Vanishing America Photo Contest- Which One?

I have two shots to chose from for my photo clubs contest. The theme is Vanishing America. So I would like your critical comments as to which one you would choose for entry.

This is a lighthouse shot I took on Cape Cod last year. The EXIF data: D90, Lens 18-105mm Nikkor, ISO 200, Focal Length 50mm, f/32, Shutter Speed 1/20 sec., Auto White Balance, Adobe RGB, CPL Filter, Photomatix HDR, 3 shot bracket, Aperture 3 post processing, Monopod.



This is a shot of one of the original log cabins in Cades Cove Smokey Mountains NP. The EXIF data: D90, Lens 18-105mm Nikkor, ISO 200, Focal Length 18mm, f/7.1, Shutter speed 1/25 sec., White Balance Sunny, Adobe RGB, CPL, Photomatix HDR, 3 shot bracket, Aperture 3 post processing, Hand Held.

I like both shots but love the cabin. Beautiful captures & processing. At first I thought the fence was a little dominant but it grew on me.

I vote for #2 also. Love the colours and textures of the shot. I especially like the composition of the whole shot. Good luck with the contest, Joseph.

All other things being equal, I'd like to know more about the theme of the contest. To me, "Vanishing America" is not well represented by a log cabin in the woods. That ship has already sailed. However, the first photo speaks more to me on a number of levels and is more in line with the theme.

from a technical aspect, both are nice photos, but with all of the different textures in the cabin photo, it seems a bit "busy" to me, so I vote for the 1st one. I do agree with Anthony, that neither photo really represents "vanishing america". Atleast not how I see it. I am thinking a delapitated house/building/neighborhood or something along those lines would have been better suited. Nice work none the less.

There is no specific definition of the theme. It's a matter of what it means to each individual and how each interprets its meaning in their photographs.

From across the pond I think No 2 would go down better with the judges.

It has great textures and the angle of the fence leads the eye right to the cabin. It is nicely on the thirds and well framed by the trees. The colours are interesting and subtle.

No 1 is a great image but the house on the right is cut off at the edge of the image and the fence there leads the eye out of the frame. The fence post right in the foreground intrudes too, but that can easily be rectified.

Both great images, but I think No 2 would go done better with judges in UK. I do not know if judges in US think in the same twisted way that UK judges do though!!!!!!

I love lighthouses and pictures of them, However, if I had a dime for every lighthouse picture I've seen....,

I like the cabin/fence shot for reasons others previously stated and it's not as ordinary as another lighthouse picture.

Thanks everyone for the candid comments. It's been very enlightening. And is the reason I posted both shots. I saw good points in both but I agree with Naja that the lighthouse shot is probably in the wrong format. It should be horizontal and not cut off the building on the right. So, for this contest anyway, I'm going with the majority view and enter the log cabin shot.