Sky Arts ~ Masters of Photography

Agree - she decided not to use an image that could have been a contender for the top 2, and instead went for one that left here in the bottom 2.
I did wonder if the judges were deliberately hard on her for that, as I though the 'self-portrait' and 'Deliberate blur' images were also contenders for the bottom 2.

From watching the first 2 series, there does seem to be a pattern of ignore the guest's opinion at your peril.
 
I just wish someone would explain, to some of them, which way around the lens hood goes on!

I have been thinking the same thing! Don't understand it at all!

So far not quite sure what to make of the series. I thought we might have seen some inspiring landscapes this week, there were only 2 I really liked which were the mirror shot and the ski lifts.
 
I just wish someone would explain, to some of them, which way around the lens hood goes on!

I think one of them finally figured it out this week (It's only taken 2 1/4 series to get there) - either that or they were trying to clear the snow and it fell off, then they occidentally put it on the other way...:D
 
I don't disagree with Danyelle going home this time, but the self portrait guy should have been the other contender for the boot. He knew it too, had his head in his hands and looked guilty when she was getting sent home. The mirror image was just so obvious, it was easily best of the bunch, I liked the cable cars also but preferred her image. Nobody did anything amazing this round IMO
 
I'm in the middle of watching the first series on catch-up, enjoying it but it has a times been a bit too far up it's own rear and a couple of the 'experts' have at times just been plain rude. One guy when a contestant disagreed with him, rather than explain, just said "well that's why you are where you are and I am where I am". Breath-taking arrogance!
 
I don't disagree with Danyelle going home this time, but the self portrait guy should have been the other contender for the boot. He knew it too, had his head in his hands and looked guilty when she was getting sent home. The mirror image was just so obvious, it was easily best of the bunch, I liked the cable cars also but preferred her image. Nobody did anything amazing this round IMO

I thought the mirror image as a landscape was streets ahead, a great image.
The cable cars looked to obvious, like an a level student would do.
 
I'm going to go out on a limb and say I quite liked Danyelle Rolla's concept of the printed tree on top of a pretty sad looking potted tree - execution was not the best, but the picture had a narrative in line with the task; I think she should have stayed.
Alex Liverani's cable cars, while ethereal was rather postcard which is exactly what they said they didn't want at the start!

I liked Monika Milewska spirits one, too.

For me, the only one with zero narrative was Wayne Crichlow's B&W trees - I think he should have gone.
 
I just wish someone would explain, to some of them, which way around the lens hood goes on!

Also none of them know how to use a tripod properly, you often see the centre column fully extended with the legs not so to create a jelly on legs camera support.
 
This season is rather poor to be honest. I find most of the contestants to be lacking in the most basic of requirements for such a program. Charisma. I know the entry and as such the contestants are based on the skills behind the Lens during the submission but I’d have at least hoped for some of he contestants to have a personality and the one who did has gone.

Where’s the paint? I want to go and watch it dry...
 
What annoyed me this week is that the guy was told clearly by the guest to use the pic outside the church without the public in and he ignored him!! Each week, there is only 1 or 2 good images, most weeks it could be a bottom 4 or 5 rather than 2
 
I tried to watch the last episode but got bored. To be honest, none of them have a clue, and they're meant to be "chosen" because of their high standard? Very few follow the brief properly, and then others don't listen to the guest photographer.

I don't think I'll bother watching the rest, it's actually getting tedious.
 
This season is rather poor to be honest. I find most of the contestants to be lacking in the most basic of requirements for such a program. Charisma. I know the entry and as such the contestants are based on the skills behind the Lens during the submission but I’d have at least hoped for some of he contestants to have a personality and the one who did has gone.

Where’s the paint? I want to go and watch it dry...

I dunno, it takes something to persuade a random couple to lick each others faces through used clingfilm as Federica Belli did!
While it's not a comfortable picture to look at, that's probably the point - lust can be ugly and disturbing. I thought it did fit the brief and was one of the few images to do so.

That said, it's quite difficult when they all in effect have a different challenge - carnival will lend itself to some of the sins, not so much the others.

I think Flint Stelter lost the plot this week, he was too far up himself to get the point, Alex Liverani did a fair job I thought, the rest were rather off for me.
 
Hats what I mean by most. You are getting 1 or perhaps 2 images a week that fit the brief and are good images. Last season was far more consistent in that more fit the brief and the quality was better. This year is just difficult to comprehend.
 
This season is rather poor to be honest. I find most of the contestants to be lacking in the most basic of requirements for such a program. Charisma. I know the entry and as such the contestants are based on the skills behind the Lens during the submission but I’d have at least hoped for some of he contestants to have a personality and the one who did has gone.

Where’s the paint? I want to go and watch it dry...


How witty, charismatic and charming are you in a foreign language?
 
What annoyed me this week is that the guy was told clearly by the guest to use the pic outside the church without the public in and he ignored him!! Each week, there is only 1 or 2 good images, most weeks it could be a bottom 4 or 5 rather than 2


Totally agreed. If he'd have used the suggested image, IMO, it would have been the second best frame of the week - the winner being head and shoulders above the others.

The loser was also clear but it had nothing to do with his image. He lost before he'd even left Italy.

With a subject of 'Greed' (or more strictly 'Avarice') you are likely to find yourself in the more upmarket quarters of a city dealing with those that regularly inhabit it.

Dressing like an emo teenager is almost certain to result in walking past and not wanting to speak to you. To get the shot that you want, more often than not you have to dress for your environment.
 
I was very surprised that he simply didn't switch his interpretation to a "Food Inspired Shot" - which of course could also have worked if given Gluttony...
 
I’ve seen speech’s in many languages that I don’t understand and am captivated by for no other reason that the speaker exudes charisma so what’s your point?


My point is that you've just switched the concept around. Those people are talking in their natural language.

Unless you are bilingual interacting in a foreign language can be a personality sapper because you are always having to translate in your head.

Part of the conditions of the programme are that the contestants must speak English.
 
Ok I see your side of the point and I guess we could liken it to football. The footballers interviewed after game who aren’t native English speakers for the most part do come across as a bit dull but they also come across as confident and any charisma that’s lost in the translation process you refer to can be picked up. These contestants appear to be completely devoid of it and fail to captivate.
 
I'm too annoyed to be bothered with any form of critique this week. I did choose 'Lust' as the pick of a poor bunch, but Flint must have nude images of Toscani without any coloured glasses on or something. He shouldn't be still in the competition IMHO

Sounds like we have plenty of volunteers for the next series ;)

Someone hasn't read through the thread, we already cleared our right to critique, cheers. If anything, I'm more critiquing the judges than the contestants.
 
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Finally caught up.

Landscapes

The cable cars one was the only one I would have seen and shot, I'm not sure if that makes it a cliché or too easy, but given I'm terrible at landscape photography ....

Thought the 'abstract' was lazy justification for not having a shot and trying to shoe horn your 'style' in (movement? like he didn't get in the pet shot?)

Sins

Boring week, loved Lust and the journey she went on (assuming the editing is honest), but the rest were pretty weak.

Looking forward to the car crash the next episode is going to be.

(also, have to agree, those lens hoods look utterly stupid!)
 
(also, have to agree, those lens hoods look utterly stupid!)

They must not be allowed remove them, sponsored gear and all that, but the lens would look so much better without a hood reversed so it seems silly
 
I've religiously watch all series so far and love it.
Last weeks was difficult imo which it why I think we didn't see many good shots but hey, I guess it's supposed to be difficult.
When I first started watching it I didn't like Oliviero Toscani, I found him arrogant and rude to the students. It's taken to this series for me to warm to him.
Celeb portraits tonight isn't it? Should be fun..
 
Is it just me or do the judges keep contradicting themselves. In the episode about the transgender people, they asked for photos that depicted the story of that person, but then criticised the contestants because the story didn’t match the judges ideals. I’m thinking mainly the images of the person pulling at the skin. Yes it was hard but it was that persons story of battling with their emotions and identity, also the images of the guy surfing, he seemed very happy with his life and that was what was shown
 
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When I first started watching it I didn't like Oliviero Toscani, I found him arrogant and rude to the students. It's taken to this series for me to warm to him.
Same here, I just don’t feel the other judges, not sure the UK judge really brings much to the table at all in my opinion.
 
When I first started watching it I didn't like Oliviero Toscani, I found him arrogant and rude to the students. It's taken to this series for me to warm to him.

I re-watched S1 E5 and he was offensive. So I think he's mellowed, not the other way around. I suspect he was told to add drama, and they've realised that just being an ass wasn't helping.
 
They've also added that little section when they return to base to select the images, and the judges walk about and chat with them - clearly trying to show the judges in a better light...
 
Is it just me or do the judges keep contradicting themselves. In the episode about the transgender people, they asked for photos that depicted the story of that person, but then criticised the contestants because the story didn’t match the judges ideals. I’m thinking mainly the images of the person pulling at the skin. Yes it was hard but it was that persons story of battling with their emotions and identity, also the images of the guy surfing, he seemed very happy with his life and that was what was shown


I agree on the first, but the guy surfing showed us nothing, but a guy surfing! Looked more like a promo for old spice than transgender

Nothing inspired me about this episode, I think the contestants are falling into the same ol' trap, trying to please the judges more than allowing their creativity to flow
 
I agree on the first, but the guy surfing showed us nothing, but a guy surfing! Looked more like a promo for old spice than transgender

Nothing inspired me about this episode, I think the contestants are falling into the same ol' trap, trying to please the judges more than allowing their creativity to flow

I think the problem with the surfer shot was not the shot itself - as one of three that showed he enjoyed he life, it was fine, but it needed the other two shots to provide the 'transgender context' - rather than having all 3 shots showing he was happy.
 
its not grown on me at all, in fact less and less inclined to watch it all the way through. The program is sooo wooden, i cant tell if its really badly edited in that respect or that the judges themselves have nothing about them.
 
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