We have put together an anonymous portfolio of 40 open subject prints for an evening entitled "I'll be the judge of that!". As each picture is put on the easel a name from those attending will be drawn from a hat and that person will assume the role of the judge and give a critique for that photograph. Then everyone will write their score for the photograph on their individual scoresheet before the judge's score is revealed. The next photograph is then displayed, another name drawn and the process repeated and so on until there are no more names in the hat. The hat is then refilled and on we go until all 40 pictures have been judged.
The basic idea is to allow everyone to experience how difficult the judge's task is - having to think on your feet - to make sensible comments - not just tell the audience what they are looking at - and to try not to give offence! Also to try to put to one side your own preferences on subject matter and format and type of photograph. It will also be interesting to analyse the score sheets at the end of the process. Who is closest to the average score, who scores most harshly and who most kindly? And does anyone fall into the trap of giving 18 for nearly every picture? And we always ask judges to give a wide range of marks although this rarely seems to happen - will you be broad minded? Of course we might allow, or even encourage, a bit more banter with the judge than would normally be the case!