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Year EndFollow me.jpgHMIt is delightfully surprising to see so many shorebird chicks together following one another! I usually see chicks singley or in very small groups. There is a potential problem here because overlap of elements in an image can be a visual problem. But the story here helps to almost overcome this problem. The profile of these little shorebirds marching along the beach stirs up a sense of pride and I find myself cheering for them in appreciation! And there is a pattern to their grouping, beginning with an attempt at single file, then there's a pair, and then one chick is leading the rest of the group. More mitigating strengths: I can see most of the bills clearly. Most of their legs are black with some sprinkled along the line at regular intervals, lending some additional order for the eye. They have the same head tilt and they point in the same direction. All this to say, that this is a very enjoyable image despite the overlap and bunching up towards the end of the line.
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Year EndHeceta Head Light1.jpgHMWhat struck me immediately about this image was the muted purple fog against the sky in the background. It provides a beautiful backdrop to this image without competing with the wonderful diagonal of the rock formations leading to the lighthouse. And there is a hint of the sky's purple in the sea and in the waters surrounding the formations which helps bring the piece into a cohesive whole. Although the sky also contrasts nicely with the textured rocks, I suggest toning down some of that sharpness. To me, it feels a bit out of balance with the rest of the photo.
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Year EndPerched Barn Owl.jpgHMI like the position of this owl. I can enjoy the facial expression as well as the coloration and texture of its feathers. It's interesting to see all the different layers of feathers. Very well done. This image feels weighted on the left hand side because the face, foliage and curve of the branch are all there. This is why I suggest moving the owl to the right in the frame. If you have more space on the left in your original photo, leave some of the in and crop a bit on the right and down from the top. If you don't, you could try cropping from the right and top anyway.
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Year EndEnchanting Cranberry Glade.jpg4th place, 1 of 3I think it is very difficult to take an image that features fog or mist. To me, this one succeeds in giving my eye a sweet balance with a colorful foreground of sharp meadow foliage against a soft opaque veil of fog. Even in the fog, the trees are quite recognizable and have interesting lines. The strong red and green complementary color scheme helps to bring the image together. I wonder what the image might look like if there had been more room on the viewer's left than on the right side of the image. The small tree there would be more present and the diagonals of the tall trees would have a little more room to reach.
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Year EndMisty Cypress.jpg4th place, 1 of 3A successful misty scene. I was delighted to see the detail and color in the lone tree up front. I think this distinguishes the tree as a focal point and delights the eye. And I enjoy the way the clarity of the trees diminshes with distance. That effect and the light in the background give this image great depth. The only reason this did not get a higher place is that the trees lean slightly to the left. If you use the straightener tool in Photoshop or Lightroom or other software, follow the short line of the shore on the right side of the image. You could also use the trees but that is sometimes a little more difficult.
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Year EndRiver Morning.jpg4th place, 1 of 3A beautiful foggy scene, largely due to the soft shades of amber. The placement of the main subject allows me to enjoy the lovely reflection as well and allows possible movement of the boat to the left. And the texture of the water contrasts nicely with the smooth sky. I like the soft line of the darker horizon. It gives grounding but does not distract in my opinion. To me, the bright yellow and sharpness of the dinghy brings it forward and catches the eye first. I don't think it is the most interesting part of the image, so you might try to minimize the color and brightness.
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Year EndAnother Day in Paradise.jpg3rd Place, 1 or 3I really like this sunset. So I ask myself what makes this sunset rise above many others that I've seen? Let me count the ways: The colors are soft and muted in hue, but bright in tone and beautifully blended. Greens and blues, pinks and oranges appear in both see and sky, linking them together. There are textured leading lines in the foam ebbing back to the sea which lead my eye to another layer in the waves. The sun is soft and and creates its own invitation to come deep into the image. The sky frames the sun in lovely wisps and arcs. The blue layer above the horizon also frames the sun by disappearing as it nears the sun. The bird lends a spot of interest without disturbing the tranquility of the scene. Nicely done! What raises a lovely seascape a little higher for me in ranking might be taking it a more of an angle.
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Year EndEncompassing Beauty.jpg3rd place, 1 of 3I have seen a lot of images created with a Lensbaby, ICM or other effects and to me this one has everything I think is needed to be a strong and beautiful image. There is a clear main subject, the flower, enfolded within the curve, is darker and clearer than the rest of the image. And the flower has character and detail in its edges, stamen and petals that I so enjoy about flowers. The strong curvature of the stems give my eye a pleasurable ride up and around. I particularly like the way the leaves amd stems are stronger than the ephemeral flowers, which seem to fade into the background at their edges. The background itself repeats the colors of the main event subtly and beautifully. I suggest seeing what this image looks like with it cropped on the right side. It would center the flower but I think that shows it off a little better. Just another idea.
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Year EndHawkeye Home Run.jpg3rd place, 1 of 3This is a terrific human interest story caught at a crucial moment! All the young men have leapt into the air to pretty much the same height except for one outlier on the left, which just adds interest (a pattern broken). Everyone is almost knee high to the player standing on the ground which enhances the feeling of height. I think it might have been helpful to have had additional space under their feet, if that was possible, so that the height strikes the viewer right away. I got it, but not immediately. I like the order in this melee. I look first at the excitement on the two faces looking at Number 9. And then my eye travels around the circle formed by the players. Nice job!
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Year EndJuvenile Cardinal 2500.jpg2nd place, 1 of 3I am grateful to this maker for capturing such a wonderful image of a juvenile cardinal in flight. I have never seen such a revealing image of one. I can see the downy tail feathers and the transitional coloring in this one in great detail. But wait, there's more, this one is caught with a fmorsel in its beak and excitement in its eye! And there is a touch of motion blur in its underdeveloped wings which gives the story action. With its wings in the downward position, it conveys to me the feeling that he or she is struggling to haul back its prize. The background is subtle enough to give realisitic context without interference.
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Year EndStormy Sunrise.jpg2nd place, 1 of 3I love this unusual plaid sky. This is the first thing that strikes me about this image. I enjoy the muted shades of purple with yellow and the hints of blue in the sea paired with the orange, giving us two complementary color schemes! The tiny boat in the distance is a lovely surprise that I didn't see at first. But because I lingered on this image with the color schemes, it got to it! And the scale comparison is effective, making the whole seascape seem expansive. The diagonals in the image add some intricacy and movement. And I like the muted shade of purple in the lower right hand corner as it adds another layer to the scape.
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Year EndThree Amigos#2.jpg2nd place, 1 of 3The presentation here of these three beauties is quite striking to me The softer and darker wall in back is very supportive with muted texture that contrasts nicely with the animals themselves. The wall's muted color brings out the russet in the amigos on the viewer's left and right. And the greens in the grasses bring a complimentary color scheme to a mostly black and white image. Even in the blacks and whites, there is differentiation and subtle nuance that delight my eye. The placement of the lemurs and the space around them feels just right.
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Year EndGrizzly Bear Sashimi.jpg1st place, 1 of 3I think the best images have a story, an expression, or a mood. The expression in this bear cub is priceless, not quite pride, almost embarrassment, and yet he/she has captured a big prize! I love the framing which helps to focus on his eyes and keeps the context in the story. I enjoy the rim lighting along the bear's back and head, helping to frame him/her. The water dripping off the fish gives the story action. Beautifullly captured and exposed.
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Year EndLooking Glass Falls.jpg1st place, 1 of 3Initially, I considered this image an excellent landscape with layers and shapes and directional curving lines throughout. I enjoyed the brightly colored leaves scattered about, and the strong diagonal line of a fallen limb on the upper right. And then I saw the figure in blue. What a surprise! I thought this was a small stream captured close up to maximize its effect only to find that the scale is quite different! Compared to the figure, the rocks and stream are enormous! Very well done! It was fortunate that the figure was crouching on the left balancing out the brighter rocks on the right. The contrast of the muddy colored rocks with the colorful leaves and figure is another joy.
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Year EndThose Are My Worms.jpg1st place, 1 of 3Great story, beautifully captured! I enjoy the food flying all about and the one piece almost in the thief's beak but not quite! The bird's eye contact is riveting. The clarity of the main characters in the image is perfect, including the tiny feathers sticking out on the right front side of the angry bird. The background is gorgeous in its soft painterlyness, and the dark tone setting off the brighter birds beautifully. It's a great example of a subtle complementary color scheme in the background and an analgous scheme in the main story; the connection between them being the russet color in the background and the red-brown colors in the birds and worms. You also caught the action with just the right shutter speed.
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