| Contest Impressions |
~I was very impressed by the quality of the images in the amateur division; some of them I would be very proud to call my own. I’d like to mention that many images would have placed better with very little effort. There were some really wonderful photos placed in the wrong category, cropped poorly, sized too small to see, or processed/scanned poorly. But overall, the images were great. I learned a lot and really enjoyed looking at all the different styles of work. Thanks for entering!
~It was hard to narrow a selection down to just the finalists. Many beautiful images were submitted. On the other hand, many images could have scored higher with better in-camera and post processing technicals. Since these were images submitted by professionals, I tended to pay extra attention on the technical marks. For some images, there was obvious photoshop techniques applied to photos being judged outside of the artistic category which made them hard to judge by the criteria set forth. Aside from that, all in all, a nice (almost overwhelming!) collection of images and it was an honor to judge them.
~The quality and variety of work within the professional division was outstanding. The unique perspective that many photographers brought to the assignment was refreshing and made the task of choosing very difficult. A closing thought would be that “getting it right” within the camera is essential and must never be overlooked in this day when some feel that everything can be corrected with a software program. On the topic of software, I feel that we must use these tools with great discretion. “If you see the make-up before you see the face, then you know it’s applied incorrectly”. The same holds true for filters in photography. The opportunity to judge the professional division definitely allowed me to grow as a photographer. Thanks to everyone involved.
~The amateur division had a number of wonderful images that reflect the skills and talent of our non pro photographers. They read the rules, understood the catagory and suprised us as we weren't expecting to have so many difficult decisions to make with the top enteries. Many of the amateurs are making great strides with their photography and Photo Shop work.
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| Judge's Favorites |
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January
Betty Cooper - Judge
www.betty-cooper.com
This was an exceptional image that combined perfect technical knowledge and an artistic eye. The excellent exposure and depth of field chosen gives the viewer many layers of information with everything supporting the main subject which is the horses and sleigh. The natural framing of the image between the trees shows that thought and planning had gone into capturing this piece. Congratulations on a wonderful piece of work that was based on knowledge and artistry.
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Lusitano Gold
Melanie Levy - Judge
www.equusluminous.com
This is my favorite image from the amateur group, simple yet elegant at the same time. I love how the horse’s golden coloring almost matches the wall, the wonderful soft light, his neatly braided mane, the handsome profile, and his serene look. All the elements work together to create a well balanced, professional looking image. Great job!
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All the Pretty Horses
Darlene Wohlart - Judge
The amateur division has improved and this made judging more time consuming. I chose #1329 for my personal choice as a judge's favorite. The well composed image of horses running in the water towards the photographer was hard to top as an entry in the Extreme Action Catagory. A great action shot and a job well done.
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Getting Centered
Mary Cornelius - Judge
I love this image. I was struck by its subject matter, feeling, beautiful light and composition. Well done!
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