Portrait photography and the Taylor Wessing Prize exhibition

[Dagwood]

Ok, I know you may think this has been flogged to death but I'm not raising a new thread just to discuss the subject of "Is it Porn or Art?".Yesterday I came across a book in Ottakers(Waterstones) which has all the pictures from the current exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Having just gone through the entire thread regarding that picture I see little is said about the other entries. Oh my, if you thought the second prize winner was bad have you seen the other entries? Well, I think approximately 95% of the entries rank as very poor to absolutely awful examples of portraiture. The other thread was thought provoking not only about whether or not a picture is Porn but in some posts what makes a good photographer through following the examples of others or using one's own creative talents. Well IMHO the vast majority of works chosen as finalists show neither creativity ,talent, or follow the example of good portrait photography seen in the past or indeed seen in my local Camera Club. Has anyone else seen these photographs ? What do others think?
Dagwood

To be honest Dagwood, taking things at face value; that the judges have put the cream on top from a photographic aspect in expertise of the art!! I have not bothered to look further. I think they may have to advertise changes in 2011 to encourage serious togs to enter.

[ABERS]

Portraiture, along with all other photographic genres, means different things to different people and that is patently obvious when you look at the portraits that are posted on the Forum here.

The waffle and pretentious gobbledegook that appeared in the BJP forum on the reasoning behind the selection of those images, that to us mere mortals appear mundane and lacking in interest, is designed to make us feel somewhat photographically inadequate. And as far as I'm concerned after trying my hardest to grasp and understand the judges' decisions, it's worked!