Canon DSLR Speed Challenge #234 - Vacant

Congrats to KB and teekay but I will respectfully and strongly disagree about the cloud. The shape is very similar to the shape in the shadow of the rocks below and it almost looks like it was pulled out of that spot. I waited for the cloud to move into the right spot and really feel without it there is no real photograph. In fact without the cloud I would probably have not taken the photograph. Also I tend to see in triangular compositions and the cloud is what makes that a reality. That space would also be dead without the cloud. Thanks for the 2nd. I really like KBs image and he is a deserving winner. and fine job TK and thanks for the comments and great job judging this week.

Congratulations to kbColorado - a beautiful photo and clearly the winner in my opinion, too, and also airfrogusmc would have been my choice for second.

Thanks for your usual thoughtful comments, Kevan, and for third place. I could indeed have fiddled around framing the shot differently but got fed up with cranking my neck back for the shot (it was a tall statue).

Congrats to kb, Allen & teekay!! What a tough competition to judge, Kevan, so thanks for the comments on all of the entries.

On my photo, we were out in the desert where the local air base practiced it's manuveurs so the whole area was full of contrails..... which I actually liked. I also didn't mind that the image looked like itself, ie, the wires and fence but I am not one for doing a lot of altering to my photos. I like to shoot au natural

Here are the salt flats in Death Valley and the skies we had all week. BTW, it was pretty awesome watching those jets do their work. One of them came so low we could look right in the cockpit!

Maureen Souza wrote in post #14259742
Congrats to kb, Allen & teekay!! What a tough competition to judge, Kevan, so thanks for the comments on all of the entries.

On my photo, we were out in the desert where the local air base practiced it's manuveurs so the whole area was full of contrails..... which I actually liked. I also didn't mind that the image looked like itself, ie, the wires and fence but I am not one for doing a lot of altering to my photos. I like to shoot au natural

Here are the salt flats in Death Valley and the skies we had all week. BTW, it was pretty awesome watching those jets do their work. One of them came so low we could look right in the cockpit!

Thats a beauty Mo!!!!

Lots of great entries ... a fun challenge. Teekays shot and title made laugh right out loud.

Thanks for the nod Kevan but particularly thanks for all the time and thought you put into the critiques. It is always interesting to get specific reactions when another set of eyes peers into one of our photographs. Everyone see things differently and we need to go no further for evidence than LMSYS scores for a single shot that can vary so widely among 3 judges.

That said, I do kind of like my clouds just as Allen likes his ... they are just two more lines in the pic that go in the direction of the vortex at the center. And yes, the piano house has the remnants of a piano inside. Drove by this place dozens of times before I stopped one particular morning and looked around. I've never thought of the place the same way again ...

Great Job kb, what a great picture!! I thought it was over after your posting Pictures like that inspire me to become a better photographer. Where in Colorado are you? I love how old buildings out there are preserved with how dry it is. My dad is from NE Colorado and there are a lot of old farmhouses scattered throughout the plains. My photo was actually taken out there a few weeks ago.

Thanks Kevin for all the commentary. For novices like me it is important to hear what you all think! I'm not sure but I think my lens might be distorting things a bit. My horizons never seem to be strait. I actually did try to straighten my photo but I'm still working on my editing skills.

Here is one more from the same day.

Matrim33 wrote in post #14261261
I think my lens might be distorting things a bit. My horizons never seem to be strait. I actually did try to straighten my photo but I'm still working on my editing skills.

Yeah, the editing skills will come with time and trial. Continuing to participate in these challenges is what real helps to push the person. You're absolutely right, the lens can distort the image and I think that's exactly what happened to the towers to the right of your image. But really...the tilt was so freakin' slight, I'm a bit embarrassed for even mentioning it. Anyway, most editing software offers you different methods to "right" things. Glad to have you join us here.

Kevan wrote in post #14261391
Yeah, the editing skills will come with time and trial. Continuing to participate in these challenges is what real helps to push the person. You're absolutely right, the lens can distort the image and I think that's exactly what happened to the towers to the right of your image. But really...the tilt was so freakin' slight, I'm a bit embarrassed for even mentioning it. Anyway, most editing software offers you different methods to "right" things. Glad to have you join us here.

Even though we may not always agree on how they should be edited

Thanks for the kind words Matrim33 ... the pic was taken near Westcliffe, about 60 miles west of Pueblo.

New Challenge is up ... "Together" .... have fun!
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1173075

Congrats kb, Allen and teekay! Top notch job Kevan!

Cool images people!


Jason C

Congratulations kb, airfrog and teekay. Really great shots by everyone. And great job on critique, kevan, thanks. I was really experimenting with that shot and had tried several other angles, closer to fence, further away, color, b&w, etc. Each time I look at it, I see it differently. Maybe I should have submitted this one instead.