competition classifications

[ricstew]

not necessarily on here...........but would a tractor in a paddock with nothing else be a landscape? Something like this? or not?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7218/7277577688_6383e55f0b_b.jpg

[I @ M]

Only if the tractor didn't have any trailers attached. :p

Seriously, just cos the cityites want to see gorgeous flowing rivers and majestic mountains doesn't mean, to me at least, that a typical rural scene with everyday farming implements in the picture isn't a landscape.

With that one though I feel that the tractor is too prominent, if there was less sky, more foreground and the tractor deeper into the scene and smaller it would work as a landscape to me.

[ricktas]

Hard one. It could probably be classified as environmental landscape, or it could be defined as industrial. For me the industry is more important in this photo than the land/sky around it. I suppose you need to know how landscape is defined for the particular competition. I have seen landscapes with a dam or river in them, where the dam or river is the main focus, be disqualified cause they are not LANDscapes, in a competition. Depends how harsh the powers that be, for any given competition, want to be.

[ricstew]

Ok i get what you both mean.........look for the predominant feature of the image.......in this case it is the tractor ( and trailers )........if the land had been more dominant it may have fallen into the landscape genre:) No idea what the powers to be would be looking for...dont even know who they are lol.....
Many thanks
Jan

thinkin' about this..........so a landscape shouldn't even have water in it........even as a foreground featurey thing?

This wouldnt pass?

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7278103258_87531d0b29_c.jpg

[Mark L]

^ isn't that Social Documentary? :)

[ricktas]

Jan, it depends on the requirements of the competition and the judges interpretation of those requirements. I personally would call your photo a landscape, or social documentary. I saw a HUGE argument take place many moons ago (not on AP) about the definition of landscape, cause some of the entries contained water, as the MAIN SUBJECT, and that caused even a heated debate amongst the judges about whether a photo with water as the main feature should be called a landscape.

In the end its about the definition provided for any competition, if there is a definition given, and the judges views on what is a landscape, or any other genre.

Ah politics, even photographers cannot escape them:eek:

[ricstew]

Jeez Mark dont confuse me further:( Social documentary......:umm:.......have no idea on that one.......
Thank you Rick..it gets confusing lol and I am trying to avoid the office politics of the whole thing.......so much to do with photography/art is open to interpretation.....

[ving]

for the individial i guess it depends on what you see. In the first a see a tractor predominantly and so i'll call transport for this particular forum, but really it could go either way. the second one i'd call landscape tho mainly because the people dont seem to be the dominant feature.... i guess its all personal though and would possibly be different for each person so I wouldnt get hung up on it. I guess it depends most on what you the photographer are trying to convey.

[Erin]

Having watched the landscape judging at the Digital Show, that picture is more landscapey than the 90% shots submitted there.

[bushbikie]

I'll muddy the water with regards to the second image - I'd call it Social Documentary for the reason that people are in it and my eye gets drawn to them as the centre of interest. While I'm at it I'll pass my less than learned judgement on the first image as well (nothing like gettin' your $0.02 worth!) - I'd call that Industry as that, to me, is the dominant theme of the image.
Now the disclaimer:- As Ving says above, a lot of times it comes down to being an individual's interpretation - Subjectivity, don't ya just luv it!!

[ricstew]

gotta love ya all on here:) boils down to you don't know either!......the section just states landscape....no other clues.......I have ordered my prints and I will see what I feel like when they come.......... and then toss a coin :)

[Mark L]

gotta love ya all on here:) boils down to you don't know either!......
:D
I hope your second photo wins. It has some wonderful landscape and it's well composed.
Not that I'd know.:)