Why do I do this to myself?

Never did enjoy homework.  But make it about finding out if I could hang with the big kids, and count me in.  When I was younger, I was always testing my limits.  Did you say only boys enjoy something?  Stand back and watch how a girl handles it.  Someone jumps over something high, let me find something an inch higher.  Competitive? Yeah... I have to admit I am. 

Competing was never about besting someone else though.  It was more about finding out if I could do something.  Then if I could, was I able to do it well after that.  It very much boils down to learning, which I adore.  It's hard not to improve on a path like that.

In photography, competing takes various forms.  There are association and conference image competitions that test your control over light, composition, editing, and whether you can create an impactful image.  These are scored on a scale, and evaluated on the basics.  Photographers who participate in these are working on the mastery of their craft.  They are honing skills that allow them to imagine an image, then use all the tools available to them to create it as they envision it.  It's like handing in homework and waiting for the grade.  You will improve, which only benefits those you work with as you do.

My favorites are those that force us to stretch and create something new.  When it is less about the score, than about the message.  Portraits are a way to show everyone the beauty we see in them.  Creative images fall into the art category.  When they are at their best, they force us to embrace our imperfections, disturb us a bit, and force us to think.  We face ourselves and not the maker when viewing them.

When playing with this type of photography, that's when an artist's voice develops.  Some messages can be hesitant and buried.  Others are bold and can be frightening for the artist to share.  They can create controversy and chafe the viewer.  A great image changes you and sometimes the world.

Much of the work I have submitted for judging has been to test my skills.  Like looking in a mirror, it forces me to look at what needs improvement.  Usually I know what I've done right.  It takes a beat to be willing to hear what's wrong, own it and work on it.

The next level will be sharing pieces that have been lurking in my mind for a long time.  It is time to start expressing ideas rather than skills.  It is time to find this observer's voice.

My first venture into this begins with a series of self portraits.  It explores our fear of facing our own imperfections, which can distort how we see ourselves and relate to others.  It is the beginning of realizing that it is our flaws that connect us to the world.  Strong, beautiful women (or men) don't need to be perfect.  They need to be real.