The best of the (Flowers) bunch
By Pat Greenhouse
Globe Staff
In judging the May Flowers contest, I had to whittle 287 images down to 50 and then select a top 10. The top 30, those that immediately impressed me, revealed themselves in the first cut. The standouts made good use of natural and artificial light, perspective, composition, mood, and a bit of whimsy. The top 10 came from this group.
The next 20 did not come as easily. A lot of the photographers apparently see with the same eye. Many images looked like carbon copies. That's okay, but I was looking for something different. Some had a bit too much fun with quirkiness, which suggested that they were not serious submissions. That's also okay. It would have been nice to see some strong human elements that were truly "found," not manufactured, situations. I was hoping to see a good people picture and flower picture in the same frame. This occurs when you just happen to be in the right place at the best time. Sometimes you're good at anticipation or just have the gift of patience and know when to wait for the right moment.
I had silent cerebral dialogue with myself and tried to advocate for some of the images in these subsequent cuts. While looking to round out the group with variety of scene and content, I had to skip over many because of poor cropping or execution. A little extra post-production work would have elevated some of these.
Looking back to the top three, they are all about simplicity.
FIRST PLACE - $100
My choice for 1st place is unpretentious, elegant, and sexy. Yes, this flower is sexy! The shape, the color, the light, and the background all converge at a place that is understated, with no need to boast about its deserved position.
SECOND PLACE - $50
For 2nd place, I chose this perky picture with back-lit petals. Here's some of that whimsy I mentioned. And again, very simple. The pleasant composition shows the flowers competing for the sun's attention.
THIRD PLACE - $25
In 3rd is an image that combines subtle light, texture, color, and shallow focus to produce an evocative mood. It is a delight.
In my opinion, the first choice photo is indicative of how subjective this process really is. If I was the judge, it would not have finished in the top 20. Choose another judge, and you could have a completely new set of photos in the top 10. And mine made it in the top 10 (#5), so its not sour grapes. I'm grateful but realize how tenuous the inclusion of my photo was in the face of so many great photos. Anyone who made it in the final 50 is worthy of being in the top 10.
"Think Pink" is my favorite. Unlike the rest, the colors are not overly saturated, and the amount of post processing is just right. The small amount of colorization contrasts nicely against the b/w background. The composition makes great use of just a few well positioned simple flowers, without including any distracting elements. The exposure captures details in both the highlights and shadows, without blowing out either. The staggering flowers with their stems suggest depth. Some may find the lack of tack sharpness in the image, but for me that adds a touch of dreaminess and softness. Perhaps the photographer can comment on whether that was intentional.
While it was shot in Lisbon, images like this can easily be found close to home. What makes it great is the photographer's ability to notice and transform something common into something dramatic.
I think I agree with you, fairn... I wish I were able to copy it to use as a background on my desktop. And my second fave is the dogwood blossoms...
I'm not a photographer, but I do not - in any composition - like photos with the juxtoposition of black and white and a solo focus in color (a single colored cosmo against a black and white background, etc). It's a bit of a cop out, in my opinion.
I would have picked 5, 2, or 9...
I LOVED # 9 -- I voted for it over my own. # 1 was striking, though. But I'm biased toward the simple pictures that cause you to look twice.
I have to also say that this is a tough crowd here at RAW! But I like it. This past April I got the Canon G10 and have been having a blast with it. The first picture I've ever submitted to anything ever ended up in the top 10 here, so now I'm really hooked. (I'm cop out #6 with the orange flower in the black and white :-P ). Reading all the opinions here has been fun, whether I agree or not. I know what I like, but it's also interesting to try and shoot in other ways due to these comments. Opens up more angles. Between RAW and flicker I feel as though I'm getting a first-rate education.
Next month's contest should be awesome based on what I've seen people can do with flowers, can't wait.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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