No doubt about it, some photographs are better than others. Some are blurry, some are out of focus, some have too much glare, some are flat and lifeless, some have all the interesting bits chopped off, some are on the slant, some have badly positioned lampposts which look like they're sticking out of a small girl's head, and some are just plain dull. But others are fantastic. They capture the moment in a pitch-perfect exposure. They sparkle, they illuminate, they rock. And you can see examples of the best on the South Bank at the moment.
The winning entries in Take a View, the Landscape Photographer of the Year Award 2008, are on show in the foyer at the National Theatre until January 17th. They're epic photos on hulking great enlarged canvases, and they've been there for six weeks already (so thanks to Rob for pointing out they were they, else I might never have noticed). Stormy seasides, moody moorlands, frosty forests, that sort of thing. See the winning entries here. Ooh they're good. Respect is due.
A broad range of locations is covered, from the Channel Islands to the Highlands, and there's a refreshing lack of anything too southeast-centric. Some are places I've visited, and snappedphotosof, but where the magic never quite materialised for me. Shining marram at Luskentyre, moody swell at Shivering Sands, sunrise at Bamburgh, I'm jealous of all three. But some of the most impressive photos are nowhere amazing, just a back garden, or an ordinary field, or a seaside jetty (with a small dog, if you're the winning entry).
It's amazing what you can capture with a digital camera these days. Take 50 shots and maybe two will be good, take 5000 (click click click click click) and maybe one will be great. Some judicious use of a filter, maybe an astute bit of Photoshop, and you could just have a minor miracle on your hands. But, in the end, it all comes down to being in exactly the right place (over there, next to that tree, two steps further over) in the right orientation (watch the shadows, catch the reflection in that lake, and chop the pylon out) at the right time. By scrutinising the exhibited entries it's clear that timing is all important. You could stand on that headland for hours and capture nothing impressive, but catch the right glint of sunlight spearing a roll of angry clouds above a frothing sea and you've got yourself a winner. At least half of the photos appear to be taken at either sunrise (much easier at this time of year than midsummer) or sunset (quick, before the golden light fades). And cloudy definitely beats blue sky, but not quite so emphatically as sunlight beats gloom. It's all about judgement plus luck, and these photos have both.
This was no lightweight competition, more an expensive-to-enter affair with very strict quality-related admission criteria. There were lots of sponsors, most notably various British tourist boards, because you only get five figure prize money if there are sponsors. Valerie Singleton was one of the judges, which gives you some idea of the project's standing. There's a book of the best photos, naturally, although it costs £25 so it's only for the finer coffee table. And they'll probably do it all over again later this year, if you're interested. Frosty waterside at sunrise, that's my recommendation for a contest-winning photograph, based on what I saw. Ten past eight tomorrow morning, be there, well-wrapped, lens poised, ready to click.
