CC for Competition

[HeatherAllison]

Here are the images I would like to enter. I posted these last week and got no feedback :(
I would love some advice as this is only my second time entering! Thanks!

The image of the Girl: Here is the same image just flipped horizontally. Which way do you prefer? I have no title for the image yet and I really want to enter this image. I have worked the image a lot and fixed crazy hairs from the fan blowing it all around! I think I prefer the first image but last year i got knocked on an image because they said the light should come from left since that's the way you read.
The Boat image title maybe "Journey On"
The Scenery image title maybe "From a Distance"
The Child image title "When I Grow up"

[DianeDavis]

I just want to comment since you've had so many views and no input. I can't comment on competition- but I do love the idea in the little boy.

[suebird]

I did look, but have only one competition under my belt. I was intrigued with the flipping of the first image...but i am still really green in choosing what works with competition here and what will merit. My gut says go with your gut...... ;) but that is a total useless comment.......I do like the girl best...maybe combined....i like the reflection concept
good luck

[Heather_L._Smith]

Hi, Heather! First off, good luck on competition this year... the fact that you came back for a second year means you must have had fun the first time! What level are you entering these images at? Local? State? District? Nationals?

Girl: Of the two options you've posted, I prefer the first. Because of the way the hair is blowing, the first version creates leading lines that bring us up into her face. The second, flipped version, leads the eye right on out of the image. So, while I would probably have preferred to have the light come from the other direction in this situation, the first version is my preference.

Boat: Do you have any more room in the original version (is this a cropped version)? If so, I would re-crop so that the boat is on one of the rule of third lines (preferably in the lower left corner). Right now, it feels like it's just about mid-frame.

Little Boy: the super strong light may or may not work for you on this. The openings on the capsule are so, so dark that they keep drawing my eye away from the boy. And, I would have expected to see catchlights in those super dark glasses based on the amount of light hitting his face. I could be wrong on that, but without any highlights there, they look like big orbs on his face :)