HM's, Runners-up, and Winner - Mini Challenge #159: Windows and Doors

billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
edited March 19, 2013 in The Dgrin Challenges
What an amazing set of photos, everyone! Great participation, great shots, great inspiration!

I could sit for hours sorting through these and never be satisfied that I'd picked the best. There are just too many "bests" in this thread. So...

Rather than getting stuck in decision gridlock, or analysis paralysis, I've just gone with instinct. Truly, any of the shots in this post could have been number one.

Let's start with a few Honorable Mentions...

Honorable Mention - Earache - "Pullman's Faded Luxury"
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Eric, this is a fascinating study of lines and texture and text. What first appears as a simple image ends up having layers of interest and keeps me looking. Simple and complex at the same time. Kudos!

Honorable Mention - TonyCooper - "No Trespassing"
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Tony, I really enjoy the urban decay genre and this one is exceptional. I think the juxtaposition of the horizontal lines of the foreground and the diagonal line of high windows inside the building interior play really well together. The rusted out "S" in the upper right adds the contrast of curves to an otherwise entirely linear composition. The processing is spot on and the variation of textures keeps me looking. Finally, the pristine condition of the NO TRESPASSING sign creates an ambiguous disconnect with broken glass and the general deterioration of everything else in the shot. Thanks for trespassing.. and for join in on the MC!

Honorable Mention - WhatSheSaw - Looking Up
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First I'll get the nit-picks out of the way... I'm not a big fan of the oversaturated colors here. That said, there's lots to be a big fan of in this shot. First, the skewed angles work to emphasize the upward POV and the slightly open window makes me wish I was high enough to look in. The cloud reflections are well done and exposed well. What was subtle for me initially was the exacting care that you've taken the with the diagonal lines to create three distinct bands of interest. Cool.

Honorable Mention - kdotaylor - Oldest School House in the US
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Kate, this is lovely. You've combined tack sharp focus that emphasizes texture and line with a subtly muted color palate to create an image that holds my attention. My eyes initially land on the teardrop latch at the top center, but then migrate down to the black interior of the building. The way the curtains on the left are slightly pulled back makes me wonder if someone's in the dark interior peeking out. Nice work!

Honorable Mention - PedalGirl - MCAS Tustin North Blimp Hangar
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Lisa, part of what appeals to me here is based on the fact that I know this building. I grew up in San Clemente and drove the I-5 past the hangers often. So... I know the scale of the building and it's overall shape. What you've done is shown a small portion that works at a very different level than it would seeing the same section in the context of the whole building. But, even without the bigger context your image works well for me. There's a carefully crafted symmetry of the three vertical sections. The small windows' repetitive patterns are broken up effectively by the four opaque sections. But what completes the effectiveness of the composition for me is the placement of the door. It all works so well together. Nicely done!

Third Runner-Up - Juano - Senegal
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Cristobal, this one caught my eye immediately. My former father-in-law (who I refered to as my father-outlaw after his daughter and I divorced) remained a friend even until the day he died a couple of years ago. He was an artist, graphic designer, and photographer, who never passed a graveyard or a clothesline without taking a picture. He would have loved this shot. So do I. It would have been my number 1 choice if only the clothes didn't get clipped on the bottom right. It's a nit-pick, but I do find it distracting. Your other two shots were spectacular, too! Thanks for joining in this round.


Second Runner-Up - Spotzo - untitled
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Spotzo, this is off-kilter in all the right ways. Weird, wild, wonderful. Mysterious and playful at the same time. Wondering what's on the other side. Very cool.

First Runner-Up - KevXman - Illumination
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Kevin, this is simply, stunning. Even more so after seeing your explanation post about the processing work that you put in on it. It was tough to pick between this evocative image and the winner - I bounced back and forth between them several times. "Illumination" is a technical tour-de-force. You pp skills are a.m.a.z.i.n.g!

MC Challenge #159 Winner - travelways - Half in
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Tatiana, What can I say? This shot has it all for me. A window with fine detail in the curtains; a half-open door; two pairs of sandals; and half a girl. Not to mention interesting textures and a dramatic - but not oversaturated - color palette. On top of that it conveys sense of place and implies a story to be told. Bravo!

Now, Tatiana, it's your turn to create the next MC. Here are some pointers:

Mini-Challenge pointers:
1. Upon winning a mini-challenge round, your first step is coming up with a new theme and starting a new thread using the same format as others have used.
2. Make sure to notify the admin of this thread to update the main thread links with your entry thread.
3. Feel free to watch the thread as it grows or wait to the end time and look at all the entries all at once.
4. After the time/date has passed, then officially close the thread with a single post notifying everyone of the fact.
5. After you're finished judging, start a new thread (again using the prior formats) and post your Winner and runners-up. It is important to have runners up in case the winner does not show within the 72-hour window.
6. PM the winner with this info above and let them know they have 72 hours to set up the next mini-challenge.
7. If the winner does not show/start the next mini-challenge after 72 hours, notify the next runner-up and post a message on the Winner thread of the fact.
8. Remember, if you're the Winner, you run the next mini challenge!
Bill Banning

Check out billseye photos on SmugMug

Comments

  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2013
    A Note to All MC #159 Participants...
    There were 73 photos entered by 29 Dgrinners. Great participation. I am in the process of commenting on at least one of each entrant's photos. I expect to post the comments (in this thread) before the end of the weekend.
    Bill Banning

    Check out billseye photos on SmugMug
  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2013
    Wow, thank you so much Bill for choosing this photo of mine - I'm so, so happy for this, because I loved this image the very first moment I saw it, before I shot it - actually little processing was necessary to it - almost nothing.

    Congratulations to the other winners and participants as well - such nice entries, I really enjoyed seeing them all clap.gifclapclap.gif

    For the next mini, think "chairs" I'll come up with the text and examples shortly.
    Tatiana - Seeing the world through my camera
    TravelwaysPhotos.com ...... Facebook
    VegasGreatAttractions.com
    Travelways.com
  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2013
    PS: I just realized that Kevin has a beautiful chair in his stunning window image :) the idea for the next challenge was not inspired by his entry - it's a subject I was thinking about for a while (too bad I don't have right now all my hard drives with some chairs photos I haven't posted to smugmug)
    Tatiana - Seeing the world through my camera
    TravelwaysPhotos.com ...... Facebook
    VegasGreatAttractions.com
    Travelways.com
  • StueveShotsStueveShots Registered Users Posts: 544 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2013
    Congratulations, Tatiana! That shot was one of my favorites of the round!
  • superduckzsuperduckz Registered Users Posts: 377 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2013
    Bravo! Well deserved!
    Accidents and Inspiration
    One of these days I'll have to figure out what my "style" is..
  • TravelnLassTravelnLass Registered Users Posts: 87 Big grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    Uh, is it just me here? Or is the winning (Trailways) entry pic missing? I even went back to the entry thread, but all her entry pics are missing. Could we at least have a thumbnail (if not the full size entry with a watermark or whatever) that remains posted on these MC Challenge threads. Needless to say, I'm anxious to see this wonderful "half in" (??) image.

    That said, congrats to all the winners and honorable mentions. Billseye surely had his work cut out for him on this one. And I must say - the only thing better than seeing (all but the winner's) images, was Bill's outstanding critique of each. Goodness Bill, but you brought up such fine details in many of the pics, that's I'd overlooked entirely.
    "I am not the same, having seen the moon rise on the other side of the world."
    TravelnLass.com
  • KevXmanKevXman Registered Users Posts: 945 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    Congrats Tatiana! A great capture! There were so many great images this challenge. Thank you Bill for the kind comments on "Illumination."
    ~Kevin
    Enjoy today, tomorrow is not guaranteed.

    My Site, My Book
  • JuanoJuano Registered Users Posts: 4,878 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    travelways wrote: »
    Wow, thank you so much Bill for choosing this photo of mine - I'm so, so happy for this, because I loved this image the very first moment I saw it, before I shot it - actually little processing was necessary to it - almost nothing.

    Congratulations to the other winners and participants as well - such nice entries, I really enjoyed seeing them all clap.gifclapclap.gif

    For the next mini, think "chairs" I'll come up with the text and examples shortly.

    Congratulations!! clap.gifclap

    Billseye, thank for running this challenge and taking the time to comment on the entries, that's a challenge in and of itself!
  • PedalGirlPedalGirl Registered Users Posts: 794 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    Nice work everyone! What a fun challenge. Congrats to Tatiana! And thanks, Bill, for the HM. :)
    Pho-tog-ra-pher (n) 1. One who practices photography 2. one obsessed with capturing life with their camera. 3. One who eats, sleeps and breathes photographs. 4. One who sees the world in 4x6.
    www.lisaspeakmanphotography.com
  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    Uh, is it just me here? Or is the winning (Trailways) entry pic missing? I even went back to the entry thread, but all her entry pics are missing. Could we at least have a thumbnail (if not the full size entry with a watermark or whatever) that remains posted on these MC Challenge threads. Needless to say, I'm anxious to see this wonderful "half in" (??) image.

    That said, congrats to all the winners and honorable mentions. Billseye surely had his work cut out for him on this one. And I must say - the only thing better than seeing (all but the winner's) images, was Bill's outstanding critique of each. Goodness Bill, but you brought up such fine details in many of the pics, that's I'd overlooked entirely.

    It's showing for me in this thread and the original entry thread. And... thanks for the comments about my critiques. It's something I really like to do if/when I have time. I've actually just completed comments on each participants entries. I'll be posting soon.
    Bill Banning

    Check out billseye photos on SmugMug
  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    Comments for ALL MC #159 Challenge Entrants
    As I write these comments/critiques, I'm on board the Amtrak Surfliner going south from Goleta to San Diego. It's about a five hour ride. I should be able to get through everyone before I get to my stop.

    This post provides some feedback to everyone who participated. There was SO much good stuff and I’m always willing to practice critiques, doing so helps me in my own photography.

    I’m not a professional. Never made a penny on photography (other than a few contests). I’ve been shooting since '72. Had a garage darkroom for a while, too. I’m largely self-taught. Love to read photo books and make friends with other hobbyists. Love the stretch provided by Dgrin Challenges.

    I’ve commented below on at least one photo from each participant. I’ve already picked my favorites, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best ones... just ones that caught my highly biased eye. Also, I didn't like everything, but tried my best to find strengths in each submission. Hope my honest assessment of what didn'twork for me to be of value. No offense is intended.

    ===== COMMENTS HERE (in alpha order by username) =====

    Chandlerja: My favorite of your three is “Stained,” although the other two are strong, too. For my taste, they each feel cramped within the frame, though. Even to the point of losing part of the subject in “Look to the Sky.” Everything fits in the frame in “Inspiration” but the angle of view creates skewed window frames that don’t seem to work for me. The processing in all three is great. Thanks for playing this round. I always appreciate your stuff.

    DonRicklin: My favorite of yours is “Former door in a door.” It tells a story and presents questions. The combination of foliage around it adds to the ambiguity of the image overall - healthy on the left, not so healthy on the right, and dead (or close to it) on the bottom. It seems perfectly exposed and sharply focused with an accurate color palette that’s not too saturated. “Copper Door and Pull” is fun, over the top, rust junkie processing. What’s not to like about that?

    duff65: I really like the first shot with the repeating doorways falling into a central vanishing point. It feels just a bit tilted down to the left, but that’s nit-picking. I also like the arching line at the top of only the first door. What would have sold it to me even more would have been an interesting subject strategically placed in the first room behind the forward door. The second shot doesn’t work for me. Beyond the distraction of the fence and hedge at the top and the cut-off building coming into the right foreground, I find it hard to land on either the three diagonally placed doors or the open door in shadow. I think a head-on shot of the three doors might have worked better. Haven’t seen much from you. Hope to see more!

    Earache: Already commented on the elegant “Pullman’s Faded Luxury.” Thought it might be appropriate to note that I’m doing these comments onboard the Amtrak Surfliner from Goleta to Solana Beach. Next weekend I’m getting a chance to ride on a renovated 1939 Super Chief Luxury Lounge Car from Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo and back. Definitely taking my camera on that ride. Anyway, “Behind the Green Door” is fun, if only for the blue cultural reference. I like the composition and color of “Setting for Four” but there’s something distracting in the processing - maybe it’s just the reflections and texture of the window glass, but I get a sense (likely inaccurate) of jpeg artifacts on lots of edges. Always good to see your stuff here. I’m still drooling over your new gear.

    eMojo: For me “Sixty” just misses the mark. The textures are interesting and the centered composition is fine, here. I think there are three things that would improve it. First, it looks like there’s some wide angle lens distortion, next the number on the door was important enough to be used as your title - but it’s almost lost in the shadows. Finally, the corner vignetting doesn’t work for me (not sure if it’s a lens issue or if you added it). Glad to see you joining into the mini-challenge.

    grandmaR: I always enjoy your contributions to the forums (photos and comments). You bring a distinct style every time. The shot of the Citroen is my favorite of this set. The combination of unique lines of this car and the priceless expression of your husband as he examines the map works really well. Nice choice for this challenge. The shot from Miami is helped by the bold color palette, but the subject itself is fairly nondescript. The refection of the third one (Hearst Castle?) is very cool. The shot would be improved if the backlight from the window wasn’t blown out. It also appears to be a bit off horizontal, that may just be perspective effects of your shooting angle. Thanks for taking part.

    Juano: What a strong set of images you’ve entered! I already commented on “Sengal” and the two are really strong, too. In "Cuba" the play of light on the stairs balanced by the detail and graffiti on the door is an interesting juxtaposition. “Yucatan” is an excellent study in bold color and texture that also works as a pleasing visual with a strong cultural backstory. Makes me want to travel more and further afield. Thanks for your entries!

    kdotaylor: Loved the “Oldest Schoolhouse...” The light, color and abstract textures of the “Glass Block Window” is nice too, but the color temperature seems a bit on the cool side for my taste, although I don’t know what was behind the blocks. “Red Barn is classic and so well composed. I think I’d like it better with a bit less saturation. Glad you joined in this round!

    kentwaller: Your set was a bit frustrating for me. Each one has potential to standout, but somehow none of them connected strongly for me. Not sure I can articulate specifics very well, but here’s my best shot: “Casbah” has good symmetry and leading lines to the low center... just not sure what the pay off is when you get there - and the framing feels too awfully tight. The dynamic range of light in “miskheta monastery” is really wide. I think there’s some amazing detail in the shadow tones of the door that could have been highlighted more. The stone work is also amazing, but I’m distracted by the slightly off center subject placement. I’ve heard (or read) somewhere that subject placement between true center and at a “rule of thirds” intersection can tend to be visually disconcerting. Seems that may be the case here. The best of them for me is “kayserberg” as it has the sign, a window and an effective narrow color palette that has enough contrast to add interest. Again, the crop cuts off some elements in awkward ways. I wonder if some dark and/or blur vignetting might help... Thanks for the entries and the international perspective!

    KevXman: “Illumination” already won my First runner up pick. “Red, White, and Ew” is another strong, quintessential window on red shot with textbook off-center composition. It’s really well done and adds interesting content within the window - definitely made me stop to look each time I scrolled through the entries. I have to admit that I didn’t even see the change you’d made on the third shot right away. The title ("The Traveler") is perfect as the image conveys a sense of distant place and restless wandering. Nicely done. Gotta say, your work is always strong and often catches my attention in unexpected ways. Thanks for contributing.

    Memol: Okay, I don’t feel so bad about not selecting one of your shots for this challenge after you smoked everyone in the Abstract challenge (my top pick there, by the way - amazing!). “Door to Nowhere” is interesting, but flawed by the awkward shadow line. “Door to a Garden in Lilliput” isn’t my cup of tea. The color portion of the image doesn’t hold much interest beyond the color shift. “Door to the Sea” is the best of the set for me, however the vertical stacking of door, boat, island keeps my eye from landing on a primary subject. Thanks for participating and congrats again on the terrific abstract!

    mkntrobi: “Fairy Tale Window” has a perfect color range for a fairy tale. The purples and violets work well with the darkness of the window frame. I’d like to see more of the frame on the sides and top. And while the colors are effective, it would be stronger with a more dramatic sky and a bit more detail in the dark valley foreground. Thanks for joining the mini challenge. Hope to see more!

    PedalGirl: I commented previously on “MCAS Tustin...” Of the two remaining, “Through the Glass” is my pick. An immediate sense of place and clever framing make this a solid shot. The roof line on the right and the triangles of window at the top are minor distractions, but overall it works well. “Abandoned” is frustrating because the crop on the bottom creates significant distraction - frustrating, because the colors, lines, and textures are all the right elements to work well together. Gotta say, Lisa, that it seem to me in the time I’ve been hanging around Dgrin, that your work is evolving and getting stronger all the time! Thanks for showing us your doors and windows.

    ShootingStar: From your set, I like “Interesting Tiles” the best. In addition to the interesting tiles, lines and colors, the red characters on the wall add interest. What make it just miss the mark is the overall centered composition with the dark wood of the door drawing the eyes to it. This makes the most interesting parts of the photo all surround a neutral, nondescript center block of darkness. Despite that, the photo commands attention with the variety of lines and textures. “Round Door” also comes close, but the thin white line outside the door on the right might be better with more of it showing, or gone entirely. The figure of the person inside the doorway is also a distraction. Finally, there’s “I love my place.” Here’s where personal bias comes in. I don’t care for tilted horizons unless I can discern a strong reason to have it. The soft focus on predominate features of the door, including the door handle and the dark hinge, also weakens the impact. Glad to have you joining the forums. Hope to see more of your work!

    A Special Note to SimpsonBrothers: It looks like you’ve removed your set from the thread. You had three amazing photos entered. I always appreciate your technical mastery and creativity. Each of the 3 you entered was among my consideration for recognition, ultimately there were shots that resonated more for me than yours. “Twilight Boys” is a technical tour-de-force and full of whimsy; and the compositing was pristine. For me, the scale of the subject relative to the rest of the picture wasn’t effective and I didn’t care for the overall warm color balance. “Grace” used bold motion effects to offset a church (or temple?) door that stood in stark contrast by it’s focus and highlight isolation. Placement at the extreme lower right was dramatic and unconventional. The overall effect combined literalism and abstract. It's a powerful image that was among my favorites. Finally, you submitted “Palladian” a straight on shot of three arched windows on a yellow brick wall above an iron railed balcony and below a tile roof. I’m able to make these comments because I did my ranking from downloaded thumbs that I imported into LR for review. They were all deleted as I made my comments. Looking at them again tonight on my train ride south, I’m wondering why my gut instincts didn’t lead me to either “Grace” or “Palladian” as they are both exceptional images. I actually think it may have been an initial flagging error in LR while I was reviewing my choices. I hope their absence in the gallery isn’t indicative of offense at exlcuding them from my choices.

    Spotzo: One shot entered that ended up as my second runner up. Already commented on it, but I’ll repeat that it's minimalist whimsy really resonated with me.

    StueveShots: Of your set, I like the slice-of-life sentimentality of “Cozy Evening” the best. There’s a touch of voyeurism implied, (maybe I’ve been watching too much Criminal Minds) but more central is the sense of looking into this families evening ritual. Nicely done. Thanks for sharing it. “Natural Light” feels more like environmental portrait than a focus on the window and “Window Seat” suffers from the boys faces being obscured by the shadows from strong backlighting. Thanks for sharing your stuff!

    superduckz: Houston... we have a problem. As soon as I saw there were over 70 photos to select from, I decided to save thumbs locally and temporarily import them into LightRoom for sorting and selecting. I started this process before the timeline ended and then checked for new entries when I closed the challenge. But... I didn’t think to go back and see if participants had changed their earlier entries. As a result, I just saw your two last-day replacement entries. I have to admit they’re stronger than the two I was looking at. The first one “...through the barn window...” is interesting inside and out, but likely wouldn’t have made my cut. But... your current second shot, “From the Kingsley Plantation Ruins,” is fascinating. I just commented (above to ShootingStar) that I don’t generally care for tilted horizon images. In this case, I make an exception. Tilting this shot to the point that upper left and lower right window corners touch the border is like breaking a rule in order to break another rule. The end result is an almost abstract image that turned my head more than once. I humbly offer a delayed HM for this shot. Very nice eye and strong duo-tone processing. By the way, I also liked “America by Car.”

    Tango: For your set, I’d say “old” followed by “backatcha” and “still standing” in that order. “old” seems to be the only shot that placed the subject of the challenge outside the DOF focus area. And it works. The door is still identifiable, but I think the spirit of the challenge was to make the door (or window) somehow more central than you did. “backatcha” is clever and well executed. There’s detail where it counts (i.e. in the curtains). I’m a little distracted by the angle-of-view skewing that occurs at the bottom window borders. Thanks for joining the challenge. Apparently you’re a prodigal grinner... glad you’ve returned.

    tinamarie52: My favorite of your set is “Windows galore.” It’s the only entry that stepped way back from the subject. You made this work well by doing it after dark. The color temperature of the various lights in the building create an effective palette and the three prominent areas of window light are arranged in a pleasing composition. Seems like you’ve got some pretty good compositing skills for “Enter the rabbit warren.” Either that, or some pretty exceptional bunny neighbors. “Welcome Home” is another effective use of artificial light after dark. What doesn’t’ work so well in this one for me is the interruption of the lamp shade by the wooden pane border on the glass window. Thanks for participating this round!

    TonyCooper: Already commented on “No Trespassing.” “Knock First is another strong entry. The dominate white accentuates the wood texture and makes the colors inside the door have a stronger impact. More kudos, Tony! While the story/message of “Doorway to Knowledge” is a good one, the image feels claustrophobic (as the actual setting likely does, too). The yellow cast also detracts for me. Thanks for venturing out of your normal forum hangouts to participate!

    TorL: Your sole entry, "Weathered," has interesting lines and symmetry juxtaposed over the aging wood textures. It’s very busy, yet the end result takes my eye right to the old lantern and the brand new hasp and lock! Cool.

    TravelinLass: What you’ve got going with your blog and your travels makes me (and lots of others, I bet) wish we’d spend more on travel and less on camera gear. I really enjoy your stuff. On a picky technical level here’s my assessment of your entries: “Mongolian ger door” is interesting, but without the context of what the ger is from a few steps further back, I can only appreciate it in terms of the material and close up construction. I’m a little distracted by the angle of the pole (bamboo?) on the right. Is it really skewed to the right or is this a perspective issue. “Great Wall of China peek-a-boo” is very cool and presents the view with a sense of scale. I wish there was less shadow in the lower right and that the focus was sharper and DOF was greater. “Half Moon Caye” is my favorite of your set. The trees tell the story of the wind and the section of open window tells the story of the photographer’s POV. I imagine the age and construction of the window tells a bit about the age and condition of the building (Hotel? Apartment?). Thanks for sharing some of the world with us!

    travelways: The official winner of MC #123 for “Half in.” You also submitted “Number 8” which suffers from shadows that overpower my attention to the overall composition. Nice lines, colors and textures, though. “Watching you” on the other hand is almost scary. I have to imagine that this was a overtly purposeful architectural design made to terrify passers by and protect the home from intruders. Cool. Thanks for your great winning shot!

    torrbrae: Okay first off, I’m having to avoid showing your pictures to my daughter for fear of being endlessly begged to send her to the real Bag End. Hmm.... maybe that’s not a bad idea... Of the three, I think “Inside the Green Dragon Inn” works best on it’s own merits. Of course to any avid Hobbit aficionado they’re all masterpieces. Thanks for getting these to us for the challenge!

    WhatSheSaw: Already comment on “Looking Up.” Okay, I’m gonna confess to being a cat person. In “So Much to See” there’s not much of the cat’s face to see, nor is there much of interest for the viewer to “see” outside the window. But dang it.. it’s a cat on a window sill and that outta be good for something. Good for the cat, maybe.

    Yangchen: Hmm. “Singapore Airlines...” feels like a quick snapshot. There’s not really much of significant interest in this shot for me other than wondering a bit about the relative size of the door and the jet outside and how the levels of the interior floor relate to the ground and the proximity of the plane to the door. Hmmm. Thanks for dropping in to the mini challenge.

    zoomn: The “Arizona still life” was right up there for an HM. I’ve spent a bit of time in the deserts of the southwest and have an appreciation for the unique beauty that can be found in the most surprising places. The only problem I have with this shot is the slight intrusion of branches in the foreground. Makes it a little too busy for my taste. I have a similar reaction to “Green shuttered window. Amazing colors reflective of the place. But the composition is cropped awfully tight on the right and the foreground palm is a pretty heavy attention getter in the overall composition. “Aruba” also could use some more breathing room around the window frame and a more compelling subject through the window. Thanks for joining in!

    ===============

    That’s it. Perfect timing. Last comment done. The train’s pulling into the station. I’ll post this sometime Saturday.

    IMG_0570-L.jpg
    Bill Banning

    Check out billseye photos on SmugMug
  • superduckzsuperduckz Registered Users Posts: 377 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    Thank you for the kind and fair critique and the delayed HM. This challenge really got me motivated. I'll still be finding good window shots weeks from now.
    Accidents and Inspiration
    One of these days I'll have to figure out what my "style" is..
  • TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    Thanks for running the exercise, Bill, and noticing my images. I shoot for my own pleasure, but
    it's alway nice to have someone else notice and appreciate my efforts.

    The window is in an orange packing plant, closed for some time, that was built in 1921. The
    oranges were the Bob White brand, and the company was the Strawn (hence the "S") Co.
    Here's the full view of the remaining building, but I cloned out the "No Trespassing" sign
    for the full view because it's just small distracting bright bit of yellow in that.

    2013-02-27-XL.jpg
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
  • DonRicklinDonRicklin Registered Users Posts: 5,551 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    billseye wrote: »

    DonRicklin: My favorite of yours is “Former door in a door.” It tells a story and presents questions. The combination of foliage around it adds to the ambiguity of the image overall - healthy on the left, not so healthy on the right, and dead (or close to it) on the bottom. It seems perfectly exposed and sharply focused with an accurate color palette that’s not too saturated. “Copper Door and Pull” is fun, over the top, rust junkie processing. What’s not to like about that?
    Thanks for the great comments, Bill. I have fun with both kinds of shooting. Grunge/derelict industrial sites and Rust Junkie shots!

    So nice of you to go the extra mile and comment on everyone's images... thumb.gif

    clap.gifclapclap.gif

    Don
    Don Ricklin - Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, was Pentax K7
    'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
    My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook
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  • PedalGirlPedalGirl Registered Users Posts: 794 Major grins
    edited March 9, 2013
    billseye wrote: »

    PedalGirl: I commented previously on “MCAS Tustin...” Of the two remaining, “Through the Glass” is my pick. An immediate sense of place and clever framing make this a solid shot. The roof line on the right and the triangles of window at the top are minor distractions, but overall it works well. “Abandoned” is frustrating because the crop on the bottom creates significant distraction - frustrating, because the colors, lines, and textures are all the right elements to work well together. Gotta say, Lisa, that it seem to me in the time I’ve been hanging around Dgrin, that your work is evolving and getting stronger all the time! Thanks for showing us your doors and windows.

    Thanks again Bill for all the great feedback! You must have been very busy during your trip. You ran a great mini and to take so much time to mention everyone is special indeed! thumb.gif
    Pho-tog-ra-pher (n) 1. One who practices photography 2. one obsessed with capturing life with their camera. 3. One who eats, sleeps and breathes photographs. 4. One who sees the world in 4x6.
    www.lisaspeakmanphotography.com
  • EaracheEarache Registered Users Posts: 3,533 Major grins
    edited March 10, 2013
    Nice work Top Finishers!

    Thanks for the HM Bill, and the C&C - no artifacts, just intentional grunge. eek7.gif
    And, thanks for your hard work and time. thumb.gif
    Eric ~ Smugmug
  • kdotaylorkdotaylor Registered Users Posts: 1,274 Major grins
    edited March 11, 2013
    Thanks for the HM....and also for taking the time to comment. Lots of work, and I appreciate it.
    Congrats to Tatiana on your win!
    Kate
    www.katetaylor.smugmug.com
    "You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." Mark Twain
  • travelwaystravelways Registered Users Posts: 7,854 Major grins
    edited March 11, 2013
    Thank you everybody :ivar

    ... and thank you Bill for the comments on the other photos:
    travelways: The official winner of MC #123 for “Half in.” You also submitted “Number 8” which suffers from shadows that overpower my attention to the overall composition. Nice lines, colors and textures, though. “Watching you” on the other hand is almost scary. I have to imagine that this was a overtly purposeful architectural design made to terrify passers by and protect the home from intruders. Cool. Thanks for your great winning shot!

    I haven't seen this aspect on both photos, but you are right. The comment on the window made me laugh loud rolleyes1.gif
    Tatiana - Seeing the world through my camera
    TravelwaysPhotos.com ...... Facebook
    VegasGreatAttractions.com
    Travelways.com
  • billseyebillseye Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
    edited March 11, 2013
    Tango wrote: »
    ... I should've mentioned the "old" image was taken at Santa Barbara Mission... (in the back somewhere), I've only been there once and wish to visit again. (however, I'm no better a photog then five yrs ago for that shot). Speaking of places, I see you're in Escondido! I haven't been there since the late 80's as a teenager riding a honda 800 with only cut-offs, flipflops, and no shirt.... ( glad I survived....) anyway, I loved Escondido! (for so so so many reasons!)

    later, have a great day...

    A question for you, Tango... Did you go to HS in Escondido in the late 80's? I was the music teacher at Orange Glen HS from 1985 to 1989. Just wondering how small the world might be.... I lived there from 1986 'til 2012, when I moved up to Santa Barbara to become Superintendent of the elementary school district in Goleta. Love the mission for photos. If you come through again, let me know.

    Still have my house in Escondido.... it's a great city in lots of ways.

    I spent my teen years riding a Honda 90 on the dirt in San Clemente and Dana Point. Nowdays, I ride a Harley on the backroads of Santa Barbara County whenever I get the chance.
    Bill Banning

    Check out billseye photos on SmugMug
  • tinamarie52tinamarie52 Registered Users Posts: 954 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2013
    Bill, thanks for the immense amount of time this took! also thanks for the feedback on my images. Like you, I gain immensely from critique-ing.

    Chris
    http://chrisadamczyk.smugmug.com

    When you come to a door... walk through it.
    If it's locked... find an open window.
  • grandmaRgrandmaR Registered Users Posts: 1,941 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2013
    I thank you also - on my pictures (which were the only ones I really looked at :( ) you were absolutely correct on all counts
    “"..an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." G.K. Chesterton”
  • dlscott56dlscott56 Registered Users Posts: 1,324 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2013
    Great photos everyone and congratulations!
  • zoomnzoomn Registered Users Posts: 142 Major grins
    edited March 19, 2013
    I'd also like to thank you Bill for all the effort you put in to this challenge and for the feedback on the photos!!
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