If you were going to war, what would you take with you? Of course, the first thought would be a weapon of some sort, and then you might consider the “what ifs.” What if I’m attacked on multiple sides and need another set of eyes? What if I’m losing the battle and need a quick getaway?

Well, wouldn’t a lion serve all of these purposes? He would stand by you in battle, with sharp teeth and slashing claws, scanning the horizon for any movement, while his mere presence would serve as an intimidation factor as well. In addition, if you suddenly realized you were outnumbered and losing ground, you could hop on his back and gallop away, retreating, yes, but making quite an impression.

So, tonight, December 1, my Arcanum Master, Laurie Rubin, is taking my lion to The Arcanum’s Creation Wars, and I hope that they have a successful battle!

The Creation Wars is a new “Photography Competition Show” created by The Arcanum’s Trey Ratcliff and his associates, which pits Arcanum Masters against one another as they vie for bragging rights through bringing the best photograph to the battle.

Each Master shows off a photo from one of his or her apprentices, explaining its virtues and why it should be the chosen image of that week’s Creation Wars, often with touching and revealing back stories relayed by the Master. Then, the other Masters critique the image, picking it apart and providing their thoughts on the technical and creative virtues and the improvements that could be made.

In the end, there’s a secret vote submitted to Trey, and after careful (and sometimes lengthy!) tabulation, he announces the Creation Wars victor. In between the serious critiquing and valuable photography tips, Trey and the Masters banter and tease one another, often reminding me of the old “Saturday Night Live” skits where the improv made it great.

The Creation Wars are incredibly beneficial to both the photographer being critiqued as well as those watching the drama unfold. With four or five exceptional professional photographers offering their thoughts on these images—each with different talents and points of view—there’s always something new to see and learn about photography and art.

Admittedly, having your image critiqued can be difficult, because sometimes a photograph you absolutely love and have taken great care to produce won’t be perceived the same way by someone else. But after the disappoint subsides, there’s always something valuable to take away from the experience. The lesson might not come to you right away or be obvious at first, but eventually you’ll use that knowledge, and it will improve your future photographs and art.

And, for me, that’s what it’s all about, always learning, growing and improving so that each time I look back into my ever expanding image library I’ll be satisfied but always know the best is yet to come.

If you’re interested in checking out The Arcanum and The Creation Wars, here’s your path. The Creation Wars Show No. 3, which airs live tonight at 9 p.m. EST, is accessible through this portal: http://www.patreon.com/thearcanum. You can also find previous shows on Trey Ratcliff’s Youtube Channel, including the première show.

Let the battle begin! Roar!