I like this thread so here's my h'apence worth. Back in the days when a half penny was still legal tender I belonged to a couple of clubs, Manchester Photographic and Bury Photographic. I found certain members very helpful - one really showed me how to go about in the dark-room and taught me loads about developing and printing. He it was who encouraged me to join in the various critique rounds we held, and also to enter the club and international competitions. I got accepted at the Salons of Warsaw, Spectrum and Southport International. I don't think any of them still run as they used to. Some judges were awful and if you entered a print or slide that was their particular field (and you got to know what they liked by watching their lecture tours) - it was bound to win no matter its merits, because they liked that subject. Others - concentrated on the image - the impact of the photo, then they added or subtracted marks for difficulty of shot, technical excellence of shot, aesthetics of mount and presentation - The things that are considered if you present a panel for an LRPS, ARPS or FRPS - (Licentiate, Associate or Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society). This was assumed to be the goal and gold standard of most club members in those days. These I found were the best judges and most gave useful criticism which they would discuss with you - if you asked. There were of course, every shade and variety of judge in between - from the awful, ignorant and self-opinionated to the trying hard, failing miserably - to men and women who's own mastery and competence shone like a beacon of inspiration. It is very difficult to be a judge in any competition because who here takes awful pictures, and if we do take a dud - do we hold it up to be judged in the first place?
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