i have been (sort of) humbled

like 480Sparky i submitted some pics to the local fair..





the barns pic i submitted under the B&W category and it won 2nd place within that category (not a great achievement if only 2 b&w's were submitted but i really don't know how many there were).

the trolley pic won first place in it's category (misc transportation) and was in the running for Best in Show but only ended up with a Judges Choice from one of 3 judges. that judge tried to convince the other 2 that mine was the best but they weren't to be convinced. instead both of them picked this one..



was just wondering what you guys thought of this picture. to me the lighting is kind of uneven and there's just too much blue. and i'm not saying that because i lost. what do you think?

Congrats Slipperman on the 2nd place, is it a "Silver Efex Pro" conversion ( it looks like it from the dramatic sky and contrast)?

It is very difficult to comment on the landscape image as it looks like a mobile phone shot and the lighting and angle prevent a fair comment.

Hey, don't feel bad. I once lost out with a great B&W film shot of the General Sherman Sequoia to a photo that appeared to be a snapshot of the family at thanksgiving dinner.

Iansky said:

Congrats Slipperman on the 2nd place, is it a "Silver Efex Pro" conversion ( it looks like it from the dramatic sky and contrast)?

It is very difficult to comment on the landscape image as it looks like a mobile phone shot and the lighting and angle prevent a fair comment.

Click to expand...

i didn't do much with the barns pp wise. i hdr'd 3 photos using Photomatix (monochrome preset) then used the wet rocks preset in SEP. always liked that photo.

trolley was exceptional

that other blue thing, no thanks

the other 2 judges were blind.

thx for the kind words.

By themselves, they stand as fine imagery. But without the context of the other entries, it's impossible to say. The fact that you had some of your work recognized is a honorable achievement in and of itself.

Any time judging is involved, the results can be "interesting." Your shots are works of art. Congratulations on your achievements.

I'll be honest and say that I do like the mountain photo--and yours is terrific, too. However, the blue in the mountain photo doesn't quite match the blue in the water. And the darker blue vignette in the upper right corner pulls my eye away from the scene--meaning that part of the vignette doesn't look natural.

As for your photo, it reminds me of HDR with its processing. Not sure if it is or not, but your photo does have a processed look to it. Maybe because it appears overly sharp with what I can see here. I love the leading lines of the tracks but wish the trolley was positioned just a tad lower in the photo.

Just giving you an honest critique without factoring in any favoritism. I'm not sure which one I'd pick though because I like both of them.