Theme #4 was BLACK & WHITE and I was really interested to see what everyone would do. So here they all are and let the voting begin! Please indicate your first and second choice, and share a little about what you like, some constructive suggestions. or some questions.
But first, please let me make a note of something. Out of the 14 pictures submitted I had to resize 2 and rename 7. Naming your file as the name of the photo was never a rule before, but it is now. Please review the Rules! If you are having problems with any of these requirements, like the resizing of your photo for example, you should ask for help. We really won’t mind! I’d rather spend time conversing with you and helping us all learn something than resizing and renaming your pics for you! You can post a question about that or anything else as a comment and perhaps one of the rest of us can maybe provide a solution. That conversation between us can help all of us learn.
Lastly, the theme for Challenge #5 is “BIRD“, set by Donna Williamson who was the winner in Challenge #3.
The deadline for submissions is Wednesday September 15 at 7:00 pm.
Enjoy the pics! And remember…
“Don’t just take pictures, make pictures!” -Scott Bourne
UPDATE Sept 13: Well, this weeks challenge was a bit of a squeaker! I really thought that Memories would come out on top since it had the largest number of 1st and 2nd place votes, but the winner with the most 1st place votes is A Path To…, submitted by Kim Petrik. Well done, Kim! There are no prizes as usual, but you will be choosing Theme #6, which will be revealed when all the pics from Theme #5 are posted in a couple of days. (Email me the new theme when you send in your pic.) I’ve also updated the gallery below to include all the photographer names, so if you have any questions about how the shots were taken, please ask and join the conversation!
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My First pick is: “Window to the World”
My Second pick is: “Memories”
OMGoodness – how can one pick???? Well done everyone!
Now, having said that, I must pick………
My first is “Memories” – it makes me VERY nostalgic and a wee bit melancholy (all in a good way, of course); a picture I would love to paint. Actually, in my mind’s eye, it’s a “Mollie” picture.
My second choice is “Sat & Pepper” – unique in the fact that it’s in colour, yet it’s black and white. I love that!
They’re all really good, but its interesting that they’re not all actually b&w photos.
I Like “A path to….” the best.
and “Salt and Pepper” second.
Interesting submissions. I love this contest! It’s fun.
1. “A path to…”. Emotionally, it takes the eyes on a journey … it’s a shot I could study for a while.
2. Salt & Pepper. The texture is really good, and the colour of the black and white is rich.
I also liked the effort of “Parlour”, but would have preferred to see more of the spider in focus.
First Pick is “Salt and Pepper”
Second is “Candle in No Wind”
Great Job Everyone!
Just a reminder to everyone to supply your first AND last name in the comments. I know many Teds, Dales, Bens and Kims, and I need to be able to tell if you are the one who submitted a photo or one of my other friends of the same name.
If you supply a website, like Ben has above, then I can tell that way, but otherwise not!
My #1 choice is “Candle in No Wind” as the best…instills a feeling of peace and tranquility somehow…LOVE it.
#2 would have to be “Memories”. Not sure why…maybe it’s the title…I find it VERY appropriately named. Also, I appreciate the melancholy feelings looking at it incites in me. (It was a hard choice for me between this one and “Moonlight Feels Right”…again, because I just love that particular sentiment…obviously, for me it’s not just about visual appeal, but how the whole “package” (including the title) appeals to me…weird, just realized that…and to be honest, it leaves me wondering if that SHOULD be something that plays that big a part in choosing a fave photo…or should it be more about the actual “picture” itself??? Anyone??)
(I have to mention “Black and White Face” too…very creative!
@Marie, I agree with you, the name does make a difference. A good title won’t help a photo that wouldn’t have got my vote on it’s own, but it will sway me if I have two that are tied.
Funnily enough, when I thought of what to chose for a black and white photo, it truly never occurred to me to take a picture in black and white. I know, I know, crazy, but I was more interested in the idea of contrasts, because that’s where my mind went with this theme in particular.
That said, excellent pictures everyone.
For my first pick, I chose “A Four Letter Game” because in the absence of colour there is great movement and I love the focus on the golf ball and the play of shadows, and I don’t really like golf!
Second pick, “Candle In No Wind”. Perhaps because I was thinking in terms of contrasts I really like this photo. I love that you can see the wick of the candle.
I would have loved the spider picture if there could have been more detail, perhaps a closer shot? I also really liked a path too. Was it shot in the arboretum? It looks very familiar.
My first choice is “Moonlight Feels Right” I love the simplicity of the photo and how clean it is.
My Second choice is “Black Crow and Shades of Grey”
1st choice is “A path to…” – love how it makes me wonder where it is going to
2nd choice is “Memories” – I can imagine it is a farmers field overgrown with weeds and totally deserted.
Lots of great pictures again.
Sorry …. I can’t decide … I like too many of them!
Oh all right!!
1st choice is “Memories” because one of the thoughts I had in mind when settling on the Black and White theme was a step back in time and that is what the photo does for me. It makes me wonder about the history and I would like to know what the whole picture is!
2nd choice is “Moonlight Feels RIght” for somewhat of the same reason that this is something I pictured when choosing the theme. I love the natural frame the trees create but I wonder if that effect might not have stood out more with a little bit of digital editing on the computer?
Some honourable mentions:
I am curious about the details of “Candle In The Wind”. Was there any light on anywhere? I find night photography or dark places a challenge and would like to know how you did this!
I really like “A Path To …”. It really draws you in and makes me want to explore down the path.
“Four Letter Game” is another favourite because I like how the ball is in focus, the club is moving and how the leg and trees in the background seem to be in various degrees of focus (or not).
And kudos to “Salt and Pepper” for submitting a black and white photo in colour! Very nice!
Well done everyone! Yet again another difficult choice! My favourites among a group of strong choices (and since I’m not allowed to vote for myown pic!) are…
1st – Black Crow and Shades of Grey
I thought this one stood apart because it was more than just a photo. If it had been left as a picture I don’t think it would have grabbed my attention, but the effect that it was given in Photoshop made it an excellent artistic image.
2nd – Memories
I just like this one because of the composition and clarity.
As for the others….
I quite liked Salt & Pepper, for interpretation of the theme and remaining as a colour photo. I was trying something like this myself, but it didn’t work out.
The Sunny Seven is an excellent compositio, making what could have been a bland group photo into something much more engaging.
I kept going back to A Path To… as it is a very engaging picture with lots of details to explore. I think what kept me from picking it was the angle of view or placement of the horizon or something like that. I’d like to see this one with the camera lower and showing less path more trees, if that makes sense.
1) My Parlor – I love it because 20 years ago, I saw a spider’s web shrouded in early morning mist on the shore of a river, covered in dew. I’ve always wanted to try to capture that image (or one like it) ever since. The lines are fascinating.
2) A Path To – The B&W medium really shows the symmetry of the steps as they wind into the heart of the pic. The well-defined horizontal boards in the foreground blend into infinitely closer spacings as the planks move into the background, creating a sense of depth, love that kind of thing in B&W.
I like a path too…
and memories the best
Psssst!! Glenn!!
About this: “Naming your file as the name of the photo was never a rule before, but it is now.” If your title for your photo entry is a little long and more like a caption (like “WIll You Walk Into My Parlour”) do you want us to call the file the entire caption or will a shortened version (like “My Parlour”) do?
Just getting ready for next week!
My favourite is the “Moonlight Feels Right” picture because I like the trees around the bottom.
My other two favourites are “Candle in No Wind” and “Walk into my Parlour”!
1) A Path To…
I find this picture full of mystery and can’t help but wonder, where does the path go? Awesome picture all around!
2) Candle in No Wind
Very spooky effect! Love the light of the flame (I’m a total pyromaniac) and the fact that everything but the flame and the top of the candle is dark is very cool!
One of our goats knocked my camera down from the girder (where I THOUGHT it was safely stowed), and the lens broke. It’s at NIKON being repaired (fortunately it CAN be repaired). However, I don’t think it will be back in time for the September 15th submission date for “BIRD”. Under the circumstances, would the group consider letting me submit a photo that I took recently? Even if it can’t be voted on (because it’s more than 2 weeks old)? Thanks. Kate
1st pick it: How I go
2nd Pick: Candle in no wind.
My faves…
#1- Memories. I find that this photo, in particular, lends itself to being a black and white photo. In fact, I think it would lose it’s charm if it was in colour. Beautiful!
#2- Salt and Pepper. I think this is a great “promo” type of shot. I love the use of natural black and white. The subtle shades of cool blue and warm browns add life!
Other fave:
How I Go- Okay, I know who did this and I still have the crane! Really though, I love the use of black ink and white paper (I have a bit of an obsession with pen and paper!) and then, to put it into the shape of a bird!?!? I just think that’s cool… sort of in a Ravenclaw kind of way!
1st Choice – Four Letter Game
2nd Choice – Salt & Pepper
Has anyone read the text on the picture “How I Go”? Was that intentional?
1) How I Go – don’t know if you meant it to be that artistic but interesting and great composition
2) Candle in No Wind – excellent composition, a very clear shot
@Jeannie: Yes, if your photo has a long title, you can shorten it. This is just so I don’t have to spend so much time flipping back and forth to not lost track of whose is whose. I’m also aware that some people may be using systems that don’t like spaces in file names. In that case, use an underscore.
@Kate: This sure is an original spin on “The dog ate my homework”! In this case, I’d say go ahead and submit your photo. I can tell you already that there will be stiff competition in the Bird theme!
In answer to Jeannie about the candle picture….
The candle was sitting on the toilet lid in my bathroom – the darkest room when the door is closed and the light is off (hahahaha). I sat on the floor so my eye was at the same level as the candle, I had the camera in “auto” mode, pointed it at the flame and snapped the picture.
Thanks Dale! Very cool!
Now Maddy … tell me how you did the bird one!
Gotta go play with my camera and a candle in the bathroom now…. lol!
@ Sarah and Jeannie
Yes the photo was completely set up and intentional. I wanted to do something related to books because I love them so much and even though they are black and white they say so many different things depending on the words within them. I got the shot by taking a piece of paper, writing on it, and then folding it into the crane. I then put it on a black table and played with the flash settings and such until I got a shot I liked.
As for the text on the crane, it’s a bunch of Harry Potter quotes that I either liked, or found extremely amusing. The title relates to this because I love Harry Potter and it also conveys my feelings about books and stories because it is actually the title of a song (by yellowcard) that I felt conveyed my feelings well.