editing when you're very happy

is actually harder than when things are just plain old good. Because, it is SO hard to edit out the ones you don't like as much when you  remember how much fun you had with the subjects, and are very very pleased with the whole take.*

These are some fresh portraits for a private girl's school, from a location photo shoot of some students,  teachers and trustees. And to say I overshot is...um..yeah. Gotta go. Several hundred images to narrow down and a very patient designer waiting.

* for those of you also waiting patiently for the Rhinebeck Project, this is precisely the problem, minus the designer drumming his fingers with a deadline. (And, more volume.)

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see what I've edited into my portfolio at Gale Zucker Photography &  more from this shoot over on Dripbook

clearing your vision

Why is it so hard to see our own vision?

Last week I had the honor of judging for the Rhode island State Council on the Arts Photography Fellowships in Providence. Me? Invited to be judgemental ?

I was psyched, but wondered how I'd know which portfolios to select in, and which out.

Turns out it was manifest. A portfolio with a consistent vision, and  a commitment plus passion for the subject was obvious. As opposed to those with a grouping of strong images, with good technique; a portfolio anyone would respond to as "really nice work".

Even more damning: the weak photo(s) in a strong portfolio, images the photographer threw in ... why? to fill out the fully allowed 10 ? because they weren't sure?  How quickly the weak ones brought down the excellent work in the same portfolio, no matter how we judges tried to put it aside mentally, or talk it through.

Did I learn something there? oh yeah. But it's not a new challenge for me. Or, I guess, for any of us in this world:

He who knows others is wise;
He who know himself is enlightened.

Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu Chinese philosopher (604 BC - 531 BC) 

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The two RISCA fellows we selected won't be announced & awarded till the end of the month so I'm not blabbing, I still only know the work, not the names of those we judged.  We narrowed it down to six, then three, then debated for a long time for the final two.  It was not easy but it was very, very, cool.

want to see if I've attained any self knowledge from this ? click on over  Gale Zucker Photography