Whats in a name?

Thinking about the judging of my last print competition, which was a portrait only comp, it was becoming clear to me that people didnt really put much effort into naming their prints. They'd just title it 'jane' or 'joe' or whatever.

Some people did come up with strong single word titles like 'defiance' (this was a brave self portrait by one club member) which i liked but nothing that really told a story like 'The 5am Fisherman'.

This guy wasnt really a fisherman. He was a fellow photographer from the local area. But if i had just titled my photograph 'Colin' (no offence to colin and his name or other people that share it of course :) ) I dont think it would have had the same appeal.

The judge very kindly spoke about how this image had some great features such as the beard, and textured skin and spoke about the clothing being his fishing outfit. This wouldnt have happened had i just given my image a human name.

I dont think the result would have been any different as far as scores were concerned, i just think it made the judging more interesting because the viewer is invited into the subject's world - whether its real or ficticious doesnt matter. As long as there is a reaction and perhaps some thought provocation.

What do you think?

The 5am Fisherman

PepperArt

This photograph was rewarded 19/20 in my camera club's annual portrait print competition last night amongst some fierce competition!

'The 5am Fisherman' - History: -

Out on a trip to Heswall, on the Wirral, photographing the stranded boats in the estuary, I met a lovely chap named Colin who happened to be a member if the local camera club. This guy lived nearby and told me he comes out every morning to try and capture that 'perfect shot' of the estuary. He had such a classic face that I feel is brilliant for a portrait, lots of texture. So I thought it rude not to ask.

Colin kindly agreed to show us around the local area for the rest of that morning, introducing us to Perch Rock Lighthouse as well as some other great locations which i may return to for future shoots.

I wanted to give the image a more interesting name than just the guys actual name so I chose 'The 5am Fisherman' because of his wirey white beard and the fact I photographed him next to the boats.

You can see more of my work on my website PepperArt.

Hello and Welcome!

Well, this is my first post for PepperArt.

As it says on my website, I am an enthusiastic photographer and love to learn (and share) new techniques with friends. I guess I will be replacing my old blog Captured Little Moments eventually, when everyone knows about this new beast! So be sure to bookmark or 'follow' me.

I love photography! I love most aspects, especially the trips I get to go on, the things I see and create. I love to 'make pictures' rather than just record what is in front of me. As you browse through my gallery, you will start to see what kinds of subjects interest me most.

Anyway, this was just a little post to get the blog up and running. Keep an eye out for new and exciting news.

Have a read of my old blog Captured Little Moments to see the expeditions and what else I have been up to this year but be sure to bookmark this replacement for future posts. :)