First, thank you to everyone who entered our 1st Annual Cover Contest! We were so impressed with the quality and talent of those who entered. It was truly difficult to decide this group of finalists.
Each photo was judged on creativity, originality and technical skill. We also took into consideration the practical ability of the photo to be converted into a cover. If you entered and didn't make the cut, please know that it's not because you're not a good photographer. Some photos covered subjects we've used often for covers. Some photos were not cropped in a way that would work for a cover. So don't be too hard on yourself!
So without further ado, here are your 14 finalists, in no particular order. Each photo includes the photographer's notes on the photo, and a few notes from the judges.
Entry #30 :: Emily Ku - Emily Ku Photography
"I took this engagement photo in Cambridge, MA inside the Harvard Square T (subway) stop. The couple had their first date at Harvard Square and wanted pictures to remember their time together in Boston (they are now living in Hong Kong)." ~ Emily
Why we chose it:
Cindy - Location, motion blur, color, composition
Amy - Beautiful exposure, great interaction and connection.
Entry #41 :: Lisa Deering - Lisa J Photography
"This image was taken at a little green area near my home. These are first time parents with their new baby girl. We used lovely morning light." ~ Lisa
Why we chose it:
Cindy - So endearing, lighting
Amy - Beautiful moment captured, lovely composition and interaction.
Entry #3 :: Yasmin Tajik - Shalimar Studios
"The subject in this image is Ria, a young, Indian lady I first met when I was photographing a charity pageant. This pageant, Glitterati, is designed specifically for girls of South Asian descent (Indian, Pakistani, etc.) to compete and raise funds to benefit the Akshay Patra Foundation. Akshay Patra is a powerful organization funding the production of meals for over 1.2 million children a day living in poverty conditions in India. Due to their dire conditions, they often don't attend school, and by giving them a meal incentive, it increases their chances and motivation to get an education. The Glitterati pageant provides a wonderful opportunity for local young South Asian girls to participate and bring in funds, donations and awareness to a critical issue in their homeland. Ria was one of 15 girls participating in the 2010 pageant and won Miss Photogenic which included a portrait session with Shalimar Studios. This image is one representation from that recent portrait session, and beautifully shows how stunning Ria is inside and out.
This image was captured in a deserted, industrial area near Blue Diamond and Rainbow. We just happened to find this location as we were driving to another location." ~Yasmin
Why we chose it:
Cindy - composition, love the post edit, pleasing to the eye
Amy - Technical skill, connection and composition. Great post processing.
Entry #4 :: Mary Lynn - Mary Lynn Photography
"This is a shot of my daughter from last Christmas. We were getting ready to go visit Santa. We live in Northwest Las Vegas, she was four years old and my favorite subject." ~Mary Lynn
Why we chose it:
Cindy - composition, perfectly exposed, rich color
Amy - Great exposure and connection with the photographer. Post processing is just right.
Entry #23 :: Randi Gardner, r.gardner photographs
"This is Ashlee, she is in her senior year of high school. I was lucky enough to photograph her - as she is so natural in front of the camera. This particular photo is my favorite from the shoot because of her genuine smile. She is looking at her mom. This was taken at the Jacob Hamblin home in Saint George, Utah - right as the sun was coming up." ~Randi
Why we chose it:
Cindy - It's lovely and soft, great lighting, love the bokeh, and composition.
Amy - I love her natural expression. Perfect exposure, soft and feminine feel to the image.
Entry #6 :: Nick Pelletier, Nick Pelletier Photography
"This shot was taken from the top of the northern parking garage of the Las Vegas Premium Outlets North. It was taken in February of this year, and I re-touched the photo using Photomatix and Lightroom.
My family and I spent the day capturing some city photos from the stratosphere and other areas, finishing the evening with a colorful sunset! I think this photo captures a bit of why people come to vegas... The Lights, Shopping, Entertainment, and Gambling." ~ Nick
Why we chose it:
Cindy - colors, clarity, and location!
Amy - I love the beautiful color and feel to this image. It's just so VEGAS. It's not easy to get night photography just right, and this is just fantastic.
Entry #7 :: Lacey Buchorn
"Paris, France - Our family took one last hurrah trip to Paris before moving back to the US from the UK. Paris is my absolute favorite city in the world and I would live there in a heartbeat." ~Lacey
Why we chose it:
Cindy - Great angle, eye-catching!
Amy - Incredible composition - the conversion to black and white gives enhances the dramatic angle.
Entry #11 :: Deena Wilder - DW Photography
"I decided to play around in the background with my camera and my favorite subjects (my daughters). I put both of my daughters in sun dresses, and had them play around while I took some shots. I found this wonderful photo of my eldest daughter that I took between her twirling and dancing." ~ Deena
Why we chose it:
Cindy - Great composition, expression
Amy - This photo really grew on me. The expression and composition are lovely, but I think what I love most is how the photographer took the processing right to the edge without going over.
Entry #14 :: Katie Hulett - K Hulett Photography
"This photo was taken with a Canonj 5D Mark II in the streets of Paris, France. The man in the middle is an Australian groom who was married a few hours later, happily walking off his nerves with his father and best friend. His best friend found a stray puppy and stooped to say hello while this shot was taken." ~ Katie
Why we chose it:
Cindy - This one interests me and makes me want to know more about the story behind it
Amy - It's "street photography" style is very endearing and captivating. The composition a.nd technical skill are there, and it makes the viewer want to know and see more.
Entry #18 :: Alex Mo - Alex Mo Photography
"This was from a last-minute wedding request that I was delighted to photograph. I just LOVE when kids run and play. It makes for some of the best candids because of their youth and innocence. This particular photo was of the groom's daughter just having a blast without a care in the world. I experimented with some odd/interesting composition and angles throughout the morning and found this gem." ~ Alex
Why we chose it:
Cindy - I like the whimsey and composition of this shot.
Amy - I adore the playful journalistic feel to this image. Great movement and composition.
Entry 45 :: William Swaney - V3 Arts
"This photo was taken on a romantic trip with my wife to Los Angeles. This was our stop at the Santa Monica Pier, it paired a beautiful blue sky with fluffy white clouds to a colorful and surely joyous ferris wheel." ~William
Why we chose it:
Cindy - Love the colors, clouds, and the perspective.
Amy - Interesting composition. Great color and exposure.
Entry #15 - Leaha Bourgeois - POPography
Why we chose it:
Great color and expression. Lovely shot.
Entry #43 :: Lilli Schwindt -Lilly Photography
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| Entry #39 - Lilli Schwindt |
"I´m a photgrapher from germany and this was a 50´s journey shooting at a old train station." ~ Lilli
Why we chose it:
Cindy - Composition, post edit, and clarity
Amy - There's just something about this photo. Great sharpness and post processing.
Entry #40 :: Lindy Frye - Frye Fotos Photography
"The woman featured is Mary M. She is an inspirational lady who has been through many rough patches in life and gotten past each one. She has not let herself become a victim and has moved on to become a motivational speaker and successful author of Rocket Risks (www.rocketrisks.com)" ~ Lindy
Why we chose it:
Amy - Beautiful, well done portrait. Love the catchlights and pose.
Voting begins now! To vote, tell your friends and family to 'like' our page and vote for your photo (each finalist has a number). The photo with the most votes wins the December 2011 Cover! Voting ends November 15th.
1 comment:
This has been so much fun! Good luck to everyone!
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