Tag Archives: contests

Photography

Meet an amazing photographer Rodrigo Peña Part 3

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Award winning image of a little league coach consoling his player after a loss.

What picture are you most proud to have taken?
When I was a staff photographer in 1999, working for the San Bernardino Sun, I was hired by a community newspaper in Sacramento to cover the Little League finals in San Bernardino.

The Sacramento Bee sent one of their best photographers and he was able to shoot from the field. Since I was shooting for Sacramento’s weekly newspaper, I was low man on the totem pole and I had to shoot from the stands.

The Sacramento team lost and I got a terrific photo of a young boy crying while his coach comforted him. In the background the winning team was jubilant. (see photo in gallery) I had the agony of defeat the joy of victory in one photo.

The Sacramento Bee photographer was not able to get that photo because he was on the field.
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Photography

Meet an amazing photographer Rodrigo Peña Part 2

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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.
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Photography

How to enter a photo contest

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Rule #1
Don’t expect to win when you enter a photography contest.

As strong an image as you think you may have, the odds are not very good.

It is so subjective.

I know this for a fact because I’ve judged a few contests in my day.

Depending on the caliber of the judges, there is sometimes a tone of jealousy in the voices of the judges especially when they like a picture.

Old piece of firewood–One of my earliest contest wins. This is old as you can see from the date. But, it wasn’t anything to sneer at. The Akron Press Club paid for one whole semester of tuition! For an impoverished foreign student majoring in photojournalism, it meant a lot. I’ve kept it all these years as a reminder to myself that daring to dream is important.

It’s as if they won’t admit that they wish they were the one who took the winning picture.
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