photographs should be provocative and not tell you what you already know.  The magic is seeing people in new ways.  – Duane Michaels

“No matter how much crap you gotta plow through to stay alive as a photographer, no matter how many bad assignments, bad days, bad clients, snotty subjects, obnoxious handlers, wigged-out art directors, technical disasters, failures of the mind, body, and will, all the “shoulda–coulda–wouldas” that befuddle our brains and creep into our dreams, always remember to make room to shoot what you love.  It’s the only way to keep your heart beating as a photographer”.  – Joe McNally

Quit trying to find beautiful objects to photograph. Find the ordinary objects so you can transform it by photographing it. – Morely Baer

Until next photo

Rem