Poll!

[andrew_jorgensen]

My local JCC sponsors a photography contest every year; last year's honorees went on display around the same time that I started working out there, and I must admit that I was envious of all the exhibitors. I also like to think that I've taken a few decent pictures over the last two years (the period of eligibility for the competition) -- in fact, I may have taken too many. For each entrant is limited to seven submissions, and I have as many as nine good photographs in my portfolio. I've scanned in the prints of these nine candidates, and I'm hoping that you will help me pick the seven best:

[Poll #934810]

Because I don't consider myself a skilled photographer -- my talent mostly lies in getting to the right place and then holding still instead of, say, understanding what an "f-stop" is -- I will be proud if I just have some of these accepted for display. Still I like to think that I might have some chance to do well in any category other than Jewish Life. Though I think the bear keeps kosher.

Comments

[nzraya.livejournal.com]

Buddha, shmuddha. I'm all about the nature photography.

[dherblay.livejournal.com]

I believe that "Buddha, Shmuddha" is the appropriate title for the JCC.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Bird and bear is the best, but all are great.

[rebekahroxanna.livejournal.com]

The diamond ring is upside down. Just noticed.

[dherblay.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[dherblay.livejournal.com]

It was like that when I got it in the mail. I guess you can blame whoever sent it to me.

Oh, by the way, you know you voted for eight?

[lynnmonster.livejournal.com]

The eclipse and the first polar bear picture are my favorites!

Good ones!

[atpo-onm.livejournal.com]

Only voted for four, though, because I thought the ones I selected were notably superior to the others which were just very good technically.

Content related thoughts:

The first two hummingbird pictures seem odd to me because of the obviously plastic-y feeders. It seems an odd contrast to have in a "nature" picture. The third hummingbird picture is my favorite of the whole group.

The temple shot is lovely but seems out of balance with that cluster of red foliage to the right and the thinnish-looking chunk of blue sky to the left and top. The reflection is neat, however.

The buddha in profile is my second favorite; I like it very nearly as much as the hummingbird. The human looking upward at the buddha adds a great sense of scale to the shot and adds a wonderful extra layer of meaning. The composition and framing is absolutely perfect. Did you crop this or is it a straight shot?

Eclipse is third fave. Clean, simple, elegant. I think too many viewers may not appreciate how hard it is to get a shot like that.

Both the bear shots are excellent, but I like the tension created by the off-center pose and the bird above the bear in the 2nd one. However, if the shot was cropped, I would add just a little more ground-- not much, just a little-- below the bear if possible. The mass of the animal relative to the frame bottom pulls the eye away from the bird.

Good luck!

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

Which one do you like best?

[dherblay.livejournal.com]

Either the Arctic Tern or the Buddha in profile.

Re: Good ones!

[dherblay.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your thoughts. I'm glad that someone likes that Buddha; it's one of my favorites (and I submitted it despite its poor showing here). Strangely, though, the eclipse shot is my least favorite of this batch.

[dherblay.livejournal.com]

I went with a better, closer crop of the bear, one in which he or she just fills the frame. It's quite menacing!

nice icon

[angeyja.livejournal.com]

How'd that work out?