… you know you’re looking at something pretty special.
Last August I took the 2013 Judges’ Workshop (read about it HERE) and in the spring of 2014 I began to judge at state level competitions in order to start squaring away my requirements to become a PPA Affiliated Judge.
I’m considered a Juror-In-Training until I have a certain number of judgings under my belt, a certain number of reviews by my jury chairmen and have submitted a portfolio of my work. After a review by the PEC (PPA’s Print Exhibition Committee), I still may have to go back and do some more work. So, the “working on requirements” phase is just a little open-ended, time-wise.
I’m still working on the requirements and imagine it might take an additional year or two to wrap that up. Generally I’m a “get ‘er done” kind of gal, but in this case, I’m slowly and deliberately making my way through them. In my book, this goal achievement requires that kind of approach, and frankly, I’ll be aiming at doing much more than the minimum number of required elements.
But, back to the story.
In April, I made my way northeast to judge the PP of New Jersey’s competition. I was especially nervous because our jury chair was to be none other than Helen Yancy. Oh gosh, really? Only my second judging – what a way to get reviewed by one of the best – when I’m wet behind the ears in a major way.
Anyway.
We settled in and began to judge. We were scheduled for one day of regular judging, with the following day as trophy judging. As the images rotated through, I settled in a bit and began to enjoy the images. That was one thing I wasn’t prepared for when I started judging – how incredibly honoring it is to be chosen for the judging task – and how tremendously inspiring it is to view and judge works of such incredible skill and creativity. Judging is stressful, but it’s enjoyable – like a private gallery showing of their best and newest work.
I generally walk away from competition judging filled with a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration. Just when I thought I’d seen it all, along comes another image that smacks me upside the head. It’s uplifting, amazing and joyous. Although I’m dead on my feet at the end of the day and would love to sit down and discuss what I’ve seen until the wee hours of the morning with other judges and makers – I can’t. I have to wait until after the trophy judging, and even then I must be careful to not give anything away to the makers before their awards banquet.
But there are times, when I’m in a judging seat, that an emotional smack comes from the middle of nowhere and the image in front of you – well – it shakes you up in a way you’ve never been shaken.
And that happened in New Jersey.
The title was announced. “Eyes on Haiti.” The image was presented. And there was a second, a split second where my eyes locked with the eyes of the portrait and my heart was thunderstruck. I felt…I don’t know – I felt emotion like I’d not felt before. I pulled myself together enough to asses other points in the 12 elements – it was a black and white, so I paid attention to the conversion, it was a natural light portrait so I explored the lighting patterns within it, the composition, the story-telling…. oh, the story-telling – and again my heart was lost.
The score was announced – I don’t remember what it was, but I know I talked about it – so I imagine either I or one of my colleagues challenged it. And as I spoke for the image, I began to silently cry. My throat closed up and I couldn’t go on. Fortunately, I’d said what I needed to say. I don’t remember where the score ended up – but it was up there in the region of scores to be proud of, anyway.
And then the next day, it came up in trophy judging, and as I began to speak for it again, the tears threatened to choke off my words for a second time. In the end, I wrapped up with “I think you all know how I feel about this image” and hoped that I had said enough.
I don’t remember now if it won the trophy it was under consideration for. I do remember that I awarded it my Judge’s Choice ribbon and I asked if someone could let the maker know I’d like to purchase a copy of the image.
I’d never bought a piece of someone else’s photography before. Only Ansel Adams’ reprints graced my walls to this point. But this image – it spoke to me in a way I’d never expected and I wanted it for my own.
Fortunately for me, the maker was part of the print room team and I was able to meet him and speak with him about his work. All of his images did quite well and it was no surprise that his entries in the 2014 International Print Competition resulted in his being named a Diamond Photographer of the Year with “Eyes on Haiti” being one of the four images in his case.
When you’re at IUSA this year, make your way to the print exhibit and when you get to the “L” section* – study the images of Jim LaSala.
I’ll be there – and I’ll have tissues with me this time.
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Jim LaSala’s website: http://www.jimlasala.com/
*Jim is an ASP member so his images will be in the “ASP Masters” section.