Chat weekend competition "Floral Spring" 8th to 11th March 2012

[donoreo]

Good idea on having a poll person.

[wavemachine]

I am happy to do the poll, it only takes me about 10 mins and I have time.

[kerbside]

Originally Posted by wavemachine

I am happy to do the poll, it only takes me about 10 mins and I have time.

Dave, if you are happy to be POLLMASTER then i think it may be a good idea, not sure what all the other regular entrants think, if you are away or something i am sure that a PM to someone can sort the odd week or 2 out.

Why not do a poll on a pollmaster and see what the response is?

[TwinnieE]

Sorry too hear wavemachine is thinking of having a break too.
Will miss your entries.
I can't do the poll as I haven't got a computer
at work. It's a good idea though having a pollmaster,
takes the pressure off the winner.

I really enjoy the weekend comps and it has
improved my photography over the last few months.
It's great too be part of such a lovely bunch of
talented people.

TwinnieE

[donoreo]

We have a winner! Highlandscenics takes it. I voted for it. I liked how the flow was growing in a difficult place. I liked how the processing helped to convey that.

My own was all I could find. I had got some potted tulips for my wife but they were a disappointment, they did not bloom very well and were not that attractive. They must not have been from the Netherlands

Up - Cathus' Macro Flower - great shot, nothing wrong with it. I may have voted for it. I liked the woodpile better.

Down - Daffodil Plus visitor - a well executed photo. There is nothing wrong with it that I can pinpoint, but I would not have voted for it. I dunno why.

[highlandscenics]

Originally Posted by donoreo

We have a winner! Highlandscenics takes it. I voted for it. I liked how the flow was growing in a difficult place. I liked how the processing helped to convey that.

My own was all I could find. I had got some potted tulips for my wife but they were a disappointment, they did not bloom very well and were not that attractive. They must not have been from the Netherlands

Up - Cathus' Macro Flower - great shot, nothing wrong with it. I may have voted for it. I liked the woodpile better.

Down - Daffodil Plus visitor - a well executed photo. There is nothing wrong with it that I can pinpoint, but I would not have voted for it. I dunno why.

Cheers Donoreo.. The processing was relatively simple. Converted the shot to Sepia, then colour popped the small Daffy. I darkened and highlighted selected parts of the axe and saw with dodge and burn tools too give them more impact, Finally I added an unsharp mask.
As for the pile of wood.....it has since been burnt in my stove!

Up:

Pea24 "Face up to the Light": Really loved this shot from the off. I liked the DoF and the angle of shooting the subject. The pastel colours gave the image a warm feel to it, like Spring.
It got my vote.

Jet-Kit "Snow Drop": I can see the vision of this shot, but for me there was a lot of noise from the ISO being too high. Also I noticed some ghosting around the flower head. Maybe a simple wind break could've been used to stop any breeze moving the subject and a tripod/bean bag to enable a hands free shot with lower ISO. Just my opinion, as always to be taken with a pinch of salt...

DD "Red Tulip, Spring in Bloom": A nice set up, the water beads set it off nicely. I think if shot without the water, it would've been hard to stand out from other close ups, great idea and pulled off very nicely indeed, glad to see your Nillie streak is over!...

Downs:

Semaj "Narcissus": Good composition and framing, I just felt the contrast was a little too contrasty if that makes sense?..

hssutton "Heleborus": Good, solid colours and simple composition all worked to this shots' advantage. It's a "right in your face" shot. Surprised it didn't get a few more votes

Right I'm off to doff my thinking cap............thanks again to all that voted!.....

[wodm]

congrats.

Thanks for the feedback on the black backgrounds guys. Will certainly [try] to put it to good use (i see a failure on the horizon lol)

[TwinnieE]

Congrats to highlandscenics.
Ups and downs later!
Too busy messing with my new car!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackie_brand/6836549820/

TwinnieE

[pea24]

Nice win highlandscenics and an excellent find of photo potential there.

Above: DigiDiva's Red Tulip - Spring In Bloom
A beautiful shot with lots of clear detail. I think I'd have preferred a looser crop and maybe lighten the exposure a little. It didn't quite shout out Spring to me as much as some of the other shots.

Below: ogri1st - Daffy
Lovely spring-like day and shooting from below into the blue sky worked well. The trees and blobby thing distracted from the overall shot, I felt. The composittion was also a little too central for me; maybe you could have used the stalk as a lead-in line. Nicely lit daff though.

I voted for JonnyM's Riverside Restitution. Although I thought it was a little over exposed, I really liked the shimmer of the bokeh and the composition/square crop.

Also nearly voted for kezpock's Crocus. This was a brilliant angle and focus - only the pot stopped it from getting my vote!

Oh yes, thanks for my votes guys - I thought I was in with a chance for a short while!!!

[Reinardina]

Congratulations Matthew! I loved the shot from the start, and it got my vote.

You managed to illustrate life, with the brave wee flower, fighting its way up to the sun, despite all the odds stacked (literally!) against it.