Local Fall Festival is having a photo contest

[KHarmon]

The local fall festival here in my town is having a photo competition. They are wanting photos of the local area to be entered into the contest. I'm thinking of entering a few pictures and wanted to get opinions on what three pictures I should consider entering. These are going to be done in 8x10 prints and want to know which ones would look the best in print.

1. Webb Cemetery

Webb sunset 1 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr


2. Zimmatic Sunset

Zimmatic sunset4 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr

3. The Storm Front

gust front 7 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr

4. The Rose

069 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr

5. Cedar Sunset

009 enhancement 2 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr

6. Lightning over the T-Bar Country Club

lightning 081111 2 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr

[jeeperman]

Of these #2 stands out to me and will likely stand out in the minds of those whom see the sprinklers all the time in a less interesting way. Good luck!

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Kris,

I don't feel qualified to answer on the grounds that I don't print often enough to know what's going to work best for you.

The other thing to consider is what level of photographic expertise the judge(s) might have.

A few comments on the pictures as seen here that you might want to consider before printing;
#1 looks crooked, but the lefthand post is vertical, is subject too central? (crop a bit of right?)
#2 looks crooked too, not sure, due to silhouette hiding ground profile why this looks so
#3 If the dust storm front is the 'alien' thing here, it makes sense for that to be the sepia colour, so why is the foreground also sepia toned? (not sure if I explained that very well)
#4 suitably sharpened for printing, although not photographically brilliant or inventive, it might appeal to the judge(s)
#5 clone out the power lines across the top?
#6 needs straightening and clone out the two things on foreground grass?

Expect to get nowhere (it is irrelevant how good the photos are), then any prize won or commendation received is a bonus

Hope that helps,

[Geoff F]

Additional to Dave's comments, I'm not sure that any of those images specifically refer to a particular place and at a particular time of the year. Even though they may be decent shots in themselves, subject to the above comments.

I would have thought something like children dressed for the season playing amongst falling leaves in the local park would be more likely to be a prizewinner; even if a bit predictable.

Possibly #1 works on a rather deep level. As we approach the Autumn (Fall) of our lives the cemetary beckons us towards the sunset. But I'm not sure everyone would see it that way.

If you can enter a number of photos I think I would include something more obviously relevent to time and place alongside some of those shown here.