The importance of finding a photography mentor, Sue Bryce

As one of our youngest judges in the International Aperture Awards, Sue Bryce brings freshness and a keen eye to the panel.

Sue is part of the new breed of photographers that are embracing the latest in technology and techniques to deliver Moving Portraits to her clients with Video Fusion.

Sue Bryce FNZIPP II AAIPP is a Portrait Photographer specialising in Stills and Video Fusion and a Photoshop Master.

The winner of NZIPP People Photographer of the year 2007 and  Highest Scoring Print 2008. As well as APPA Highest Scoring Print 2009 AUS.

How long have you been picking up a camera?

20 Years

Did you always know that you wanted to be a photographer?

Yes I started in a Prolab as a Photographic retoucher at 18 and always had a camera.

What is your speciality as a photographer?

Portrait is my Business, Contemporary Glamour is my Genre. My specialties are Posing and direction but I think that is mostly connection I know how to empower my client, and create trust so they give me what I want. And Photoshop



When your not shooting for clients, what kind of images do you like to shoot?

My awards images are my passion I like Dark intense illustrative imagery that communicates, evokes, and tells stories.

How did you first get into judging?

I am a FELLOW with the NZIPP the natural progression for a photographer that is winning in the Awards arena is to keep growing, win awards gather accolades learn from mentors and then ultimately become one. Judging helps you give back everything you’ve learned.

Do you think there are extra considerations to be made when entering an International versus Local competition?

No I would assume the standard is to push yourself past what you think you are capable of every time locally or internationally the goal here to create with a camera what your mind is capable of visualising.



It's been said many times that entering a competition is more than just winning. What do you take out of a competition when you enter?

Well for starters I’m addicted. To conceptualise and create a story with an image that communicates so strongly you can watch five judges discuss it and even understand it to a point that they are telling your story out loud is simply the most unbelievable experience.

Then to be awarded and recognised amongst your peers is the greatest honour but the pinnacle for me is winning GOLD. For me as an artist Gold is perfection and it truly is a High. It took me fours years of entering to achieve Gold now this is my goal every time.

What are the first 3 things you look at in your images when you enter a competition?

I LOVE IT: If I can work on an image for hours and still love it I know the people seeing it for the first time will be captivated. I also don’t enter an image unless I truly love it then if it fails I still love it and that’s all that matters.

COMMUNICATION: To tell a story and create an image with depth and emotion to me is so important I want people to be moved by my work, they might even hate it or feel uncomfortable but they will never be passive about it.

And third TECHNICAL: All illustration and story and mood aside if you technically fall down with a print either in Capture, image quality or Print quality you will be pulled apart. Remember there is 5 masters up there that know everything there is to know about image capture and photoshop get your basics right.



What advice would you offer photographers entering a competition for the first time?

Use your GUT instinct and except good advice from a respected award winning mentor. I had a Mentor, he was my first Boss and award winning Portrait photographer and judge when I was ready to enter my first Nationals. I took 15 images that I loved and I went to him and he talked about the reaction he was having to the images. What he liked and didn’t like about them. Then he left it up to me to choose the final selection and make the changes I could make to them.

From my first competition I won 8 awards from 8 prints because I was mentored. From that day on I watched all the judging. I was a sponge for knowledge, I learned the way the judging is done, what they liked and criticised. I watched the level of illustrative work winning awards I learned and I practised until I was good enough, I have never stopped evolving I’m still always trying to be better than last year.

You can find out more about Sue at  http://www.suebryce.com

Entries to The 2010 International Aperture Awards close on 15th October.

Peter Eastway on being a photographic competition judge.

As part of this years competition I've decided to conduct a series of interviews with our judging team. First up we have our Head Judge and AIPP Grand Master of Photography Peter Eastway.

Peter Eastway is an Australian professional photographer who works in landscape, travel, portrait and advertising. He is also the publisher of Better Photography magazine and co-publisher of Better Digital Camera and Better Photoshop Techniques magazine. He has won the AIPP Australian Professional Photographer of the Year Award twice and many national and international awards. He is also an international photography judge.



How long have you been picking up a camera?

I first picked up a camera to take photos of my friends surfing when I was at school – couldn’t really understand why anyone would take photos of anything other than surfing either! However, I have broadened my tastes a little since then!

Did you always know that you wanted to be a photographer?

No, I wanted to be a fireman! I was bitten by photography at school and it’s a passion that has never left me.

What is your speciality as a photographer?

I guess I’m known best for my landscape and travel photography, but I shoot a broad range of subjects from advertising and sport to family portraiture. I’m in a lucky position that I can cherry-pick the jobs I shoot which keeps me fresh and passionate about what I do.



When you’re not shooting for clients, what kind of images do you like to shoot?

I like to produce images that have a twist to them, but not in an obvious or montage way – I am interested in creating images with mood, atmosphere and a sense of beauty. I am very comfortable using Photoshop, but I like to think it is ‘invisible’ in terms of technique, even though most photographers would have a good idea of what I have done. However, I also appreciate the art of in-camera capture – photography is a language and we can use it in many different ways to express ourselves.

You have been an international judge for many years now, how did you first get into judging?

I began judging in Australia around 20 years ago with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography. It was a bit intimidating the first few times, especially when you had to justify your scores to the other judges in a challenge debate. However, it has been an incredible learning exercise as well. It teaches you so much about photography, about ideas, philosophies and approaches – it’s a great honour to be asked to judge, but it’s also a great responsibility. I think to be a judge you also need to be an entrant from time to time so you remember what it’s like to submit your work to the view of a panel of judges. I know when I put my photographs into a competition they are all ‘Golds’, but often they don’t come back that way!

Do you think there are extra considerations to be made when entering an International versus Local competition?

An international competition is the same, but different! The philosophy is the same, but the subject matter and approaches might have different weights. For instance, I remember showing two series of images in lectures many years ago, one of Italian hill towns, the other of Australia’s flat landscapes. In Australia, the audience responded best to the hill towns; when I gave the presentations in Italy, they loved the Australian landscapes more. There’s no doubt that an international competition introduces more variables, and that’s why we are at pains at the International Aperture Awards to have a range of judges from different countries so we also have a range of views and interpretations.

It's been said many times that entering a competition is more than just winning. What do you take out of a competition when you enter?

It is more than just winning, although winning is great of course! However, there can only be one winner per category and to some extent that can be a matter of luck. While you can control how good your photos are, you have no control over how good another photographer’s work might be or the personal preferences of the judges. For me, entering a competition is a matter of reaching a standard. For instance, you might begin by aiming to get at least four Bronze Awards, then in later years four Silver Awards. I’m still trying to get four Gold awards!



What are the first 3 things you look at in your images when you enter a competition?

In my images? I look first for photographs that I love! I can’t second guess the judges, so I don’t try. However, once I’ve picked my favourites, I’ll short list the entries to those that are simple and striking. Judges don’t have a lot of time to look at a photograph, so generally speaking you need images that have impact. Of course, there are always exceptions, but I guess my three things are passion, simplicity and impact.

What advice would you offer photographers entering a competition for the first time?

Entering the competition is just the beginning. When you get your results back, put them away for a few weeks and then sit down and critically look at your work and see if you agree with the judges. I can remember a favourite image of mine being given a low score one year and being bitterly disappointed. Then four or five years later when clearing out the studio, I saw this print again and thought it was terrible! The judge was right and I had been too close to the image to judge it objectively. This isn’t always the case, but if you approach competitions with a long term view to improving your photography, there’s no better assessment than the honest appraisal given by respected judges.

Entries to the 2010 International Aperture Awards are open until the end of October. The judging will be carried out through November with the winners announced in December.

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