So, I just made myself I nice cup of coffee and took some time to look through all your pictures, occasionally running upstairs and climbing up my roof to check out my camera set up for a time lapse sequence. I had stayed away from the thread all week, wanting to see everything in one sitting, but I was also a little hesitant. Would people like the subject, get the general idea I was aiming for? Damn, the title got cut off when posting, now it just looks stupid. "I hate flash?" Well, that's a little harsh and exaggerated, and I have probably just excluded lots of wonderful pictures that could have fitted the overall idea perfectly. I have special demands? Overly arrogant! I'm playing with a camera and post on Pbase purely for fun, so who am I to judge anything in the first place? Well, taking all that in mind, I still had a lot of fun going through all the entries. There was lots of fun, spontaneity and energy on display, both from us mere mortal amateurs and the more professional stage performers. Having fun, performing and letting go have basic qualities that are universal among humans, and therefore can unite us, even if it is for short moments. So thanks everyone for joining in. This is about having fun, and so was my theme.
Well, without further delay, the ugly part of all this:
Honorable mentions, in random order:
Image by Walter Koening / amoxtli
I haven't done much line dancing in my life - it just looks silly! But this image really makes me want to join in. I can imagine the crowd, looks like a summer day festival or something, add some good music and atmosphere and no one could resist.
Image by Robin Lew / robinlew
Hey, now that's what a wedding picture should look like! The wedding itself (check out the gallery) looks beautiful, very classical and has all the proper elements. Well dressed people, a fancy location, but here we see that a wedding is more than a formal ritual - finally everyone gets a chance to go join in.
Image by Brad Claypole / bclaypole
A creative capture - a 19s exposure will always give you a surprise, and it seems especially daring at an energy and movement filled dance event. In this case it not only got us a dancer going nuts, but even some stars twinkling in the background.
Image by J. Rayner / raynerj
This girl just realized how much fun she's having. She knows what's up. She's obviously going to do just fine later in life.
Image by Markus Grompe / grompem
Any self-respecting photographer would trash this picture! But no, Markus proudly posts it, and rightfully so. I don't know any of these people, but I don't need to to recognize the fun and energy on display.
And then the winners, in what's probably an even more random order. As I'm typing this I'm still somewhat undecided. Here goes.
3rd place:
Image by chasp
This entry has all the elements I asked for: it's just people (yes, even married people are still just people) dancing, with the added bonus of it being a very particular and meaningful dance. Technically, you could perhaps wish for some more focus (or a flash! that would help!), but the expressions are there, the composition is almost perfect, and it's even a little sexy. Great image.
2nd place:
Image by Ken Zaret / kzaret
There's a surreal element to this picture, it seems there are people walking by, unaware of the monumental experiences being shared by these lonely dancers. In the far background the bright lights of Chicago are in sharp focus, is this where the "strains of distant music" are coming from? There's a strange dissonance between the two couples - the one in front could just be stepping into a waltz, while there is a salsa band jamming in the back. Either way, you can see the ladies smiling, despite the blurring because of the long exposure. The street lantern above frame adds a nice shadow, where we can again see the connection that dancing provides in the hands held together.
1st place:
Image by John de Freitas / jcdefreitas
There is a lot to like about this image. I know I said I wouldn't mind a little blur, that damn, this is sharp and colorful! The slightly off-center composition and somewhat flatter crop than a standard image work very well for me. Purists might perhaps say the image is overly processed or saturated, but hey, we're not journalists. I like it when a piece of art gets into my head, feeds me stories or ideas, makes me wonder or think, or just eludes understanding or comprehension. Or perhaps it is the other way: anything that can do that to me, I consider to be a piece of art. In that case this is art.
I don't know what's going on here, I first looked at the picture without seeing any descriptions. Who is this person and what's up with the fancy dress? There is an intriguing clash between all the different elements. A costume that appears to be for some festive or traditional event, a dance move that could be anything really, but just might be something from a folk dance. Is this practice? Silent preparation for a later performance? What music is on the (modern) headphone? Since when do we folk-dance on Nikes? In a graffiti-infested alley? Looking at the title, it confirms the native dancer aspect, but we still know nothing about the location or occasion. The (wonderful) 'art_everywhere' gallery that the image is a part of doesn't give more hints, so we are left to our imagination to fill in the rest.
All in all very good picture, both esthetically pleasing, technically well executed and the content is intriguing. So, thanks for sharing and congratulations! I'm also somewhat envious of what you've done with the gallery layout on your site, very nice!
Well, there we have it. Congratulations John, the next competition is yours. Thanks everyone for entering, it was an honor and lots of fun!
Edited for weird glitch in link to chasp´s picture.
