Photo and camera clubs run competitions, it’s a good incentive to make their members to learn the basics of composition, exposure, and so on.  Sometimes, judging seems to focus more on the subject matter than the photograph, the photographic information offered becomes secondary or even forgotten. At other times, the judge put in a position to say something, focuses on first something good (encouragement), then on the mistakes (educational).

Today, I received a whole bunch of photographs apparently selected by the National Geographic Magazine as the pictures of the year. In the spirit of spoofing the above mentioned competition judging, I am presenting you these images with my commentaries on each, as if I am judging these images in a club competition.

It is meant to be satirical and does not speak of the habits of any judge at any competition. Like all satire, points are exaggerated to bring them over the top to the humor side rather than being somewhat believable and leaving them on the serious commentary side. I have not checked whether these photographs are indeed selected by the National Geographic or not; but they are suitable for this purpose and they arrived in my mailbox with that heading.

Here is the gallery with commentary under each. The titles are entirely mine and the species identification is highly dubious, quite possibly totally wrong (I will bet on it!)

Pictures of the Year Judged In the Style Of Photo Club Competitions

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1. Tenedos, I (Bozcaada)
2. Kardelen in Infrared
3. Atmospheric FX by JP Caponigro
4. Better B&W Conversion in Lightroom
5. On Giclée and Understanding Digital Photography, II
6. Manipulated Photographs
7. Too many sunset photographs