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Weekly Photo Contest (May 28 - June 4)
- Thread starter PeteB
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The Results!
blownco (link)
Interesting first entry there. I'm intrigued most by the bent post by the disabled parking spot (ram-raid attempt by a wheelchair, perhaps?). However, apart from that, there's not much here that tells me a story.
SUPERSTEVE9219 (link)
Reminds me a great deal of the "Cars" film. A telling story of the decline of the Route 66 way of life. A nice shot that demonstrates the isolation of these old cafes.
Indydenny (link)
This is the kind of narrative that was in my mind when I set the subject for this competition. This shows a strong narrative. We don't know whether the tourists walking away have been generous or selfish to the begger. In any event, it's a good demonstration of the divide between the haves and have-nots.
AxisOfBeagles (link)
Interesting. The guy is undoubtably talented, but you know his work will get washed away (maybe within a matter of minutes). A nice moment in time with the added spice of impending doom.
Tom Sawyer (link)
Nicely taken. I'm liking the tone of the sky and the isolating effect of the depth of field. I'm not too sure about the narrative of the subject though, since it's a photo of a memorial - there's not much to tell us who the person was.
mcavjame (link)
There's a really nice feel about this one. The kid's clearly waiting for something to happen. He might be waiting for his dad to come home, waiting for the rain to stop, or waiting for the ice cream van. Either way, the intensity of his emotions are clear to see.
thegord (link)
The poster behind the bus stop has the potential to be the background for a very strong narrative. Unfortunately, it's not clear what the story is with the central subject, so I'm unable to compare it with the message in the background.
LittleCanonKid (link)
I like this a lot. It's a very simple shot, but it puts me in mind immediately of a set of kids playing softball in a yard and hitting the ball out of touch (maybe into someone else's yard). It looks like it's been there some time, so maybe it's lost.
sangosimo (link)
Yet another strong image. It's plain to see the look of concentration on the kids face as he learns to play his instrument. However, he has a firm, confident grip on that chord.
WebMongol (link)
I feel like this after a day out as well, and that looks like good tucker! A nice, fun shot there that shows the kids personalities off perfectly.
jake.f (link)
A dark and brooding photo. However, I'm not sure there's enough about the image to tell me the story (without being told).
bootedbear (link)
Hmmm.. I don't really see the narrative here, I'm afriad.
Justinm59 (link)
There's no doubt that this is a interesting event, there's a huge amount of water being moved around there. But, we don't know what it is.
AlexH (link)
Looks like he's getting a change of wheels there. There's a nice narrative here of the relationship between siblings. Good B/W treatment here as well, bringing nice texture to their faces.
SLC Flyfishing (link)
Looks like a wonderful place to go running/hiking. Some good use of lighting on the foreground here. A bit of an odd pose, however.
Freewayjim (link)
A well-executed night shot here of the store front. On the downside though, I don't see much happening here.
dL (link)
A nice silhouette here with good composition. Tells a simple and effective story. The fact that he's not on the bike tells us that he's at the end of the road.
Martin C (link)
A very dominating story here. Plain to see exactly what's going on and the graininess of the image makes you think of a CC camera's view of a crime-ridden corner of the city.
runlsd (link)
Every bench with a plaque like this tells a story. Mainly it's because the remembered one enjoyed sitting there. The problem with the image here is that although you have the story of Heroic Ben here, there's no sense of the "where".
GT41 (link)
Nice little set up here of a card game. But to my mind it's probably too set up, so the story's somewhat faked. but maybe (being a Brit), I don't know the full story behind this, so forgive me if I've missed the ball on this one.
Razeus (link)
Very powerful. I'd guess that since the elephant is (thankfully) still alive, this is a conservation measure to save the animal from being killed for it's tusks. A strong message here.
mscriv (link)
A warm welcome to the MacRumor competitions! That's quite a look on the kid's face. He's certainly intent on doing something! A nice, tight portrait.
deep diver (link)
Hehe.. Not quite the "story" I was thinking of, but it made me chuckle. A nice sepia treatment as well...
01jamcon (link)
A powerful message that also manages to look deep into the feelings of the guy standing alone in the centre of the shot. He's obviously immersed in his thoughts and convictions of his cause... Very nicely composed, especially with the woman in the bottom corner looking directly into frame. Nice light too.
Maxxamillian (link)
A great action shot here. The letterbox format adds more dynamism to the shot. The narrative is in the thrill of the chase, the focus in the chasing pack. They'll hunt the leader down like dogs at a rabbit.
firstapple (link)
There's plenty going on here, there's people and stories going on all over the place. Maybe too much, and I see no focal point or centre stage here. Pretty good HDR though (and I'm not normally a fan).
Wazzerb (link)
A big story here, the biggest in anyone's life. I'd just love to see the fuller picture though...
grantrobarts (link)
Oh, how i'd love this to be a news reporter shooting something significant. Great focus on the face behind the camera.
vicious1 (link)
Lovely. I wish I was this young and carefree again. This is a nice image that tells a story of youth and happiness. I like this a great deal.
apearlman (link)
Superb. There's so much about this photo that tells me about the relationship between these generations of the family. The fact that it's in the kitchen shows how much of a hub this room is, and how much the women love being there. I can see this same story being repeated throughout generations of the same family both in the past and into the future.
oblomow (link)
Birthdays are always big parts of a childs life. The photo here is a little dark, the cake a little odd (I'd have expected icing), and i've have loved to see the child in question...
CK Williams (link)
There's something about the pose of the firefighter that tells me that he's done this same thing a hundred times before. The fire, however, looks as if it's pretty much done it's walk (which explains why the fireguy isn't exactly hurrying). I like the shot - it's a nice country lane type of shot but with the contrast of the firefighter and fire in the distance. Bad things happen in nice locations.
lucero1148 (link)
This shot has the makings of looking very interesting, but at a size of only 650px, it's very hard to see anything. Consider using larger photos - something along the lines of 1024px or so would really improve the impact. Sorry I can't critique more, I just can't see the details here.
MacRy (link)
Bees in flight are notoriously difficult to shoot. I assume this is why you chose to focus on the flower and leave the bee out of focus. Unfortunate here, because the story here should be about the bee, not the flower.
JDDavis (link)
This is something that many people do when they visit a graveyard, reading the grave stones. This becomes especially powerful when greeted by memorials for those that have died so young, like these ones. The fact that they have such ornate memorials tells volumes about the family that lost those so young. This shot would have been more powerful had the stones been in sharp focus. Nice BW treatment, however.
Chappers (link)
A wonderful portrait of an old guy getting to grips with new technology. You can tell that he's perfectly happy texting on the phone, but he's doing his best to look as though he's been doing it all his life. Wonderfully lit.
And now for the really difficult part of this in choosing the winners...
THIRD PLACE - Maxxamillian (link)
When I first saw this photo, I dismissed it as being only a "sports" shot, but the more I looked at it, the more I saw the story and the competitiveness. Very nicely done and a wise choice in entering it into this category.
SECOND PLACE - Indydenny (link)
This is a lovely shot. It tells a perful story that could have alternatives and shows the disparity between tourists and natives.
FIRST PLACE - apearlman (link)
As I said before, I just love this photo because it's clear there's a continuity here that extends far beyond just the three generations in this photo. The story also extends to the rest of their family. You can see just from their relationship that their humour and love extends to all around them. Superb shot and perfect for this category. Well done, sir.
At this point I'd like to apologise if I seem to have talked down your entry. As you're all doubtless aware, critique of art is a personal thing. My own views may not be the same as others might have, or there may be intent in the photos that I have simply not seen. These critiques are only personal opinions, nothing more.
It's been a pleasure (and hard work) critiquing and judging your entries.
I look forward to seeing what apearlman comes up with for the next contest!
blownco (link)
Interesting first entry there. I'm intrigued most by the bent post by the disabled parking spot (ram-raid attempt by a wheelchair, perhaps?). However, apart from that, there's not much here that tells me a story.
SUPERSTEVE9219 (link)
Reminds me a great deal of the "Cars" film. A telling story of the decline of the Route 66 way of life. A nice shot that demonstrates the isolation of these old cafes.
Indydenny (link)
This is the kind of narrative that was in my mind when I set the subject for this competition. This shows a strong narrative. We don't know whether the tourists walking away have been generous or selfish to the begger. In any event, it's a good demonstration of the divide between the haves and have-nots.
AxisOfBeagles (link)
Interesting. The guy is undoubtably talented, but you know his work will get washed away (maybe within a matter of minutes). A nice moment in time with the added spice of impending doom.
Tom Sawyer (link)
Nicely taken. I'm liking the tone of the sky and the isolating effect of the depth of field. I'm not too sure about the narrative of the subject though, since it's a photo of a memorial - there's not much to tell us who the person was.
mcavjame (link)
There's a really nice feel about this one. The kid's clearly waiting for something to happen. He might be waiting for his dad to come home, waiting for the rain to stop, or waiting for the ice cream van. Either way, the intensity of his emotions are clear to see.
thegord (link)
The poster behind the bus stop has the potential to be the background for a very strong narrative. Unfortunately, it's not clear what the story is with the central subject, so I'm unable to compare it with the message in the background.
LittleCanonKid (link)
I like this a lot. It's a very simple shot, but it puts me in mind immediately of a set of kids playing softball in a yard and hitting the ball out of touch (maybe into someone else's yard). It looks like it's been there some time, so maybe it's lost.
sangosimo (link)
Yet another strong image. It's plain to see the look of concentration on the kids face as he learns to play his instrument. However, he has a firm, confident grip on that chord.
WebMongol (link)
I feel like this after a day out as well, and that looks like good tucker! A nice, fun shot there that shows the kids personalities off perfectly.
jake.f (link)
A dark and brooding photo. However, I'm not sure there's enough about the image to tell me the story (without being told).
bootedbear (link)
Hmmm.. I don't really see the narrative here, I'm afriad.
Justinm59 (link)
There's no doubt that this is a interesting event, there's a huge amount of water being moved around there. But, we don't know what it is.
AlexH (link)
Looks like he's getting a change of wheels there. There's a nice narrative here of the relationship between siblings. Good B/W treatment here as well, bringing nice texture to their faces.
SLC Flyfishing (link)
Looks like a wonderful place to go running/hiking. Some good use of lighting on the foreground here. A bit of an odd pose, however.
Freewayjim (link)
A well-executed night shot here of the store front. On the downside though, I don't see much happening here.
dL (link)
A nice silhouette here with good composition. Tells a simple and effective story. The fact that he's not on the bike tells us that he's at the end of the road.
Martin C (link)
A very dominating story here. Plain to see exactly what's going on and the graininess of the image makes you think of a CC camera's view of a crime-ridden corner of the city.
runlsd (link)
Every bench with a plaque like this tells a story. Mainly it's because the remembered one enjoyed sitting there. The problem with the image here is that although you have the story of Heroic Ben here, there's no sense of the "where".
GT41 (link)
Nice little set up here of a card game. But to my mind it's probably too set up, so the story's somewhat faked. but maybe (being a Brit), I don't know the full story behind this, so forgive me if I've missed the ball on this one.
Razeus (link)
Very powerful. I'd guess that since the elephant is (thankfully) still alive, this is a conservation measure to save the animal from being killed for it's tusks. A strong message here.
mscriv (link)
A warm welcome to the MacRumor competitions! That's quite a look on the kid's face. He's certainly intent on doing something! A nice, tight portrait.
deep diver (link)
Hehe.. Not quite the "story" I was thinking of, but it made me chuckle. A nice sepia treatment as well...
01jamcon (link)
A powerful message that also manages to look deep into the feelings of the guy standing alone in the centre of the shot. He's obviously immersed in his thoughts and convictions of his cause... Very nicely composed, especially with the woman in the bottom corner looking directly into frame. Nice light too.
Maxxamillian (link)
A great action shot here. The letterbox format adds more dynamism to the shot. The narrative is in the thrill of the chase, the focus in the chasing pack. They'll hunt the leader down like dogs at a rabbit.
firstapple (link)
There's plenty going on here, there's people and stories going on all over the place. Maybe too much, and I see no focal point or centre stage here. Pretty good HDR though (and I'm not normally a fan).
Wazzerb (link)
A big story here, the biggest in anyone's life. I'd just love to see the fuller picture though...
grantrobarts (link)
Oh, how i'd love this to be a news reporter shooting something significant. Great focus on the face behind the camera.
vicious1 (link)
Lovely. I wish I was this young and carefree again. This is a nice image that tells a story of youth and happiness. I like this a great deal.
apearlman (link)
Superb. There's so much about this photo that tells me about the relationship between these generations of the family. The fact that it's in the kitchen shows how much of a hub this room is, and how much the women love being there. I can see this same story being repeated throughout generations of the same family both in the past and into the future.
oblomow (link)
Birthdays are always big parts of a childs life. The photo here is a little dark, the cake a little odd (I'd have expected icing), and i've have loved to see the child in question...
CK Williams (link)
There's something about the pose of the firefighter that tells me that he's done this same thing a hundred times before. The fire, however, looks as if it's pretty much done it's walk (which explains why the fireguy isn't exactly hurrying). I like the shot - it's a nice country lane type of shot but with the contrast of the firefighter and fire in the distance. Bad things happen in nice locations.
lucero1148 (link)
This shot has the makings of looking very interesting, but at a size of only 650px, it's very hard to see anything. Consider using larger photos - something along the lines of 1024px or so would really improve the impact. Sorry I can't critique more, I just can't see the details here.
MacRy (link)
Bees in flight are notoriously difficult to shoot. I assume this is why you chose to focus on the flower and leave the bee out of focus. Unfortunate here, because the story here should be about the bee, not the flower.
JDDavis (link)
This is something that many people do when they visit a graveyard, reading the grave stones. This becomes especially powerful when greeted by memorials for those that have died so young, like these ones. The fact that they have such ornate memorials tells volumes about the family that lost those so young. This shot would have been more powerful had the stones been in sharp focus. Nice BW treatment, however.
Chappers (link)
A wonderful portrait of an old guy getting to grips with new technology. You can tell that he's perfectly happy texting on the phone, but he's doing his best to look as though he's been doing it all his life. Wonderfully lit.
And now for the really difficult part of this in choosing the winners...
THIRD PLACE - Maxxamillian (link)
When I first saw this photo, I dismissed it as being only a "sports" shot, but the more I looked at it, the more I saw the story and the competitiveness. Very nicely done and a wise choice in entering it into this category.
SECOND PLACE - Indydenny (link)
This is a lovely shot. It tells a perful story that could have alternatives and shows the disparity between tourists and natives.
FIRST PLACE - apearlman (link)
As I said before, I just love this photo because it's clear there's a continuity here that extends far beyond just the three generations in this photo. The story also extends to the rest of their family. You can see just from their relationship that their humour and love extends to all around them. Superb shot and perfect for this category. Well done, sir.
At this point I'd like to apologise if I seem to have talked down your entry. As you're all doubtless aware, critique of art is a personal thing. My own views may not be the same as others might have, or there may be intent in the photos that I have simply not seen. These critiques are only personal opinions, nothing more.
It's been a pleasure (and hard work) critiquing and judging your entries.
I look forward to seeing what apearlman comes up with for the next contest!
Once again -- outstanding images.
PeteB - No apology is called for. You did a great job with a very difficult task.
PeteB - No apology is called for. You did a great job with a very difficult task.
Congrats to all who entered 
Yet (another) great contest! Thanks for taking both the time and the effort PeteB
Yet (another) great contest! Thanks for taking both the time and the effort PeteB
Thank you!
Wow, I am really surprised. Really! My entry was nothing more than a grabbed shot, and I got lucky with the moment and some nice expressions. Technique-wise, there isn't much to this photo. I posted it mostly because it makes me smile, and I didn't have much else that fit the contest theme!
Anyway, thank you PeteB for your judging efforts and worthwhile opinions. I strongly agree with your praise for Indydenny's and Maxxamillian's entries. Maxxamillian, I think your shot is beautiful, and I'm not even a motorsports fan. Just a thrilling image, beautifully composed and technically flawless.
I will post a new contest thread momentarily, as soon as I choose a new theme.
Wow, I am really surprised. Really! My entry was nothing more than a grabbed shot, and I got lucky with the moment and some nice expressions. Technique-wise, there isn't much to this photo. I posted it mostly because it makes me smile, and I didn't have much else that fit the contest theme!
Anyway, thank you PeteB for your judging efforts and worthwhile opinions. I strongly agree with your praise for Indydenny's and Maxxamillian's entries. Maxxamillian, I think your shot is beautiful, and I'm not even a motorsports fan. Just a thrilling image, beautifully composed and technically flawless.
I will post a new contest thread momentarily, as soon as I choose a new theme.
Additional opinions
I know the contest has only one judge, but I can't help myself from sharing opinions about some other shots that I really, really liked.
CK Williams, I can't stop looking at your firefighter image. You captured a whole story in the one person's body language. The variety of lighting -- including a glint of sunlight through the trees -- is super.
MacRy, I'll admit my first reaction was that you got lucky capturing the flying bee. But then I absorbed those amazing colors and the perfect balance and composition, and I have to give proper credit. This shot took WORK, and it shows us something we don't ordinarily see.
SLC Flyfishing, your shot of the person ascending a mountain is wonderfully imagined and the exposure is great. You got terrific detail in both the grassy foreground and the sky, hard to do.
WebMongol, I admire how you took an ordinary situation and made a special photo. The girls' expressions (especially the one on the left) combined with your choice of perspective made this stand out for me.
Martin C, I think you've posted this before, and I continue to find it a very powerful image. There's a strong sense of secretly observing, which you heighten with the blur and the B&W. I also think this shot has impact because you resisted the urge to zoom in on the action (which is what I would have been tempted to do). All that empty space is definitely adding something here.
Anyway, I know no one asked my opinions, but I was really moved by these entries and wanted the photographers to know their work resonates.
-Andrew
I know the contest has only one judge, but I can't help myself from sharing opinions about some other shots that I really, really liked.
CK Williams, I can't stop looking at your firefighter image. You captured a whole story in the one person's body language. The variety of lighting -- including a glint of sunlight through the trees -- is super.
MacRy, I'll admit my first reaction was that you got lucky capturing the flying bee. But then I absorbed those amazing colors and the perfect balance and composition, and I have to give proper credit. This shot took WORK, and it shows us something we don't ordinarily see.
SLC Flyfishing, your shot of the person ascending a mountain is wonderfully imagined and the exposure is great. You got terrific detail in both the grassy foreground and the sky, hard to do.
WebMongol, I admire how you took an ordinary situation and made a special photo. The girls' expressions (especially the one on the left) combined with your choice of perspective made this stand out for me.
Martin C, I think you've posted this before, and I continue to find it a very powerful image. There's a strong sense of secretly observing, which you heighten with the blur and the B&W. I also think this shot has impact because you resisted the urge to zoom in on the action (which is what I would have been tempted to do). All that empty space is definitely adding something here.
Anyway, I know no one asked my opinions, but I was really moved by these entries and wanted the photographers to know their work resonates.
-Andrew
Thanks, I thought the young girl in the short dress on the phone with the baby carriage next to her made for a potentially interesting story, oh well.
Kudos to everyone, nice work!