I agree with him to some extent, anyway. The digital (web) medium is cool, but there’s still a lot to be said about seeing a photo with your own eyes. Much like a painting loses most of its luster when viewed on the screen (or as a print for that matter). The medium doesn’t do well for subtlety. It’s an intrinsic part of my personal difficulty with these contests as well – I’m not terribly good at the ‘wow’ factor.
