Sun May 03, 2015 6:29 pm Honorable mentions:
Markus Grompe
Luxun54
Nice insect shot by Jean B
Flo Hendry, if the foreground was more in focus, this would have been a winner. Her Black Phoebe shot was also very well done.
Arnie Peterschmidt's deconstructed watch is just a little busy for me, but otherwise thoughtfully executed
The swirling pink background adds an unusual highlight to this squirrel shot by Allen Hart
Another animal shot highlighted by Chris Lock. And I love that monkey!
Alla Gilbourd
Walter Koenig; this would have been a winner but just not enough of the stamens in focus for me, when you look at the image in full size
This simple image from Andrzej ¯muda beautifully captures the intensity of the boy. Here is where complete background blur highlights the subject.
AND the winners are:
Third place:
Sometimes the assignment is to target an individual in a crowd. This image from Alain Lestrade nicely shows how to do that with selective focus and enough background blur to highlight the foreground yet still depict how crowded the scene is. Must view in full size to appreciate.
Second place:
Terry Bowker's image beautifully illustrates how the background, blurred, can contribute to the overall concept of the image. Plus this image reminds me of a scene in the movie Oblivion where Tom Cruise and his wife remember that they had a previous life together. And the composition and toning are just right for a dreamlike image.
WINNER:
This image from Gill Kopy nicely illustrates how the blurred background grasses provide lines that draw your attention to the simple dandelion seedling. For me, this is a thoughtful, well executed, and artful shot.
Thank you everyone for your entries!
Best regards,
kz