Utah Competition

[Summer Derrick]

So, I'm sure a lot of you entered that competition awhile back through Busath and The Wasatch Journal. I did, and obviously didn't win. I actually thought I did a pretty good job though, LOL. I might have been a little too attached to my submission. Soooo, here's your chance to be mean. What did I miss? I'm kind of thinking that maybe my idea was a little too cheesy for Busath's taste. Also, the submission had to be in B&W. Personally I think the color shot is a million times better. The theme was "Utah, a Sense of Place". Thanks for helping me be better.

[Simspix]

Hi Summer.

Cool Shot. I can tell you placed everything carefully. The city in the background and that you can see the Capital is great attention to detail.

I think a pioneer theme may have gone better if it there was some sort of pioneer celebration going on this year (besides Pioneer day). Also, I don't know if Drake is that much into Pioneer stuff. Judges and people have there likes and dislikes and it sometimes helps to know your judge. This is why it is good to have multiple judges to help even things out a bit.

Also, I think the range of tones in the black and white could be a lot stronger. Think 'The Zone System' The image is almost as if the color was just removed. I would do adjustments with a nice curve layer and/or channels adjustment layer to bring out the detail and contrast that is there. I would be happy to tweak the first one and post an example of what I mean if you like.

The image is very original and I do like the lighting on the arm. though I would probably crop the left hand side of the image just a tich so the arm is coming from the corner than from the top.

Photography is very subjective. I'm sure you will get other opinions. If you don't get feedback i n the post, maybe drop a site mail to a few people to see what they think. A personal request is sometimes effective for this typ of critique.

Doug

[Scott O. Smith]

Summer,

Doug brings out several good points and I agree with all that he said. The photo is well balanced and well thought out. One thing that I noticed right away was the bare man's arm. If you were going for a pioneer theme the pioneer men would typically be wearing a long sleeve shirt to avoid the sun at that time. An earth toned color would compliment the scenery and the girl's dress and bonnet.

Thanks for sharing and asking for feedback.

[Summer Derrick]

Thanks guys! I did try to do a curves adjustment but couldn't get it to look right. I guess I should have asked for help! I'll try cropping it too.

I think another problem is that my meaning didn't get put across how I was hoping. I wanted to pull the future, past and present of Utah all together. The City being the present, pioneer past, hand leading into the future. I wanted the hand to also represent either God or a Father. Since Utah was formed by a belief in God and in Family. That's the reason I didn't dress up his arm. I didn't want to date it.

I have a tendency to over complicate things. Oh well, I'll learn to reign it in somehow!

Any more comments would be appreciated.

[Rusty "Sidewinder" Sessions]

I love the shot and got the meaning you were going for without you haveing to say it. I agree about the arm, for some reason it looks "new" lol if that makes since. But if you were thinking about it as maybe God or a future or present father then it is just right.

I like that both are in focus the foreground and the city. This makes you look at both and understand the photo and doesn't just have the background there and not connect as quickly as you do in it the way you have it now.

[Rusty "Sidewinder" Sessions]

Oh another thing... Try one shot with the girl in B&W or even a half tone with the saturation down till there is just a hint of color tone but have the city and/or the hand in color. It may be to much but maybe it would look cool.

[al perry]

I like the b&w but I really like the color. Somehow, the b&w doesn"t look real. Not sure why. Still, I wish I had taken either of them. Great shots.