First competition

Title: SMILES
Category: Color - Portrait
Information: Children from the floating village of Tonde Sap lake of Cambodia.

Title: CALM
Category: Color - Beachscape
Information: Sunset at Windansea, La Jolla, San Diego.


Title: OAHU, Hawaii
Category: Color - Landscape
Information: Sunset in Oahu, Hawaii


Title: Apsara dancer
Category: Color - Architecture
Information: Apsara dancer from the walls of Angkor Wat ruins in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Title: STAMEN
Category: Color - Macro
Information: Colorful flower at Farmers market.


Title: MULTIPLICITY
Category: Color - Architecture
Information: Sculptures on the ruins/walls of the various Angkor Wat's in Siem Reap, Cambodia.


Title: VIBRANCE
Category: Color - Flora/Fauna
Information: Bleeding hearts flower.

We as artists, we are our own worst critiques. When art is done for pleasure, there is no self imposed pressure and the possibilities are endless. Any piece of work done in the name of fun, looks and feels good. The moment one turns it into a job or even entering competitions, the pressure is on. Suddenly, the same art seem to now look horrid in the artists own eyes. Why is that so? Is it because of the fact the work is now compared/judged against others? But wait, isn't art subjective? Why should we as artists care? Aren't we doing it for our own pleasure and its an added bonus when others enjoy it? But wait, I forgot one minor detail. Reality. Some people are out to make a business/living out of art. That changes something.

I am fortunately to be doing this as my pleasure/fun activity. I often wonder if I ever decide to go this route full time, will I enjoy it the same way? Hard to say. What if I were struggling to pay my bills because my art is not selling. So for now, I will enjoy it for what it is.

After much arm twisting, I put seven of my recent photographs into the Del Mar Fair. The process of getting the pictures printed, matting and mounting them was an interesting learning journey. Finally, all got done before the deadline and now its time to see which one of them (if any) will get selected. What do you guys think? Irrespective of whether my pictures gets selected or not, whether I win or not, I am happy that I finally put my pictures out there for people to judge/view. In my mind, I have already won. How? While dropping my pictures at the fair, the lady who was processing my forms/pictures, stopped a few seconds and stared at couple of my pictures. She looked up to me and said, "Wow". If there is one person I have impacted through my pictures, then my job as a photographer is accomplished. I have spoken without words to the world. Now that is pure bliss in my books!

Enjoy the pictures!

And oh, on a side note, one of my hand-built teapots got accepted into the fair under the 3-D ceramic category. You can view it in my previous blog called "Pottery" or click on this link.