Winning Digital Photo Contests (Lark Photography Book) [Paperback]

Jeff Wignall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 6, 2009 | Series: Lark Photography Book

Digital photo contests are hot, hot, HOT—and this savvy guide reveals the inside secrets and technical advice photographers need to find—and win—the best competitions. Jeff Wignall covers all aspects of this rising phenomenon, from finding safe and trustworthy contests to taking visually impressive and emotionally powerful photos that will catch the judges’ eyes.

In addition to prizes, these contests provide digital photographers with a unique and unprecedented opportunity to showcase their work, and Wignall maps out how to take advantage of this exciting trend. He also includes one-on-one interviews with key contest owners and judges to get the behind-the-scenes scoop on why a particular photo won. The features contests include: Digital Image Cafe, National Wildlife Federation, Kodak, Steve’s Digicams, Popular Photography, Smithsonian Magazine, Wet Pixel, and many more.

Well over 100 original contest-winning images appear throughout the book, with commentary from the contributing photographers on their specific style and shooting techniques.

 

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JEFF WIGNALL is a professional photographer and author of over a dozen books including The Joy of Digital Photography. He is a frequent contributor to a number of photo magazines, including American Photo and Outdoor Photographer. In addition, he regularly works in advertising for several major photo industry clients, including Sony, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, and MAC Group.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Lark Books; 1 edition (October 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600594751
• ISBN-13: 978-1600594755
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #621,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

www.jeffwignall.com

I am a photographer and writer and the author of many photography books and I'm lucky enough to have more than a million books in print. Probably the best known of the books I've written are the Joy of Photography and the Joy of Digital Photography. There is little that I love more than to travel and take pictures and I love to teach photography through my books. My father was a photographer and so I grew up in a house filled with cameras and books filled with great photography--it probably would have been difficult to not become a photographer. I credit my grammar school teachers with teaching me how to write a clear sentence and my high school typing teacher with giving me one of the greatest skills a writer can have: fast fingers. I live in Connecticut and, in winter, often work in a basement laboratory trying to find a solution to Global Colding.

My web page: http://www.jeffwignall.com
Photo tips blog: http://www.phototipoftheday.blogspot.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice idea book, November 14, 2009

By 

Michael McKee "mystic cowboy" (Port Townsend, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Winning Digital Photo Contests (Lark Photography Book) (Paperback)

The photos in this book are wonderful. I'd recommend it to beginning to intermediate photographers who are learning to see photographically. Don't expect the "inside technical advice" to reveal anything you won't find elsewhere. Winning contests is a clever marketing line. I bit. The content is a collection of general tips with a spin. The format is to present a category of photography, offer some example photos and good generic suggestions about what to focus on. For dramatic nature moments? Be prepared. For stop action photography? Practice. Push your limits? Try something new. That's about the depth to expect. It's more about attitude than technical details. If you want encouragement, there's a lot of 'you can do it' in the text.

It's all good advice, the kind of stuff we need to internalize to get better. One featured quote is "Follow your passion and you'll be amazed at the results you are able to achieve." True enough but hardly an insider secret.

Jeff Wingall does show us some stunning pictures and his commentary is useful. If you're stuck in a rut and are looking for fresh ideas you might find or be reminded something helpful here. If you're an experienced photographer, you've probably heard it before.

There are some interviews and advice from a couple of amateurs who win contests. There's a list at the back of contests to enter. But most importantly, there's a wide range of excellent photos to peruse.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Winning is easy, you just have to know what wins...., November 3, 2009

By 

Weijenberg (the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Winning Digital Photo Contests (Lark Photography Book) (Paperback)

Here's a book for all you competitors and all those wanting to make a name for themselves!

Looking at these gorgeous examples of actual price-winning images, you get an overall feel for the quality, the uniqueness, the purity, the focus.... and a lot more that is needed to make outstanding pictures that can not only compete but can win. All the shown examples have won. That makes this book a very fine measuring tool for the quality of your own work. The book covers a broad scope of contests. Jeff gives very good info about what is out there, the levels of the contests, the frequency, the prizes, the benefits of competing. Jeff encourages us to go to work as if competing in a contest. Entering (and you don't have to win every time) competitions in itself enhances the quality of your work. I like his style of commenting, informational and to the point, Jeff indicates what the essence is of every shot at hand. The original makers also have a say about their work and the fun of competing. And, yes, the even greater fun of winning. To win is aknowledgement, sure, but in this book you feel it's fun and exciting just to be in it. And: runners-up get published just the same often. Competition is wonderful way to get really involved in image-making, to make sure you make stunning (in every meticulous aspect) pictures.

After digesting this book, you know what's in store and what to do to get there.

Needless to say: these (winning) images are great. Just for that reason this book is worth having, browsing through it time and time again.

And who knows what a prestigious win can do for you?

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winner of a Book About Winners, September 11, 2009

By 

W. Wagoner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Winning Digital Photo Contests (Lark Photography Book) (Paperback)

Jeff Wignall's newest book just arrived from Amazon, and it is sensational. The combination of contest winning photos (beautifully reproduced) and Wignall's expert comentary and how-to techniques is awe-inspiring. This is one of the best photo books ever, a masterwork featuring extraordinary shots by ordinary photgraphers who hit the jackpot. It's so well written and explained, it makes me think I could, too!