Ok, it’s past 6:30 PM EST – So the Contest is now ::: CLOSED:::
Thanks for an interesting round everyone, and I thought we might get a few more entries than we did – as “Far From Home” really equates to “Travel Photos”, and typically people have a lot of those to share. Ah well, the summer gets busy sometimes – and people are off having fun, and perhaps taking some new photos for us to enjoy.
I hope nobody minded my Story + Photo experiment, and it was simply that – and experiment. I’m an avid traveler myself (and my wife is a travel agent), so we get out in the world as often as possible, and I’m always thrilled at the opportunity to take some new photos in a new place. I also love hearing people’s travel stories, thus my modest attempt at giving people a chance to tell us a tale that goes along with the picture. It’s funny, when you look at a photo shot straight down at someone’s snowy boots you might think to yourself “Well, that’s quite average”, until you learn the picture was taken at the top of Everest (or some such), and suddenly you have a new feeling or perspective about the image, and the effort that was required to capture it.
Never the less, I’ll judge these in the order they arrived – and too some degree I’ll take into account your travel story and/or location.
Ok, on to the judging:
- Chris: I love this shot and the accompanying story. I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon and would love to go myself someday. Sounds like you had quite a trek getting there, which can sometimes be half the fun. You’ve got some lovely light out there on those canyon peaks and rims (in fact almost perfect), but I would have liked to see this shot cleaned up a little bit in Photoshop or Lightroom. It just needs a little post processing to take it from being a good shot, and making it a great shot.
- John : Your photos are always a treat (I stopped by your website last month to graze, and you’ve got some tremendous work). I like cartographical extremities myself – and have visited a small beach in Key West, which is the Southern most part of the continental US. Alas, I was camera-less on that trip, almost 2 decades ago. This is a nice wide shot with 10-22mm opened all the way, and I like the concrete road/boat ramp on the right which draws us into the center of the photograph. Just my humble opinion, but you should consider posting some larger images on POTN – as I think you are limiting yourself with 650 pixel wide format. I like it, it’s a nice one.
- Billbo: I can almost feel the pain of that hike! I recently climbed Table Mountain in South Africa in 90 degree heat, and it really kicked my butt. The great reward always comes at the top when you get to shoot the panos. That Tokina had so much to drink in and bend, it really looks like the top of the world up there. Lovely gal you have there too – I wish she had taken off the dark glasses though, or that you could have gotten and angle where the sun wasn’t to her back. Great shot, and an excellent story.
- Gail: You piqued my curiosity, so I had went to Google Maps to see the route from Nanaimo to Tofino – wow that’s a trek! Actually Google Maps calls that a 4 hour drive (not 3), so someone in your family had a lead foot
. You live in one of the most beautiful places on earth (lucky you), and I’d love to visit that part of BC someday. I love the quiet resolve of your photograph – it’s tranquil, and beautiful. Pity about that haze out there, which really stands out in that bright sun.. It’s a wonderful photo though, love it.
- Candy: This is an excellent image – quite compelling, and I loved the story about the camera breaking. I think I would have cried if that happened to me, and I’m glad you had the gusto to press on with the Powershot and make something of the day. It would have been great if you had the chance to shoot some more. If that Eagle had been stationary, you could have dropped your ISO to 800, or even 400 – and gone with a longer exposure to get rid of the grain. If you’ve got Photoshop, you should download the trial version of Noise Ninja and see if it can be can tweaked. Another thought would be to drop this into PS and desaturate it, and then play with the curves – it could work very well as a B&W. Otherwise, an excellent photo.
- Jeff: Also a very nice shot, and I wish you had told us all where it was taken (I’m always up for a good story). It’s a nice clean, crisp shot – but perhaps it might have been interesting to see some depth of field? A lower angle? Maybe shot or cropped so that the foot print isn’t dead center? Just tossing out some ideas, but it’s a wonderful photo – thanks for sharing.
- Lisa: This is one heck of a shot, with the birch trees on the left, mountains in the background – and I like that you centered the chapel cross directly in front of the largest mountain peak. That’s a pretty daring composition! The only drawback is those 2 park signs on either side of the entrance, which I find to be quite a distraction (simply because as a human, I want to try and read them). It might be interesting to clone them out, and see if changes the flavor of the photograph. I’m jealous of your trip to the Tetons (my parents did in 4 years ago – and loved it). Thanks for the lovely write up, and photograph.
- Jason: Thanks for the photo, it’s very nice – but I’m not quite sure how it fits into the “Far From Home” theme, other than the quote. “Tails from the Balcony Jungle” must be rather obscure, because I can’t seem to find it using Google. Never the less, I’ll give you a short critique. It’s a nice close up with good DOF (obvious that you had the 200 fully extended), but there are some focus problems and I think that the green leaves in the foreground obscure a little bit too much of the image. Still, it’s lovely photo (that eye jumps right out) and thanks for sharing.
- Monty: Thanks for re-posting your Mammoth Hot Springs shot form WAIN – great to see it again! It’s nice to see many horizontal color bands – White in the near foreground, the rust color, the water, followed by more rust + white – then the white steam, dark green mountains, and then cerulean sky. It’s almost a picture perfect landscape, and I wish you had given us a little story to go with it.
Ok, I really liked several of the entries this time around – and the choice was exceedingly difficult (I’m still gnashing my teeth over this):
Honorable Mention: Candy. The eagle + moon is magnificent. Welcome to POTN, you’ll go far here.
3rd Place : John _B. It’s a wonderful photo, and certainly made me feel “Far From Home”. Hawaii is a special place.
2nd Place: Monty. Love this photograph Monty, and not only does it make me feel far away – it make me feel like I am almost on another planet.
Winner: Lisa (Lavanut): The mountains just leap out of this photo, and no camera can truly capture the feeling you must have had standing there.
Congrats Lisa – and excellent work everyone!
I’m off on holiday and will miss 108, but I hope you all have fun!
this is as far as it gets for me.
