cry me a river
By Peggy Gardner
18 July 2008
Six words that created big stir of controversy
"doesn't look like infrared to me"
Obviously there are issues in any peer group. This is a competitive market to begin with, but add the entire egomaniac world into a contest, and well, the claws come out, egos get deflated, winners relish and losers become sore.
I am going to say this for the benefit of everyone about infrared and infrared only, because this is the only category I have made challenging comments on.
If you have a photo that technically does not qualify, you are 1. taking up space....2. taking up other people's time, energy and comments/voting and 3. going to get disqualified in the end by the magazine (who aren't fools) and therefore not only lose, but lose the right to reuse that photo in a category that it fits.
I have written comments about images in the infrared theme, which is now on the table. I taught infrared (old school) and while I'm not perfect at much in this wicked world, I do know a few things about infrared, and it's ridiculous to weed through everyone's work to get inspired and find pictures of sunsets, candles, and red people. I am not that familiar with color infrared, but after a lot of research, if it is c41 processed or printed in color, it hasn't been properly done, but yes it qualifies as infrared...because it was made using an IR filter or IR film....not color film, not b&w, but infrared.
After getting rude and backhand comments about my comments, being called Britney spears, the jpg police, etc., I realized these people are SORE LOSERS.
If your picture gets pulled by jpg – TALK TO THEM. I'm sure they read comments, I'm sure they're also able to assess if a picture is or is not technically fitting for the theme, and they do CLEARLY state what they're looking for...and there are infrared professionals that are viewing them - if you think they disqualify a picture based on my "doesn't look like infrared to me" comment., you don't think much of jpgmag...but thanks for the compliment.
But like in the splash theme, they CLEARLY said they want to see a SPLASH. Not a wet bird, not someone in a bathingsuit at the beach, a SPLASH. If you can't read the guidelines, or don't want to play by the rules, then quit crying about it. BUT I never report anything like that or even comment about it...in the end they won't win anything, but that's not my problem and a lot of the guidelines are interpretive...But not infrared.
Now, I don't go around reporting pictures ,that's not what I do. I know there's a lot of people, I will not mention names, that do.
I have left numerous comments to people on the infrared theme and this has caused me two things: A HUGE amount of support from other people, especially since my article on what is not infrared came out, and; a lot of defensive and snide comments.
For those who got their picture in infrared removed, if it is an infrared, appeal the decision and prove it to them and your picture will be reinstated and life goes on.
IF your picture wasn't an infrared - if it was an image NOT created with either infrared film or an IR filter, GO AWAY quietly – you didn't follow the rules. Don't be a sore loser and pack up your marbles and threaten to leave and then rally to defame me.Yes there are rules in this world.....if you want to be a rebel, and do things your way, do it – just go do it where there aren't rules everyone else has to follow – good luck finding a place and you just make a fool of yourself trying to be "special."
It's not fair to others who follow the rules – and almost all do, but there are very popular photographers who feel they have an "in" for creative expression and anything they throw out there should be excluded – well it shouldn't.
If you received a comment from me that your image doesn't look like infrared to me...guess what – it prolly isn't....but if it is, don't worry about it – contact jpg if they too believe it's not, prove it to them, and I'm sure they will reinstate it.
Jpg pulled an image of Hectors (I did not leave a "doesn't look like infrared" because it did look like infrared to me, plus I knew he was shooting IR, I only left a compliment because I loved it too) – and his was infrared...so shit does happen, but for those of you who are crying a river over their picture getting pulled and it wasn't, TOUGH TITTIES....I too have had an image removed in another category...it happens...if you don't like it – open up your own magazine and the floodgates and see what happens....
what a bunch of babies.
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