"We be of one blood, you and I"
Good evening and Happy New Year, Irina Averina. From January 1, a new theater photography competition “THEATRE EXPOSED - 2024” has been announced. Please tell us more about this.
Thank you for your congratulations. I join in the wishes. May the New Year be peaceful and happy for all the inhabitants of our planet!
We would also like to thank you and your publication for your attention to our project and support almost from the very foundation of the theater photography competition! I remember we were joyfully surprised by this circumstance. I once read an excellent article by Tunji Olaopa, “Beyond 2023: The Function of Leadership and Lessons for Nigeria” (published January 30, 2023 in The Guardian). The article had many interesting, useful and important thoughts. Including that “leadership success depends on the ability to design and implement a change space that integrates vision and strategy with the managerial ability to seize opportunities.” This is also important for our international project. We have goals, objectives and we know our mission. We carefully select experts for the Competition. These can be not only famous photographers, but also creative people who love theater and have an impeccable reputation. During the Competition, we formed a team of professional specialists from all over the world. The International Jury in 2024 included experts from Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iran, Korea, Cuba, Nigeria, Slovenia, the USA, Estonia and Japan.
Together we strive to overcome obstacles, have a team spirit and excellent motivation. We also think about our important mission: to support talented creative people and open up opportunities for them to new, interesting achievements. In addition, we open our doors to various theaters around the world to happily share the wonderful productions and directorial decisions that happen there, and we consider this one of the important moments of our THEATRE EXPOSED competition.
What inspired the creation of this new competition?
Thirst for creativity! I remember when we started in 2018. It was a fantastic period! We were very inspired. We had many obstacles, but we knew that we were creating something very important. There have never been such large-scale Competitions in the world.
Your Experts from around the world-how do you manage to attract them to the Competition?
I think this question was best answered by Rudyard Kipling - "We are all the same blood."
This year, we have expanded the composition of the International Expert Council. We were joined by experts from South Korea and the Japan Stage Photographers Society (JSPS). You know, when we read the goals of the Japan Stage Photographers Society (JSPS), we were very happy. This is a mutual exchange of creative talents, improving professional skills and, as a result, promoting the development of the performing arts. Our goals are completely the same!
Are there any other changes to the terms of the Competition this year?
Every competition is a challenge for us. Before announcing the new Competition, we discussed in detail whether we needed to make changes to the categories or whether we could retain those that had become our permanent categories (art photography; portrait photography; art movement in art; open category/street theatre; immersive theatre; experimental photo). I am very glad that the opinions of the Experts who founded the Competition coincided. Thus, Jelena Vilt responded that at this stage “all categories are distributed correctly, and the most creative is “Movement in Art,” since this category is the most capacious in meaning and conceptual level. It is in this category that the essence of theatrical photography is fully revealed in all its artistic fullness." We agree with her.
There is no longer an amateur category under the terms of the Competition. Do you think all applicants are good enough to be among the professional photographers?
Good question! Every year, after the completion of each Competition, we sum up the results. Experts write reviews. We discuss what can be changed. And every year the topic of amateurs and professionals was relevant. Who can be considered an amateur and who a professional? Last year, when announcing the results, we decided to combine the albums of the winners (previously there was a division, separate albums for amateurs and separate albums for professionals), since the division in the quality of photographs was no longer significant. We are glad that the professional level of our participants has become so high. We hope that this is our merit. Our competition motivates participants to improve their professional level.
Every year, you invite the winning participant to the Expert Council. Is this condition preserved in the new Competition?
Yes, sure. Last year, we invited the Hungarian photographer Csaba Mészáros, who did an excellent job as the Expert. By the way, not every photographer can be an Expert. This year, we invited a photographer from Slovenia, Mankica Kranjec. This rotation and the opportunity to try their hand at the referee league are also serious motivations for our participants.
Participation in the Competition is free. Let's talk about incentive bonuses as a means of attracting more participants to the craft.
There are a lot of competitions for photographers in the world on a paid basis (participation fee). Initially, we fundamentally did not want to introduce a fee for participation in the Competition. Remember, when we started this Competition, we were told that there was no such profession as a theatre (stage) photographer. We were asked, why do we need this? But we saw and knew that it was in this area that the creative potential of a true artist was most fully revealed. In tandem with theatrical art, something unique and inimitable is born. The photographer not only depicts reality but also begins to create in the space in which he is located. He is included in what many call the Magic of the Theatre!
We see that the number of participants is not decreasing. Vice versa. Although, as you know, we also depend on everything that happens in the world. Conditions have been difficult for all of us during the Covid pandemic, with theaters closed and everyone's hands giving up. At this time, our participants, on the contrary, were asked to hold the Competition even in isolation. We accepted photos not only from premieres. Any photographer could send photographs from past years. For this, we had a retro photography category.
What is your incentive to hold new Competitions?
Each new Competition is a new river, a new Door, which we enter with great interest. Every time we hope for a miracle, it happens! It's quite exciting. We are discovering new, interesting names for creative people. We are ready to share these talented gems with the whole world. And we are glad when they begin to be friends and interact with each other in some joint projects, exhibitions, etc.
Are you and the Expert Council concerned about the emergence of new technologies and public demand for images created using artificial intelligence? Do you think they can influence the theater?
For now, we are only discussing and closely following trends and news in the field of artificial intelligence. But now everyone understands that the fourth technological revolution will lead to big changes. Many people are intimidated by the prospect of competing with AI for creative work. You may have read about the actors' strike in Hollywood last year. Opinions were divided. Some people think there is no reason to worry. But those involved in digital art do find that images created or processed by AI are difficult to distinguish from those created by humans. We even introduced a clause stating that we do not accept such images for participation in the Competition.
Are you concerned that the use or demand for AI-generated images will devalue the essence of theatrical photography, which is capturing live images, and the magic of theater created from it?
Yes, just like in fairy tales. There is living water, and there is dead water. Nobody wants to drink from a dead spring. The synergy of creativity creates a unique atmosphere that cannot be conveyed using artificial intelligence. I hope that our participants also realize this. This should encourage our theatrical photographers to unite as a community to develop new rules in the new reality. I hope that our new Competition will become such a platform for interaction and communication. We really hope that we won't ever have to categorize "real people" and "bots."
Would you say that AI-infused images are more about the final product rather than theatrical photography, which focuses on capturing that one magical moment that sums up the entire stage experience or character?
Our Experts answer this question in their reviews and interviews. Thus, the famous Georgian photographer Yuri Mechitov said, “I expect photographic adequacy from theatrical photography! Such a miracle as the Theater! But, alas, this is an incredibly difficult task. I have been photographing theater for a long time, but I can only boast of a few pictures. Modern technologies have simultaneously simplified and complicated the task. Recording has become easier, but creating remains extremely difficult..."
Observations indicate that new technologies and artificial intelligence capabilities will continue to grow and span many industries. Industries unwilling to embrace this will likely be rejected. Instead of resisting the coming changes, wouldn't it be smarter to find ways to make both innovations work for theatrical photography?
This is a good question for all our valued readers to think about. Let's leave this niche and give them time to think so they can answer this question.
In conclusion, I would like to quote our respected expert Jelena Vilt from Estonia: “Friends, being a photographer, firstly, you need to learn a lot, not only technical aspects but also artistic ones. For a photo artist who wants to master the specifics of working with theatrical space, as well as for everyone who is engaged in photography and works in the context of creating an artistic image, education in the field of culture and art is mandatory. And always in combination with good preparation for classical drawing. And the very opportunity to freely navigate classical and modern painting, music and other forms of art should become the norm, a way of life for a photographer. This is necessary both to maintain the high quality of the artistic work he creates and in order to become a true and recognized master of photography. After all, who is a modern photo artist if not an art critic? Therefore, he must freely navigate current aesthetic and artistic issues, as well as the practice of artistic life. In modern conditions, he is not only a creator of history, participating in the cultural development of society, but also a researcher of the history and theory of art, as well as an active participant in the visualization of the artistic process, and it's archiving.”
Thanks again for your quick replies. And once again, Happy New Year.
Happy New Year! We are waiting for new interesting live photos until July 1, 2024. The winners will be announced on August 19, 2024, World Photography Day. Anyone interested in the terms of the competition, please contact us. We will definitely answer you! See you again!
Chinelo Chikelu,
Leadership Media Group
January 2024
Photo by Elena Martynyuk
Thank you for your congratulations. I join in the wishes. May the New Year be peaceful and happy for all the inhabitants of our planet!
We would also like to thank you and your publication for your attention to our project and support almost from the very foundation of the theater photography competition! I remember we were joyfully surprised by this circumstance. I once read an excellent article by Tunji Olaopa, “Beyond 2023: The Function of Leadership and Lessons for Nigeria” (published January 30, 2023 in The Guardian). The article had many interesting, useful and important thoughts. Including that “leadership success depends on the ability to design and implement a change space that integrates vision and strategy with the managerial ability to seize opportunities.” This is also important for our international project. We have goals, objectives and we know our mission. We carefully select experts for the Competition. These can be not only famous photographers, but also creative people who love theater and have an impeccable reputation. During the Competition, we formed a team of professional specialists from all over the world. The International Jury in 2024 included experts from Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iran, Korea, Cuba, Nigeria, Slovenia, the USA, Estonia and Japan.
Together we strive to overcome obstacles, have a team spirit and excellent motivation. We also think about our important mission: to support talented creative people and open up opportunities for them to new, interesting achievements. In addition, we open our doors to various theaters around the world to happily share the wonderful productions and directorial decisions that happen there, and we consider this one of the important moments of our THEATRE EXPOSED competition.
What inspired the creation of this new competition?
Thirst for creativity! I remember when we started in 2018. It was a fantastic period! We were very inspired. We had many obstacles, but we knew that we were creating something very important. There have never been such large-scale Competitions in the world.
Your Experts from around the world-how do you manage to attract them to the Competition?
I think this question was best answered by Rudyard Kipling - "We are all the same blood."
This year, we have expanded the composition of the International Expert Council. We were joined by experts from South Korea and the Japan Stage Photographers Society (JSPS). You know, when we read the goals of the Japan Stage Photographers Society (JSPS), we were very happy. This is a mutual exchange of creative talents, improving professional skills and, as a result, promoting the development of the performing arts. Our goals are completely the same!
Are there any other changes to the terms of the Competition this year?
Every competition is a challenge for us. Before announcing the new Competition, we discussed in detail whether we needed to make changes to the categories or whether we could retain those that had become our permanent categories (art photography; portrait photography; art movement in art; open category/street theatre; immersive theatre; experimental photo). I am very glad that the opinions of the Experts who founded the Competition coincided. Thus, Jelena Vilt responded that at this stage “all categories are distributed correctly, and the most creative is “Movement in Art,” since this category is the most capacious in meaning and conceptual level. It is in this category that the essence of theatrical photography is fully revealed in all its artistic fullness." We agree with her.
There is no longer an amateur category under the terms of the Competition. Do you think all applicants are good enough to be among the professional photographers?
Good question! Every year, after the completion of each Competition, we sum up the results. Experts write reviews. We discuss what can be changed. And every year the topic of amateurs and professionals was relevant. Who can be considered an amateur and who a professional? Last year, when announcing the results, we decided to combine the albums of the winners (previously there was a division, separate albums for amateurs and separate albums for professionals), since the division in the quality of photographs was no longer significant. We are glad that the professional level of our participants has become so high. We hope that this is our merit. Our competition motivates participants to improve their professional level.
Every year, you invite the winning participant to the Expert Council. Is this condition preserved in the new Competition?
Yes, sure. Last year, we invited the Hungarian photographer Csaba Mészáros, who did an excellent job as the Expert. By the way, not every photographer can be an Expert. This year, we invited a photographer from Slovenia, Mankica Kranjec. This rotation and the opportunity to try their hand at the referee league are also serious motivations for our participants.
Participation in the Competition is free. Let's talk about incentive bonuses as a means of attracting more participants to the craft.
There are a lot of competitions for photographers in the world on a paid basis (participation fee). Initially, we fundamentally did not want to introduce a fee for participation in the Competition. Remember, when we started this Competition, we were told that there was no such profession as a theatre (stage) photographer. We were asked, why do we need this? But we saw and knew that it was in this area that the creative potential of a true artist was most fully revealed. In tandem with theatrical art, something unique and inimitable is born. The photographer not only depicts reality but also begins to create in the space in which he is located. He is included in what many call the Magic of the Theatre!
We see that the number of participants is not decreasing. Vice versa. Although, as you know, we also depend on everything that happens in the world. Conditions have been difficult for all of us during the Covid pandemic, with theaters closed and everyone's hands giving up. At this time, our participants, on the contrary, were asked to hold the Competition even in isolation. We accepted photos not only from premieres. Any photographer could send photographs from past years. For this, we had a retro photography category.
What is your incentive to hold new Competitions?
Each new Competition is a new river, a new Door, which we enter with great interest. Every time we hope for a miracle, it happens! It's quite exciting. We are discovering new, interesting names for creative people. We are ready to share these talented gems with the whole world. And we are glad when they begin to be friends and interact with each other in some joint projects, exhibitions, etc.
Are you and the Expert Council concerned about the emergence of new technologies and public demand for images created using artificial intelligence? Do you think they can influence the theater?
For now, we are only discussing and closely following trends and news in the field of artificial intelligence. But now everyone understands that the fourth technological revolution will lead to big changes. Many people are intimidated by the prospect of competing with AI for creative work. You may have read about the actors' strike in Hollywood last year. Opinions were divided. Some people think there is no reason to worry. But those involved in digital art do find that images created or processed by AI are difficult to distinguish from those created by humans. We even introduced a clause stating that we do not accept such images for participation in the Competition.
Are you concerned that the use or demand for AI-generated images will devalue the essence of theatrical photography, which is capturing live images, and the magic of theater created from it?
Yes, just like in fairy tales. There is living water, and there is dead water. Nobody wants to drink from a dead spring. The synergy of creativity creates a unique atmosphere that cannot be conveyed using artificial intelligence. I hope that our participants also realize this. This should encourage our theatrical photographers to unite as a community to develop new rules in the new reality. I hope that our new Competition will become such a platform for interaction and communication. We really hope that we won't ever have to categorize "real people" and "bots."
Would you say that AI-infused images are more about the final product rather than theatrical photography, which focuses on capturing that one magical moment that sums up the entire stage experience or character?
Our Experts answer this question in their reviews and interviews. Thus, the famous Georgian photographer Yuri Mechitov said, “I expect photographic adequacy from theatrical photography! Such a miracle as the Theater! But, alas, this is an incredibly difficult task. I have been photographing theater for a long time, but I can only boast of a few pictures. Modern technologies have simultaneously simplified and complicated the task. Recording has become easier, but creating remains extremely difficult..."
Observations indicate that new technologies and artificial intelligence capabilities will continue to grow and span many industries. Industries unwilling to embrace this will likely be rejected. Instead of resisting the coming changes, wouldn't it be smarter to find ways to make both innovations work for theatrical photography?
This is a good question for all our valued readers to think about. Let's leave this niche and give them time to think so they can answer this question.
In conclusion, I would like to quote our respected expert Jelena Vilt from Estonia: “Friends, being a photographer, firstly, you need to learn a lot, not only technical aspects but also artistic ones. For a photo artist who wants to master the specifics of working with theatrical space, as well as for everyone who is engaged in photography and works in the context of creating an artistic image, education in the field of culture and art is mandatory. And always in combination with good preparation for classical drawing. And the very opportunity to freely navigate classical and modern painting, music and other forms of art should become the norm, a way of life for a photographer. This is necessary both to maintain the high quality of the artistic work he creates and in order to become a true and recognized master of photography. After all, who is a modern photo artist if not an art critic? Therefore, he must freely navigate current aesthetic and artistic issues, as well as the practice of artistic life. In modern conditions, he is not only a creator of history, participating in the cultural development of society, but also a researcher of the history and theory of art, as well as an active participant in the visualization of the artistic process, and it's archiving.”
Thanks again for your quick replies. And once again, Happy New Year.
Happy New Year! We are waiting for new interesting live photos until July 1, 2024. The winners will be announced on August 19, 2024, World Photography Day. Anyone interested in the terms of the competition, please contact us. We will definitely answer you! See you again!
Chinelo Chikelu,
Leadership Media Group
January 2024
Photo by Elena Martynyuk