And the winner is...
Thanks to everyone who entered and made this very difficult to judge! This is just an amazing group a photos to choose from.
Feedback comes first:
Jodelli - My favorite part of your photo is how you have captured the perspective of the space and how people are filling the space with multiple activities. The converging lines on the ceiling, floor and left wall along with the eye-level height of the camera, bring me right into the hall as if I am standing there taking it all in. Then suddenly an out-of-place character steps right into the middle of the scene! The graininess of the photo takes away from this quality though. Were you trying to use a higher aperture to get deeper DoF trading off the ISO?
Sideonecincy - Wow, nice Chevy Bel Air. This photo looks like it could have come from a much older album - very good choice of B/W. It looks like you had a difficult background to work with including a bright sky. You've used good composition to frame the bride's head in the bright area. There is a pleasant symmetry and the joy of the moment comes through. If you could rearrange it a bit, you could try to hide the lamp post behind the groom's head, it did not show up dressed for the occasion.
AlexH - Who took his lollipop? Your subject has a great expression directly aimed at the photographer / observer. I was surprised to see how well he is exposed under the dark awning, but then I noticed how brightly the sunshine is reflecting from the stores across the street. Here again, another great example of deep DoF to show the length, activity and character of the street scene.
Pmxperience - I love the colors of the traditional robes and the subjects are caught in a personal moment un-aware of the photographer. I'd like to see this photo .5 to one stop lower because the colors including the green background look washed out and could "pop" a little more and increase contrast.
Milbournosphere - It's a good thing you shot the little Boba Fett before he shot you! Even with his helmet on, this picture shows a moment of intimate understanding between photographer and subject - "Are you friend or foe?", seems to be the question.
Keleko - Another great emotion revealing expression. "Don't mess with this Ogre or I'll eat you!" You've made excellent use of shallow DoF, with a colourful but well blurred background. A few inches to the left and your subject's face would be in shadow and wasted the shot, so you've made good use of available light.
Bartlindon - There is no doubt that we are looking at a princess - it's written on her face. You've made a nice choice of making her reflection, in the magic mirror, the subject while she herself is on the right, out of the sweet spot. I'd love to see this one in color - it looks like she has a colorful dress but B/W reduces to shades of grey. Perhaps the indoor light is not helping the low contrast in B/W. I bet that if you asked her, she would agree that princesses are made of colorful rainbows.
Fireman32 - Where do I start with your photo? So many colors, and so many shapes and lines and patterns - I just sat and looked for all the little things. In the middle of all this is your subject playing a horn. I don't think he could fit in any other scene - well perhaps at a royal fox hunt. Could you zoom in a little to show the strain in his cheeks while he blows his horn?
Psychotropic - I like the wide aspect ratio for your composition and the B/W suits Beetlejuice and his pose perfectly. Using the on-camera flash has caused an odd shadow and exposed the wall brighter than the reflection in the mirror. If you have the equipment or can borrow it, experiment with an off-camera flash and/or diffuser to see the difference lighting can make. I can imagine this scene with the subject just out of the frame and a darker wall and a glowing reflection in the mirror, making it look like Beetlejuice is in the mirror but not in the room.
Razeus - Those eyes! You've got excellent focus in the subject's face and hair while everything else is gradients of blur, giving her pose the setting an amazing depth. The paleness of the shoulder and makeup on the face may be the look you were trying to achieve, but the washed out colour on the back of her outfit makes me feel you could reduce the exposure a bit.
And the winners are, drum roll please...
3rd - AlexH
2nd - Razeus
1st - Sideonecincy
As my wife would say - "The problem with you is that you are a romantic."
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Congratulations Sideonecincy...now handing over the reins to you.
