Juror's Statement:

I based my decisions on how much was created in the camera, and how much was created in front of a computer. If this was a competition and the criterion was how well someone knew how to manipulate his or her original photograph, this would be an entirely different show. I didn’t want to mix the two genres. Well composed and designed photographs stand on their own with little or no help.

There were several entries that I liked and would have fit in this classification if left alone, but were immediately disqualified when I felt too much post processing was applied and no longer looked like photographs. The same goes for incorrect exposures of an otherwise well thought out picture.

There are photographers, then there are computer artists and for me, I’d rather see good pictures that were created at the moment when the shutter release was depressed. Then, I have no problem with some enhancement using Photoshop.

I considered my “juror’s pick” based on what I considered best fit in my thought process when I first started viewing all the images. I was very impressed with the level of expertise in the submissions, and there are several in this show that I would put my name on.

Joe Baraban

Juror: Joe Baraban

Joe Baraban has been photographing since the age of 24, where he took a job as a Medical Photographer at the Methodist Hospital in Houston (there aren’t many of us who can brag about a field entry like that!) He became Freelance soon thereafter, and over the next forty years built a commercial portfolio including work for clients from Coca Cola to Hennessy, Cessna to Boeing, and IBM to Microsoft. His resume also includes most of the Fortune 500 companies. He has photographed the full line automotive brochures for Acura, Saturn, and Range Rover, not to mention campaigns for Jaguar, Ford, Toyota. Although he’s rather famous in the auto industry, you’ll see his work spans portraiture, travel, industrial, and general commercial with a visual voice clearly seated in eye-popping design. Visit his portfolios at www.joebaraban.com.

Mr. Baraban has been subject matter for feature articles in Communication Arts Magazine (including the cover), Photo Design (including the cover), Design, Japan’s Premier magazine (including the cover), and Studio Magazine. Joe’s images are often seen in Communication Arts, Graphis, and The Mead Annual Report Show. You’ll also find Joe imparting invaluable knowledge as guest speaker from East to West Coasts. He offers enlivening seminars at venues such as Photo East (the national convention in New York), Photo West in San Francisco, and Viacom (Canada’s national convention). You’ll also be motivated in workshops Internationally.