Sky Arts ~ Masters of Photography

According to their website, Series 3 starts Tuesday 29th May 8pm.
 
I'm getting more disappointed - it is a SHOW with all the trappings. i don't think its a show about photography they never go into depth on KIT, Exposure, Post why a contestant decided to use a compact system or which lens would be better/worse. Its more a personality show just like last year, we don't truly get to discover how and why a particular image was chosen, why can't we spend a little time with the judges when their deciding who should go! It seems like a closed group. When you truly think about the shows format it tells us nothing about general photography, but keeps telling us the same information each week about the contestants. Is it a show about photography for photographers I don't think so.

Agree. I have learnt nothing from this. Is about photography but nothing technical
 
Agree. I have learnt nothing from this. Is about photography but nothing technical

Technical learning about photography is everywhere, what’s more it’s pretty straightforward, almost everyone can teach you about the exposure triangle and the bloody rule of thirds.

This show is about the art of photography, much more complex, more interesting, and more difficult to find guidance on.
 
Technical learning about photography is everywhere, what’s more it’s pretty straightforward, almost everyone can teach you about the exposure triangle and the bloody rule of thirds.

This show is about the art of photography, much more complex, more interesting, and more difficult to find guidance on.
I don' t agree. It would like to be a show on the art. The level of comment the teachers are giving are far to be complex and of any value
 
Is there any way of watching this without a subscription to Sky?

I think Sky Arts is on Now TV which is currently available for £4.99 a month I think, going up to £8.99 after the offer though. Sometimes when you buy the box you get so many months free if you haven’t already got a smart tv or something to view it on :)
 
Oh, and I’ll look forward to it. I preferred the first season if I’m being honest but there was definitely some good episodes in the last season. I’ll set it in my calendar!
 
I agree that it's not particularly technical, but still a great watch IMO. Not showing on my Sky planner yet (well it wasn't last night), but I've got a reminder set in my phone to remind me to record it.
 
I think Sky Arts is on Now TV which is currently available for £4.99 a month I think, going up to £8.99 after the offer though. Sometimes when you buy the box you get so many months free if you haven’t already got a smart tv or something to view it on :)
If you cancel the pass just before it auto-renews, they may offer a discount either during the cancellation process on the website or by email afterwards. If not, just pop into Argos or Currys and pick up a 3 or 5 month pre-paid pass (works out at £5 per month) and add it to your account.
 
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I am just watching the first episode of the new series. A strange task to start with. I always find this fascinating - watching them work to a brief with an unfamiliar camera.
 
I am just watching the first episode of the new series. A strange task to start with. I always find this fascinating - watching them work to a brief with an unfamiliar camera.
I hope you're watching the programme after - REAL street photography, "Everybody Street."
 
I get the impression that is you shoot absolute boll**** to try and tell a story for the sake of there being a story, you are judged to be different. Out there. A voyeur of the arts. A visionary.
I fail to see the the art really, just a like from the judges based on the fact it’s as mentioned above. Different. Out there.
 
I hope you're watching the programme after - REAL street photography, "Everybody Street."

Thanks for the heads up. Didn’t spot this straight away so it recorded overnight, I think.

Who ever agrees with judges? Only the winner. :D
 
I like watching the programme but they have a completely different opinion of a good image than me, they seem to like terrible composition and bad lighting.
 
Normally I don't like the type of photography that a lot of the contestants seem to do this year - highly stylised & posed, almost fashion photography. So it was nice to have my tastes challenged, and there ended up being 3-4 photos that I really liked.

What's the deal with potential spoilers in this thread ? Are we allowed to discuss winning or loosing photographers after the programme has aired ?
 
What's the deal with potential spoilers in this thread ? Are we allowed to discuss winning or loosing photographers after the programme has aired ?

Would be nice to leave it a day or so as not everyone gets to watch it as it's broadcast.
 
I stuggle with the concept of lossing one contant a week, surely if they were good enough to take part then they shoud be given more than one episode to prove themselves.
 
I stuggle with the concept of lossing one contant a week, surely if they were good enough to take part then they shoud be given more than one episode to prove themselves.
Agreed, points per challenge and a leaderboard would work, perhaps dropping the bottom few who are statistically out of contention later in the show.
Problem being I suppose, if there's a clear leader, makes the 'show' pointless, so perhaps, move to same format as now once a few weeks in, taking top 5 across for example.
 
just watched S3 episode 1. Very much of the Bake off, masterchef type program so not surprised its a loose one every episode that's what turns it from a completion to a TV program. Its in the planner but cant say I'm going to be desperate to watch every episode
 
Normally I don't like the type of photography that a lot of the contestants seem to do this year - highly stylised & posed, almost fashion photography. So it was nice to have my tastes challenged, and there ended up being 3-4 photos that I really liked.
A bit early to judge the whole series on just one episode, but surely that's the point?
The contestants are placed outside their comfort zone and then judged on how they have coped.
If you don't try something different from time to time then you are never going to progress as a photographer.

Of course, the standards and criteria for the judging are another matter, and we are all likely to have different opinions.

just watched S3 episode 1. Very much of the Bake off, masterchef type program so not surprised its a loose one every episode that's what turns it from a completion to a TV program. Its in the planner but cant say I'm going to be desperate to watch every episode
I'd agree.
A program of interest, but hardly compulsive viewing.
 
A bit early to judge the whole series on just one episode, but surely that's the point?
The contestants are placed outside their comfort zone and then judged on how they have coped.
If you don't try something different from time to time then you are never going to progress as a photographer.
But it's not always out of their comfort zone and I think that's the problem - Week 1, street, Week 2 Fashion, etc. You're perhaps an awesome fashion photographer by background, but poor at Street and never get a chance to shine whereas the awesome street photographer gets though just because his or her speciality matched the first week and is flying high having woo'ed the judges in week 1, so has some leeway in week 2 etc.

Anyway, it is what it is I suppose.
 
I'm not a huge fans of the judges, but enjoy it.

Thought the winners were obvious in this one.
 
A friend of mine took part in this years series. He loved it, and said the pressure to produce images is immense. And it's shot in a reasonably short period of time too. I shall be watching with interest as he's an amazing tog (IMO)
 
Difference I noticed this year is that they don't get to select their kit, they're all given a bag with the same equipment in. However, that first episode did lend itself to "street" photography, but I couldn't see the "essence of Naples" in any of the shots, but that was part of the brief.

I think the judges see what they want to see, and are mostly, full of b******s. The guest judges are much better IMO....
 
The first series was on my planner because I'd hoped it would be more about the subject (photography) than the usual load of claptrap spouted by a group of self important, posturing, so-called 'judges'. I generally dislike this kind of television and this show does nothing to turn that around.

Each to their own I guess.
 
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But it's not always out of their comfort zone and I think that's the problem - Week 1, street, Week 2 Fashion, etc. You're perhaps an awesome fashion photographer by background, but poor at Street and never get a chance to shine whereas the awesome street photographer gets though just because his or her speciality matched the first week and is flying high having woo'ed the judges in week 1, so has some leeway in week 2 etc.
I've not watched any of the third series yet, but I think they take that into account somewhat: if someone is an awesome street photographer before they start the competition, they take that into account when judging if their street photography image is of the required standard to go through.
The first series was on my planner because I'd hoped it would be more about the subject (photography) than the usual load of claptrap spouted by a group of self important, posturing, so-called 'judges'. I generally dislike this kind of television and this show does nothing to turn that around.
I somewhat agree - but nice to have a change from cooking contests (though I do like cooking too!). As for the judges - photograph (and cooking) is always going to be subjective; at least they aren't bland judges. But yes - at the end of the day this is more the "Entertainment" side of PSB than the "Educate".
 
I'd prefer a three episode period of no one being forced out, then lose a couple an episode to keep the duration the same.

Usual rubbish of the guest judge saying one thing to a contestant in a one-to-one and then something else in the final judging.

Some nice shots. I tend to get annoyed by the actual shooting part, because the voice over is inane, but enjoy watching the second half more.
 
I love this show, really enjoyed the previous series. Watched the first ep of this year's tonight [God bless Sky record] and I won't give any spoilers but will say the judges need to get to spec savers! Thankfully the photographers who shot the 2 images I chose as best are still in.
 
Would it be appropriate to pop small screen caps here of the images and have our own vote / discussion? Happy to oblige assuming it falls under fair use and mods are happy?
 
Would it be appropriate to pop small screen caps here of the images and have our own vote / discussion? Happy to oblige assuming it falls under fair use and mods are happy?

Great idea! Would be interesting to see others takes on the images Vs the judges
 
Might run into copyright problems with Sky.

Would it be appropriate to pop small screen caps here of the images and have our own vote / discussion? Happy to oblige assuming it falls under fair use and mods are happy?
 
One thing that annoys me about this show is the lack of varying nationalities. I think it should be limited to one per country. There's 3 Italians, 2 Germans, 2 English .... of course I would have liked to see an Irish contestant, but a bit more variety in general.
 
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