Trying Something New
Since tonight is another club competition, I thought it might be fun to show the entries first, and encourage judge-like critiquing. After the competition, I’ll share the criticisms I got on the images. I’m all for hearing the specifics, so don’t hold back. Comment on one, or all of them if you like. 
The categories this week are Color Pictorial, Monochrome Pictorial, Photojournalism, and Travel. We are allowed to submit one image per category.
 Color Pictorial: A Blossoming Storm  Monochrome Pictorial: Goofball  Photojournalism: Preparing for the Boat Race - San Francisco, CA  Travel: Market Post Tower, San Jose CA |
To set the mood, I previously entered A Blossoming Storm into competition (we’re allowed to enter one image a maximum of two times). It didn’t place the first time and received the following criticism: “A wonderful image, especially around the bottom third. Great drama with the clouds and flowers. The stuff in the top right, it doesn’t belong. The flowers aren’t facing the camera and it is distracting. “
First, you got a new avatar, Sean – neat!
Second, I sort of agree with the judge on ‘a blossoming storm’. Have you ever thought about cropping it to be a horizontal image (eliminating the ‘distracting flowers’ – judges words – in the upper portion)?
Third, I could easily see the other three winning their categories!
May 11, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Thanks for playing Tracy! I thought about cropping it, but I’m already in deep with the pixels, so there isn’t much more room. The rest of the story is on the new post.
May 11, 2010 at 10:15 pm
Personally I think the first one is really interesting. The clouds didn’t even look like clouds to me, and to ME, the image would be nothing special if any of the flowers were missing from the photo. GREAT lighting!!
Love, love, LOVE the goofball!!!
The third is great, too, but I almost wish there was even more fog and whatever that is between the boat and the bridge wasn’t there.
The last one almost looks like a painting. I like it!
Good luck!
May 11, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Thanks Michaela. Unfortunately, for Travel and PJ, you can’t clone, but I may remove that dock for my own purposes of a pictorial entry.
May 11, 2010 at 10:17 pm