The winner has been announced in the I-SHOT-IT.com photo competition where this time around the prize was over $20,000 along with a Leica Monochrom camera. You can see the results here and as you can see, there are many INCREDIBLE photos in this group of winners. The winning photo is well worthy of the prize and was shot by Damon Winter, a pulitzer prize winning photographer who also shoots for the New York Times. Congrats to Damon and this goes to show that I-SHOT-IT.COM does indeed offer serious photo contests that are online based, which is a rarity these days.
The next B&W competition has already started HERE but there are many competitions to enter. You can see the entire list of current ones to enter HERE.
I wrote this article about how we judge photo competitions and what I feel is good advice to submit and not submit. And also how you can take the viewpoint of being a judge by flipping through competitions as if it was one persons portfolio and see which photo “is the best” from the person (even it is 2,000 people or so). This makes it easier to compare them.
Thought taste and preferences are different, I will say (and I think I did in this article), that a winning image is a winning image.
In any case, even when one does not win, the work of judging your own work to find images that might please the judges in a competition is well worth the effort and may make you more certain in appreciating your own photos.
Enjoy, and may the Force be with you!
http://overgaard.dk/the-story-behind-that-picture-0099_gb.html
First of all: thanks Stev for the blog I read your blog for a while hunting for Leica and BW news and I appreciated your FUJI X Pro 1 article which I own now :)) Thanks that you told us about the I-SHOOT-IT competition – I entered the competition and hope to win some day the Leica Monochrom. My Landscape photo of the SF Bridge got the Mark of Excellence you are talked about. Nevertheless, all I like to tell you is that I got 2 Marks meanwhile because I read your blog. Thanks! 🙂
Of course I hoped the I-SHOOT-IT website would be an amateur competition but now I’m sure that I have to mess with the pros. I will never have the time and chance to capture such emotional photographs during an election or war times like Damon did. But to be honest – it’s my decision. I don’t like to take a photo at wartimes. Some people risk a lot for “just” a good photo – so they deserve my respect and the prize! Congratulation Damon, I like the winner photo and your Obama photos too.
Nice shot Dirk and congrats.
When the cash award is that high it brings out big guns which is always good in my opinion.
(Sorry if this appears outside the david hunter “reply” box; something not working here.)
David, I certainly did not mean to say all photo-journalism is cliched, any more than all landscape etc is cliched. But there are shots which are repetitive and so become cliched. I’m sure most viewers are sick of the empty jetty protruding out into a misty lake, or the twilight shot of a rocky foreshore with a 30 second exposure.
Damon Winter’s shot is not cliched, nor was Malcolm Browne’s Vietnam photo. I made comment on several others which I believe are tedious or
very ordinary. I know it’s hard to be “original” (and that’s where extraordinary circumstances offer an escape) but taking “me too” shots and expecting applause is ho hum.
Huss asked what genre should have won – well, any, including photo-journalism of course, but it’s the individual shot that carries the day.
I haven’t seen the other entries so there might have been better or worse(and in some competitions judges have been known to not award any prizes!).
I did agree with the commenter about the minister and the sash – a smart-ass shot; what next, a clever shot of him cleaning his teeth or similar?
Thanks James for your kind words about my floral which is a step out of visual character for me (LoL). What attracted me to take the image, as I explained in an earlier post, was more thna the flower. It was what you described. I do agree that a lot of calendar art kinda rules the day and there was certainly no shortage in this contest. I am very pleased the Damon’s image won instead of maybe some of the others. I do think it is a very strong image and deserving.
Wow, really amazing photos. I assumed that any contest giving away $20K is going to attract pros and the results sure didn’t disappoint. I know I couldn’t win but I am inspired by the the photos that were submitted so it was great to be able to see them. Steve thanks for letting us know about the contest.
The priest putting on the sash is just outrageous.
Tragedy always win . another person’s pain make one other happy.. what I was hopping for is beauty in Photography..
The winner of the first I-SHOT-IT B&W competition was not tragic. It was hopeful.
So many amazing photos! What makes ones like the winner amazing to me, is that they are like winning the lottery. The chances of capturing a photo that amazing are so minuscule. So many things have to happen… have to go right (and wrong, sadly) to capture a moment like that. WOW!
I agree. First of all, you’ve got to have the talent. I am not talking about the talent of a Vermeer but significant talent nonetheless. Then you have to be to be in the right place and, not only at the right time, at the right second. To have all of this coalesce is akin to winning the lottery.
Damon’s photo is incredible, congratulations.
The B&W competition however is mis-leading. They should re-name it B&W portraits/human condition etc.
Because while they throw a bone to some excellent non ‘portraiture’ photography by allotting the mark of excellence to a few, it is obvious by now that only a photo that depicts the human condition has a chance of winning.
I have no problem with pros being in the competition as the only way you can improve your game is by competing against the best.
A part of me agrees with you. “Throwing a bone” for excellence is well put too. There is only one $20,000 prize and only one Leica M to be given out.
My photograph is as much about tone, pattern, contrast and texture as it is a flower. The ironic thing is Damon’s photograph is dealing with some of those same issues.
Sorry mean to also say his subject and photograph just isn’t as obvious as mine.
Ok these photos were all fabulous and it’s nice to see this competition having such beautiful work The first one i saw did not have this many photos of this caliber that were chosen it’s nice to see the judges have stepped it up good work and It would be a hard choice to pick the best congrats to you all
It seems the camera club and cliched photo-journalism genre still rules the competition world.
The “character” portrait of the aged is alive and well, as is the moment of tendernesss between aged couples.
And yes, the ever-popular suspended diver in mid-air makes a comeback too, apparently high on the “cute” scale.
As for the swimmer, I’m left wondering..
And yes, we had some reliable “pattern” shots, too; they’re never far from a camera club competition, I’m told.
Allen Bourgeois’ flower shot was striking with its wonderful tones and careful lighting, and deserved recognition.
James, I actually appreciate your candid and direct reply. To a degree you are correct. I doubt a Cindy Sherman photo would ever win a contest like this. (Though it would be commercially advantageous for I-SHOT-IT if she did.)
Now to your points. There are cliched journalistic photos but I don’t believe that journalistic photos are cliched. For example, would you say that journalist Malcolm Browne’s photograph of Quang Duc burning in 1963 is cliche? It happens to be one of the greatest photographs ever taken by anyone, journalist or not.
In this vain, I believe that Damon Winter’s photo deserved to win. Yes, it is frustrating that an average guy like myself will probably never see this kind of opportunity but I am sure that Mr. Winter had to wait a lifetime for his.
For the most part, I agree with your other comments. For instance, the child swimming under water is a nice image but those overly processed eyes killed it for me. It’s difficult for me to understand why, because of this flaw, it beat out thousands of other photos.
I have seen two of these contests and entered the first one. I am not so sure if I will enter another one for some time. Not only does the winning photo require extraordinary skill but it seems that extraordinary circumstances are also required. Time will tell.
So, what picture or genre should have won?
What is not cliched? I’d argue that Allen’s lovely composition is indeed cliched. Just google b&w flower.
I think a good photograph is a good photograph period.
Hi Allen, congrats on making to the mark of excellence. I have to slightly disagree about good photograph is a good photograph. Somebody’s gold can be somebody’s trash. Until now I can’t understand what good about Picasso’s work, so something like that. Good photograph is a good photograph will work if they have standard/s for it. What is the standard?
In this competition I agree with Huss, I think they need to set a specific theme for the competition, not just B&W, It’s vague and it’s too general. So far the winner photos came from documentary point of view or journalism and let’s just be honest, the most attractive part of this competition is the price, over $10000 and a Leica., what other “basic” reason to be in it other than that? Telling a story? I kind of doubt it although that also might be a genuine reason.
Also this competition is Like Tour de France or maybe any other competition, the one that people will only remember is the winner not the mark of excellence(by saying this I didn’t mean to offend anyone, I’m just stating a mere fact. and if I did offend someone, I’m very sorry).
Thanks so much. I do believe there are objective ways to judge what is or isn’t good. I mean we have several thousand years of two dimensional work to draw these conclusions on. Line, shape, texture, contrast should all be supporting the visual statement. A great photographer once told me that either everything in the frame is either helping the photograph and if it’s not helping it, then it is hurting the photograph.
Ansel Adams who by the way is far more articulate than I said this and I agree:
“…….good photography remains good photography no matter what we name it. I would like to think of it as just “photography” ; of each and every photograph containing the best qualities in proper degree to achieve its purpose. We have been slaves to categories, and each has served as a kind of concentration camp for the spirit.”-Ansel Adams
Well, I entered three photos as a result of seeing Steve’s information about it. All three were of people, all three were from other counties: Spain, Peru, and Colombia. One featured two beautiful, barefoot kids, another featured a spontaneous kiss in the rain, and other was photo journalist type shot from the Choco region of Colombia. I entered them based on the previous winner and the nature of the judges. So, I obviously agree with some who have commented here that you have to travel and include dramatic images of people in real settings. So, I did. Still . . . it would be hard for me not to agree with the winning photo. But like many, there’s no way I’m going to get a live combat photo in say (now) Egypt. There other “mark of excellence” photos that I would have voted for too. Without the winning one in there, one of them presumably would have won. And there was a landscape photo in there. And as usual, some that I cannot understand how they were selected at all. That’s how opinion about objects of art works. We just have to keep doing what we like best. I don’t mind donating $60 to the organizer and winner. What I do mind is not getting the Leica Monochrom! This still seems like the only way to get one for $ 20.00, or get one at all. Maybe Steve can quit publicizing this so much. As word gets out, it seems like the competition will just get better every time.
I didn’t win but did make the top 20 Mark of Excellence and it was taken just down the street from my house. The winning image is extraordinary as it should be. I like the fact the competition is very tough. For 20K and a new Leica Mono it should bring out the very best.
Yes, one thing’s for sure, it is going to be difficult for a non-pro to win this contest. Being able to shoot for the New York Times and to travel all over the world certainly has its advantages. These kinds of photos are not going to happen in your own back yard. In the end, though, it is just about brilliant photography. Damon Winter has this in spades.
After the Sun-Times Fiasco, how else are pro shooters supposed to make money?
I, for one, welcome our new Photography Overgaard… i mean Overlord.
It’s a bit like entering the 100m and then realising that Hussain Bolt won it ;^) Kind of puts you off bothering next time.
lol Bob…..it’s not like you can jump in a chopper with the US army. Damon’s website is incredible though and he is very gifted.
He sure is. If I have to risk my life to get the winning shot, I think I’ll remain a sissy shooter? Certainly not grumbling as I was lucky enough to win the last dog one. Cheers.
Go look at the latest food contest winner, a simple box of doughnuts…give me a break. If this site was free to enter, sure put up with it, but it costs to enter most. There were soooo many great food shot, and well the doughnuts don’t cut it to be the winner. I have seen this kind of thing time and time again, and though many will still enter and waste their money, i for one am leaving this site. Go look at all the food shots, and tell me the doughnuts was the one to win…it wasn’t. There was no effort or time involved there was nothing, just a box with six doughnuts put on a table and photographed, and THIS was worthy to win over 300 dollars…what a scam. Oh and to add, the judge is a landscape photographer lol, as if he knows about food photography. You don’t have to like what i write, but must admit, there were other great images worthy to win other that a boring box of doughnuts. I’ll keep my money for PROPER contests, not scamming couldn’t careless ones.
I also owe you a thank you Steve as I found out about the contest from reading your site! So I guess you are two-for-two. Not bad!
Awesome! So the 2nd winner in a row of this B&W contest and that huge prize came as a direct result of seeing it here. Congrats! You deserve it!
Congrats Damon and well deserved win. So Steve you need to be getting a % of these win huh (LoL). And kudos to you Steve for having this great informative and interesting site.
3 for 3. I won the last dog one ;^)
I made the Mark of Excellence with the floral shot. Congrats to the winner and all the other Mark of Excellence award winners.
Congrats Allen. Beautiful image.
Thanks and kinda surprised by very happy it got picked
Well done Allen – so close… Yet so far away!
great pictures, but its always the same. go travel exotics places, take pictures of people with wrinkles make it black and white.
i like to see pictures of the same location, so, the skill and artistic eye wins.
You have to show humans/people in your photos in order to win. No still life or abstract will do it.
I usually don’t enter competitions but this one might be too good to pass up.
http://i-shot-it.com/competition-photo.php?id=51e1ce8552370
Wow, at first when I looked at this photo I didn’t think too much of it. It seemed like just another B&W photo of a homeless person. I don’t dislike these kinds of photos but this genre has become as cliched as any other. Not this photo. It is pressing, dark, ironic, sad. Of course, the advertising on the billboard makes this image startling and the police cars in the background add tension. In the end, we all know what’s going to happen. Nothing.
As I walked through a crowd that was gathering to take this photo they were talking like he was dead. The advertisement “My Luck’s Gonna Change” and under it “Maybe it already has” just blew me away.
Yes. Absolutely gripping photo, Michael! Good luck. My fingers are crossed for you.
Thank you.
Amazing images. I have to find the Non Pro category to enter…some of these entries are from big hitters! Wow.
Wow. Damon Winter’s prize winning photograph deserves every accolade it gets. Stunning and deeply emotional image. There is heroism, hope, sadness, all enveloped in this tornado that heightens the tension and urgency of the soldiers. I cried.