Weekly Photo Contest: 13th December - 19th December, 2017 – Intimate Winter

[Hughmac]

Right closing this bad boy in case it gets impossible to call...

Be right back.

 

[kenoh]

OK, so I was looking for Intimate Winter. I was looking for tight framed shots that gave the winter feel and I am impressed with the variety of images that were presented.


Some fantastic interpretations on the theme, a theme I kept loose and ambiguous on purpose. On to the judging.

@Apple fanboy – A great image to kick us off. Nicely framed and a little fellow that I would have expected to have gone South by now. A nice composition but I wonder if it could maybe do with a bump to the whites to brighten up that snow a little.

@Hughmac – Oh I could be cruel here and say your last comment was a confession but that is no reason to punish your image for your wonky self-deprecating humour. You really are too hard on yourself. This is a lovely image, the last Rose before winter, the one that stayed too long. I would have liked this one more again if the exposure/whites were bumped to add that crispness to the snowy colours and if maybe you had been a tad to the right and lower to get the rose face on. As it is it looks like slush. I would have liked it to be brighter to pull out that detail in the rose. Great effort and stop putting yourself down.

@ChefJayPeek – Welcome, not seen you posting in here before so hope you like our little corner of the hindernet. Good capture of context of winter here with the snow on the car top. I would have liked to get in closer to pick out some texture or maybe get a unique angle on the juxtaposition of the snow and the car. Great effort, keep posting!

@Alexander.Of.Oz – Said it before. A lovely lady, with such peace shown in her expression. A lovely kind face. I like the bokeh lights, lovely and soft, if I have to criticise – and I do as I am judging this week, maybe take her off centre and if really trying for a Christmas/winter vibe, it needs to be more explicit in the background. As it is it is a beautifully lit portrait but I am going to be awkward and knock points off for the winter bit being too subtle for me.

@mollyc – I am guessing that is a Christmas tree in the background and I am hoping that is mulled wine in the glass. A nice composition if it weren’t for the chair back breaking up the composition and the wine having had a drink from it (you can see the alcohol running down the glass), suggests it is a nice bottle was it? Again, central subject and not explicit enough lights in the background mean I am being annoying and taking points off.

@dwfaust – OK, this is a fabulous example of what I was hoping for. A beautiful shared moment between a couple out in the cold snowy weather. A beautiful image, and a lady who looks remarkably like a relative of a young Barbara Streisand. Lovely image of a happy couple. My only criticism would be that the badge on the gents hat is blow out, maybe drop the highlights to get detail in there.

@deep diver – I love what you have tried to do here, Chanukah menorahs are lovely pieces to get images of at this time of year. However, I am being overly critical in this one in that I had to read the description to know what it was. I think it is a lovely warming image that in a different context may be more obvious but in this forum it obviously loses something. Maybe if it captured the positions of the candles in the typical arrangement with the central one out of line with the others – not sure if this is correct, or if there was some reflection in the surface of the table top hinting at the construction of the menorah itself. Sorry, maybe being too strict.

@Susurs – another cracking example of intimate winter. A nicely framed frost bitten berry. Lovely detail and extreme fall off of focus. I love the ice on the top of the berry. Somehow I feel the colour of the berry is overshadowed by the vibrance of the green in the right hand side. I would maybe drop the luminance or saturation on the greens to bring out the berry’s colours. Great image.

@CmdrLaForge – This one resonates with me especially this week having been in Amsterdam in the cold weather taking a very similar image there. I like the framing but maybe would like some detail recovery in the silhouetted building to the right. It forms so much of the frame that it should contribute more than the black. The building is illuminated lovely but you have the same issue I had, I wanted the spidering of the trees but without the trees mashing too much of the building. I do like it though. Nice.

@butch10x – Wow, dictionary explanation of Intimate Winter says “see this picture”. This along side dwfaust’s image is exactly the kind of thing I had in mind. Fantastic detail, beautiful blue sky poking through and frost talking loudly to the winter theme. However, the watermark is distracting, right in the middle of the detail. If I can be so bold, It ruins the image. I know you want to protect your copyright but please try not to ruin the enjoyment of your work in the process. I also think that the whites could do with being lifted slightly to give that snow some more shine but yes, fabulous interpretation of the theme.

@oblomow – I love your humour. You are so funny. Intimate (small) winter (snow everywhere). Tick and tick! Well done. This would have been beautiful taken in the dark with snow all over the top and a lantern inside positioned more square on. Would have looked so cozy. Did you sleep in there? How cold was it? Lol looks like fun.

OK, so, the judging is in, the comments are up. Throw abuse at me if you wish but I have tried to not pander to your emotions, I have tried to be honest – I may also be subconsciously getting my own back on that judge who demolished my images the other day on FB. He said I should have shot one of my images with a tripod at f22!!! Errr… no, it was shot on a Rangefinder and the rangefinder was shot wide open on a lens that doesn’t even go to F22… definite id10t error there I think…

Anyway, back to the judging that I care about….


3rd place: @Susurs I liked the image, tweak the colours a little and it would be a winner.

2nd place: @butch10x I liked the image but the watermark just ruined it for me I am afraid, sorry.

1st place: @dwfaust love it. Beautiful and I hope the pretty lady in the image isn’t offended with being compared to Barbara Streisand – who I think is beautiful btw



OK, @dwfaust, over to you for the comp spanning the holidays.

Thanks all for taking time to submit.
[doublepost=1513704271][/doublepost]

View attachment 742744

yeah? and? whats your point? damn right my friend! damn right!

 

[Hughmac]

OK, so I was looking for Intimate Winter. I was looking for tight framed shots that gave the winter feel and I am impressed with the variety of images that were presented.


Some fantastic interpretations on the theme, a theme I kept loose and ambiguous on purpose. On to the judging.


@Hughmac – Oh I could be cruel here and say your last comment was a confession but that is no reason to punish your image for your wonky self-deprecating humour. You really are too hard on yourself. This is a lovely image, the last Rose before winter, the one that stayed too long. I would have liked this one more again if the exposure/whites were bumped to add that crispness to the snowy colours and if maybe you had been a tad to the right and lower to get the rose face on. As it is it looks like slush. I would have liked it to be brighter to pull out that detail in the rose. Great effort and stop putting yourself down.

Yeah, sorry to wind you up It wasn't a bad photo really, but it's the thing some people do, run their efforts down.
By the time I'd got back from walking the dog that nice bit of snow I'd spotted on the rose had in fact turned to slush, hence the lack of whiteness.
Can't believe it but that rose bush is literally covered in flowers, and more coming

Anyway, well done everyone for a smashing competition, and congratulations to the winners.

May I suggest the next comp. to be run over two weeks, as otherwise you may not see many entries?

Cheers

Hugh

 

[kenoh]

Yeah, sorry to wind you up It wasn't a bad photo really, but it's the thing some people do, run their efforts down.
By the time I'd got back from walking the dog that nice bit of snow I'd spotted on the rose had in fact turned to slush, hence the lack of whiteness.
Can't believe it but that rose bush is literally covered in flowers, and more coming

Anyway, well done everyone for a smashing competition, and congratulations to the winners.

May I suggest the next comp. to be run over two weeks, as otherwise you may not see many entries?

Cheers

Hugh

I was going to suggest two weeks over the holidays too...

Listen AFB told us off for putting ourselves down socwe need to behave...

 

[deep diver]

@deep diver – I love what you have tried to do here, Chanukah menorahs are lovely pieces to get images of at this time of year. However, I am being overly critical in this one in that I had to read the description to know what it was. I think it is a lovely warming image that in a different context may be more obvious but in this forum it obviously loses something. Maybe if it captured the positions of the candles in the typical arrangement with the central one out of line with the others – not sure if this is correct, or if there was some reflection in the surface of the table top hinting at the construction of the menorah itself. Sorry, maybe being too strict.

Very well deserved wins.
I do not disagree with your critique. This was all I had handy. I did not have time to shoot anything or even look through my catalogue. When I shot this, I did try to get more of the menorah to show the context but that was even worse.
This menorah uses oil and wicks. The flame that is separate is on the right side. You can see the gap in the image.
I am actually blaming you in this case. You told me I had to post. I was just fine pretending it is warm outside.

 

[Alexander.Of.Oz]

Congrat's to the winners! Looking forward to the next round, when I will hopefully be able to make a concerted effort to it, as I have some time off.

OK, so I was looking for Intimate Winter. I was looking for tight framed shots that gave the winter feel and I am impressed with the variety of images that were presented.


Some fantastic interpretations on the theme, a theme I kept loose and ambiguous on purpose. On to the judging.

<snip>

@Alexander.Of.Oz – Said it before. A lovely lady, with such peace shown in her expression. A lovely kind face. I like the bokeh lights, lovely and soft, if I have to criticise – and I do as I am judging this week, maybe take her off centre and if really trying for a Christmas/winter vibe, it needs to be more explicit in the background. As it is it is a beautifully lit portrait but I am going to be awkward and knock points off for the winter bit being too subtle for me.

Thanks @kenoh for the feedback, I was stumped with this one. We're a weird mob here that doesn't actually do Christmas as it's become too much of an exercise in commercialism, but rather have a week celebrating our family, getting out and doing all manner of things together. Each day is devoted to one family member and the activities they want us to share in with them. So we don't have any Christmas bobbles or decorations around the place. As I said, it was the most festive photo I had taken recently...

That is my better-half, and she is a lovely sort, being amazingly benevolent to the community, with such empathy and acceptance, that I'm constantly in awe of her!

 

[AZhappyjack]

OK, so I was looking for Intimate Winter. I was looking for tight framed shots that gave the winter feel and I am impressed with the variety of images that were presented.


Some fantastic interpretations on the theme, a theme I kept loose and ambiguous on purpose. On to the judging.

@Apple fanboy – A great image to kick us off. Nicely framed and a little fellow that I would have expected to have gone South by now. A nice composition but I wonder if it could maybe do with a bump to the whites to brighten up that snow a little.

@Hughmac – Oh I could be cruel here and say your last comment was a confession but that is no reason to punish your image for your wonky self-deprecating humour. You really are too hard on yourself. This is a lovely image, the last Rose before winter, the one that stayed too long. I would have liked this one more again if the exposure/whites were bumped to add that crispness to the snowy colours and if maybe you had been a tad to the right and lower to get the rose face on. As it is it looks like slush. I would have liked it to be brighter to pull out that detail in the rose. Great effort and stop putting yourself down.

@ChefJayPeek – Welcome, not seen you posting in here before so hope you like our little corner of the hindernet. Good capture of context of winter here with the snow on the car top. I would have liked to get in closer to pick out some texture or maybe get a unique angle on the juxtaposition of the snow and the car. Great effort, keep posting!

@Alexander.Of.Oz – Said it before. A lovely lady, with such peace shown in her expression. A lovely kind face. I like the bokeh lights, lovely and soft, if I have to criticise – and I do as I am judging this week, maybe take her off centre and if really trying for a Christmas/winter vibe, it needs to be more explicit in the background. As it is it is a beautifully lit portrait but I am going to be awkward and knock points off for the winter bit being too subtle for me.

@mollyc – I am guessing that is a Christmas tree in the background and I am hoping that is mulled wine in the glass. A nice composition if it weren’t for the chair back breaking up the composition and the wine having had a drink from it (you can see the alcohol running down the glass), suggests it is a nice bottle was it? Again, central subject and not explicit enough lights in the background mean I am being annoying and taking points off.

@dwfaust – OK, this is a fabulous example of what I was hoping for. A beautiful shared moment between a couple out in the cold snowy weather. A beautiful image, and a lady who looks remarkably like a relative of a young Barbara Streisand. Lovely image of a happy couple. My only criticism would be that the badge on the gents hat is blow out, maybe drop the highlights to get detail in there.

@deep diver – I love what you have tried to do here, Chanukah menorahs are lovely pieces to get images of at this time of year. However, I am being overly critical in this one in that I had to read the description to know what it was. I think it is a lovely warming image that in a different context may be more obvious but in this forum it obviously loses something. Maybe if it captured the positions of the candles in the typical arrangement with the central one out of line with the others – not sure if this is correct, or if there was some reflection in the surface of the table top hinting at the construction of the menorah itself. Sorry, maybe being too strict.

@Susurs – another cracking example of intimate winter. A nicely framed frost bitten berry. Lovely detail and extreme fall off of focus. I love the ice on the top of the berry. Somehow I feel the colour of the berry is overshadowed by the vibrance of the green in the right hand side. I would maybe drop the luminance or saturation on the greens to bring out the berry’s colours. Great image.

@CmdrLaForge – This one resonates with me especially this week having been in Amsterdam in the cold weather taking a very similar image there. I like the framing but maybe would like some detail recovery in the silhouetted building to the right. It forms so much of the frame that it should contribute more than the black. The building is illuminated lovely but you have the same issue I had, I wanted the spidering of the trees but without the trees mashing too much of the building. I do like it though. Nice.

@butch10x – Wow, dictionary explanation of Intimate Winter says “see this picture”. This along side dwfaust’s image is exactly the kind of thing I had in mind. Fantastic detail, beautiful blue sky poking through and frost talking loudly to the winter theme. However, the watermark is distracting, right in the middle of the detail. If I can be so bold, It ruins the image. I know you want to protect your copyright but please try not to ruin the enjoyment of your work in the process. I also think that the whites could do with being lifted slightly to give that snow some more shine but yes, fabulous interpretation of the theme.

@oblomow – I love your humour. You are so funny. Intimate (small) winter (snow everywhere). Tick and tick! Well done. This would have been beautiful taken in the dark with snow all over the top and a lantern inside positioned more square on. Would have looked so cozy. Did you sleep in there? How cold was it? Lol looks like fun.

OK, so, the judging is in, the comments are up. Throw abuse at me if you wish but I have tried to not pander to your emotions, I have tried to be honest – I may also be subconsciously getting my own back on that judge who demolished my images the other day on FB. He said I should have shot one of my images with a tripod at f22!!! Errr… no, it was shot on a Rangefinder and the rangefinder was shot wide open on a lens that doesn’t even go to F22… definite id10t error there I think…

Anyway, back to the judging that I care about….


3rd place: @Susurs I liked the image, tweak the colours a little and it would be a winner.

2nd place: @butch10x I liked the image but the watermark just ruined it for me I am afraid, sorry.

1st place: @dwfaust love it. Beautiful and I hope the pretty lady in the image isn’t offended with being compared to Barbara Streisand – who I think is beautiful btw



OK, @dwfaust, over to you for the comp spanning the holidays.

Thanks all for taking time to submit.

Wow... this was totally unexpected... and humbling... some great on-theme shots this week... I was sure that the winner was @butch10x...

The couple is my nephew and his fiancé... a quite photogenic couple...

Give me a bit to come up with the next contest theme... as as several have noted, I'll set it up for a 2-week period, given the holidays.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Well done everyone. Lots of wintery images. For mine the lighting wasn't the best so I made the best of it I could.
I had hoped to get out again before the snow left, but it's not been a good few weeks.

 

[kenoh]

Well done everyone. Lots of wintery images. For mine the lighting wasn't the best so I made the best of it I could.
I had hoped to get out again before the snow left, but it's not been a good few weeks.

Hope you are OK mate.
[doublepost=1513722062][/doublepost]

Wow... this was totally unexpected... and humbled... some great on-theme shots this week... I was sure that the winner was @butch10x...

The couple is my nephew and his fiancé... a quite photogenic couple...

Give me a bit to come up with the next contest theme... as as several have noted, I'll set it up for a 2-week period, given the holidays.

Yes they are very photogenic indeed.

Congrats. I really liked the one from @butch10x but the watermark put me off.
[doublepost=1513722335][/doublepost]

Congrat's to the winners! Looking forward to the next round, when I will hopefully be able to make a concerted effort to it, as I have some time off.


Thanks @kenoh for the feedback, I was stumped with this one. We're a weird mob here that doesn't actually do Christmas as it's become too much of an exercise in commercialism, but rather have a week celebrating our family, getting out and doing all manner of things together. Each day is devoted to one family member and the activities they want us to share in with them. So we don't have any Christmas bobbles or decorations around the place. As I said, it was the most festive photo I had taken recently...

That is my better-half, and she is a lovely sort, being amazingly benevolent to the community, with such empathy and acceptance, that I'm constantly in awe of her!

Mate, that sounds awesome! however I have an 8 year old and a 6 year old so let's not do Christmas would not be an easy sell here in casa Kenoh... lol...

So I called it right on your other half. Something in her face tells us she is a nice person. So I suppose congrats to you for managing to capture that...

 

[Apple fanboy]

Hope you are OK mate.
[doublepost=1513722062][/doublepost]

Yes they are very photogenic indeed.

Congrats. I really liked the one from @butch10x but the watermark put me off.

Just a horrible time of year. Roll on January.
But thanks.

 

[kenoh]

Very well deserved wins.
I do not disagree with your critique. This was all I had handy. I did not have time to shoot anything or even look through my catalogue. When I shot this, I did try to get more of the menorah to show the context but that was even worse.
This menorah uses oil and wicks. The flame that is separate is on the right side. You can see the gap in the image.
I am actually blaming you in this case. You told me I had to post. I was just fine pretending it is warm outside.

You did have to post! damn right! good effort but yeah... you can do better...
[doublepost=1513722672][/doublepost]

Just a horrible time of year. Roll on January.
But thanks.

I am desperate for a few days rest. I am off down to Newcastle on Saturday to see my dad then it is mad rush for you know what for two days, then I plan to take a few days and MAYBE get up into the highlands for some camera time. I need to get away from the pressure at work though or I might actually snap.

I hope you pass the holiday with as little bumps in the road as possible mate.

 

[ChefJayPeek]

Thank you kenoh, I took both pieces of advice to heart (the original coaching one, and the one from judging). I did post a weekly contest picture a few weeks, or maybe a couple of months ago, and got good feedback there too.

I used to post to the picture of the day thread back oh, 8-9 years ago, and got good feedback then too. I got a bit distracted with work and was not taking many pictures. I have once again started trying to take more and improve my craft. I have been reading and watching the weekly photo contest threads and will try to continue to participate and up my game. I really love the banter amongst the regulars, hope to get to that point with y'all one day.

Just a note to give you a grin, on your original coaching of my entry, you said I should have tried to capture the steam rising from the grill of the car. The car on the left is mine, it is electric, and it pretty much looked the same when I got to work 25 minutes and 13 miles later

 

[AZhappyjack]

The new contest is up... and based on comments here, it will run for TWO weeks, starting now...

December 19, 2017 - January 2, 2018 - Holiday "Wow"

 

[kenoh]

Thank you kenoh, I took both pieces of advice to heart (the original coaching one, and the one from judging). I did post a weekly contest picture a few weeks, or maybe a couple of months ago, and got good feedback there too.

I used to post to the picture of the day thread back oh, 8-9 years ago, and got good feedback then too. I got a bit distracted with work and was not taking many pictures. I have once again started trying to take more and improve my craft. I have been reading and watching the weekly photo contest threads and will try to continue to participate and up my game. I really love the banter amongst the regulars, hope to get to that point with y'all one day.

Just a note to give you a grin, on your original coaching of my entry, you said I should have tried to capture the steam rising from the grill of the car. The car on the left is mine, it is electric, and it pretty much looked the same when I got to work 25 minutes and 13 miles later

Cool! Great to have you back posting.

If your name on here is an indicator of your job then I understand why work has gotten in the way.

Ha ha ha... Yes if steam is rising from an electric car then there is a big issue! Ha ha ha...

Welcome back... Looking forward to seeing more from you.

 

[Susurs]

Thanks a lot for the great judging!
I will try to play with the colours.

 

[kenoh]

Thanks a lot for the great judging!
I will try to play with the colours.

Just a very subtle tweak because the bright vivid green is just pulling the eye away.