Iggy wrote:Landscapes next week should be better??
If I recall correctly, one of the participants in that episode stripped off to include herself in her landscape image. I believe that she did the same in "The Body" episode and admitted she enjoyed being depicted nude when questioned about it. Assuming my recollection is accurate, I believe that the judges castigated her for it this time and chucked her off the show. The other issue is that they are going to Ireland, so the chances of encountering poor weather and uncooperative light during the limited time available are quite high.
The impression I got from last night's episode is that the contestants were expecting a glamorous West End production rather than those they actually got. Furthermore, a couple of the theatres did not seem that keen on having them there and restricted their access. I think that had an effect on the way they approached the task and it might have been misrepresented in the way the show was edited. I am frequently sceptical that the way clips are put together on "reality" shows ends up distorting that reality.
The problem for me is that the judges criticise the participants for failing when the odds were against them from the outset. This gives the impression that photography should easy; just press the shutter, right? Anyone who cannot even manage that simple task must be a complete nincompoop. The reality is that getting the shot, in many of the MoP scenarios especially, requires a great deal of aptitude, skill and, crucially, luck. It was noticeable that for "The Body" episode, when the contestants were in a studio and given more control, the judges remarked on the higher standard of photography.
While I have compared "Master of Photography" with "The Apprentice", viewing the latter can be instructive for setting up and running a business. While both shows lampoon contestants for their inevitable mistakes, in "The Apprentice" they also receive constructive advice about alternative approaches. That does not seem to happen on MoP. Just once I would like to see the judges put into a similar scenario to see if they can practice what they preach. Not to mention that Rut Blees Luxemburg has produced some of the most boring and overrated photography I have ever seen.
