Thursday, June 20, 2013

NicePhotoMarathon 2013.....


Twelve photos, twelve themes, twelve hours!! Would you be up for the challenge?? Two hundred of us keen photographers certainly were as we eagerly took part in the 8th annual NicePhotoMarathon held on  Saturday June 8th from 9am – 9pm organized by J.Jerrik and his team from JJ Photo in Old Nice. The rules of the contest were simple – advance 20 Euro subscription, register by 9am on the day, collect your memory card, Tram pass, and T shirt, check back to base at 1pm and 5pm to get your card stamped, and then return by 9pm with your 12 final shots on the memory card sequentially in the order that the themes were released – no cropping, no photoshopping, no alterations of any kind……


 Simple right?? Well certainly the organization was simple – smooth and efficient, fun and friendly, but the themes themselves were far from simple, and immediately set up a real testing challenge for the day (especially for an Anglophone like me struggling with the subtle nuances, double-meanings and connotations of the French language!!) Here they are in the order they were announced (1-4 at 9am, 5-8 at 1pm, and 9-12 at 5pm)
1)      Abstraction
2)      Sixties
3)      Pilier de Bar  (Bar Fly)
4)      Degun   (Nobody)
5)      Double Face
6)      Grosse Chaleur  (Big Heat)
7)      Rituel
8)      Decadrage (Outside of the Frame)
9)      Trainee(s)  (Trails or prostitute)
10)   Le monde a l’envers (The World Upside Down)
11)   Recreation
12)   Mon numero de participation (My participation Number)


For those of you who may be struggling a little like me, “pilier du bar” is a barfly (who had to be found at 11am in the morning), “degun”is Nicois slang for “personne” (nobody), decadrage is where the main subject is outside the frame, “grosse chaleur” does have a sexual connotation of being “hot” and “trainee” as well as meaning a trail or track, is also slang for prostitute!! The last theme had me completely stumped as my number of participation was 1832, and the best I could come up with at the end of a long day was a very literal close-up of a velo bleu bike lock! But, I do have to say that the level of challenge did really get the brain working, and enhanced a really fun but tiring day…..


I am sure that there were some really interesting and creative photographs produced on the day, and the best will be displayed at the artspace MUSEEAAV from Thursday June 27th when the winners will also be announced at 6.30pm and awarded with their prizes. So, if you are a budding photographer, and keen to participate in NicePhotoMarathon 2014 why not go and take a look?? Remember, as a participant,  you will certainly get the T shirt!

Contact Details www.nicephotomarathon.com

PS -  Can you work out which of these images goes with which theme??




4 comments:

A Cuban In London said...

Blimey, I don't know if I would be up for the challenge (for starters I'm not a good photographer) but your images were surely onto a winner here. Love them. Many thanks.

Greetings from London.

Fly Girl said...

This sounds like a fun but somewhat challenging challenge. Those nuances would trip me up too.

Catherine said...

Yep certainly a big challenge but fun too...

Lynne with an e said...

Certainly does sound like a fun and challenging event, certain to get those little grey cells working overtime. And in the end, all participants can say, "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt" as well as walking away with a series of photos they might not otherwise have thought to make. I would have been disqualified for lack of comprehension. Bravo you! Love the one of the subject out of frame.