Top moments in series 4 of Master of Photography

So last month saw the end of the new series of Sky Arts Master of Photography.

You may recall back in 2017 I shared my thoughts on season 2 of this programme. So now I thought it was about time I revisited this subject for season 4.

I particularly enjoyed the change of tone on this series. In the previous series, there has been a very harsh critique. This year there is more emphasis on the contestants learning, and growing throughout each episode.

Episode One

The first episode saw the 8 new contestants being given their canon cameras and their first task. This was to capture a landscape representing the past and present at an archaeological site.

As ever there was a mix of interpretations of this theme. For me, the winning image was of the headless statue. Although it is quite a tenuous link to landscape!

I am loving the positive vibes coming from this season. There was more an air of learning and support, rather than harsh criticism.

Episode Two

This week the contestants had to photograph models that looked like famous people. They had to produce two portraits of the same person. In one photograph the subject was themselves, in the other they embodied that of a famous person.

My two favourite diptychs were of Lady Gaga and the Pope. The two photographers had managed to capture some fantastic portraits. Especially as they did not know which celebrities they were trying to capture in the first shoot.

Episode three

This week the team went to Rome to try and capture integration in the city. They had to capture a series of images that told a story about the integration of different cultures.

This was a difficult challenge. However, I felt that many of the contestants were missing the story element of their portfolio.

Episode Four

The remaining contestants had to capture the relationship between working animals and their owners this week. It was again a portfolio task, where they had to capture between 3 and 5 images.

This was another challenging task, as working with animals can be so unpredictable, as I have discovered first hand with my photography! The advantage in this case was that the animals were working animals, and therefore trained to behave in certain ways.

Episode five

This was the week where the contestants go home. It is their job to capture what home means to them.

I thought that they all were much more imaginative with their storytelling in this episode. They were all thinking beyond a standard family portrait and came up with some really creative images.

Episode six – who is Master of Photography?

This week was the big finale! The theme was “Women in Power”. The three finalists had to capture a portfolio series, following the lives of women working in traditionally male roles.

The irony was not lost on me that the three finalists were all men! However, it is a competition, and they have all proved themselves throughout the process.

And the winner is….(SPOILERS!)

Jan Düfelsiek from Germany! A very worthy winner in my opinion. As the series progressed he really started to stand out. I particularly like his family triptych which included his face in two separate images, taken in two places with different light. A difficult technique to get right, but he perfected it!

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