Here're results for POTN G-Series Speed Challenge #32: Point - Counterpoint
Thanks to all who entered the contest this week! And thanks to BottomBracket and Zero for helping me close the contest.
I’d like to repeat what Boutty said last week in his opening comments, “As I considered myself very green in this, please don't take my opinion too seriously”. In fact, I encourage everyone to share their thoughts as to their favorite photos. I won’t be offended if your opinions don’t match mine… in fact, I may learn something.
Ok, here goes.
The runners up...
CobaltSS - HYPNOTIQ
Welcome to the forum! I hope this is the first of many speed challenges you enter. Your photo was certainly a contender for a top spot because the subject captures the essence of this week’s competition with the two bottles of opposing size. The bottles are beautiful, but in a photo like this one, where you are in complete control over everything, I’d prefer more control over the background. The deck railing, the bright patch of overcast sky, the overall “back deck” scene take away from the subject. Perhaps a solid, evenly colored, nondescript, or even out-of-focus background would be better.
abat – Different Trains of Thought
I love this photograph! When I look at this photograph it gets me to wonder and to think and to chuckle, so it’s made it’s mark with me. The woman’s expression is great. All of us have photographed someone and caught them in an awkward facial moment. But I can’t decide if that’s the case here or if she was just in this frame of mind. I think this is a top photograph, but I guess I feel that there are others that meet the theme of the challenge a little better (at least for me).
Boutty – Litter
Another well executed photo. It’s crisp and clean and very detailed. Contrasting the beauty of nature with the ugliness and sadness of the litter is an excellent study of opposites! But the photo only shows ½ of the story… the trashy side. And only by your description do I learn about the opposing beauty of the surroundings. Somehow, I think the two should have been joined together in the photograph.
partridge9 – Industry Against Nature
Like Boutty’s shot, contrasting the beautiful with the not-so-beautiful, nature versus industry, is an excellent way to interpret the theme of opposites. The composition is wonderful. I like the area where the waves have just receded. The photo leads my eye from front to back and has a nice “rule of thirds”. But the lighting is pretty harsh and the photo seems overexposed, especially in the sky. I’d like to see the same composition photographed either in early morning or late evening.
rpolitsr - Highly Contradictory
Who is that person in the very colorful clothes? A student? A performer? The contrast in clothing between the soldier and this other person is indeed “highly contradictory”. You did an excellent job controlling depth-of-field; I think the blurred background was an excellent choice. This one is near the top three in my list. I keep thinking that I wish I could see their faces.
Belga – Beacon of Light
Good luck to you! If I were in a tense or unstable environment I would sure want a beacon of light to help guide the way. This is a nice night time scene. To me it almost looks serene and in that way, it contrasts with the tense political environment. But if I were to look at this photograph without having read your description I don’t think I would have put those two opposites together.
marie – Street Harmony
A lovely shot. You have a great feel for when to pull the trigger on your street candid shots. What a beautiful smile on the woman with the violin. The contrast in size of the musical instruments meets the theme of opposites. Do you usually get your candids with just one shot? Or do you set it to high-speed and shoot rapid fire to help ensure you get the right moment? I know the background can’t be helped on this type of shot. Not without a lot of ps anyway. Very nice.
My Top Three...
Third Place: InJapan - Before and After
I have a soft spot for rural subjects. And this shot offers a unique perspective on the theme of opposites; a before and after view of the harvest. The deep depth-of-field certainly helps the continuity between the drying rice and the next field to be harvested. I’d like to see this picture shot under late evening light.
Second Place: BottomBracket - Longing of the Unfortunate Audiophile
This picture has truly nailed the theme of opposites. Rich vs. poor, haves and have-nots. This is a nice social commentary piece. I suppose we don’t know for certain what’s going through his mind… maybe he’s thinking he’d get better equipment at the “2005 – Best of New York” 
1st Place: Bryan Bedell – Drum Circle
Wow! Awesome shot! And one that conveys the opposites theme on multiple levels. The professional vs. the amateur, the child vs. the man, the black vs. the white, the old vs. the young. And your daughter’s smile is adorable! Nicely done!
Congratulations to all who entered!!!
POTN G-Series Speed Challenge #32: Point -Counterpoint
Challenge #32 is Point - Counterpoint
A study in opposites!
Any photo exploring opposites will do. Something large vs. something small, something happy vs. something sad, a glass full vs. a glass empty, etc.
Be creative! Take care to pay attention to the background and make sure it doesn't take away from the subject.
Hope you have fun with this one. See you next Monday.
To submit, click "Post Reply" and put your Photo Name in the Subject Line. Don't forget your Camera Model.
Post until Monday noon GMT, Sept. 19, 2005.
Host: MegaTrixel_______________
Please consider turning on Private Messaging in your profile.
This will allow the host to contact you about winning or ineligible photos. You turn this feature on by clicking "User CP, Edit Options, Enable Private Messaging" (about a third of the way down the page). Thank you.
_______________
Photo Submissions
1. Camera -- photos must be taken with a Canon G-Series Camera (G1,G2,G3,G5,G6) or Pro 1.
2. Time -- any on-topic photo taken at any time is eligible, although photos that have won other competitions should NOT be entered.
3. Size -- photo must be EXACTLY 640 pixels on the longest side, with NO BORDERS. Odd-sized photos ineligible.
4. Post-Processing -- do whatever you like and the host will decide if it works.
5. Posting --
- ONE PHOTO per photographer in each challenge.
- Photo Name in the message subject line.
- Camera model.
7. No Commenting by others -- When the posting is closed, comments can be made in this thread.
Time
One challenge every week, on the following schedule:
- New Topic ... As soon as possible after winning.
- Posting Starts ... Right after topic is announced.
- Posting Stops ... Monday noon GMT
- Winners Announcement ... Tuesday noon GMT.
1. The Challenge Host is the winner of the last challenge.
2. Choose a topic and list any special rules -- but DO NOT POST a photo. 3. Post the topic in a thread with this title: “POTN G-Series Speed Challenge #XX -- [TOPIC]”
4. At the end of competition, choose a Winner and two Runners-up and explain why the photos were selected. Comments on other photos are nice but not required.
5. Post these in a thread titled “POTN G-Series Speed Challenge #XX -- [TOPIC] -- Winners.”
6. Winner starts with Rule #1 above.
7. If the winner can't be contacted and doesn't respond by Wednesday noon GMT, the second-place winner will host the challenge.
Time
One challenge every week, on the following schedule: [B]
- New Topic ... Tuesday by midnight GMT.
- Posting Starts ... Right after topic is announced.
- Posting Stops ... Monday Noon GMT
- Winner Announcement ... Monday by midnight GMT.
#032 - Point/Counterpoint - Bryan Bedell, BottomBracket, InJapan
#031 - Hobby - MegaTrixel, Zero, abat
#030 - History - Boutty, abat, teekay
#029 - Toys - In Japan, HungryWriter, Don Ellis
#028 - Taken Within 50cm of the Ground - BottomBracket, Marie, Megatrixel
#027 - Self Portrait - abat, rpolitsr, HungryWriter
#026 - Personal Treasures – Boutty, in Japan, HungryWriter
#025 - Wheels – Zero, Boutty, Teekay
#024 - Street Candids - rpolitsr, in Japan, txfirebug
#023 - Religion - marie, in japan , megatrixel
#022 - Animals - monkey_wrench, jesshen, fooboy
#021 - Night Shots - bang, KingSize, abat
#020 - Food - sara, abat, gewb
#019 - Shoes – Boutty, partridge9, morrisman
#018 - Blowing in the Wind - In Japan, Txfirebug, Gewb
#017 - Rain - marie, Boutty, Tonyq
#016 - Reflections - abat, Boutty, IainB
#015 - Spheres - digidog, (2) Boutty, (2) Thefly, (2) Bottombracket, (3) marie, (3) gkunning
#014 - Trees - partridge9, cyclone, Boutty
#013 - Body Language - digidog, Dchemist, Bottom Bracket
#012 - Light & Dark - IainB, cyclone, (3) teekay, (3) bottombracket
#011 - Transportation - 4nr, digidog, IainB
#010 - Making Music - Bottom Bracket, gkuenning, (3)Alexandre Gabriel, (3)pushtoexit
#009 - Hands - IainB, txfirebug, Dbump
#008 - Stop Action - Partridge9, Marie, Bottom Bracket,Thefly
#007 - Red - Pushtoexit, Marie, IainB, Megatrixel
#006 - Pencil - theFly, am_pitbull_terrier, bottombracket
#005 - An Egg - Don Ellis, Megatrixel/Samerj, Rich Lawrence
#004 - Old People - teekay, raj, thefly
#003 - Passage of Time - Booyah, Don Ellis, Rich Lawrence
#002 - Joy - TeeKay, Rich Lawrence, Pradeep1
#001 - Speed - BottomBracket, SmartImport, Rich Lawrence
(background could not be avoided)
