communications art

Every year, Communications Art magazine produces a Photography Annual featuring what they deem to be the best photographs of the year in the categories of Advertising, Self-promotion, Editorial, Unpublished, For Sale, Books, etc. The publication is very prestigious in the advertising industry and is widely read. The first time I saw their annual, I was overwhelmed by the quality of work represented and realized very quickly that my photographic skills needed development.

Over the years (I have lost count) I have submitted work in the hopes that at least once, the jurors would find my work worthy. Every year my work has fallen short (and this year's work is yet to be judged.) All submitted work is judged "blindly," with no identifiers tagged to the images. Many of the photographers who submit their work are world-renowned in the industry though and their work is easily identifiable. I like to dismiss my rejection each year with the statement, "It's all political." I realize by the quality of the work that it is not, but I derive comfort nonetheless in making that justification. Also, from my many years of rejection in submissions to other venues, I have come to realize that judging artwork to some extent is subjective and the composition of jurors and the nature of the work submitted don't always coalesce.

This year, I've taken a different approach to my submissions. I've entered two of my photographs as illustrations in Communications Art Illustration Annual. The two entries are digitally manipulated to the extent that they resemble artwork and may not merit consideration in the Photography Annual.

I have entered five more traditional photos in the Photography Annual. (As I write this, I realize it just wreaks of desparation).

All I can conclude in retrospect however, is that hope does indeed spring eternal. I continue to submit my images for consideration (at an expense that seems to creep up each year) despite repeated rejections over the course of many years. Somewhere I heard the definition of insanity is the persistance of a given behavior in spite of continued proven unsuccessful outcomes. Insanity? Perhaps. I choose to think of it unrelenting optimism and (deluded?) confidence in my artistic vision.