I am going to enter 6 of my photos in a comp at my photography club, I'm nervous and excited about it and have sat here all weekend coming no closer to choosing.

I need 3 for the portraits section (can be colour OR b/w)
and 3 for the open section (can be colour OR b/w)

my photos are here:
www.flickr.com/photos/charlotte1971

In the runnings for portrait are (ones I'm considering):





















(though I'm not sure photos of 2 people count )

I love the little girl ..Jasmine
and the feet and hands ...does that count as portrait?

and this one!!!
http://www.flickr.com/pho...337035899/

LOVE this
http://www.flickr.com/pho...337035899/

Ocean said:

I don't think so, but both could count towards the open category, hands and feet is definitely a contender

ZombieKitten said:

Well I love them! Ur so talented it makes me sick..especially when I've practically given up on my camera lol

they are all great.
but the ones i like the most are
the first
and the lady in the kitchen
and the blue/green photo of your son.

Ocean said:

go and do a short course!!! I really recommend it
you just need to learn what all the buttons are for

i really really like the first one. its incredible.

horatio said:

that lady is my 98 year old grandma
good choices

horatio said:

he's an actor! He was in Nims Island and knows Jodie Foster!

1,4,5, your grandma,

ZombieKitten said:

Actually I might think about that...just brought a video camera too so now I figure that damn thing out and how to burn them on to a portable burner I got ..and edit ..bloody hell
oooh and this one
http://www.flickr.com/pho...689727307/
and
http://www.flickr.com/pho...689727307/
hell I give up ..they are all good!!!!

honeypot69 said:

I think yes I will go with number one for sure!
and grandma with her potato? or my other grandma in the chair with my auntie?

Ocean said:

the fountain I am considering seriously for the open section

ZombieKitten said:

wow, she is doing well.

the blu/green one is the one above you grandma just to clarify.
do you play with the color on them, specifically the blu/green one? Im just curious how it all works.

http://www.flickr.com/pho...725453628/

I really adore this one but you didn't take it

http://www.flickr.com/pho...725453628/

ZombieKitten said:

with the potato

These 2!

Contenders for OPEN section:

honeypot69 said:

I know! Oscar will be very mad if I pretended I took it

ZombieKitten said:[quote]Contenders for OPEN section:







Me thinks!

horatio said:

back in the olden days one could shoot on slide film and still develop it using the negative developing process, and it would produce unpredictable colours. There are "actions" you can use in photoshop to replicate that effect - this one is called Urban Acid, but I toned it down a bit.

Sometimes I'm disappointed to see my shot looking much duller than how I remembered something, or the colours muddier, so I might use auto contrast or something to bring more punch into the image.

Then there is a thing called HDR
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...ge_imaging
which easily results in images that look artificial
I can't stand it

Since its a photography club I take it the rules of composition will be a big factor in which photos should go in, and not just random ones which look good, but aren't good in technical terms.

If so I will have a look when I get home on my better computer and can actually view the pictures properly

kcwm said:

The guy who judged last week was about 80 and said the same thing about each pic "crop off distractions" I think many factors come into play, composition, exposure, emotion, colour, etc.
Thanks

Yeah photography is really fun once you know what to look for when composing a good photo. Sure lots of people just take photos for fun and aren't into the technicalities of it but once you have all the knowledge you look at things differently and what would normally be a very plain and simple picture you can turn them into something completely different.

kcwm said:

you are into it too? show us!!

Heres my recommendations for the portraits. I will give reasons why too!


http://www.flickr.com/pho...725453628/

nice and simple, good use of side(ish) lighting

http://www.flickr.com/pho...725453628/

another good use of lighting, this time coming from a natural source. Also uses good use of lines to bring you to the main focal point of the photo (being her face)

http://www.flickr.com/pho...725453628/

This one is an interesting one as you could say its not fully a portrait, but it really is. That being said the pilar is on or very close to the 3rd (rule of 3rds if you don't get me) which then brings you into the portrait and does a good job of that. Nice and simple colours that go together too

now for the open 3

http://www.flickr.com/pho...687397100/

I like this one because of all the grey and then BAM! The sign hits you. Good use of leading lines too and 3rds as well. But the use of the colours is what does it

http://www.flickr.com/pho...687397100/

This one is interesting, its got good tones in it and the whole composition of it is very nice.

the last one is a bit tricky to but I would go for...drum roll

http://www.flickr.com/pho...725453628/

The contrast of colours is really good here. The small blotches of green from the trees and then the colour of the ground, then just get blown away by the water. Nice composition on it as well.

Those are my opinions, hope they help

I will try scan some of my old photos at some stage. I really need to get me a good SLR one of these days