Late evening in the Coachella desert presented Rigo with this wonderful image of cacti.
Why do you think it’s usually the “usual suspects” that win those contests?
Maria Sharapova blasts a forehand during her match against Elena Dementieva during the finals at the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, CA
First of all, the usual suspects who win contests are great photographers.
Second, some have a formula for success.
They know that the “different” or unique photos are going to win.
Furthermore, some photographers duplicate what has won in past contests and execute it on their assignments.
I knew one photographer who turned in the same type of photo, shot in two consecutive months and he won in both months.
What does that tell you?
First of all, there is a strategy. Second, you have to be well-versed in what a contest-winning photograph is, so you can duplicate it in your own way.
Are they so dominant or do you think there are other reasons?
Good pre-visualization by Rigo enabled to get him into position for this unusual composition.COAHUILA, MEXICO----Ocularist Don Kluge compares the size and color of an artificial eye to the good eye of Maria Angelica Macias, 25, of San Luis Rio Colorado in Mexico, during a fitting in a dental clinic in Coahuila.
First of all, they have talent; hands down, but in addition to talent, they know what wins contests.
They work hard to come back with a contest winner.
Wind turbines are silhouetted against a sunset near Desert Hot Springs.
Rodrigo Peña photographed by his wife Letty
When a photographer consistently wins contests, they usually get better assignments because the bosses know that they will come back with good, award-winning photos.
Some photographers that I know complain that all of the good assignments go to other photographers.
They may have a point, but I tell them, “If you’re not getting the good assignments, come up with some of your own.”
I look for a topic that I can spend some time with.
When the timing is right, I get a reporter on board who is equally passionate about the same story.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
My photos are usually better when I come up with my own assignments.
One of the things not mentioned and what I taught my students is: There are no bad assignments, only bad photographers.
I’ve worked places where all the photographers had this mentality and we would always come back with super nice images.