Weekly Photo Contest (March 25 - April 1)

[Maxxamillian]

Weekly Photo Contest (March 18th-25th)

Rules:

1. You may submit only one photo per contest.

2. The contest runs for exactly one week, from the time stamped on the first post in the thread (this will be made by the winner of the previous week's contest).

3. Please refrain from commenting on the photos submitted in the contest. A good photograph is one that can appeal to someone who may not know much about the technical aspects of photography, so it would be best if the judge isn't swayed by someone else's opinion of the photograph.

4. The judge will decide his/her favorite at the end of the week, place a post listing it, and include a short synopsis of why he/she chose that photo. The winner is then responsible for choosing a new topic and starting a new contest thread, which again will run for exactly one week.

This week's theme is opposites

Have fun!

[golfmaster]

:d

[techie4life]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3319/3204808717_88db295aee_b.jpg

[lu0s3r322]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3210/3021401018_587460741e_b.jpg

[Indydenny]

Arab, Jew & Catholic-- Backgammon

[JDDavis]

Rock Reflection

[doubleohseven]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3391909236_b96467efa7_o.jpg

[Joe King]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v732/2Orangey4Crows/Toulouse-Saint_Sernin.jpg

[01jamcon]

Old and (soon to be) new
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3391808887_49592af5fe_o.jpg

[mattyb240]

Single Turbo Skyline > Twin Turbo Skyline

[Chappers]

Electricity needs opposites to attract. The dark shape in the bottom right is the over hang of my balcony - luckily there is a lightning conductor up there.
My very first attempt at lightning, years ago - scared the hell out of me. If fact its about the only chance I've had - hence it's noisy.

[mariahlullaby]

The cemetery and the NYC skyline in the background.

[deep diver]

.
Cathedral – a polished slice of rhodochrosite (a manganese carbonate mineral) stitched together with its mirror image.


http://att.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=164860&d=1238467315

[LittleCanonKid]

The weather can really change after a couple of days...

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f230/lock22/IMG30007merge_resized.png

[daustin]

.

[Freewayjim]

Fort Chiswell, VA: For a 10 mile stretch you can go North AND South at the same time on an Interstate Highway.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3401090401_36586edef4.jpg?v=0

[jmdfd415]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3616/3402389641_832d544753_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdeaton21/3402389641/sizes/l/)

[mickbab]

Hopefully this isn't too late... April 1st here. What's the time elsewhere? :D

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3659/3404264816_634b609755_b.jpg

Old and new wood...
Black and white...

EDIT: i decided to change the picture. the one i had up originally can be seen on my flickr page, the black and white "cut and paste" version.

[Maxxamillian]

I know we are a global community--as of this post there are officially 15 hours left in the contest (give or take a hand-full of minutes).

I've posted a countdown clock that will officially end the contest on my personal website. Feel free to visit:

http://www.bonnieandchad.com

[Razeus]

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/9744/img0233n.jpg
~by Razeus

[NeGRit0]

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8327/dsc01553o.th.jpg (http://img8.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01553o.jpg)
Clickable...

__________________
Now playing on iTunes: J.R. Writer - Stomp

[Maxxamillian]

Some very interesting shots submitted for this contest--well done all!

My appologies for closing out the contest a little early--the next chance I will have at judging the results would be 11 hours from now...not really fair for those who entered.

These contests are so subjective, so preference-based--as art should be. My intent is to come across as helpful and not overly critical. This is a first for me...so If I do not get it right please provide the feedback I would need in order to do it better next time. :D

My thoughts:

golfmaster: I LOVE the deep color and the blacks you managed to capture. Contrast such as this adds drama to the photo. Heads up--you have dust on your sensor and it shows through very readily.

techie4life: Your photo was one of the few that was able to state the theme without any additional explanation on your part. Well done...as you will see this is more difficult than it would first seem. I enjoy how you've split the picture between the grass and the sky on top of the nature / cityscape theme. Both are opposites in their own right. Very clever.

lu0s3r22: Nicely composed. You could find a shot such as this in ads. I wonder if you could have done something else with the flags? Just a thought. Also, could have this photo been more arresting if you waited for a different time of the day? The lighting is somewhat flat-ish. This is another example of a photo that does not need explanation.

Indydenny: Conceptually this photograph is genius. I would have enjoyed a tighter composure (the background detracts from the shot with all of the extra stuff that is going on). If you can find a way to make it obvious to the viewer that they are looking at a Catholic, Arab, and Jew--an older generation at that--getting along like this then you would have a politically powerful picture. Take the captions away and given my western-culture upbringing, I would only see a group of old men playing backgammon.

JDDavis: Again we have another picture that does not need explanation. Conceptually you nailed the contest. Compositionally your shot requires a great deal of visual interpretation in order to discern what is going on. A different angle might have helped, or waiting for a different time of day might provided added color saturation / contrast that would help the viewer understand the context of the picture. Sometimes you get the picture you get--in this case I'd try some post processing to add some simplification and maybe some drama. Let the viewer see what you want them to see, not just what the sensor captured.

doubleohseven: This is nice, dramatic picture. The post process treatment (I am assuming this was not done in camera here) is nice--I find the vignetting to be distracting. I am also not to clear on the concept here and how it fits in with the theme. My guess is the metal / wood material in the picture but that is all I can think of. The halo effect around the apple logo distracted me from the overall effect. Compositionally--what if you had moved the vase a titch to the right, removed the chairs, and tightened the shot so that some of the blinds were still in the picture? Just a suggestion, but I think more can be done with this arrangement given the look you've applied. Visually one of the more arresting photos of the contest.

Joe King: You've managed to get some complimentary colors to dance well with each other in this picture (yellow / purple and orange / blue). Nicely done! My eyes keep going to the "floor" wondering if it really is that polished, if its water, or if you cleverly flipped the picture in post processing. There is a line about 2/3 the way up the floor where some interesting things are happening. Look to the columns on the left and you will see that they do not match up like they should on a reflection. The same goes with the statue, white-clothed table, wooden banister at that table, and most telling of all...clipping on both sides of the picture...the people are not reflected as the should be and the table clips into the wall on the other side. And finally, it would be very difficult for a floor to reflect in this manner--unless it was water or a mirror or something like that. So if I were a betting man, I'd say you flipped the image in post processing. Doing this can present some amazing effects...even mimicking water that is not really there. But it has to be done right. I would have focused my shot on the far back wall and a few of the nearby pillars and cropped the rest.

01jamcon: Just got back from Venice. Thanks for the nice reminder. This is an "aha!" photo....it would have taken me a bit of searching, but I think I might have seen what you saw, the old / new contrast. Had this happened I would have been a tad proud of myself for figuring it out. It is a clever shot--and one of the few instances where captioning might be of benefit. Clever and well done.

Mattyb240: I am not much of an auto fan, so the statement of what these machines are (capabilities etc...) is lost on me. Not your fault. The car in the background should be brought closer to the foreground--it is very tiny back there...almost noticeable. Judging from the shadows....you were either leaving a time of day or entering a time of day where the lighting could have been more for your benefit. The foreground (grass) and the sky would not be missed from this picture. The structure in the back? Good call. Re-compose to make it more impactful and interesting...you may find that you need only a small part of the structure to add extra zip to the photo. If there had been no captioning to this picture I would not have understood it.

Chappers: I do not have a lightning strike photo...these are difficult indeed. I like this, not only is there an "electricity" message here but also a light / dark message as well. You are fortunate to have this...well done!

mariahlullaby: I used to live in NYC and have never seen this. I like it. Without the captioning I would not have understood the application to the theme. I do, however, love the composition and the black and white treatment. Just enough to let my eyes wander, and just enough to let them settle on something interesting. This is a good shot.

deep diver: You've found a way to take something I personally find dull and make it interesting--something fun to visually explore. I wonder if there is something that you could do with the lighting, or with the post processing (a gradient on the mirrored portion or the image?) That would add even more highlight to the image? I have nowhere to fasten my eyes to...

LittleCanonKid: You could take the captioning out of this and be just fine. I really like this shot--and have thought of about 3 different (read: laborious) ways that you could have done this. Care to share? This is a VERY interesting photo.

daustin: I like the color on this and your application to the theme....very obvious. The Manatee on the right is cropped out...could you have recomposed on the one to the left and zoomed in? Stuff like this and zoos are difficult because of the limited space you have to work with to compose.

Freewayjim: One of those photos that requires a caption....there is no way I could have figured this one out on my own. I wonder if there is a way you could have made me figure it out via composition? I cannot think of one offhand. This is one of those "funny signs / interesting signs" photos--but with a very clever twist on the theme. While the photograph is somewhat nondescript, the thinking behind it is not.

jmdfd415: For me you've portrayed a sense of absence in this photo. My immediate reaction is "a lonely old man." If I've missed the boat altogether here please forgive me. Compositionally you balanced the subject out with the taller buildings in the background. I like how you've managed this one. Well done.

mickbab: Clever! Interesting! And well composed to boot...Your black and white treatment is fairly light in the foreground--sometimes thats just the way it is, but the effect is more flat. Play around with your levels, contrast, and dodge/burn and see if you cant coax some more out of it. Once again, if there were no captions for this I wouldnt understand the application. Would there have been a way to better portray the message?

Razeus: I love this photo and I hate this photo. Congrats for capturing a subject at a time and in an environment that can do this. This is a compelling shot. The high noise level / grain only adds to the overall effect. Very well done....

NeGRit0: You could have left off the captions and clearly identified with the theme. Just a heads up...the photo is very unflattering to either product (finger prints, grime, etc...) which distracts from the overall effect.

1st Place: Razeus--congrats...you have 48 hours from this timestamp to create a new thread with the next contest.
2nd Place: LittleCanonKid--the baton is yours should Razeus miss the boat.
3rd Place: techie4life--multiple interpretations of a single theme in one photo. Nice indeed!

Honorable Mentions: mickbab, jmdfd415, and mariahlullaby.

[Phrasikleia]

Congrats to NeGRit0!

Maxxamillian: perhaps you could give some indication of why you chose that photo as the winner? You imply that it's because its address to the theme needs no explanation, but usually the judge makes his reasoning explicit for the winner. (I didn't participate in the contest this week, but I always enjoy hearing about the criteria that each judge brings to his decision.)

I would like to express my appreciation for the photo by jmdfd415. I got a strong sense of "opposites" from that one: a bustling, crowded, overbuilt city versus solitude in an oasis of nature. It's also technically very successful. I love the framing and the way the light is beaming on the subject like a spotlight.

Again, congrats to the winner! I enjoyed watching the contest this week. Lots of great ideas.

[LittleCanonKid]

Thanks for the kind words, Maxxamillian. Thanks for taking the time to comment on each photo, too. We all learn a lot by reading your comments for each photos... or at least, I know I do. :)

As for my photo, it was a quick slice-and-merge of these (http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f230/lock22/IMG30007_resized.png) two (http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f230/lock22/IMG30039_resized.png) photos. There wasn't any hi-tech Photoshopping work. All I did was open up the two images in GIMP, copy half of one and throw it onto the other photo. The palm tree isn't exactly aligned correctly, but you wouldn't be able to tell if you didn't know in the first place. Both were taken in the morning before I left for school. Peeking out the window every morning does pay off ;)

Edit: Phrasikleia's post reminded me! jmdfd415's photo is also one that I really liked this week. His, Razeus's and techie4life's shots were pictures that I thought were very good. Great work, guys, and to everyone else who entered for a great week :)

[Chappers]

NeGRit0: You could have left off the captions and clearly identified with the theme. Just a heads up...the photo is very unflattering to either product (finger prints, grime, etc...) which distracts from the overall effect.

1st Place: NeGRit0--congrats...you have 48 hours from this timestamp to create a new thread with the next contest.

I confess to feeling a little confused by the result. Maxxamillian - you don't seem to have like Negrit0's photo from your comments but chose it as a winner.

This is not me being a bad loser - I'm just curious.

My photo was pure luck as I was trying to set up the camera. I supported the theme but honestly knew I wasn't going to win.

I thought jmdfd415's photo was just stunning - along with others - but I would have chosen that. So clever on many levels. Technically as well as having a story that didn't need captions.

[mickbab]

Thanks for your comments.

I too am a little confused by the result here. You seem to dislike it then announce it the winner? Anyway.

Thanks again, and congrats to our winner!

[Indydenny]

I too, want to say thanks for the comments and the feedback each week. As someone who is newer to photography it is SO helpful to me to hear why a particular photo is chosen and what could make each one better.

I appreciate the comments from the various board members and always go back and look at the photos that are chosen and the ones that others like or would have chosen.

The different topics each week for the contests make me look through my album in a whole new way to see which ones might qualify. This is a lot of fun and very helpful.

Thanks everyone.

One question: why are some photos larger while others are thumbnail? Is it better to copy and paste an image in a post?

[Chappers]

One question: why are some photos larger while others are thumbnail? Is it better to copy and paste an image in a post?

Its because you can add an image from your computer using the little paper clip "attachments" button which is what you did (and me) or the others have their photos online with someone like Flickr and are uploading from an http address. You do that by having full WYSIWYG options enabled. Go into your "user CP" and into "edit options" on the left hand side. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and enable the full WYSIWYG option.

When you want to reply after that you will see you reply to thread box now has new buttons added. The little yellow on with a sort of mountain on it is the one you need to "insert image".
You will need your photos on a photo sharing site like Flickr and by clicking on an image there it will give a different http address for each size. You then have to click on the yellow button and paste in the address (starts with http and finishes jpg)

Click "Submit Reply" in the usual way and your picture will appear as if by magic.

Hope that rather complicated answer helps

[Maxxamillian]

Congrats to NeGRit0!

Maxxamillian: perhaps you could give some indication of why you chose that photo as the winner? You imply that it's because its address to the theme needs no explanation, but usually the judge makes his reasoning explicit for the winner. (I didn't participate in the contest this week, but I always enjoy hearing about the criteria that each judge brings to his decision.)

I would like to express my appreciation for the photo by jmdfd415. I got a strong sense of "opposites" from that one: a bustling, crowded, overbuilt city versus solitude in an oasis of nature. It's also technically very successful. I love the framing and the way the light is beaming on the subject like a spotlight.

Again, congrats to the winner! I enjoyed watching the contest this week. Lots of great ideas.


Profuse apologies! I mixed NeGRit0 and Razeus up (I had just finished my comments on NeGRit0's picture.) Razeus is the first place winner. I have corrected the original post and will send private messages to both.

I really feel bad about the mixup...Razeus--you've had some of your thunder taken away from you and while completely unprofessional, in was an honest mixup.

A new thread has yet to be started. I'm a bit worried about potential mixups that might result from this....:(

[jmdfd415]

Wow thanks for the kind words about my photo. I actually got really lucky with this shot I was walking around alamo square in san francisco and as I was leaving and putting my camera away I just happened to look over and see this and I just knew I had to take a picture of it. What I felt from it was exactly what Phrasikleia said. Anways thanks for all the comments guys I love getting feedback from everyone here. Now I cant wait to see what the next contest will be.

[Razeus]

Wow, cool I won. I'm just getting into photography. That pic was taken on the fly with a Canon A590, auto mode. I was in the passenger seat of a car and got the shot off at a 4 way stop. I had to crop it, the convert to B&W and added some grain in PE6 for Mac. I usually use my Canon SX10 IS, in the market for an XSi or T1i. But I digress...

Thanks for the comments. That's really motivational for me.

New thread posted. I'm new, so hopefully I did it right.

[mariahlullaby]

Thanks for the great comments! I am really loving these threads -- the themes make finding and taking the photos fun. And it is really helpful to get some constructive feedback, so thank you to everyone, especially Maxxamillian.

Congratulations, Razeus! Your photo is really powerful -- great shot.

[Joe King]

Joe King: You've managed to get some complimentary colors to dance well with each other in this picture (yellow / purple and orange / blue). Nicely done! My eyes keep going to the "floor" wondering if it really is that polished, if its water, or if you cleverly flipped the picture in post processing. There is a line about 2/3 the way up the floor where some interesting things are happening. Look to the columns on the left and you will see that they do not match up like they should on a reflection. The same goes with the statue, white-clothed table, wooden banister at that table, and most telling of all...clipping on both sides of the picture...the people are not reflected as the should be and the table clips into the wall on the other side. And finally, it would be very difficult for a floor to reflect in this manner--unless it was water or a mirror or something like that. So if I were a betting man, I'd say you flipped the image in post processing. Doing this can present some amazing effects...even mimicking water that is not really there. But it has to be done right. I would have focused my shot on the far back wall and a few of the nearby pillars and cropped the rest.
Maxxamillian, thanks for the constructive feedback. Had you taken the bet you would have lost, I'm afraid. No post production whatsoever was used in the creation of my picture.The photograph was taken inside the Church of the Jacobins in Toulouse, France, where Saint Thomas Aquinas is buried. One of the pillars is surrounded by a circular mirror, about waist height, which enables visitors to admire the ornate ceiling of the church without straining their necks. I happened to notice that the mirror, when viewed from a certain angle, produced the interesting reflective illusion you can see in the picture. Unfortunately the mirror is not one piece but in three sections and it is the break in one of these sections that creates the line you can see and spoils the trick somewhat. Still, I'm delighted to have baffled someone with it.:D I was a bit miffed when I got home and found that in concentrating so hard on lining up the reflection that I blew out the stained glass window but it still makes for an interesting image.

[Maxxamillian]

Maxxamillian, thanks for the constructive feedback. Had you taken the bet you would have lost, I'm afraid. No post production whatsoever was used in the creation of my picture.The photograph was taken inside the Church of the Jacobins in Toulouse, France, where Saint Thomas Aquinas is buried. One of the pillars is surrounded by a circular mirror, about waist height, which enables visitors to admire the ornate ceiling of the church without straining their necks. I happened to notice that the mirror, when viewed from a certain angle, produced the interesting reflective illusion you can see in the picture. Unfortunately the mirror is not one piece but in three sections and it is the break in one of these sections that creates the line you can see and spoils the trick somewhat. Still, I'm delighted to have baffled someone with it.:D I was a bit miffed when I got home and found that in concentrating so hard on lining up the reflection that I blew out the stained glass window but it still makes for an interesting image.


This made me laugh! Well done then....simply well done!

[techie4life]

techie4life: Your photo was one of the few that was able to state the theme without any additional explanation on your part. Well done...as you will see this is more difficult than it would first seem. I enjoy how you've split the picture between the grass and the sky on top of the nature / cityscape theme. Both are opposites in their own right. Very clever.

3rd Place: techie4life--multiple interpretations of a single theme in one photo. Nice indeed!

Edit: Phrasikleia's post reminded me! jmdfd415's photo is also one that I really liked this week. His, Razeus's and techie4life's shots were pictures that I thought were very good. Great work, guys, and to everyone else who entered for a great week :)

Thanks Maxamillian for judging this week's contest and giving me such great commentary! I didn't really set this photo up other than taking a few test shots here and there, nothing major. Thanks for the third place!

LittleCanonKid - Thank you for the vote of confidence!

[deep diver]

Razeus - Your image is truly outstanding. It is very powerful social and political commentary. Sometimes we find the image and sometimes the image finds us. Very well done.

Indydenny - I love this image. I learned to play backgammon in 1972 while on my first trip to Israel. I learned from two old Arab men in East Jerusalem. The man on the left in your picture looks like one of them. You triggered a wonderful memory. Thank you. Also, where in Indiana? I recently left Michigan City.

[Indydenny]

Chappers: Thanks for the instructions. I think I understand and I'm going to give it a try.

Deep Diver: Thanks for the thoughts. The guy on the left is "counting the rosary" which I thought was odd in downtown Jerusalem with an orthodox Jew and an Arab at the table. I still haven't learned to play Backgammon. (We are in Fort Wayne)

Razeus: Congratulations. I too like your picture.

One question: I didn't understand the theme of "opposites" in your picture. (Its probably obvious and I'll feel silly.) Nevertheless, great shot!

[deep diver]

Indydenny - those beads look more like worry beads to me than like rosary beads. I may be wrong, but I have seen more worry beads on the streets of Jerusalem that rosary beads. I used to live in Jerusalem, but you shot is too tight to even begin to guess where that is. Where in Jerusalem to you take this?

[Razeus]

Thanks again for the comments guys (and gals). Very motivational for me as I'm new to this. I've always taken pictures, just never done photography. Until this year at least.

[salvatore]

Sydney, Australia
http://palmisanonet.com/media/errata/sydneyaustralia.jpg

[Chappers]

Maxxamillian, thanks for the constructive feedback. Had you taken the bet you would have lost, I'm afraid. No post production whatsoever was used in the creation of my picture.The photograph was taken inside the Church of the Jacobins in Toulouse, France, where Saint Thomas Aquinas is buried. One of the pillars is surrounded by a circular mirror, about waist height, which enables visitors to admire the ornate ceiling of the church without straining their necks. I happened to notice that the mirror, when viewed from a certain angle, produced the interesting reflective illusion you can see in the picture. Unfortunately the mirror is not one piece but in three sections and it is the break in one of these sections that creates the line you can see and spoils the trick somewhat. Still, I'm delighted to have baffled someone with it.:D I was a bit miffed when I got home and found that in concentrating so hard on lining up the reflection that I blew out the stained glass window but it still makes for an interesting image.

Well you had me confused too - good shot

PS. Nice shot salvatore (although I would have cropped it slightly) Trouble is the competition has finished for this week - see new competition. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=679516

[Indydenny]

Indydenny - those beads look more like worry beads to me than like rosary beads. I may be wrong, but I have seen more worry beads on the streets of Jerusalem that rosary beads. I used to live in Jerusalem, but you shot is too tight to even begin to guess where that is. Where in Jerusalem to you take this?

hummmm! You may be right! When I was there there appeared to be a cross on the end of the beads but when I look at the picture (before cropping) I don't see it. The shot was taken in Machaneh Yehuda (the Shuk) just a few weeks ago.