We're about to launch a new feature at the Hey, Hot Shot! blog, a series of interviews to catch up with Hot Shots after they've won. So it was great to see this interview with Justin James Reed on Liz Kuball's site.
L: You were a Hey, Hot Shot! in May 2007. (Congratulations again!) I'm curious about the whole HHS experience. Had you applied before, or did you get in the first time you applied? Has being a Hot Shot opened any doors for you that you're aware of? What's your take on contests like this in general? Do you recommend applying to them?J: HHS was a great experience. Jen Bekman is awesome, and it gave me a ton of exposure. My Web site and blog traffic exploded, and I think it helped me get my name out there to a certain extent. It is impossible to gauge if it "opened doors" for me, but the exposure and experience was irreplaceable. And, of course, it is always encouraging to receive recognition for your work.
This was the second time I applied, however with different work (the first time was with my Westward series). I definitely felt ready and more prepared the second time around, which I believe came through in the work and statement. Jörg [Colberg] was a juror, and had just been kind enough to feature some of my photographs on Conscientious. So, I also knew that he was aware of and liked my work. All of this goes into my feelings about these kinds of contests. They are incredibly necessary for beginning photographers to get exposure--I kind of look at them as the initial testing grounds. However, they are very subjective, so knowing who the jurors are, and applying with the appropriate work, will increase your chances of success. Of course, because these contests are so subjective, I think it is important to not give up and keep applying if you do not succeed at first. This is something I have to remind myself of all the time. There are so many amazing photographers out there that being a juror must be so hard. However, if you believe in your work, and keep plugging away, you will prevail. And hey, if you don't, well at least you had a blast and made some damn fine photographs!