Weekly Photo Contest | Blur (June 8 - June 15)

[Clix Pix]

Congratulations to the winner, Gaswerks, and to Stillcrazyman and iMac wannabe!

Thanks, Molly -- my eye is much improved, the ointment did its job and now I can see more clearly again with the pain and redness gone! Now that I won't be using the ointment on a daily basis I can get back to my usual cameras and use the EVF again! Amazing how much I missed that. Trying to compose and frame while holding a camera out in front of me just doesn't work well for me for any number of reasons.

I do believe you're right, my image DOES look a bit soft here, which is something I didn't notice at the time I was choosing and posting it! I had arbitrarily reached into my archives, browsed through the various images, and when I spotted that one thought, "Oh, yeah, good example of using blur effectively!" and chose it. Unfortunately that was one of the days when my eye was still gooked up with ointment. Lesson learned there! Make sure I can see clearly before choosing an image for entering into competition! LOL! I'll have to take another look at that image and see if it is actually soft or if it were something which happened when uploading to MR.

 

[OldMacs4Me]

@mollyc Valid criticisms for sure. In fact they mirrored my own initial reaction to an image that almost ended up in the trash bin. I took a lot of liberties getting from there to the image I posted, so why not take a couple more?

 

[oblomow]

Okay, sorry for the delay, friends. I had hoped that this challenge would have those of you who shoot more landscape images try for some wider DOF or softer images, but clearly I am one of the few here who embraces focus and blur in the same image. No matter, I enjoyed seeing the entries. ?

1. @Allyance Nice separation between the foreground and background and I like the autumn colors in the background. I find the top right corner to be a bit distracting with the blown sky and that hint of tree spotting the sky area. Still, the red/green color play of the subject is interesting.

2. @OldMacs4Me I know you are often limited with what gear you take out with you when on the water. I almost put a caveat into my OP about not wanting a blurry subject but then I had listed ICM as a specific option, which of course makes the entire frame blurry. I love that you push your gear (and apparently yourself) to make the shot, but I do wish you hadn't clipped the wings at the top of the frame, and I also wish the image had more space on the left side for the bird to "move" through. I do love the colors of the bird, though, that blue is quite striking.

3. @imac wannabe I love the play of the yellow and purple and your focus on the wings/torso is excellent. Lovely photo

4. @stillcrazyman wow, this has incredible DOF. The use of leading lines and his perfect inching along. Well done.

5. @Apple_Glen_UK this image is more about a light flare/leak than blur to me. I like his speckled chin; I do wish his paw wasn't chopped off at the bottom of the frame.

6. @deep diver I am thinking this is an image that you zoomed while shooting? It's interesting, abstract like ICM would be.

7. @Fravin Yes, another shallow DOF image. The sunset is pretty; I wish there was a single leaf on the tree as a focal point. The in focus twig competes with the sun for my attention, but the color is spectacular.

8. @someoldguy Daffodils are really hard to shoot in my opinion, and you did well with this. They often lose contrast in camera but you've managed to maintain that and I like that the fluting is orange and just a bit darker. There does seem to be a lot of dust on your image though?

9. @tizeye yes, a good use of long exposure to create blur. This was not a scenario I had thought of as I rarely shoot long exposures. It looks like a peaceful spot.

10. @Clix Pix I hope your eye is better by now! I love the DOF in this and the streaky background. The image overall seems just a bit soft, I am not sure if it is a poor upload? But great use of light and managing the full sun.

11. @gaswerks Panning! I don't do it often but I love the concept and this is an excellent example. You've done a great job keeping his head in total focus.

12. @Janichsan well, yes, this is an example of blur, but unfortunately, to me it seems more missed focus than purposeful. I actually really love the framing and composition but do wish the flower was in focus rather than the wall.

Okay, thanks to all who participated in my off the wall challenge. ?

Places as follows:

3. @imac wannabe

2. @stillcrazyman

1. @gaswerks

Congratulations @gaswerks Thanks @mollyc for judging! (were @Darmok N Jalad and I too late with our entries? )

 

[mollyc]

Congratulations @gaswerks Thanks @mollyc for judging! (were @Darmok N Jalad and I too late with our entries? )

oh my goodness! I am so sorry! I have no idea how I missed your entries... ? I can only blame it on the cold medicine I've been taking the past few days.

@Darmok N Jalad yes, this definitely has a blur, but not quite what I'd had in mind for this particular challenge. I do love the combination of zinnias and butterflies but wish the blur was bokeh only and not too slow of a shutter speed for the monarch. I adore the color combo though.

@oblomow A great use of depth of field here. Just enough bokeh to make out the stringed instruments in the background and very good storytelling with the frame within the frame. Just a touch overexposed though.

Honorable mentions ?? for you two ?? since I'm a dummy!

 

[oblomow]

oh my goodness! I am so sorry! I have no idea how I missed your entries... ? I can only blame it on the cold medicine I've been taking the past few days.

@Darmok N Jalad yes, this definitely has a blur, but not quite what I'd had in mind for this particular challenge. I do love the combination of zinnias and butterflies but wish the blur was bokeh only and not too slow of a shutter speed for the monarch. I adore the color combo though.

@oblomow A great use of depth of field here. Just enough bokeh to make out the stringed instruments in the background and very good storytelling with the frame within the frame. Just a touch overexposed though.

Honorable mentions ?? for you two ?? since I'm a dummy!

Thank you. No worries though! Must be quiet some cough medicine. Perhaps the can this in their ads.....

 

[someoldguy]

8. @someoldguy Daffodils are really hard to shoot in my opinion, and you did well with this. They often lose contrast in camera but you've managed to maintain that and I like that the fluting is orange and just a bit darker. There does seem to be a lot of dust on your image though?

Yup, it's dust . The pic is one of a series I'd done a while back to combine into a stacked image . As usual , I quickly picked the one with the schmutz on it . Just a placeholder inserted under the illusion that I'd get use of my hand before the contest closes . Maybe tomorrow if I'm lucky .

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

For a minute there I thought you weren't going to dignify our entries with a response!

 

[mollyc]

For a minute there I thought you weren't going to dignify our entries with a response!

I’m so sorry ?

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I’m so sorry ?

No worries! I forget things all the time. It's part of dad training. Now where did I leave those kids....

 

[gaswerks]

Thanks @mollyc , new contest will be up soon!

 

[Janichsan]

12. @Janichsan well, yes, this is an example of blur, but unfortunately, to me it seems more missed focus than purposeful.

Rest assured, the out-of-focus flower was fully intentional.