Okay. Here we go. As others have said......... I am not a pro and do not claim to have any special qualification for this task. We all bring our own eye to our work and to our responsibilities as judges. When I put up my images, I like both the praise and correction that go along with a good critique. That is how I approach judging. I hope all of my comments are taken in that spirit.
There are a lot of really good images, as always, and my job got harder with each entry. Several of these images are worthy of winning. After narrowing it down to a little less than half, I chose based on which images were most unusual, captivating, or emotionally evocative.
mikshayne -- This is great. I like everything about this one. The colors are warm and soothing. I get a strong sense of the womans devotion. The flames really catch my eye and then draw me into this meditative moment. It is a beautiful image.
jbernie -- I think this well done. The colors and lighting are very good. I get a real sense of that fire engine red. The classic cars in the background reinforce the sense of the age of this truck. The condition of the truck reflects the care and respect that firefighters give to their equipment. I do have a problem with the framing/cropping. I dont like the way you have cut off the top of the windshield. It just does not look right to me, and it cuts out a lot of details (mirrors, lights, etc) that I would like to have seen.
Freewayjim -- I do hope nobody got hurt. What I see here is a snapshot of a car fire. I would love to see you do something with this to try to bring out its artistic merit.
dcaero -- This is a really interesting shot. I love the extremes in focus across the image. The colors and composition are outstanding. I am bothered by a couple of things. The two ropes are a real distraction because they break up the flow of the colors and fabric. My eye naturally goes to the middle third of this frame, which I think is the least interesting. I would like to see a greater area in focus (as on the left) or very out of focus (as on the right).
lu0s3r322 -- This looks like something I might have shot - very simple and tight. I love the curve of the flame and the movement that creates. I like seeing just the tip of the lighter. The brown tones of the background dont work for me very well. I would like to see a darker background.
mickbab -- I recall seeing other images from this set in an earlier contest. I love everything about this -- the patterns of flame tracks; the relationship between the dancers themselves and their flames. The framing is perfect. Just outstanding.
t-rev -- I want to know how many frames you had to shoot before you got the shell just after ejection. The interplay/relationship between the shotgun, shell, and smoke is very engaging. I am distracted by the shooter and his ear protection. The bright red draws attention away from the rest of the image. I think I would have composed this standing somewhat behind the shooters right arm. That would give you a better angle to get more shotgun/shell and less shooter.
JDDavis -- It does look like the sky is on fire. This is a great shot, but a bit over-processed for my taste. Nonetheless, I like the richness and range of colors. There is a great transition from the intense hot fire to the calm and cool blue sky on the left. Well done.
CK Williams -- You have posted some similar pictures before and I have liked all of them. The way the flames rise up out of the furniture gives a great sense of movement. The texture of the flames is beautiful. Even though this was a training fire, I know you cannot stage everything. For me, the water droplets in this image are a big distractor in an otherwise outstanding photo.
Indydenny -- I love the perspective on this shot. Initially, I could not decide if I would have preferred to see a balloon with multiple colors. The more I look at this, the more I like the shades of the single color. The difference in texture across the image created by the hot air is very appealing. The flame from the propane burner on a balloon has a very interesting range of colors. The flame is this image is almost completely washed out. I would prefer to see the flame, even if it meant having to do some PP to adjust the color of the balloon. Alternatively, you might have left out the flame all together and allow the air disturbance to indicate the presence of the flame.
sangosimo -- I really like simple compositions. The single candle is a great metaphor that evokes many thoughts and emotions. I think your concept here is really good but you have tried to put too much into one image. The grey range and white colors of the candle and background, and the soft yellow of the flame are very subtle and engaging. They can easily be overwhelmed by richer colors. When I look at this shot I initially see the candle, but then the greens, blues, and oranges in the background draw away my attention. I think this would be a very strong image if you kept this aspect ratio and cropped the image so that you lose the top half of the blue.
Maxxamillian -- I am not a huge fan of traditional still life compositions. This image, however, is terrific. The shapes and colors are composed very well to compliment one another. The fold in the fabric across the lower right quadrant caught my attention. I still cannot figure out if it distracts me or frames the peppers. It is a small thing (and not a negative) in this very well executed image.
joepunk -- A good simple composition. Very well executed. The fire is implied and I get a real sense of safety knowing that the bravest are on the job. Beautiful tribute.
dmmcintyre3 -- Very interesting and dramatic. This is almost two images in one - the coals and the flames. I played with cropping the shot to get different compositions, and there are so many good images in this one frame. The dark tones leave some mystery - where are the flames coming from? There is an interesting contrast between the softness of the flames and the harshness of the coals. The colors are excellent and rich - they are both soothing and foreboding like the fire itself. This is another one of the images that I like more each time I look at it. Outstanding work.
Chappers -- Very interesting shot. It almost looks like something astronomical/celestial. I really like the relationship between the smoke and the falling embers. To me it looks like a jellyfish or anemone. My kid said he sees a heart, a rose, and a torch all at the same time. The more I look at this, the more nuances I see and the more I like it. [I dont suppose you used a tripod for this?
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mabcan -- Nice concept and very good relationship between the two trees. I think there is a lot that could be done to improve the image. The photo is a bit underexposed making the greens and browns a bit flat. I would also like to see richer blues in the sky. (Shooting in sunlight rather with the sun behind the clouds would fix a lot of that.) The burned tree looks to me to be out of focus. There is too much brush at the bottom of the image and that draws the eye away from the trees. You will have a much stronger image if you crop out about half of the brush.
MagicWok -- This looks terrific. I would love to see the original res. I love everything about this shot - the colors, the trails painted by the sparks, the composition,.... Beautiful image.
dubhe -- Filling a balloon can be a very dynamic event. I shot a balloon race many years ago (on slide film for those that remember what film and carousel projectors are) and I can still remember the excitement of the preparations. By comparison, the race was pretty dull. I dont get any of that excitement from this shot. You might try focusing on one element - the balloon, the basket, the pilot, etc. - to bring some life to this scene.
liljohnny51 -- There are a lot of fireworks pictures out in the world and most of the are pretty cliché. Yours is not. I like what you have done with this. The three layers of color and form in the trails creates a lot of depth. The reflection in the water shows the colors but with a completely different and interesting texture. The only thing I would have done differently would be to position myself forward of where you were standing. The wall (or whatever it is at the bottom) cuts off the reflection breaking the flow of the image. I would prefer to see the entire reflection.
NeGRit0 -- What see here is an advertisement for and education about cannabis. The subject of this photo (especially given your narrative) appears to be the pipe. Compositionally, there is too much going on. If you had done something with the flame but without the other elements and without the narrative, you might have gotten something worthwhile.
And the winner is................
3rd -- mickbab, Chappers, lu0s3r322, Maxxamillian, MagicWok, liljohnny51 -- all of these are great images and worthy of more than honorable mention.
2nd -- mikshayne -- As I said, just a beautiful image. I get a real sense of her devotion and the prayerful atmosphere of the chapel. It reminds me of some of the side chapels in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Excellent work.
1st -- dmmcintyre3 -- Also a beautiful image. There are many pictures of wood fires, but your concept and execution are very much out of the norm. I love all of the contrasts. I am very engaged by the drama of this. Outstanding.
Congrats to all.
dmmcintyre3 -- It is up to you to post the next theme.
