「家庭紀實攝影大賽」（Documentary Family Awards）是一個新興的攝影比賽，共有水（Water）、家人的愛（Family Love）、幽默（Humor）、環境肖像（Environmental Portrait）、決定性瞬間（Decisive Moment）等五大類主題獎項以及評審獎（Judges Choice）和最佳攝影大獎（Best Overall），2017年剛舉辦完第一屆。

根據DFA官網，此比賽的目標是：改變攝影大賽的版圖。主辦單位希望，為世界各地以現代家庭為主題的紀實攝影提供平台，同時讓攝影師得到滋養成長的力量。他們也希望，藉由透明的評選過程，所有參賽者都能獲得各種回饋，之後可以創造出更好的影像作品。

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Q: Would you mind giving me some background information about the contest. For example, how do you think in the beginning? Why do you want to run this award? How many pieces do you receive?

問：可以介紹一下這個攝影比賽的背景嗎？譬如一開始你是怎麼想的？為什麼想要辦這個獎？總共收到了多少參賽作品？

A: Our initial motivation behind the DFA was to create a space to celebrate documentary family photography. Because it is a growing genre, at the time there were no running awards, and photographers had nowhere to build accreditation and respect in the field! We wanted to create that space. On the other hand, we also knew we wanted to create a more transparent award process so that the photographers entering the awards would actually walk away with concrete feedback. We want people to have a better understanding of what will make for award-winning photographs and not feel left in the dark.

答：我們舉辦DFA攝影大賽的初衷是，想要頌揚家庭紀實攝影。家庭攝影是一個成長中的攝影類型，但是當時沒有任何針對此類型的獎項，這個領域的攝影師也無從建立信譽和贏得尊敬，所以我們想要創造一個這樣的空間。另一方面，我們明白我們想要建立一個更為透明的獎項評選過程，如此一來，參加本獎競賽的攝影師就可以真正得到實際的意見回饋。我們希望參賽者能夠更加瞭解為什麼這些照片會得獎，而非完全不知道是怎麼選出來的。

Q: What's your opinions about live judging? I think that it's helpful for photographer. Via talking about photos we may think more.

問：你怎麼看直播評選照片現場？我認為談論照片的時候，我們會思考更多，這對攝影師很有幫助。

A: As we mentioned before, because we wanted a transparent process behind our award selection, we thought live judging would be the best way for the entrants to see for themselves how the decisions were made. We believe that this way, photographers can take that feedback home with them and use it to create strong photographs that communicate something to the viewer.

答：如同我們先前談到的，因為我們希望獎項評選過程更為透明，所以我們就想，直播評選照片現場應該會是最好的方式，可以讓入選者親眼看見我們如何做出決定。我們相信，這麼一來，攝影師就可以把評選中的意見回饋帶回家去，之後可以把這些意見用在創造出更有力量的照片，來跟觀者溝通。

Q: There is a interesting category "water". Why do you build the specific one?

問：有個類別很有趣，叫做「水」。為什麼會特別創立這一類？

A: We want to switch up our categories so that all work isn’t being competed against in one single category. Family life is dynamic and there are SO many ways to approach it as a photographer. We went with water as a category for our first awards because from our own experiences as photographers, so much family excitement comes around water. Think about kids and pools, beaches, baths, hoses, etc. and you’ll get the idea! Sure enough, it was a really fun category to judge!

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答：我們想調整一下競賽類別，這樣就不會所有照片都在同一個項目上競爭。家庭生活各面向不斷變動，身為一名攝影師，捕捉家庭生活的方法有百百種。至於我們會選「水」作為第一屆獎項之一，來自於我們自己攝影的經驗──很多令人興奮的家庭時刻都跟水有關。想想孩子們跟泳池、沙灘、洗澡、水管等，你就知道了！當然，評斷這個類別真的很有意思！

Q: What's the meaning of "family" to you?

問：對你來說，「家庭」是什麼？

A: Family to us certainly isn’t restricted to a traditional “nuclear” unit. We believe in families of all sizes and orientations, and documentary family photography typically reflects the relationships between people that are family-like, for example, between friends that call themselves family. Specific to our genre though, we focus on photographs of relationships taken in a documentary setting (unposed) centred around the subjects relationships or life events, and not for another photographic purpose, for example a studio product session or a wedding. Of course, that’s not to say that some great documentary photographs won’t be created in a setting like that either. Complicated? Basically family

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is who you choose to call family, and we celebrate that.

答：對我們來說，家庭並不限於傳統的「核心」組織，家庭可以是任何規模大小和取向。一般而言，家庭紀實攝影反映出人們之間如同家人般的關係，譬如會稱呼彼此為家人的朋友。至於我們這個類型，聚焦於拍攝人物之間的關係或是生活事件，紀錄自然發生的場景，而非擺拍，也非特定工作室作品譬如婚紗照。當然，我們的意思不是說擺拍或是工作室中不會出現很好的紀實作品。聽起來很複雜嗎？其實家庭就是你選擇稱呼為家人的那些人以及建立起來的關係，而我們頌揚這些人和關係。

Q: What's the meaning of "photography" to you?

問：對你而言，「攝影」的意義是什麼？

A: To us, photography is a craft.

答：對我們來說，攝影是一種技藝。

Q: Do you have any advice for other photographers or young ones?

問：你對其他攝影師或年輕攝影師有任何建議嗎？

A: Our best advice to photographers, and young photographers is to photograph with feeling and be prepared to work hard to translate that feeling. At it’s core, your work will be a reflection of your values so don’t shy away from that! But also understand, your value doesn’t come from the quality of your work. Photography is a medium of expression, and as we mentioned before it is a craft. You can spend years refining that craft, and we find that exciting! We have created these awards to both celebrate the making of great photographs, and to help photographers refine their skills and tune into their intrinsic attraction to making any given photograph.

答：我們能給其他攝影師和年輕攝影師最好的建議是，帶著感情去拍，而且準備好去努力轉譯那種情感。在最核心之處，你的作品會反映出你的價值，你不能害羞閃躲。但你同時得明白，你的價值不見得來自於你作品的品質。攝影是表達的媒介，而且就像我們之前談到的，攝影是一種技藝。你可以花上好幾年去琢磨你的技藝，而這是一件令人興奮的事！我們創立這個獎，是為了去頌揚偉大照片的發生，同時也是為了去幫助攝影師增強技巧，然後調整到任何一張照片都跟攝影師的內在吸引力同步。

（以上回答由DFA大賽共同創辦人Jenna Shouldice提供。All answers provided by Jenna Shouldice, Co-Founder of the DFA.）