I posted about the artist who needed three booth images and the NAIA conference booth discussion was brought up. I'm one hundred percent for NAIA but having a discussion with about 25 or so directors won't change the hoops the artists think that they have to jump through to get into a good show. That is unless all the shows sign a contract specifying how the booth image will and won't be used. There's too much paranoia about the consequences of not submitting a perfect booth picture.
Larry Berman
412-401-8100
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I just took a new booth shot image and forgot to put down my carpet. The shot was taken on green grass. Do I really need to take the photo again to include the carpet? Is having carpet down or not going to keep me from getting into shows? Isnt my work good enough?
I quit using the carpet at shows about a year ago because it rained alot at shows and the carpet always seems dirty. Its also so bulky to transport.
I apprecite your thoughts! Linda
Larry Berman > Linda PirkleMay 30, 2011 at 12:55pm
It's not about whether or not you have a carpet. It's about what's in the image that can distract the jurors in under twenty (usually under ten) seconds that they look at the images of your work.
It's the same reason why jury slides should be taken on a neutral non distracting background that fades away and let's the work pop. You don't want the jurors seeing anything except your work or booth within the time they are given.
Thanks Larry! Thats reassuring! While reading this thread I also didnt realize that Zapp had relaxed their 1920 pixel square standards? I will research that as I am having new images photographed.
Though ZAPP might have relaxed their 1920 square format, they haven't changed the way the jurying is done and 1920 pixels square with black borders masking rectangular images will always be the best format to upload to ZAPP. If you don't upload them that way, ZAPP will change your images by adding 1920 black canvas (borders) and resaving your JPEGs possibly degrading them. Not to mention that if your images are smaller than 1920, ZAPP will add wider black borders making your images smaller than your competitor's images.
Actually after seeing a lot of booth photos, my one caveat is NO ORIENTAL carpets. They jump outta a booth image and DEMAND their share of the lime light. Actually they hog the lime light and the art work and rest of the booth becomes a distant 2nd.
I don't see this booth shot glass as being so empty. The directors at the conference were in general agreement about the booth photo before much discussion started. Two more directors have posted that they too don't need a highly restrictive booth photo.
Frankly its common sense, to realize a booth is going to morph and change some as the summer goes on.
My guess is that the few directors who want booth photos shot with a rigid set of rules are in the minoritiy and haven't caught up with the times or are getting bad advice. Certainly no artist would recommend rigid rules, as we all know how our booths change, depending on the weather, sun, location, inventory etc.
So instead of beating our brows about the 25 or so directors at the NAIA, wouldn't it be better to help educate those few directors who think anal-retentive booth shots are what is needed?
Where we artists can help, is to talk to directors, direct them to their fellow directors (Connie posted a list of who was there) send them info, explain...etc. Much better then gnashing our teeth.We can also stop sending in the heavily stylized and/or photoshopped booth images. They don't work and make the jury wonder why, what's up? Where's the "real" booth shot and what's the artist hiding?
You will never get all shows to sign a contract even if it states the sky is a lovely blue. Better to work on education then contracts.
Also join NAIA and help them get the word out.
Sometimes I think we artists-especially in these hard economic times, have a bit too much in common with chicken little. The sky is indeed not falling. Well, in most weather conditions....minus hail, tornados, snow, heavy rain...oh, nevermind. Maybe it is. 8-)
I'm all for standardization in jury images. In fact, I probably advocate more than anyone. Shows not using ZAPP or JAS should be asking for the ZAPP format, which by the way no longer exists as we know it (thanks to ZAPP) because that's the size every artist already has on their computer. I've personally called over fifty shows in the past few years explaining how to ask for jury images so everyone's images get seen the same size by the jurors. But since ZAPP lowered the standard and quality of the images you can upload, shows are seeing inconsistent presentations or entire presentations that are smaller than other artist's presentations. I just had a conversation with a show director that has seen a drop in jury image quality since ZAPP relaxed the 1920 pixel square format.
Based on your notes from the conference. Give me some good wording to start and I'll create a page about how to ask for a booth image on my web site and include it in the emails I send out about asking for jury images.
BTW, I've been a member of NAIA since the month they were formed.
One question. Whose standards? We all have differing ideas. That's the problem with some of the current booth shot standards. Someone had a much more rigid set of standards then the rest of us.
I know you are a card carrying member, but others reading the posts might not be. 8-)
1920 x 1920 pixels on black background is by far the best, and most prevalent format. While it might not be a "standard", it's the defacto standard now, and images formatted this way will have the best chance of being acceptable for both ZAPP and non-ZAPP digital juries. Make it once, make it right. Why should we have to reinvent the wheel for every other show? Slides were a rigid format, too, in their day, right? There weren't too many sets of 3" x 1" slides made, I'll bet. :-)
If the jury photo of the booth is altered by the photographer to the degree that it is not a true visual representation (wrinkles and all) then that may not be fair play. Because the jury cannot and will not go around on the day of the show with pictures, comparing jury photos to reality.
If a photographer wanted to calm the jury they could photshop the booth colors to blue, the most calming color. If you wanted to draw attention and get peoples heart rates up, photoshop red.
Replies
I just took a new booth shot image and forgot to put down my carpet. The shot was taken on green grass. Do I really need to take the photo again to include the carpet? Is having carpet down or not going to keep me from getting into shows? Isnt my work good enough?
I quit using the carpet at shows about a year ago because it rained alot at shows and the carpet always seems dirty. Its also so bulky to transport.
I apprecite your thoughts! Linda
It's the same reason why jury slides should be taken on a neutral non distracting background that fades away and let's the work pop. You don't want the jurors seeing anything except your work or booth within the time they are given.
Larry Berman
412-401-8100
http://bermangraphics.com/artshows/zapp-image-format-problem.htm
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
Actually after seeing a lot of booth photos, my one caveat is NO ORIENTAL carpets. They jump outta a booth image and DEMAND their share of the lime light. Actually they hog the lime light and the art work and rest of the booth becomes a distant 2nd.
Grass is fine.
hth
C
I don't see this booth shot glass as being so empty. The directors at the conference were in general agreement about the booth photo before much discussion started. Two more directors have posted that they too don't need a highly restrictive booth photo.
Frankly its common sense, to realize a booth is going to morph and change some as the summer goes on.
My guess is that the few directors who want booth photos shot with a rigid set of rules are in the minoritiy and haven't caught up with the times or are getting bad advice. Certainly no artist would recommend rigid rules, as we all know how our booths change, depending on the weather, sun, location, inventory etc.
So instead of beating our brows about the 25 or so directors at the NAIA, wouldn't it be better to help educate those few directors who think anal-retentive booth shots are what is needed?
Where we artists can help, is to talk to directors, direct them to their fellow directors (Connie posted a list of who was there) send them info, explain...etc. Much better then gnashing our teeth.We can also stop sending in the heavily stylized and/or photoshopped booth images. They don't work and make the jury wonder why, what's up? Where's the "real" booth shot and what's the artist hiding?
You will never get all shows to sign a contract even if it states the sky is a lovely blue. Better to work on education then contracts.
Also join NAIA and help them get the word out.
Sometimes I think we artists-especially in these hard economic times, have a bit too much in common with chicken little. The sky is indeed not falling. Well, in most weather conditions....minus hail, tornados, snow, heavy rain...oh, nevermind. Maybe it is. 8-)
hth
Carla
Currently the only place shows can read about asking for jury images is on my web site:
http://bermangraphics.com/artshows/digital-jury-image-recommendatio...
Based on your notes from the conference. Give me some good wording to start and I'll create a page about how to ask for a booth image on my web site and include it in the emails I send out about asking for jury images.
BTW, I've been a member of NAIA since the month they were formed.
What's hth?
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100
One question. Whose standards? We all have differing ideas. That's the problem with some of the current booth shot standards. Someone had a much more rigid set of standards then the rest of us.
I know you are a card carrying member, but others reading the posts might not be. 8-)
hth
hope this helps
Happy Mem-day.
C
1920 x 1920 pixels on black background is by far the best, and most prevalent format. While it might not be a "standard", it's the defacto standard now, and images formatted this way will have the best chance of being acceptable for both ZAPP and non-ZAPP digital juries. Make it once, make it right. Why should we have to reinvent the wheel for every other show? Slides were a rigid format, too, in their day, right? There weren't too many sets of 3" x 1" slides made, I'll bet. :-)
Jim
Larry,
I'll repeat here what I said before.
If the jury photo of the booth is altered by the photographer to the degree that it is not a true visual representation (wrinkles and all) then that may not be fair play. Because the jury cannot and will not go around on the day of the show with pictures, comparing jury photos to reality.
If a photographer wanted to calm the jury they could photshop the booth colors to blue, the most calming color. If you wanted to draw attention and get peoples heart rates up, photoshop red.
Do photographers do this?
Naive me here, again.
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