Weekly Photo Contest – August 12-19 – Celebration of Life

[deep diver]

We just learned that our cousin’s father-in-law died yesterday. Mike was 104 and did not start to slow down until about a year ago. While it is sad, there is a lot in his life to celebrate. So, to honor Mike’s memory the theme this week is “Celebration of Life.”

The rules are the same as usual -

· The photographs must be your own work.

· Be creative and have fun.

· You may only submit one photo per contest.

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

· The contest runs for a week and starts now!

· At the end of the week, last week’s winner will choose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place photo, providing as much feedback as possible.

· If the winner is unable to complete the selection within 48 hours of the deadline for close, then a vote will be carried out to select a winner. This will be based on the number of "likes" each image has. In the event of a draw, the second place winner from the previous week will choose the tiebreaker.

· 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, after that it defers to 2nd place).

· Please update the Weekly Contest Master List when you post a new contest.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

We just learned that our cousin’s father-in-law died yesterday. Mike was 104 and did not start to slow down until about a year ago. While it is sad, there is a lot in his life to celebrate. So, to honor Mike’s memory the theme this week is “Celebration of Life.”

The rules are same as usual -

· The photographs must be your own work.

· Be creative and have fun.

· You may only submit one photo per contest.

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

· The contest runs for a week and starts now!

· At the end of the week, last week’s winner will choose a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place photo, providing as much feedback as possible.

· If the winner is unable to complete the selection within 48 hours of the deadline for close, then a vote will be carried out to select a winner. This will be based on the number of "likes" each image has. In the event of a draw, the second place winner from the previous week will choose the tiebreaker.

· 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, after that it defers to 2nd place).

· Please update the Weekly Contest Master List when you post a new contest.

Terrific, and life affirming topic. Excellent choice.

 

[Strider64]

My father is 92 and still has a sense of humor though he is slowing down.

 

[Hughmac]

I don't have many people shots to demonstrate celebration of life, but I have one of our old boy Sam, 16½ years old, blind in one eye, deaf in one ear and weak on his back legs, but he was still happy and never give up his hunt for a tasty morsel

He is gone now but lived every single day of his life to the full.

Cheers

Hugh

 

[Hughmac]

Getting twitchy now, because as it stands so far, one of us is going to come first, and the other one second

People, get some entries up and give this theme some support !

Cheers

Hugh

 

[mollyc]

I am sorry for your loss, @deep diver. I think this is a great topic. I find myself in a somewhat enviable position in that most of the people I love are still here on earth, so finding a suitable image is difficult.

My husband still keeps in contact with many of his high school friends. A few years ago, the year that most of them all turned 50, one of them passed away after a lengthy illness. We all got together for an annual camping trip, and there was a bench dedicated to her with her name etched on it, and we also did a single paper lantern release in her honor.

 

[tizeye]

She was probably in pre-labor during this Sunday outing to Romainmontier. Went to the hospital late that evening, delivering the following morning.

 

[deep diver]

About a day and a half to go. I'd love to see more. Think more broadly. Celebration of Life does not have to be end of life.

 

[tizeye]

About a day and a half to go. I'd love to see more. Think more broadly. Celebration of Life does not have to be end of life.

This!
I have an outing planned today that if successful, may replace the entry above with a non-people celebration of life. Just have to think it through.

 

[Somepix]

 

[oblomow]

New born white storks with their parents. In the Netherlands white storks also deliver new babies to parents.

 

[Donka]

Found in Reykjavik while touring...


Padlocks of remembrance by Andy Whiteford, on Flickr

 

[Apple fanboy]

Does new life work?

 

[deep diver]

Looking good folks.

 

[deep diver]

About 2 more hours. I'm closing this at about 6:00pm Eastern US time

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

 

[deep diver]

this is closed. I had a break at work and was able to get some of my comments written. The results will be posted very shortly.

 

[deep diver]

Okay folks. The usual disclaimer: I don’t know anything about anything. (At least that what my kids tell me.) My thoughts and comments are mine alone and do not represent MacRumors in any way. I usually like to comment a little more in depth but my schedule does not allow that right now.


Strider64 – A sense of humor often makes all of the difference in quality of life. I love your father’s face. I can only imagine all of the stories that are there. You have captured the essence of someone very special.


Hughmac – I am generally not a fan of pet pictures. Every now and then I see one that conveys something more than “cute.” There is so much here from his bright eyes, to a mouth that looks like it is smiling, to the crooked teeth. There is a lot a character and clearly a lot of mutual love.


mollyc – I love this image. The flame inside the lantern gives a flash of bright color that stands out clearly from the muted tones of dusk. There is a feel of a solemn and sacred moment that has engaged everyone there. My one complaint is that the phone is very distracting for me. I would have preferred you cloned it out.


tizeye – I like that you thought about the topic differently. Most importantly, we hope that Mom and baby are well. Toward the end of her pregnancies, Mrs. Diver would put on a face that said, “Yes I am happy about this, now get the baby OUT!” Your wife looks very much the same as mine. I love the contrast between the new life and the old streets and buildings.


Somepix – There is great contrast here between the life giving sun and the old building that appears to be falling over. The range of lighting on the tree helps draw the eye from one of those elements to the other – light to dark in my case.


oblomow – That’s not how we get babies in the States. Just sayin’…………… There is a great story here. One of the parents is attending to the chicks that are so small they are barely visible while the other stands guard. It is a beautiful portrait of the way families ought to be.


Donka – I appreciate the framing and perspective in this image. I want to know what each of those locks is about. I would like to see some color contrast between the locks and the background so that they will stand out more.


Apple fanboy – I love this. The image itself is crisp and perfectly framed. Sometimes we celebrate the lives of our children in very mundane ways such as making sure their basic needs are met.


redshifted – The small patch of color really pops out in a setting that looks (but is not) desolate. Many years ago I went backpacking in the Canyon Lands. I still remember how excited we got when we encountered anything not beige or red. I get that same sense of appreciation looking at this image.


Darmok N Jalad – Got it in with 8 minutes to spare! Plenty of time! This image resonates with me a lot. I do not like winter. In fact, I think cold weather is evil. I always look forward to celebrating those first buds in the spring and the new life that follows.


As always, making the final choices is really hard.


The very satisfying 3rd place goes to Hughmac and Strider 64

The coveted 2nd place belongs to oblomow

The feared and reviled 1st place goes to Apple fanboy.


It does not seem fair that we punish the winner, but that’s the way the rules are written. Looking forward to the next one.

 

[Somepix]

Thank you Deep Diver for those positive comments !

 

[tizeye]

tizeye – I like that you thought about the topic differently. Most importantly, we hope that Mom and baby are well. Toward the end of her pregnancies, Mrs. Diver would put on a face that said, “Yes I am happy about this, now get the baby OUT!” Your wife looks very much the same as mine. I love the contrast between the new life and the old streets and buildings.



The very satisfying 3rd place goes to Hughmac and Strider 64

The coveted 2nd place belongs to oblomow

The feared and reviled 1st place goes to Apple fanboy.


It does not seem fair that we punish the winner, but that’s the way the rules are written. Looking forward to the next one.

Thanks and congratulations to the winners. That's actually my daughter, not my wife, and yes, the baby was/is fine...but now a 3 y/o. I will attach an updated photo below from two weeks ago. Classis tourist shot, assisted another family take their photo when we got off the boat, then he reciprocated. Had a 55 prime on the camera, but he handles it well zooming with his feet. Tomorrows POTD will have one of the 3 y/o appearing to be reading the guide as he begins the tour.

That note where reference may replace the picture, unfortunately the photo shoot was a dud. I knew there was a butterfly garden where was going and wanted to catch one transforming from a cyst. Sun glare on the incubator was too much...then at tonight's photo club meeting, a member had exactly what I was hoping to capture with a new monarch leaving the cyst.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well done everyone. Totally unexpected win. This was the last of our blue tit babies this year. He sat on top of that cage for hours and we were concerned he was not going to make it. But he obviously worked out how to fly and left with the rest.

I’ll be back with a new competition this evening.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Loved @Strider64's shot; - we have similar ones of my mother; in fact, it reminded me of my own Mother when she had dementia; while she had this condition, she retained her sense of humour, but the constraints of her social conditioning had been removed (which meant that she thought nothing of sticking out her tongue at people, even people she didn't know well).

Congrats to @Apple fanboy; an exquisite and beautifully composed shot.

 

[Hughmac]

Lovely stuff, and thanks for the podium
Congrats to AFB, oblomow and Strider64 for superb shots, and everyone else for great entries - it was nice to have a theme requiring a little more thought

Cheers

Hugh

 

[oblomow]

thank you for the critique and for the podium. The best place.
Congratulations AFB!

 

[deep diver]

it was nice to have a theme requiring a little more thought

We all know how to create very good images. Pushing the theme helps keep the challenge in it.