Ellis Rosenberg has been an avid photographer for over 40 years.  He has previously served for eight years as Chair of the Reston Photographic Society (RPS), and as a board member of The League of Reston Artists.  Ellis also continues serving on The Nature Visions Photo Expo (naturevisions.org) as a board member and in other capacities.  These positions have provided him with an excellent exposure in the area of judging.  He enjoys photography competitions and is a graduate of The Joe Miller Seminar on Judging.  Ellis tries to put the knowledge gained from that seminar together with his experience to be a competent judge.  His philosophy for judging is as follows:

The camera club judge can be considered in the same light as a reviewer or critic of movies, books, or other art forms.  The judge should have knowledge of the subject and be able to articulate specifics about the work.  The primary purpose of the review is to educate. Certain criteria are established for each photography exhibit and after meeting the criteria; what remains is a subjective appraisal of the work.  The judge should be qualified by way of knowledge and experience, and with this background be able make informed selections and offer constructive criticisms in a helpful and inspiring manner.

Ellis feels the top consideration in judging is conformity with the rules of the competition.  Next would be the four C’s: craftsmanship, composition, creativity, and communication.  The judging should be a learning experience for everyone involved, including the judge.  Negative aspects should be minimized while focusing on the positive attributes of the work.  Originality, uniqueness, feeling, mood and capturing the moment hold a prominent place in the selection criteria.