Jury Photos of Jewelry

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Amy Furgiuele on September 28, 2011 at 5:08pm

I've been told in the past that you should show one body of work... So, I'd pick which of the two media (wire wrap or PMC) that you feel is strongest and go with those images.  Pick items that make the viewer go "wow!"...  I've also been told that you should only have one item in each image, but if you're going to break that rule, again, make sure it makes the viewer go "WOW!".  Usually this works best if it's a set, like a necklace and earrings over 3 pendants that all look similar...  As to being able to have the other jewelry items there, again, I was told that as long as those items are clearly visible in your BOOTH shot, you should be ok.  If the show were to question you, you can show them a copy of your booth image and point out that both bodies of work are visible.

 

I wish there were a way to flag Larry Berman in on this one... He's the one who stated the above rules and he's seen a billion and one artist's jury slides.  Feel free to contact him directly for a critique.  He's a peach!

 

Hope that helps!

Permalink Reply by Kathleen J. Clausen on September 28, 2011 at 5:10pm

Thanks Amy, it does.

Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on September 28, 2011 at 6:07pm

I guess this is posted in two places.

Amy said it right. Like she said, limit your groupings to pieces that clearly can sell together and carry a print of your booth to show if there's any question about your displaying things not in your individual jury images but in your booth.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

Permalink Reply by Susan Gunderson on September 28, 2011 at 6:10pm

It's funny, as I too am going through a booth update and picture analysis to try and get in bigger shows.  I have been doing pretty well for the past 10 years, but I felt I needed some more help.  I decided to work with Larry Sanders for next years jury photos.  (Recommended from Larry Berman).  It's odd, but the early years when I took my own photos and had no clue what I was doing, I actually got into more shows!  I took all of my photos of the jewelry lying on the hard sparkly snow in winter.  Then, the next year I decided to have an actual jewelry photographer take them.  Since those years, I have used two different photographers and I have yet to get into the shows that I did when I was a real beginner. 

 

Anyway, Larry suggested to do only one grouping.  For example, I do one necklace in a lot of different colors, so we are going to show three or four necklaces.  I also do wire wrap and weaving and well, I am going to have four different techniques in my submission.  But he feels I should not do a collage of wire wraps, just one stone.

 

Now as far as the booth, I am going to glam it out for the photo shoot next week, but I hear you saying I should have the jewelry that is on the jury shots showing in that booth shot.  That is interesting, I have not done that in the past.  Keep up the great ideas.  Thanks, Suze

Permalink Reply by Ann Marie Crosmun on September 28, 2011 at 11:58pm

In the beginning, my husband took my photos. I got into a good number of shows. Then, it was recommended that I have a professional take my photos. I couldn't afford Robert Diamante, so I had Larry Sanders take my photos. I got into fewer shows. Someone said that they looked too high end for the materials that I use to create my work. I do woven bead with PMC. So, I went back to my husband taking photos. I don't know what to do.....it's such a crap shoot......

Permalink Reply by Kathleen J. Clausen on September 29, 2011 at 3:36am

Ann Marie, I know what you mean.  I keep trying to improve things, but not sure which way to go.

Permalink Reply by Mary Shafer on September 29, 2011 at 4:11am

You know we are always looking for ways to improve, and the more we try the more we fall into a black hole, but you know when it really comes down to it, it is all about perception.  When we apply for shows we are only given so much room, or so little time to catch the jurors eye.  Really how much does a picture show, you can take really good pictures but have less then art quality work.  You are relying on the Judges to like your work and I don't really think pictures can tell them anything about the quality.  I think it is all about luck most of the time, and these days shows are hurting for vendors we have been seeing a much lower quality of work in the higher end shows that we did last year.  Don't you find it surprising, you did a show for several years in a row and then all of sudden your not accepted.  Or you have applied and applied not to be accepted and then all of sudden your in and you didn't do anything different from the previous years submissions.  Also how do vendors that sell "buy and sell" items get past the jurors, because they have really great pictures.  Every show has jurors from different backgrounds, I have yet to see a juror that is actually familiar with all types of materials used to create jewelry.  I am a Lampworker, we create all our own glass beads, and you would think that in itself would be an eye opener to a juror, but you don't get to tell them that, and what about PMC, it is all formed by hand, do you think the juror gets to read how you made it, no, you don't get a whole lot of room for typing that info.  You may think I am getting off track, but think about it, what is the juror looking for when they look at a picture of Jewelry?  I think when they look at it and if it doesn't appeal to them, they move on immediately, and that would seem to me to be judged on their personal taste, not as a piece of Art.  Shows are so saturated with Jewelry these days, almost 45% of the booths are Jewelry, how do you compete with that.  I really wonder if the time for Art Shows is going away.  Most of the counties and cities put on these events to make money for their purpose, or independents have created shows as business to make money as we do as vendor too, so what is it really all about, making money not the art, wish it was about the art but its not. :-)

Permalink Reply by Michael Stephens on September 29, 2011 at 3:38am

Folks, keep in mind that since Zapp has entered the picture your competition for the major shows has increased and the jury process has (from what I'm told) decreased the time for jurors to view your photos to about 8 to 10 seconds. In the jewelry category (because of the number of applicants) if you are not ranked into the top 5-15% of the applicants you don't get in. I apply to two to three shows for each weekend that I exhibit to assure acceptance into one of them. I have twice won awards at a major show in 2010 and not been accepted for 2011. It's a tough world out there.

I have several styles of jewelry from beaded work to found object work and have never experienced questions from onsite judges and I do 30+ shows a year.

Keep in mind that you are being judged on your photos of your jewelry and not on your jewelry.

Go to the show websites and look through the exhibitors work that got into the show where the information is available and get an idea of what is being accepted.

Permalink Reply by Kathleen J. Clausen on September 29, 2011 at 3:45am

Good idea, Michael.

Permalink Reply by Mary Shafer on October 3, 2011 at 6:29am

Michael, don't you feel this is a problem,

"Keep in mind that you are being judged on your photos of your jewelry and not on your jewelry" 

Why would they judge us on the photo, we are not entering the show as a photographer?

Permalink Reply by Larry Berman on October 3, 2011 at 7:20am

Thanks for bring this back up again.

Whenever possible I attend open juries and I've interviewed many jurors. You never hear jurors discussing a photograph of an object, only the object. A good photograph of your work makes your work read better to the jurors in a shorter period of time. A good photograph of your work can make the jurors say "wow!" when they see that piece or set of images come up on the screen. That's what you need to not get eliminated in the first round. That's what you need to get into the best shows. Besides, good photography lets the jurors know that you care about your work.

Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100

Permalink Reply by Michael Stephens on April 7, 2012 at 11:44am

Mary,

I don't get on here very often because of the demand in making jewelry, so I am sorry that this reply is months old. Whether this is a problem or not, it is the nature of the business. Great photography that stands out and gets the juror's attention is the name of this competitive market. I have just shifted to a photographer in Dallas because I didn't think that my current photographer, though quite competant with the actual photo of the jewelry had that extra artistic touch. So,I am investing in $600 of new photos to present to those shows that I can't seem to penetrate.

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