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View Poll Results: Final Four, the PR choice?

Voters
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  • Dixie Highway

    2 12.50%
  • Peace on Earth

    6 37.50%
  • Dawn at the Lake

    4 25.00%
  • In the Country

    4 25.00%
Results 1 to 22 of 22
  1. #1
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    The Final Four, PRs choice

    I have to come up with some pictures for the fair this year and time is winding down. I have a couple of weeks to get some ready. I usually put in two black and whites and two color edits. I promised myself this year I would try something different in choosing which ones. So here what I came up with. One I know had little chance of winning, one my wife would pick out and one I would let the PR members pick out and one wild card.LOL
    So here is your choices.
    Please tell me why you picked one over the other. From past experience I know the judges like traditional, classic photography. No magic PS stuff. Up to a point. Infrared or something like that don't stand a chance, but I think Dixie Highway would be fine, and local landmarks either. I guess they have just seen to many of them over the years. So here they are, the final four. Please have fun. It's not about winning or losing it's about Art and sharing. Hit me with your best critique..
    Dixie Highway


    Peace on Earth


    Dawn at the Lake


    In the Country
    I am like Barney Fife, I have a gun but Andy makes me keep the bullet in my pocket..

    Sony a99/a7R

  2. #2
    Liz
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Hi Greg,

    Nice shots! I chose "Dawn at the Lake" but it was a hard decision between that one and "In the Country" to be honest. I finally settled on Lake photo because I love the sky - and I think the two little (trees/plants) along with the reflections - in the water - really add to the image. The composition is perfect. It's a beautiful photo.

    Good luck!

    Liz

  3. #3
    Re Member LeeIs's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    If those judges don't fall in love with 'Peace on Earth' they're not worth it.

    I loved that one the first time you posted it. And still do.
    Liban

    "There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have." Nelson Mandela

    Nikon Samurai #23 - The Alexei Ponikarovsky of PR

    Havana Cuba Photography

  4. #4
    Senior Member arne saknussen's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Peace On Earth has always been one of my faves of your shots.
    Last edited by arne saknussen; 09-14-2011 at 06:24 PM. Reason: misspelling

  5. #5
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Thanks for voting all. If it ends up being a tie for some reason we will let Gary Heller cast the winning vote.
    I am like Barney Fife, I have a gun but Andy makes me keep the bullet in my pocket..

    Sony a99/a7R

  6. #6
    Senior Member armando_m's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    hard to choose between the color ones

    picked in the country

    Liban or Arne one of you guys didn't vote for peace on earth

  7. #7
    Grumpy Old Man Overbeyond's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Peace on Earth, with a little more on the blacks. Wonderful image. had not seen it before and I agree with Liban.
    http://www.overbeyond.com


    I have a total lack of respect for anything connected with society, except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper, and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer. Brendan Behan

  8. #8
    Re Member LeeIs's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Quote Originally Posted by armando_m View Post
    hard to choose between the color ones

    picked in the country

    Liban or Arne one of you guys didn't vote for peace on earth
    I definitely voted.
    Liban

    "There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have." Nelson Mandela

    Nikon Samurai #23 - The Alexei Ponikarovsky of PR

    Havana Cuba Photography

  9. #9
    Moderator Didache's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Peace on Earth. Definitely. PROVIDED the printing is very good. There is a lovely delicacy to the shades there, with the tree just peering through the mist. Lovely shot. But, as I say, you will have to really nail the printing. Maybe on matt art paper?

    Cheers
    Mike
    Mike Dales ARPS
    My website: www.mikedalesphotography.co.uk

  10. #10
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Thanks again all, Mike I printed it up today it looked pretty good. I have learned printing is a whole different world. We have a really nice printer at work.
    I am like Barney Fife, I have a gun but Andy makes me keep the bullet in my pocket..

    Sony a99/a7R

  11. #11
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    all of them are awesome!

  12. #12
    Senior Member hminx's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    I'd like dixie highway even more if you cloned out the powerlines, and made it a full B&W
    Pete

    Isn't it a cool thing in nature that the colours never seem to clash...

    I have no issues with you editing my photos

  13. #13
    mod squad gahspidy's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Greg, these are all very fine images but "Peace on Earth" is the hands down winner for me. Soft and minimalist and yet visually striking by the dark tones on light and the well balanced composition.

    All are very good, but this is classic and should make an impression beyond what the rest are capable of.
    Best of luck, and keep us posted on the this.
    please do not edit and repost my photos


    gary


  14. #14
    Senior Member arne saknussen's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Quote Originally Posted by armando_m View Post
    hard to choose between the color ones

    picked in the country

    Liban or Arne one of you guys didn't vote for peace on earth
    I thought I did, but I now see that I didn't. Thanks for the heads up.

  15. #15
    GB1
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Greg,

    They're all moving in their own way, but I find Dixie Highway the most compelling. I like it's old time feel the the overall photographic elements of composition, contrast, vanishing point and subject are well done. My only criticism might be that it slightly suffers from the 'standing 5 feet high' position when you shot it, which is routine. I'm also not sure about how the distance between the car and the edge of the frames are the same on the left and the bottom. I would fix this if I were you.

    Peace on Earth also works. The fence is slightly more intruding than I would like, stealing a little bit of my attention from the subject, but it's OK. I like the image's high key feeling. It seems to bring back memories of being in snowstorms many years ago. I wonder if this is so with everyone?

    Dawn on the Lake is an overall pretty shot of a sunrise. Not much to critique, it's nice, other than the two blades of grass poking up there would be better as one or three.

    I also like In the Country, esp the colors. The geometric shapes of the trees and bale are good IMO, but not award winners. The lack of sharpness in the image bothers me a bit, and the bale may be too close to the edge of the frame. Still, a very tranquil shot.

    G
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  16. #16
    Ken ksbryan0's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    I voted for Peace on Earth, for all the reasons mentioned above. It is a striking image, simple and timeless.
    Ken

    My Website: His Creation
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Wayne Gretzky

  17. #17
    Senior Member AgingEyes's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Peace on Earth followed by In the Country. Very good mood in the former and good colors in the latter.

  18. #18
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Thanks again all for taking the time. I printed up Peace on Earth in a couple of sizes yesterday and the prints look really nice. The tree looks like you see here was just like the print. The larger I went the more detail I see in the falling snow slowly turning solid white going to the top. So I think the print is fine. There are restrictions on the size I enter. 11x17 including white mat.
    At one point I printed it to 30x18 and it still looked nice. The E5 is a wonderful camera and I also use the 12-60mm and the detail always amazes me. So I got the gear I just need the talent.lol
    I am like Barney Fife, I have a gun but Andy makes me keep the bullet in my pocket..

    Sony a99/a7R

  19. #19
    Re Member LeeIs's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    looks like we're




    Liban

    "There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have." Nelson Mandela

    Nikon Samurai #23 - The Alexei Ponikarovsky of PR

    Havana Cuba Photography

  20. #20
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Thanks again Leels.
    Last call for alcohol.lol just a few minutes to go....
    I am like Barney Fife, I have a gun but Andy makes me keep the bullet in my pocket..

    Sony a99/a7R

  21. #21
    Sleep is optional Sebastian's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Greg,

    In the Country, by far. I love what you were going for with Peace on Earth, but the white wash with just a sliver of vertical black is too simple, IMO. In the Country has dramatic light, excellent shapes and angles, silhouettes, and a hazy, moody landscape that just create immense depth and layering.

    My only nit: I think you can brighten it a bit and slightly boos contrast/saturation. Right now the image is a bit flatter than I think you can get away with.

    Dixie Highway would have benefitted from isolating the car in the FG. Its strong angles lead my eye right into the background grouping of structures. This kind of image is right up my alley, but I'm afraid in this instance the circumstances simply didn't take aesthetics into account. I would leave a note on the owner's windshield asking him to be more considerate of his parking choice in the future. ;-)

    Best of luck with the judging! I'm rooting for you.
    -Seb

    My website

    (Please don't edit and repost my images without my permission. Thank you)

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  22. #22
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    Re: The Final Four, PRs choice

    Thanks Sebastian for the great critique. I will try and punch up In the Country. I find taking pictures of cars I have no control of difficult. Next time I will ask can I test drive it and park it in the perfect spot.lol This is one of my wife's favorites.
    I will come back and let everyone know how I did in a couple of weeks. They are some awesome photographers in my area.
    I am like Barney Fife, I have a gun but Andy makes me keep the bullet in my pocket..

    Sony a99/a7R

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