Through the Lens of an Amateur

Alex Daily, far right, listened to judges Carol Andrews, Michael Hart, and Scott Kohn’s comments about each photo submitted. Check to see if you are a big winner in the upcoming July issue.

“What do you think about this photograph?” asked Carol Andrews, one of the judges for the 2014 Buzz Photo Contest.

“I don’t know enough about photography to give an opinion,” I answered honestly. And it’s true.

In an age where taking a picture is as easy as pulling out a cell phone and picking a filter on Instagram, everyone thinks he or she is a professional, myself included.

Next semester I will take my first photojournalism class, so I wanted to learn a bit about what makes a good photograph. With The Buzz’s blessing, I headed over to Michael Hart’s studio, where the judging took place, laptop in hand, not really knowing what to expect.

After watching the judges talk about the texture and tonality of a picture, I knew there was so much more to photography than can be accomplished on a smartphone.

Carol Andrews, Michael Hart and Scott Kohn are all incredible professional photographers with a deep-rooted love for the art of capturing the perfect picture. With this passion comes a sharp eye for detail and the ability to assess a photograph’s worth in a matter of seconds.

I quickly realized that the pictures I took that I thought were beautiful and original, so too did everyone else about their own photos; there is a reason why so many people take pictures of a sunrise or sunset. It is those photographs that stray from the norm that often get recognized.

Last year’s photo contest winner, Ying Chun Jerry Pan, said he waited “three to four hours and took several hundred continuous shots” in the process of capturing the wining photograph. And it paid off.

Listening to the judge’s comments about each photograph was incredibly interesting. I learned about how color palette, a strong composition, and many other factors all contribute to the prize-winning photographs. Words that I had often heard in association to photography (“depth of field”, “horizon lines”, and “selective focus” for example) were finally explained, and I understood why these elements contributed so strongly to the final photograph itself, and how it makes viewers feel.

I know I have much to learn about the art of photography. However, listening to the experts made me have a much greater appreciation for what makes up a “good photograph”. Get ready, Instagram!