Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/01/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dear All.... In response to someone's happy observation of Contax eqpt..... Somehow , if U study the pics carefully...... I just feel the Grand Prize pics were sort of a letdown, compared against the other place winners..... I mean no offence to the winners... plse do not be offended.....I felt those in the third place or Honourable mention categories deserved better placings.... a lot of them I felt were superb pics considering the efforts they go thru to get the composition (and other thiings) right..... The mantis shot was really remarkable.... I felt should be given grand prize placing considering the difficulty of the shot..... how on earth do U coax an insect ?! ( as opposed to other kinds of animals) The 2nd placing horse shot was I thot had more merits than the baby Jaguar playing with the stick...... the horse composition was so strong... any first glance will make U pick it out first , rather than the Jaguar cub...... The 2nd prize photojournalism shot of the burned down bldg with the newspaper vendor was more poignant than the kids standing in line at the food shelter..... The Honourable mention "Rand Pachni" festival (very red) was also deserving a better placing...... How do I judge ? I always felt good pics are those that are able to capture a real moment in time , something that can't be orchestrated repeatedly to achieve an ideal shot , .......... At that split moment, if the picture taker is able to combine all ingredients eg, composition, lighting , content , capturing a significant moment in time - telling a story by the 'clues' in the pic ...... thats a mark of a good photo let alone good photographer.... If emotions are stirred, its already a significant clue of a good pic....... I just feel that a good pic is that 'elusive' shot where everything comes together at that split second, and the photographer had the foresight and vision to anticipate it and capture it on film ..... The grandma having a tatto was really good....... that I agree...... Its an example of what I am saying about capturing THE moment..... consider this : age gap, young and old ..... a tense combination..... subject of tattoo - even more unexpected ...... composition - the dead serious granny and the tickled youngsters..... the seriousness of the tatto artist was a clue that the scene was not enacted....... In the same vein, the cowhand grabbing the toddler by the pants , and the Buckingham palace guard were definitely more meritorious than the 3rd place baby playing with the faucet....... I am curious about the judging criteria...... Anyone share my view ? Lastly , let me reiterate that I am not putting down the winners per se..... As U can see by now I am 'opinionating' about the criteria...... Peace TMLee - -----Original Message----- From: coyote@outbackcoyote.com <coyote@outbackcoyote.com> To: contax@photo.cis.to <contax@photo.cis.to> Date: Friday, January 05, 2001 12:25 AM Subject: [CONTAX] Contest Winner ... Pop Photog. Some Contax equi. >Did anybody notice that Pop Photo Jan 2000 has a couple of winners using >Contax equip. > >Page: 74 First Prize Animials .... a Contax Rx w/ a 50 mm Planar > >and Page: Third Prize Action Sports ... a Kayaker! Nice shot with an >RTS III w/ 135 F2 CZ Lens. Pretty remarkable when you consider MANUAL >FOCUS! > >For me the Grand prize shot did little for me ... A digitally >maniupulated shot of a greenhouse w/ butterflies ... I thought ... that >would have been great if it had been a real slice of a second ... but >since it was not I yawned. > >Michael. > > >