[Zone]

A particularly tricky (for me at least) theme for the second one of the year so well done all those who managed to get in an entry

Anyway onto the voting

Thumbnail page is HERE to quickly check you haven't missed any entries.

As always a huge thankyou to our sponsors for the prizes on offer HERE

The closing date for votes will be shown at the top of the poll and don't forget that all votes are public so no voting for yourself

Also if you have entered a picture then you are expected to vote else all votes accrued by you will be disallowed

[T0MAT01]

I've voted for Ksten. I like the thinking behind the shot and it's very well implemented.

[Steven]

Ditto and it appeals to the inner child in me looking up high at the stars

On another note, this month's theme explains all the "merging exposures" threads

[GaryK26]

Macker gets my vote....Normally when it comes to comp time I favour the less PP'ed images, but this one is both a very good idea and great execution.

MrChris is worthy of a mention, but didn't quite do it for me. Not sure what the missing something was - maybe either the watch or the lady needed to be a little sharper.

Ksten's image is another example of great execution and great idea.

I like the bold colours in Sabretooth's entry - yet another good idea.

Well done to all who entered

[Liquid101]

Allymac for me. Nice execution, nice choice of location - just a great, straightforward shot.

I think this is still a photography competition, so i've gone for the best quality single photograph, which fits the theme.

For me, heavily manipulated images aren't in the spirit of the competition - using 171 exposures to get a single image, or having text as a major part of the concept just isn't photography any more.

There - i've said it.

Thats said, it's perhaps a littrle ironic that Ally's first entry was a compilation of many huindreds of photographs - oh well.

[GaryK26]

I agree mostly with Liquids thoughts on the extensive PP'ing on some entries (despite the fact that my vote was for an image that was achieved through PP and text).

Is it worthwhile having a poll on whether the guidelines / rules of the comp should be made clearer in terms of what can be entered? (Maybe we should have a poll to see if we should have a poll ).

Given a good idea, time, effort and experience with PS, some amazing images can be achieved. But is this an image comp or a photo comp?

Personally I'd like to see a zero-PP rule (including not being allowed to fine tune curves, etc). Get the comp back to basics (if there is such a thing in this digital world) - concentrate on thought, composition, execution, etc. Let's have a comp that showcases our photography skills (or lack of them) instead of how good we are with PhotoShop.

Now, where did I put that Scott Kelby book?

[Pic Flicks]

ksten for me, i think its very well thought out, well edited and i really like the angle! good job

[Liquid101]

Originally Posted by GaryK26

Personally I'd like to see a zero-PP rule (including not being allowed to fine tune curves, etc). Get the comp back to basics (if there is such a thing in this digital world) - concentrate on thought, composition, execution, etc. Let's have a comp that showcases our photography skills (or lack of them) instead of how good we are with PhotoShop.

I agree - even if it was just for one month, it would be nice to enter just a RAW file. Not sure how it could be administered though - they'd be to big to be posted directly and it wouldn't be fair to expect poor old Zone to check 60 RAW files against the posted version.

Any ideas?

[rizingstar]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

Any ideas?

Yes, split the competition thread into two, but with the same theme, one for PP and the other for RAW or normal.

I've said this before when I've entered mine, just some of us aint got the better equipment

:edit: Vote goes to electrolyte, love it!

[allymac123]

Originally Posted by Liquid101

I agree - even if it was just for one month, it would be nice to enter just a RAW file. Not sure how it could be administered though - they'd be to big to be posted directly and it wouldn't be fair to expect poor old Zone to check 60 RAW files against the posted version.

Any ideas?

I'd say that you post the jpg (shoot RAW + Jpg) and also put a link to your RAW file hosted on mediafire. Then the public (us) can check the RAW file should we desire.

Obviously if you can't/wont/don't shoot RAW then we will be able to tell if it's been through any software as the exif will show!!!

I'm still not sure if its intirely fair as I myself can't justify the cost of a decent set of Grad filters because its usually pretty easy to recreate them on the computer. So people who did have the money for grads would be at an advantage. Although I suppose the same is true with all hardware (camera included).

[electrolyte]

Mr Chris for me. I thought it said "time and motion" to me more than the others. Ksten's probably the most impressive photo but it just says "motion" to me so couldn't get my vote.

[electrolyte]

Not sure I agree about having a RAW only competition - this is supposed to be a photography competition where we enter photographs. Would be a bit like having an old fashioned film competition and only entering negatives. The dark (and light) room is just as much part of photography.

The rules of the competition are left open and it is up to the voters to decide.

[Liquid101]

Originally Posted by electrolyte

Would be a bit like having an old fashioned film competition and only entering negatives.

There used to be competitions that only allowed transparencies - They were limited to what you could do 'in camera'

I don't think that it should be like like this every month - just one perhaps. I enjoy the processing aspect as much as the next person, but it would be an interesting cheallenge to get the perfect shot at the capture stage.

This way for an entry to stand out it would have to be a good mix of idea and photographic technique.

[richard plumb]

billmag for me. I really like the red, and the darkened trail left by the watch face as it swings. The 2nd curtain flash making the watch nice and crisp at the end rounds it off nicely.


Very close with Allymac though. Lovely shot - car lights are done a lot so it takes something special to make them stand out, which I think you've done.

[richard plumb]

in response to liquid, I'll confuse things further :D

I agree about heavy PP - adding items, creating motion that isn't there by use of separate, discrete exposures etc.

But something like the star trail which is simply using multiple exposures to better capture on digital what could have been captured on analogue film is fine by me. Its still effectively a big long exposure - start......end - just broken down. No rejigging of the scene moving things around etc.

[jonnypb]

Tough one this month. Very hard to pick a winner between ksten, MrChris, BUFFY FAN, SweetGirl, allymac123, macker2006

but I went for ksten in the end. Well executed and a great idea

Well done all

[Alun]

A tough subject (for me) , most of the month on nightshift, and a small baby all conspired together so that I never got an entry in!

However, my vote goes to ksten, shows motion well and the time aspect is covered nicely simply by how long it took!


runners up for me, in no particular order, liquid, bodo & billmag

I have a fairly 'pro-pp' stance, I like to have a fiddle afterwards, though my dabbling is pretty simple, crops, tone tweaks etc. If it can make a good pic great, then so be it.

However, I'm also all for a "straight from the camera" month, be an interesting one I think.

Cheers,

Alun

[netronelson]

Ksten for me - dedication, and a good shot in the end.

Honorable mentions:

Bodoman
Electrolyte
Macker
Biscuit

-

My 2 cents on the PP or No PP would be to keep it open for people to choose themselves, and let the voters decide the winning entry based on their personal preference - this would balance out any heavy PP'd shots (which i'm not a fan of either, but without the ability to make minor leveling changes and a bit of cropping i'd never be able to enter again!) since the natural selection would see the great un PP'd photos grab all the votes (then a canny entrant would aspire to lower the amount of PP if they want to get the votes.)

Its all about learning for me, so sometimes lots of PP is going to be necessary.

N.

[chrisw]

My vote went to Netronelson. The image is very sharp and I like the subtlety of the motion in contrast with the obviousness of the 'time'.

Ksten's image was the one I liked most, but didn't necessarily say Time and Motion to me as much as some of the others. Also liked Electrolyte's entry for the vibrant colours and Sabretooth's entry brought a smile to my face for some bizarre reason.

A no PP month sounds interesting, although doubt it will do anything to help me either way!

[Alphatoner]

MrChris for me this month. And i will admit i will always vote for the best non (or minimal PP'd) entry i can find.

As you can guess i am very much in the anti camp on this one (this despite or maybe because i tried and failed to do some myself this month). I personally have no problem with cropping clonning sharpening curves etc it's when it clearly goes over the top, but where do you draw the line buggered if i know. I get the feeling There are some people who are so good at PP they don't even need to take a photograph.

I liken pp images to athletes on steriods, everybody knows it goes on but it's here to stay like it or not.

But well done everyone PP or not

JUst as an aside to raw only comments.

Dont photographic clubs often run competitions one for digital one for slides etc? just a thought

[rizingstar]

Think too many have too a strong opinion on this, the forum is Digital Cameras, Photography & Photo Editing , I've also noticed people stating the fact on some of their entrys in bold no PP straight from the camera etc, so obviously it's treated like the plague it's 2008

[ksten]

Liquid101 gets my vote. Technically excellent and perfectly on theme. I also just like the photograph - it's as simple as that. It's clean and sharp where required but still manages to feel dynamic due to the shutter speed and angle. Also, bonus points given for actually looking at his watch while travelling at speed, round a corner and driving with one hand! Eek!

Honourable mention to C4PRE for great thinking and bringing a smile to my face - I just couldn't bring myself to vote for those legs though!

A big thank you to those who have voted for me! I've only entered a couple of times before and think I've amassed a single vote until now. I'm amazed.

Cheers.

[1LeeDenton]

Went for ksten in the end - as soon as I first saw that image I knew it was going to be real contender for my vote - well done ksten

Close to getting my vote were allymac, electrolyte and liquid - great shots guys

[stevegreen]

ksten for me.

I will try and enter the comp again one month, just don't seem to have had the time.........maybe next months theme can be 'Bald Men'

[pixelpixel]

Another ksten vote and another no time issue

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by rizingstar

Think too many have too a strong opinion on this, the forum is Digital Cameras, Photography & Photo Editing , I've also noticed people stating the fact on some of their entrys in bold no PP straight from the camera etc, so obviously it's treated like the plague it's 2008

Got to agree here I don't normally get involved in these arguments as it is never going to be resolved with entrenched opinions
Yes I can see the point of straight from the camera to "prove" photographic technique or competence LOL should we ban in camera metering, spot metering auto focus etc. lets just use pinhole cameras and no light meters even hand held and just estimate the exposure. How about mixing our own emulsion and treating our own wet plates. Yes I know its ridiculous but where do you stop.
/
Many old film cameras had a lever which allowed you to cock the shutter without advancing the film to allow multi exposures "in camera"
Anyone who believes that no manipulation was done pre digital is living in a fantasy world the main difference is now we do the manipulation on a PC not in darkroom but many of the photoshop tools have names which are directly related to the darkroom techniques used to produce the same effect.

Why did anyone want digital editing software if they could produce the images they wanted incamera anyway why not save yourself a small fortune on software and just get it right


and of course no one has ever produced a manipulated transparency have they LOL

Why does anyone shoot RAW anyway not so they can manipulate the image is it ?
Sorry rant over

[pixelpixel]

Well said Luffy

[bodoman]

My thoughts on the pp issue is that as someone else has pointed out on here
IE, this is the "Digital Cameras, Photography & Photo Editing Forum.
So whatever our views on pp, and i have been known to express an opinion or two on the subject in the past, its not a pure photography forum so you have to expect all kinds of entries, every one of them as valid as the next.
I now look forward to seeing all the different entries and have been known to even vote for entries from the heavy ps stable.
Myself i prefer proper photographs and my entries are always of that type, but even then they are still helped by a bit of pp.
Thats my final word on the subject and i will never express an opinion on the subject again on this forum, its a never ending topic of discussion with no end to it.

Sorry about all the above, i just got carried away

Voting, as difficult as ever again.

For technical merit i liked Liquid, Ksten and Allymacs the most

Others i just liked were Mr Chris and C4pre entries.

But my vote went to Sabretooth, not the best entry, but being a free spirit
i voted for it just because i liked it.

And well done to everybody else who made the effort and put so much work and thought into their entries

[Tobers]

Blimey - must we have this PP or not PP discussion every month? Leave it out chaps. If you dont like PP'd shots, dont vote for them. Done.

ksten gets mine - very innovative but loses a mark for not having a clock. However, my 2nd contender was allymac and that doesn't have a clock either (awesome composition though) so that evens it up and ksten gets it.

Tobers

[Liquid101]

Originally Posted by Tobers

Blimey - must we have this PP or not PP discussion every month? Leave it out chaps. If you dont like PP'd shots, dont vote for them. Done.

If you don't like a little healthy discussion about the subject, just skip though the posts.

What's a forum for if you can't throw ideas and questions about.