2nd

2nd: The Face of Defeat is a collection of photos by Sandy Nicholson of those who came in second place or, if you prefer, lost first. Either way, it makes for a complex set of portraits featuring the upset, the stoic, the bloody, and the shocked accompanied by their own words, all captured moments after their loss. Perhaps no tale is more poignant than that of Joshua Polera who came in 2nd in the Primary Category, Spelling Bee of Canada at the Ontario Championship Finals in Toronto.

I was in a tie and the word I got wrong was bungalow, b-u-n-g-a-l-o-w. But I spelled it b-u-n-g-a-l-o. I’m going to remember that for a really long time. Then I got galore. I was so proud of myself, but also kind of sad because just one word knocked me out.

That word will haunt him for the rest of his life. In the photo he knows this to be truer than anything else in his short time on this planet. The trophy he holds in his hands will become an albatross round his neck and, unless he redeems himself at some point, perhaps by nailing “connoisseur” (dammit!) on the first try, he will never be happy. It will affect his relationships and his health, poisoning him from the inside, crushing his soul. Joshua finds himself on the edge of a great precipice. For his sake I hope he can pull himself back.

Sandy Nicholson Photography [Artist's Site] : lens culture