>>> LPS#10 Feedback thread

[Shay Stephens]

This is getting harder, I selected 34 photos the first time through. And the last pass was hardest of all. Really nice work in getting the idea of Surf or Turf across to the viewer.

One word of warning though, many are slipping back to using the theme words in the title:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
It is not a case for disqualification, but it reflects poorly on ones work, and in the spirit of helping people leap beyond the ordinary, I will keep harping on this issue.

With that said I really liked the imaginative takes many took in interpreting the theme. I will comment on them in turn. This was my first round picks:
2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, 34, 35, 40, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 60, 66, 67, 74.

That list was paired down to 10, 16, 20, 23, 25, 52, 53, 54, 60, 74

And now, my personal feedback:

Post# - Photog - Title
2 - jwear - sex education
Great colors, grouping, and crop. This was close for me, but there were photos that said surf much more strongly to me.

3 - hurricanesteve - It's what's for dinner.
An attractive photo, almost antique in appearance. I did appreciate the grass background, but it was of course over dominated by the huge head.

4 - vandana - "Just another day at Bering Sea"
Beautiful! It was close to making it for me, very close. But in the end it was just too flat (the ocean) to convey a surf idea strongly enough.

5 - jboeckler - "Fish Eye"
I am assuming this was taken at the ocean, had the camera swung around 180 degrees to get the ocean as a background instead of the house, it might have worked better for me with the theme. It is cute.

6 - Stan - Low Tide
A pleasant photo, but where is the subject (surf)? High tide might have been a bit more dynamic and in keeping with the action and idea of "surf".

7 - SunsetSailor - Ship Sailing On A Sea Of Grass
This one made me laugh. I love it. It was one of the last photos to just not make in my top 10, but I love it. Nice work.

8 - HoofClix - Anything T' Spare Up There?
Not strong for a turf theme, but not weak either, it has a summertime feel which is in keeping with a surf or turf idea in the summer. Nice. And I love the crop here, very complimentary to the subjects.

9 - Tessa HD - To the Back Forty
This one gave me the opposite feel, it feels cold and wintery, which if you were in the southern hemisphere would be fine, but the road/path is stealing the show and my impression moves away from the theme of turf. I do like the photo, and I want some clam chowder now hehehe so I thank you for that :-)

10 - Shamguess - Surfer's Halo
Surf defined! Perfect!

11 - saurora - Tiny Dancers
I just love this photo. It feels like summer, has a beautiful lawn, and is fun to look at. It just barely didn't make it for me, and I feel bad about that because I do like the photo so much.

12 - Joan - Surf for water striders
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
I like the idea, but it would have been more strongly conveyed had we gotten closer to the chaos down there. Make us feel the fear the striders must be feeling at seeing this maelstrom. As is we are too far away and can't connect.

13 - Equiessence - Turf Surfer
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
Would loved to have seen the action farther to the left, or a second sooner so the framing on the action would have been more complete. I like the complimentary crop and everything else. The theme development is a little weak for me with so much emphasis on the sky though. Ground it more to force the viewer to look down and see that grass.

14 - LazyTJ - Wooden Waves
Loved the idea, but it didn't come to fruition for me. I think the pattern just didn't hit me right. Camera angle too high? Not sure, but I would explore this photo idea further and see what you can do with it.

15 - LiquidAir - Point Reyes Summer
Just beautiful. I do miss some of the definition of the waves and or maybe a lower angle to get me closer to them, not sure, but it fell a little short for me with the theme.

16 - Greensquared - Night Inspector
Love it! Treating the theme as a subject and getting close enough to it to really highlight it. The earthworm is the perfect addition, complementary and it helps put a face, if you will, to the grass. Bravo.

17 - Antonio Correia - Riding the sea
There were two of these photos this round, and unfortunately, your photo didn't make the final cut for me because of the the sky (rather bland), the waves which are relatively lacking, and the angle (a bit too high). They contributed to a distant impersonal feel. It made the first round pick but not the second.

18 - clovisguy - Surfing in Kodiak
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
I think to have more of a surf feel, having some rapids where the water is more active and dynamic like it would be at a beach would have helped. As is, I see a great bear photo but don't get the theme.

19 - Prezwoodz - The Mystical Adventures of Jimmy the Pig
I love that you took this photo. It is a surreal departure from the expected. I couldn't find a way for me to make it fit the theme, but wanted to. If I were to go back in time and offer advice, it might be to compose the shot with just the pig on the diving board and the grassy hill in the background and have it look like he might be diving into grass for some odd crazy reason. With the other elements present it looks like an art show of some type and my suspension of disbelief goes away and I believe I can easily explain what I am seeing.

20 - Travis - Timelessness
Wow! Just wow!

21 - swintonphoto - Flowing Wall
I think my problem is I don't know what I am looking at. The subject in the foreground has no known relation to the subject in the background, so I can't see a pattern and it doesn't offer me a clue. The B&W might be hurting the photo. It was only just now that I saw (recognized) the grass on the right.

22 - f00sion - Off the Edge
Great action shot and I love the shape of the wave.

23 - PaulThomasMcKee - Beach Breakers at Nightfall
Wow!

24 - eoren1 - Awakening
Wow again, very powerful. I wanted to include this so bad but it just missed out for me. Very cool photo.

25 - pyroPrints.com - Hidden Legacy of War
Awesome!!! Nice closeup on the subject (turf) but you also included a secondary subject which gives meaning or a "reason" for the first subjects attention. Very compelling and well done.

26 - Robert - The Bog
Looks like a marching group of borg cubes hehehe. Scary. But that was my second look, on first look it falls a little flat for me. It might be the orientation, a vertical crop might be more complimentary to the vertical alignment of the peat. It might be the distant nature of the shot, I am not sure. But in the end it just doesn't ring my bell. Maybe I am just missing some visual context. Like where were they cut from? Who did the cutting? Things like that. On third look, the photo looks kind of like a tire tread decaying off the side of the road.

27 - dillpickle64 - "...And His Playmate Is the Sea"
Oh I love this photo! Marvelous! It lost out to stronger themed photos, but wow, love it.

28 - anwmn1 - In the Absence of Tide
No turf, no surf, no theme for me. But the photo is very nice and I love the footprints in the sand. Maybe if you were to find a small scrap of grass on the fringe that is just hanging on...that might make a compelling story.

29 - mycaptures - Along A Dusty Road
Love the mood, I feel summer, heat, and outside. It just barely didn't make it for me.

30 - Joel Delano - The Land of Birds
If only we could have seen more of the surf. 50% or more would probably have worked better for me. I don't care so much for the bird when I am looking for surf, but maybe if they were interacting with the surf, that would have been pretty sweet.

31 - Harleycowgirl - Sandcastle Architects
Love it. Feels a little over processed, but love it all the same.

32 - gundermann - On The Run
I like the emphasis on the grass. The jogger is a nice touch too. The sky isn't doing anything for me, and maybe a pano crop could help that. Nice work though.

33 - Madrid - My Favorite Carpet
On overcast days like this, the more you can exclude the sky from your photos the better. I like to hide it behind trees.

34 - tlee - Rocky Mountain High
Beautiful. Consider a 10:4 pano crop too as one option.

35 - urbanaries - bright sunshiney day
Clever way to work that in :-) I like their expressions too.

36 - quark - Surfing the world wide web
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
Conceptually this is pretty cool. But the image is flying out of the screen on a page that does not have an image post, so it is hard to mentally tell what is going on and how the elements relate to each other.

37 - gefillmore - catfish heaven-
Sweet! Doesn't hit the theme for me, but this is one awesome photo!

38 - corbosman - On their turf
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
Wow, I never expected to see a real shark! Bravo. It's kind of surf-y for me, but kind of not also so the only thing working against it at this point for me is the theme.

39 - hawkeye978 - Ready for Another Day
A little bit of grass and a bit of water, but which is which? I am unsure which theme you are going for here.

40 - McGyver - Gettin' soaked
That's some dangerous shooting there hehehe. I do like the feeling of immediate danger, it makes the wave more than just an element and moves it right to the main can't-miss-it-or-ignore-it realm.

41 - Tentacion - Under The Pier
Good theme development, but do watch that you don't start duplicating your work too often. This reminds me of a shot you did recently and you don't want to give the impression of a one trick pony.

42 - cdhames - The Immaculate Canvas
Really stunning photo. For the theme though, you could have panned down and still retained the majestic sky colors while at the same time giving more weight to the ocean, which for a theme of surf, should take a greater roll and the sky would would be the awesome supporting role or canvas upon which the ocean would hang.

43 - Felicia - The Lonely Lifeguard Stand
I could be wrong, and I apologize if I am, but this is the second shot we have seen of this tower right? My advice to Tentacion I would also apply here. If I am wrong, then I would say that the surf is so distant and obscure that it pales to insignificance against the tower and pathway there.

44 - Jerry Kacey - Eternal Surfer
So the zombie surfer rises at night in search for wax, or brains, or maybe both hehehe. I like the concept, the processing is a bit over cooked for me, and a pan to the left to see some of the surf our zombie friend is missing would be a nice touch too.

45 - Netgarden - Let no man put us under
Watch those frames.

46 - RBattis - Kansas Surf on Turf
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
A bit more depth of field to see the a little bit more definition of the background grass would help with a grass feel. The color helps, but the blade you have there in isolation could be a plant leaf too for all the viewer knows. So a wider depth of field would help give the context that this is a blade of grass in a sea of other blades.

47 - Xia_Ke - The Way Life Should Be
Fantastic shot. My only problem is the subject is the sun halo and the surf is a distant third subject at best. If there was a way to switch that around somehow with composition, angle, height, etc, it would have helped it for me.

48 - willaibach - biting the bullet
Very nice use of the legs in the background. The shot has life and context that is would otherwise lack. And the grass clippings on the ball reinforce the idea of turf for me.

49 - 3phase - Overlook
Very appealing and I like the composition. Theme wise, it fights itself trying to be both turf and surf and neither one pulls ahead in that fight for me.

50 - SaltFork - Amber Waves
Very attractive, I love it.

51 - lynnesite - Aquamotion
This has the life and energy of a wave at the beach and for sure gives me a feeling of surf.

52 - shatch - Reaching Out From Deep Within
Wow, this has the feel of a nationwide advertising campaign for a grass company. Great idea and execution.

53 - Agila - sunset surfer
Sweet!

54 - fashiznitsngrins - Field of Green
That one little blade of grass doubles my pleasure with this photo. It gives the shot extra life and personality. The crop which is a great compliment to the scene and the setting sun add up to a very wonderful photo for me.

55 - fiatsurf - Surf's up
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
Wow, great shot, the height is amazing.

56 - amy wilburn - no rescue for this fescue
I can here one of them saying "Well there's your problem!" hahaha. Falls a little flat for me, and it might be the angle. I can see a shot to the right at the end of the skid mark looking toward the car with the guys off to the side looking down at the now centered marks in the grass.

57 - EnricoS - A Rocky Shore
Probably just bad timing that you have no control over, but the water is pretty still with no threat form surf that I can tell. It is a beautiful shot, I just can't get behind the idea of surf with it.

58 - simmo - Roll Up
I am assuming that the playing surface is known as turf even though it doesn't look like it in the photo. But be that as it may, a shot from closer to that surface would have given more emphasis on the surface, and there is plenty of clear sky that could be exchanged for that.

59 - NanaMo - ....where the buffalo roam
Cool buffalo! Not really turfy for me though.

60 - peterst6906 - Carefree and Living it
It would have been a cool shot without the shoes, but by including them, you added a new emotional element to the shot that for me rocketed this photo to the moon. Fantastic example of context in action.

61 - Briggie - "Sailor's Delight"
Very attractive, and the crop complements the long strip of detail very nicely. A little weak in the surf feel for me, but lovely all the same.

62 - Pat664422 - Heaven on Earth
Beautiful photo, but at this distance, the surf action is pretty weak. Another option could have been to get closer to the water to magnify those waves to subject level and use that gorgeous setting as the backdrop.

63 - photman - Surfer Duck
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646
Maybe agitating the water or splashes would add some life and a feeling of surf and energy to this photo. It lacks the dynamism that the theme surf should convey.

64 - Dizzy - Demesne
I am assuming that this is meant for turf in the sense of territory. For me it lacks something, probably more context that would make that mental connection stronger. I could look at the photo and misinterpret it as vandalism and be none the wiser.

65 - jkenzie - Tunnel view
Good theme development and action, but the photo lacks some visual appeal. I am thinking maybe panning down so we can see more of that wave action at work might help.

66 - Llywellyn - Wave Whisperer
For me this was the last photo to go in my top ten list. I love it love it love it.

67 - chertioga - pull
Fun and dynamic, this hit the theme for me.

68 - sunita - Sunset beach, Corfu
A little dark and could use less sky and more surf. But that is an awesome vantage point.

69 - The Curious Camel - Magic Ground
I like your idea, but the execution is a little lacking for me. But I like your creativity.

70 - VisualXpressions - Territorial Dispute
I looks kind of like a race to me. I like the photo and the feeling of immediate action, but it doesn't hit the theme for me.

71 - leaforte - Lummi Nation (Puget Sound)
It's a nice setting, but very little surf like dynamism. Not doing it for me in the surf department.

72 - Vizhon - Growing Grass
Maybe too close, I get more of a feeling of texture that I do of turf or grass.

73 - drdane - Fern Drops
Just flat out gorgeous! Rock-em sock-em baby!

74 - Dee - Fishing on the beach
The surf here takes center stage and the rocks and fisherman are the canvas it plays off of. Bravo this is one hot photo.

75 - fmkjr - Private Retreat
Lovely spot, but maybe getting closer to the active water to spice up the action more would have helpped it have a better "surf" type feel.

76 - pemmett - Body Art
Clever, but the artwork reminds me more of the word aquatic.

77 - JillG - Early Summer Morning
A beautiful setting, but the turf don there has so little visual play that you don't really notice it amidst the towering greenery. Love the atmosphere.

78 - sherstone - just below the surFish
Love the title!

79 - Mitchell - My turf on the surf
Just a caution about the title: http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=67646


80 - douglas - Up Close
Too close I think, that and the color makes this look like magnified hair or porcupine quills or something like that.

81 - davev - Old Time Fun.
Love the setting, but perhaps the shot with the boat travelling away from the camera so we cn see the frothy paddlewheel or prop wash or something like that would give it a better feeling of surf.

82 - seastack - Summer Dream
Flat out gorgeous. A bit weak in the theme department for me, but wow.

83 - nelsonstuff - Dry
Love the setting, but a lower camera height to get closer to the grass and a bit less sky might have helped here to mix things up visually and break out of the "taken at head height" type look and also give more prominence to the grasses.

[Nikolai]

Here are my thoughts over LPS#10 "surf or Turf".

My guidelines in this contest were simple:

• For me, surf means surf, not just a water.
• Same goes about turf, only in this case it's a bit more complex, since it also means "domain". But in any case simple piece of grass does not cut it (for me, that is)
• Last but not least: Shay asked many, MANY times do NOT use the theme names in captions. It's one of the few precious direct hints one can rely on. Should you choose to ignore it (guilty myself) - well, you better be ready to deal with the consequences.

Entries marked with (*) made my first cut, and entries marked with (**) made my top ten.

Post# - Photog - Title
2 - jwear - sex education
Nice shot, Jeff! You have definitely improved since the times we first met in Yosemite:-). Exposure and DOF is spot on, colors are very good.
However, central location makes it a bit dull. And I don't see any notion of surf here :-(

3 - hurricanesteve - It's what's for dinner.
Nice composition. Colors off, though, I never saw purple foliage.
If the theme was "bulls" or "cows", it would be my top choice. But for "turf" it's too thin of a stretch.:-(

4 - vandana - "Just another day at Bering Sea"
"There she blows"! Nice arch catch! However, the image has a snapshot look in it, and most importantly, I don't see any surf going on.

5 - jboeckler - "Fish Eye"
Nice picture for family album. Good evening light. Nice color match between T_shirt and a sky. Other than that picture doesn't do anything for me, I don't even know what theme is belongs to.

6 - Stan - Low Tide (**)
Very nice! I like the colors and the feeling of solitude it delivers.
It looks a bit skewed, though. And I also think it should be cropped differently, maybe portrait mode. It would also help to avoid the horizon being dead centered.
Oh, and it made my Top Ten list. :-)

7 - SunsetSailor - Ship Sailing On A Sea Of Grass
Nice idea. Great composition. Definitely made me smile. Yet that was about it. Picture is rather static. I don't even know what theme it suppose to cover.

8 - HoofClix - Anything T' Spare Up There?
Well, it's a nice shot, but I could not possible see any connection to any of the themes.

9 - Tessa HD - To the Back Forty (*)
Very nice picture. I love fog in general. Dirt road - very "turfy". I could feel the cold dampness.
This image made my first cut, just not the final list.

10 - Shamguess - Surfer's Halo (**)
Theme. Emotions. Action. Light. Capture. Framing. Top ten.
I feel bad I didn't stay longer that day, looks like I missed most of the fun:-)

11 - saurora - Tiny Dancers
I'm not a big fan of kids pics, but this one looks solid enough. Great capture, nice post-processing. But it didn't say any of the themes anough for me.

12 - Joan - Surf for water striders
Having been to this place (and many similar), I know how difficult it is to pull any decent shot under this heavy foliage with bright spots. Joan, you did it nicely.
Yet it looks like a snapshot and I don't feel neither any theme, nor anything special about it.

13 - Equiessence - Turf Surfer
Colors are good. A rider cut in half - not so much. No relation to any theme, plus caption penalty.

14 - LazyTJ - Wooden Waves
Nice idea, but it lacks something je ne sais qoi.. Green cast does not help either...

15 - LiquidAir - Point Reyes Summer (**)
Great usage of the panoramic format. Rocks create nice diagonal motion, leading the eyes to the thinest film of the tidal surf. Gentle light. Foggy top. My Top ten (yet not in the overall, as it turned out)

16 - Greensquared - Night Inspector (**)
Another hit for Emily! You're becoming one of dgrin light-fairies. Great idea and sweet execution. Top ten.

17 - Antonio Correia - Riding the sea
Technically nice shot, but this "surfing" does not necessarily speaks "surf" for me. In fact, I don't see "surf" per se, as there is no shoreline involved.

18 - clovisguy - Surfing in Kodiak
Great Kodak moment. Nice capture. A bit dull color-wise.
Yet no surf feeling, though, and a caption only leads to penalty points :-(

19 - Prezwoodz - The Mystical Adventures of Jimmy the Pig
Interesting snapshot and description, but it's too far stretched for any of the themes.

20 - Travis - Timelessness
Interesting color treatment. Accurate exposure. Pano format is wisely used. Yet the picture of a surfer does not equal a picture of a surf, even though I can see some waves on the background.

21 - swintonphoto - Flowing Wall
I had very hard time trying to relate this image to any of the themes.

22 - f00sion - Off the Edge (*)
Great capture, but rather weak dynamic range. Surfer is almost in a dead center, thus making the image less dynamic. I would do something in post to liven the picture.
This picture made my first cut, but not the final list.

23 - PaulThomasMcKee - Beach Breakers at Nightfall (**)
While I'd like to see less cyan overall, this picture is a great capture of the surf. Wind surfer adds nicely. Top ten.

24 - eoren1 - Awakening
Very interesting place. Nice angle. Right (background) arm a bit too close to the frame. Somewhat weak b/w conversion. Yet I don't feel any of the themes.

25 - pyroPrints.com - Hidden Legacy of War (**)
Nice light. Nice concept. Nice execution. Great composition. Top ten.

26 - Robert - The Bog
While this image actually depicts the actual turf it leaves me totally cold.

27 - dillpickle64 - "...And His Playmate Is the Sea"
Nice composition. Accurate usage of the fillight. Great DOF. But it does not say surf to me.

28 - anwmn1 - In the Absence of Tide
Aaron, great picture! Love the footprints and the gentle curve of the dune. A bit more post, and it's a wall-hanger for sure. Yet it does not convey any theme for me. :-(

29 - mycaptures - Along A Dusty Road
Nice sepia treatment. Diagonal road leads to the sun. Yet the crop seems too tight on the top, and the whole picture looks weirly unbalanced. And yes, couldn't figure out what does it have to do with any of the themes.

30 - Joel Delano - The Land of Birds
Very busy shot. Patch of waves does not help with the themes.

31 - Harleycowgirl - Sandcastle Architects
Nice light. Nice framing. Great colors. Kids seem relaxed.
Overprocessed. And no theme for me here.

32 - gundermann - On The Run
Nice colors. Great light. I like the trees creating a middle tunnel.
White pole on the right creates a distraction. A band of see does not convey surf, and a grass does not cry turf, since it's obviously not the main subject.

33 - Madrid - My Favorite Carpet
Very serene picture. Good usage of pano format, although a wide speckle on the right would be better cut/cloned off.
Unfortunately, this shot flawed technically: PF/CA on the tree edges, oversaturated green of the grass...

34 - tlee - Rocky Mountain High
Magnificent view, looking great even during the full daylight. Great composition. Slightly blown out mountains and skies.
And no theme I can think of...:-(

35 - urbanaries - bright sunshiney day
Great wedding picture, B&G should be happy. :-)
Yet the presence of grass (and flowers) not even remotely delivers the "turf" theme for me.

36 - quark - Surfing the world wide web
Well, I'm all for experimenting. This one didn't work for me, though... :-(

37 - gefillmore - catfish heaven-
Nice fog. Signature "grainy" treatment.
Yet the sign ruins everything and I can't see any theme here.

38 - corbosman - On their turf
Nice shot. This picture would made it at least the first cut if there were no caption penalty.

39 - hawkeye978 - Ready for Another Day
Nice depth of view. I like shore curve. Towels and the buoys add nice color to otherwise pastel scene.
No clear theme though.

40 - McGyver - Gettin' soaked (*)
Great angle. Love the colors, too. Feels a bit oversaturated (typical for P&S).
This picture made my first cut (and actually won in the overall)

41 - Tentacion - Under The Pier
Funny, I had almost identical shot. It's a surf alright, and the pier support creates a nice frame.
Yet the total quality of image suffers. It feels soft, OOF, oversaturated, with hint of CA at the edges...

42 - cdhames - The Immaculate Canvas
Great colors. Nice composition. And yet I don't feel enough surf in it.

43 - Felicia - The Lonely Lifeguard Stand
Interesting picture. Nice diagonal. And that's about it, I don't feel anything else. No theme, at least...

44 - Jerry Kacey - Eternal Surfer
Nice concept. But the treatment make is look like an old film, which I'm not a fan of.

45 - Netgarden - Let no man put us under
This picture initially made it to my top ten, yet then the whole frame thingie happened.. Guys, read Da Rules!

46 - RBattis - Kansas Surf on Turf
Nice curve. A bit bland. No action. Feels soft and noisy. No theme. Caption penalty.

47 - Xia_Ke - The Way Life Should Be
Nice image. Great halo. And too much skies for any of the themes...

48 - willaibach - biting the bullet
A picture of football in a cloudy day. Nice low angle. Correct DOF. And I don't know what else to say, this image does not touch me at all...

49 - 3phase - Overlook
Very nice composition, with the sails offsetting the petals.
Harsh midday sun makes image the too contrasty and too dark. No good theme feeling.

50 - SaltFork - Amber Waves
Great picture. I love the colors and the ridge on the horizon. Capturing the grass waves was never easy, and this one is a very good attemt at it.
Yet it does not speak any theme loud enough.

51 - lynnesite - Aquamotion
Lynne, I don't know... This shot does not touch me at all, sorry.

52 - shatch - Reaching Out From Deep Within (**)
Theme. Action. Dynamics. Diagonals. Colors. DOF. Top ten.

53 - Agila - sunset surfer
Nice shot. Unfortunately, "surfer" does not equal "surf"...

54 - fashiznitsngrins - Field of Green (*)
Another fine example of the proper usage of pano format. Great DOF. Nice slopes. Good catch of a sun in the corner. Theme is here. This shot made my first cut, just not the final.

55 - fiatsurf - Surf's up (*)
Nice shot. Great capture. This shot made my first cut. Yet I could not get rid of a snapshoty feeling to it (read: no adequate post-processing), so it didn't make my top ten.

56 - amy wilburn - no rescue for this fescue
I see a lof of grass, but I don't feel the theme here.

57 - EnricoS - A Rocky Shore
Very nice picture. Great composition. Just no theme.

58 - simmo - Roll Up
Nice composition. Feels a bit static, though. And I can't feel the theme here.

59 - NanaMo - ....where the buffalo roam
Great capture. Lucky you to see this guys this close. Yet other than that it looks like a snapshot, light is too harsh, and the whole image does not call me in.

60 - peterst6906 - Carefree and Living it (**)
Another top ten of mine. Great colors. Nice hill curve. Awesome action. Proper DOF. Theme is here loud and clear.

61 - Briggie - "Sailor's Delight"
Nice pano format. Good pastel colors. Boat on the left creats a nice eye-anchor point.
Yet for me water does not say surf.

62 - Pat664422 - Heaven on Earth
Indeed. This is one of the most famous places in the Big Sur (McWay falls). Too bad it's a foggy day and the falls is just a trickle. Good water color, though. The horizon seems a bit skewed (made same mistake myself, it's hard to keep it straight at his angle).
But as good as it looks, I don't feel enough surf here.

63 - photman - Surfer Duck
Funny picture. Sure gets some laughs. No theme for me here, though.

64 - Dizzy - Demesne
After pondering a long time about this picture I decided I don't get. Call me stupid.

65 - jkenzie - Tunnel view
Nice composition. Decent capture. Yet I don't feel it. Sometimes verbatim application of the theme does not work, this is the case for me.

66 - Llywellyn - Wave Whisperer (*)
Interesting concept. Creative approach. Nice vignetting. This image made my first cut, just didn't get it all the way.

67 - chertioga - pull
Great summer fun shot. Good colors. Nice diagonal. A bit static. And not enough surf for my taste.

68 - sunita - Sunset beach, Corfu
Good vertical composition. Lovely cliffs. Decent surf. And way too dark an image.

69 - The Curious Camel - Magic Ground
Nice image. Interesting treatment. I can easily see it in a book.
Yet for me it's not saying any of the themes.

70 - VisualXpressions - Territorial Dispute
I was on a fence about this one. Definitely solid "turf" theme. Yet the overall quality pushed it back.

71 - leaforte - Lummi Nation (Puget Sound)
Nice composition. Good colors.
Too much DOF (why f/8?) and too much sharpening.
Not enough theme for me.

72 - Vizhon - Growing Grass
Good radial composition. Overblown center. Image looks overexposed and somwhat bland. Themewise, grass not equal turf for me.

73 - drdane - Fern Drops
Very good capture. Perfect DOF. Lovely colors.
Not enough theme for me.

74 - Dee - Fishing on the beach (**)
If this is not surf, I don't know what is. Top Ten. Actually, my #1 :-)

75 - fmkjr - Private Retreat
Very serene shot. Yet overall image looks muddy. And I don't get any theme at all.

76 - pemmett - Body Art
Interesting concept. Maybe different crop would work better.

77 - JillG - Early Summer Morning
Lovely foggy shot. Nice b/w.
Not sure about the trunc in the top-right corner, I want either more or less. Overall, don't feel enough turf here.

78 - sherstone - just below the surFish
Very nice capture. Great colors, lovely treatment. No theme, though.

79 - Mitchell - My turf on the surf.
Even with the penalizing caption I don't feel neither. Good catch, though.

80 - douglas - Up Close
Great diagonal movement. Razor sharp DOF. Just not enough theme for me.

81 - davev - Old Time Fun.
Very nice shot. Lovely subject. Nice colors. And no theme for me.

82 - seastack - Summer Dream (**)
Can you feel the wind? Can you hear the "shh" of the surf? Do you feel lost? I do. Top ten.

83 - nelsonstuff - Dry
Taken just hours before the deadline and posted minutes before it, this is surprisingly good rendition of the turf theme. I can feel the bitter scent of the dry grass. But the competition was too strong...

[Xia_Ke]

Originally Posted by Nikolai

...47 - Xia_Ke - The Way Life Should Be
Nice image. Great halo. And too much skies for any of the themes...

Thank you very much for taking the time to post feedback. Much appreciated Damn living in Maine! All that ocean with barely a wave...LOL

Aaron

[Tentacion]

Thanks for the feedback....Much Appreciated!

Cie La Vie, for the human eye beholds many wonderous and different views to each....

Congrats to Everyone once again...

No One is a Looser, a looser is that person that does not even try!!

[seastack]

Thanks Nik. Obviously posting that street shot of you didn't cause any hard feelings ;-)> I really did appreciate your comments greatly.

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by seastack

Thanks Nik. Obviously posting that street shot of you didn't cause any hard feelings ;-)> I really did appreciate your comments greatly.

You're welcome!
What street shot???

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

Thank you very much for taking the time to post feedback. Much appreciated Damn living in Maine! All that ocean with barely a wave...LOL

Aaron

Yeah, mon, sorry I was late. Came home from work tonight around 6, and it took me darn 3 hours straight to write it all down, and I was still a few minutes late after 9pm .

[seastack]

Originally Posted by Nikolai

You're welcome!
What street shot???

Uhhh Ohhhh ... this one:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?...hlight=nikolai

[jboeckler]

I appreciate the feedback! I guess I had a bit looser interpretation of the theme than was intended. My thought process was surf & turf reminded me of a fish platter in a restaurant but now that I think about it I had a few other images which may have fit better than this one. However, sometimes it is easy to get emotionally caught up in an image and I may have forced it into this round because I really liked the photo of my nephew.

I will say that It seems as though you guys have a pretty specific idea of the theme should cover. Not talking about my entry but for example the image "Surf's Up" was a great entry which encompassed a surfer and I would have thought this would surely be included in the category surf/turf no? I'm new here so I certainly don't wish to sound like I am complaining, just trying to understand more for the next round. If photos are not considered because they are not thought to fit a specific interpretation of the category then that it sorta hit and miss. I guess safest way is to stick closely to the themes...and in all fairness that is probably what judging is about making decisions about which pictures you like so I do understand.

Thanks again and Can't wait till the next round!

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by seastack

Uhhh Ohhhh ... this one:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?...hlight=nikolai

Darn, I missed it
Thanks!:-)

[Xia_Ke]

Originally Posted by Nikolai

Yeah, mon, sorry I was late. Came home from work tonight around 6, and it took me darn 3 hours straight to write it all down, and I was still a few minutes late after 9pm .

Late? I mean, yes, how dare you be late! Feedback is due within the hour of a round's end! That's it, 10 lashings for you and no dessert

[jwear]

once again Shay thank you ,and again i wish i did not agree with you -congrats to the winners .I also would pick them before mine

[saurora]

Originally Posted by SHAY STEPHENS

11 - saurora - Tiny Dancers
I just love this photo. It feels like summer, has a beautiful lawn, and is fun to look at. It just barely didn't make it for me, and I feel bad about that because I do like the photo so much.

Shay your feedback on my entry is almost as good as winning!!! I appreciate your comments very, very much! Thanks for all that you do for this forum!

Originally Posted by Nikolai

11 - saurora - Tiny Dancers
I'm not a big fan of kids pics, but this one looks solid enough. Great capture, nice post-processing. But it didn't say any of the themes anough for me.

Thanks Nik, I think this is mostly a compliment? I'm not a big fan of surf shots, which is why I went for kids.

[Harleycowgirl]

Thanks so much for the feedback! For me, it is always greatly appreciated, good or bad. Thanks again!

[Nikolai]

Originally Posted by saurora

Thanks Nik, I think this is mostly a compliment?

It sure is:-)

[Llywellyn]

Originally Posted by Nikolai

66 - Llywellyn - Wave Whisperer (*)
Interesting concept. Creative approach. Nice vignetting. This image made my first cut, just didn't get it all the way.

Thank you. As I shoot mostly landscapes and this round was filled to the brim with incredible landscapes, I was determined to do something completely different. Definitely not like anything I've attempted before, but I loved the results. So LPS did exactly what it's supposed to do--challenge me and help me grow my skills.

It's nice to know others enjoyed my efforts this time around, too.

[hawkeye978]

Thanks for the feedback Nik. I appreciate the time you put into the judging and comments.

[EnricoS]

Originally Posted by Nikolai

57 - EnricoS - A Rocky Shore
Very nice picture. Great composition. Just no theme.

Thanks, Nik. I appreciate the feedback.

I'm just a newbie, amateur having a bit of fun, and trying to learn a few things along the way. I must say though, that I'm learning so much more just seeing other people's photos. Simply awesome!

Congrats and good luck to all the semi-finalists. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

[HoofClix]

I appreciate the comments on my pining little pooch, from this thread and the other "commoners'" thread as well, particularly as to how the crop was exactly what made this work as a photo at all.

I would like to invite all the judges to a celebratory surf 'n turf dinner at my local steak house here in Greenville, known especially for their steak and lobster dishes. To see those is, regretably, all we can do, as in this literal case surf 'n turf can only mean salt water and sod! Shall I reserve the "House" for Thursday?

[Travis]

Originally Posted by Shay Stephens

20 - Travis - Timelessness
Wow! Just wow!

Thanks Shay, that made it worthwhile.