Weekly Photo Contest (23 July - 30 July) Topic - Open

[Chappers]

Weekly Photo Contest (23 July - 30 July) Topic - Open

Rules:

1. You may only submit one photo per contest.

2. Please do not comment on photos until after the judging has taken place.

3. The contest runs for exactly one week, starting NOW! (see time/date stamp at the start of this thread)

4. At the end of the week, The Judge (last week's winner) will choose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place photo, providing as much feedback as possible. (Judge has 24 hours to make decision)

5. The 1st place Winner will start a new thread with the topic/theme of their choice, and act as the Judge for that contest.
(Winner has 48 hours to create new theme)

Topic: Open

I hope this is a fairly broad topic - and I am "open" to any interpretation you come up with.
I have no preconceptions.

 

[Chappers]

I hope someone is going to enter soon - Is the topic a problem? PM me if it is.

 

[Zh2]

I spent the last three days trying to get a photograph that fits the bill....

To no avail yet!!!

Regards.

Zh

 

[Keleko]

I'll go first with my sunset at Stone Mountain from last night.


Sunset at Stone Mountain by Gerg1967, on Flickr

*Edit* I'm updating the shot with a newer edit from a slightly earlier set of exposures from the same location. I like the processing on this one better.

 

[h1r0ll3r]

Can't remember if I posted this one already or not.

 

[stevendphoto]

Spiral Nebula

First time posting in here

 

[fireman32]

Here is my entry.
Sunset by dspector32, on Flickr

 

[Sammy Cat]

Ocean City, MD : Castle in the Sand Motel

 

[fcortese]

Re-Opened for Business

This is a famous bar in town that was once opened 24 hrs a day and also had a grill serving food. It closed down, changed owners and was remodeled to it's original bar and cigar store likeness and recently re-opened for business.

 

[Ish]

Open flower

… nestling among the grasses and grass seed heads

 

[dcains]

 

[Badrottie]

Real UFO crashed into the store and people started looting....

 

[techie4life]

Las Vegas is always "open" for business.



Click for larger!

 

[Juanbond]

 

[fitshaced]

Macro tubes

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Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]

 

[Tragedies]

Photo-5647 by Tragesty, on Flickr

 

[JDDavis]

 

[Waybo]

Ford Fairlane Skyliner

Recently spotted this old beauty at the tail end of a car show in Merrimac MA. The trunk opens up for the hard top roof to slide in. Not much trunk room when it's used as a convertible ... but, it's a convertible!!! (I think it's a 1958 Ford Fairlane Sykliner.)

ISO 200, 18mm, 1 ev, f/3.5, 1/100

 

[Chappers]

Its over - wow - another mad rush at the end - results asap. Hopefully in about 20 minutes or less. (I tend to write my comments as photos are entered not on the last day)

 

[acearchie]

I realise that the contest is over but since I took this with the theme of open in my mind I will add it anyway.

I had put it off all week as the weather just hasn't been on my side.


The Great Outdoors by acearchie, on Flickr

 

[Chappers]

The results are in......

Keleko - Cracking start and what great work - a true production of art - I can see this will be on the podium. I'm known not to be a fan of HDR effects but this works so well and is like a fantasy book picture. My one and only problem is the top of the hill as I'd edit out the man made structures there.

h1r0ll3r : now I hate saying - this is interesting because usually that means I couldn't think of any thing to say - but this complex angular minimalism is beautiful - so many conflicting angles and contrast. I'd probably boost it with a bit more contrast (I love contrast) and retouch the lumps and bumps on the surface of the metal. Good shot

stevendphoto - Welcome first timer and a very cool entry - I presume it is a glass vase or something. But the circle in the middle - confuses me. This would probably won the a couple of week ago on the golden ratio. Its very good colours and contrast. I could see someone using this as a desktop picture.

fireman32 I'd straighten this just a little which will improve the balance. The photo to be honest is a little boring. I looked through your Flickr page - the potential is there but you need to look at framing/composition.

Sammy Cat - I am not a fan of HDR when it looks overdone - and this falls into that category and it needs straightening.
I can see you went for the reflection on the windows but overall your framing needs looking at - as its a problem. And honestly that sky is painful to look at. Sorry to be harsh but this photo needs help

fcortese - luckily you didn't play around with this to much - nice and natural. I'm surprised by your choice of shot - you do such stunning landscape type photos with big sky - I'd have thought you'd post one of those. This is a good story - I'd up the exposure and saturation to lift the colours of the lights and make them stronger - otherwise I love the character of the shot and normally I'd say - edit out the cables but I like them here.

Ish - I'd have loved this without the bottom left hand corner. You were down at subject level but the blob is distracting. You were clearly looking for the best light for the shot and you got a good angle but the distraction of the blob kills it.

drains - lovely cool shot - I love the lighting effect from the middle of the bridge - it is close to being a poster picture for the wall. I'd have to say though the light in the bottom left corner is distracting but would be easy to edit out.

Badrottie - I'd be looking at you composition if I were you - if the chap in the foreground is the looter - fine. However the others don't look part of the whole theme. Picture also doesn't look great - low resolution.
I like the idea - but it needs work.

techie4life - beautiful shot - nice and clear great open sky, technique great, skill great. I can see this on promotional material. Good stuff.

Juanbond - Great work on this giving great colours. I'd have liked to see more detail on the upper eyelash but this is still a captivating eye. It looks like a child's eye - so my guess is that it was a challenge. Captivating stuff and certainly caught my attention.

fitshaced - a good clear crisp photo here - another shot I can see being used in promotional material. Technically great and and well proportioned, if I had a website to sell stuff - I be happy to pay you to take the photos.

Tragedies Nice shooting - a bit tightly cropped for my liking but a still a cracking shot - love your photos generally - I always have a look at peoples Flickr pages when I can - and you have some great stuff.

JDDavis : Another great shot from you - I'm trying to decide if I like the buildings in the shot - but I do love the sign. You do this type of thing so well - its so technically challenging but well executed.

Waybo - Now that is vivid - I can't criticise much because its so sharp and detailed but the background is wrong for me. Especially on the left.
It doesn't feel right because its not out on the road (highway) or something similar.

This was ever very tough. There really were so many photos I loved.
But difficult choices have to be made :-

So here goes

3rd : fitshaced - Technically so good and clear - it had to be on the podium.

2nd JDDavis difficult shot to pull of well - so its up there

First Place : Keleko - HDR has to be good to impress me and this is good.

Keleko congratulations - it's over to you.

acearchie Its a shot that reminds me of where my brother lives. I think you got a pretty fine picture considering the weather. Where is it?

 

[Keleko]

D'oh! Either I'm getting better or everyone else is getting worse, and I know everyone isn't getting worse... Funny story - I showed a version of this picture to a photographer friend of mine last night, and he said it was a "contest winner". I guess he was right.

There are some great shots in this contest. Congrats to the others on the podium with me, especially. They definitely deserve it. Now, on to the next contest!

 

[Waybo]

Chappers: You did a great job judging, giving very constructive and helpful comments. Re: your "criticism" about my photo: I was going for the "Open" look ... and it was a car show, so I had no control over the location. I would have loved to have taken that for a spin!

Keleko, of course, was the winner, with that stunning sunset. Congratulations! It should be hanging proudly on a wall in your home. (Or in many homes!) Keleko's posting, A Tale of Two HDRs, in which he asked for critique about the HRD process for two photos, including this one, was helpful to me in the PP for this shot. Phrasikleia made a suggestion that he layer the HDR version over the "straight" version, which is what I did here. That was how I was able to get the vivid colors and details. So, thanks, Keleko and Phrasikleia, too!

Finally, thank you, Chappers, for such a quick turn-around. I appreciate it that you do your critique as you go. I wish more judges would do the same ...

 

[Ish]

Thanks Chappers for the constructive comments and the quick response. Great judging!

Congratulations Keleko!! I'm not normally a fan of HDR either but there's a touch of magic about your picture. Well done!

 

[Keleko]

Keleko, of course, was the winner, with that stunning sunset. Congratulations! It should be hanging proudly on a wall in your home. (Or in many homes!) Keleko's posting, A Tale of Two HDRs, in which he asked for critique about the HRD process for two photos, including this one, was helpful to me in the PP for this shot. Phrasikleia made a suggestion that he layer the HDR version over the "straight" version, which is what I did here. That was how I was able to get the vivid colors and details. So, thanks, Keleko and Phrasikleia, too!

It may end up on my wall. It was part of my 365 project, too, and when it is done I'm going to pick at least one to print large and put on the wall.

Finally, thank you, Chappers, for such a quick turn-around. I appreciate it that you do your critique as you go. I wish more judges would do the same ...

Now I know the secret for this next contest.