Why Photo Show?

The hobby underwent some major shifts and changes during 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed. One of those changes was the resurgence of photo showing, something that I had not done since the 1990s. I jumped in enthusiastically and entered a whopping twenty-two shows between the months of May and December.

I had to create new show records specifically for photo showing results instead of including them in my live show binder - there were just too many. 

Photo showing allows you to show models that have a flaw that would keep you from taking them to a live show - you simply photograph the other side of the model.

As a result, I showed nearly 200 models, including 14 performance set ups, in those twenty-two shows. 

Results varied from show to show and judge to judge. I might win a championship ribbon in one show while the same model in the same class under a different judge would go without placing.

Generally, though, my most reliable live show winners were my most reliable photo showers.

Another benefit of photo showing was that I was able to show pieces I would never, ever dare take to a live show for fear of breakage. It was scary to get them out of the china cabinet (and I did break one) but I enjoyed being able to enter them in shows.

Some of the 2020 photo shows had very clever class lists - Jennifer Buxton's Pandemic Performance Panorama, the Mares in Black Spooky Spectacular, and Anne Field's Field of Dolls come to mind.

Those shows factored creativity into the judging which was a help to me as I no longer have any live show worthy tack or the dolls and props to put together a winning performance entry. Take out the expectation for uber-correctness, though, and I can come up with something.

Even better, I can have fun while doing it because, ultimately, isn't that the point of what we do in our hobby? To have fun, whether we are collectors, or we participate in remaking or sculpting or any of the other aspects of our hobby?

That's why it doesn't matter to me what the placings are that my models receive in a photo show. While it is nice to receive ribbons, it's even more fun to plan the show string, come up with new ideas that show creativity, and enter. I love seeing the other models competing against mine, and if I am outclassed (as I often am), that's okay. I didn't enter to win, I entered for fun.

2020 has been a rough year, and I am grateful for the bit of normalcy that the resurgence of photo showing has provided and for how our hobby adapted to the pandemic.

December 25 advent calendar surprise is a western rider

who looks nice on the Appaloosa stock horse.