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May 21, 2007 9:53 AM

Finalists in the 4th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest.
posted by nickyskye (26 comments total)

Junior needs help!
posted by Firas at 10:05 AM on May 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

There are some good photos there, but (and I am not trying to be snarky, honestly), I see equally good, and better photos on flickr every single day. Out of the 40 images (leaving off the altered images category) I really liked about 3 of them, thought 15 of them where seriously meh, and the remainder decent shots.
posted by edgeways at 10:14 AM on May 21, 2007

I wish the Smithsonian site was coded for faster previewing of each image. As it is now, reloading each page in order to view the next finalist frustrates me.

I also have some reservation about the Altered Images category. Where do you draw the line when calling it a 'photo' contest?
posted by NationalKato at 10:28 AM on May 21, 2007

I hear you there edgeways, there is a lot of humbling stuff on flickr. Some of this stuff is amazing, but some of it isn't.
posted by algreer at 10:34 AM on May 21, 2007

Any contest that has the Naked Cowboy as a finalist is seriously flawed.
posted by spicynuts at 10:55 AM on May 21, 2007

Is there any way to view these images at more than 380px across?
posted by sindark at 10:55 AM on May 21, 2007

The Americana category sure has TEH COWBOY on the brain.
posted by hermitosis at 11:18 AM on May 21, 2007

Calendar kitsch. Adverts for themselves.
posted by jettloe at 11:28 AM on May 21, 2007

Fifty bucks says that "Young Girl Singing" takes the gold.
posted by Dizzy at 12:30 PM on May 21, 2007

I didn’t look at every single one, I’m only really drawn to this one.
posted by breaks the guidelines? at 1:16 PM on May 21, 2007

breaks the guidelines, seconded: I've seen photos like that before and it always strikes a chord with me, the whole impressionistic image of children playing in oblivious bliss thing.
posted by Firas at 1:24 PM on May 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

Americana, by definition, is kitschy, trite, and tedious, but is that really the best they could come up with? Cowboys and cars? Rusting farm implements? Ugh.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:53 PM on May 21, 2007

I had seen several of these before they were submitted.

I have to agree about the Americana category... it is completely unnecessary.
posted by chuckdarwin at 2:30 PM on May 21, 2007

I do not agree that the Americana category is unnecessary. They just picked a lot of crap. There's plenty of Americana (especially where I live in the South) that is striking, meaningful and twisted.

Disclaimer: I shoot twisted Americana for a living.
posted by TheGoldenOne at 3:48 PM on May 21, 2007

gee willikers did I fail with this post (except for a brief but brilliant glow of exhuberance from XQUZYPHYR, for which I'm abjectly grateful). *slinks out of cyberspace*
posted by nickyskye at 4:04 PM on May 21, 2007

*can't even spell exuberance, hangs head
posted by nickyskye at 4:05 PM on May 21, 2007

A handful of nice shots there, but mostly forgettable stuff.
posted by blaneyphoto at 4:06 PM on May 21, 2007

Some threads are useless without would be enhanced by the img tag.
posted by rob511 at 4:13 PM on May 21, 2007

When will people get over the OMG Tibetan Buddhist with modern technology! meme?

I don't know how many weeks of my life have been spent peering through train or bus windows at mustard fields in India...

This might be the best shot of Borobudur that I've ever seen. (Of course, you would need to be there before dawn to avoid people climbing all over the monument in your shot).

*sigh*
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:44 PM on May 21, 2007 [1 favorite]

Tibetan? Lao, maybe.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:48 PM on May 21, 2007

Hey, these are the perfect size for my BlackBerry background!
posted by breezeway at 7:46 PM on May 21, 2007

I enjoyed the post, nickyskye, particularly the nature category - thanks. As for the Americana category being unnecessary - dude, it's the Smithsonian!

I had seen this one in flickr where it was getting a lot of love. This is an amateur contest - I bet several of these images might be found on flickr.

Cheer up, nickyskye, the "I've seen better" comments are ubiquitous in photography posts, doncha know? You have no cause to slink away with all the good posts you make!
posted by madamjujujive at 7:57 PM on May 21, 2007

Here are two more selections that are aso from flickr portfolios: Across the Line and The 4th of July on Lake Austin - nickyskye, go visit - they are getting kinder comments there than in this thread ;-)
posted by madamjujujive at 8:18 PM on May 21, 2007

(unwritten Flickr community law: praise or keep your comment to yourself)
posted by UbuRoivas at 9:02 PM on May 21, 2007

I wouldn't worry too much nickyskye. There where a few good shots, and it is interesting to see what the Smit is considering. I don't agree with 96% to 98% of it, but just knowing what other people consider good is interesting in-of-itself, as I do a fair bit of amateur/semi-pro photography. I would chose very different stuff, with different composition and subject matter. Being amateur nowadays is no excuse for submitting bland stuff.
posted by edgeways at 9:16 PM on May 21, 2007

did I fail with this post

No, that some of the photos are not what I would expect to merit being finalists is interesting in and of itself.

I think the absurd overabundance of amazing stuff on flickr has distorted my expectations.
posted by -harlequin- at 2:59 AM on May 22, 2007