Some images I want to send to SEPPA

[Jerry_W._Kelley]

Here are some images I'm thinking about sending to SEPPA and/or to PPA competition this year. Please give me a hard, tough critique and any suggestions you may have for improvements, especially in the presentation.

This will be the first time I've entered in the national competition since 1972 and I have a hunch things have changed a wee bit!

Thanks,

Jerry



Title: We're Not In Kansas Anymore!



Title: Santuario de Chimayo



Title: Cabizon Storm

[Jerry_W._Kelley]

Title: Rhythms In Nature



Title: The Wall

[D._Craig_Flory]

Hi Jerry;

One thing I see is accent lines that tend to draw attention to themselves. Turn your images upside down and squint at them. I think you will end up wanting very slim accent lines instead. For clients, those would work well but I don't think they would fly in competitions.

I'll look at them closer tomorrow. We had a very nice, sunny, day here today around 50ºF so I went on Photo Safari and created around 100 images so I'm tired.

[Heather_L._Smith]

Wow. Wow.

You know, sometimes you see images and think "can I enter this in competition?" and then other times you see images and think "wow"... this is one of those moments for me. Jerry - these are absolutely beautiful, in my humble opinion. I would hang any and all of these in my home, office, anywhere.

The ONLY (and I mean ONLY) comment I can provide is on the third image, Cabizon Storm, the 'burnt' edges on the very outside of the print may be more than it needs - not that it's distracting, but it may just be a little too much.

Oh, and on Santuario de Chimayo, just know that the title could get butchered when it's announced.

Sorry, I know that's not really all that helpful - except that I think these have a 'wow' factor to them.

[Jeff_Dachowski]

HI Jery,
I love images 1 and 3. On the house, take a look at placing the house in the dead center. It has a haunting quality to it, and would even have more impact if it were in the middle. I actually like them all, but these two speak to me. Relly nice work. I think you will see some 80+ scores from some of these.

[Stacey_West]

Very nice image of the Sanctuario. It is such a beautiful place you'd think it would be easy to get something nice but I've been there on many occasions and have yet to capture the mood of the place like I think you have done here. On one trip the resident priest agreed to model for me in front of the church but even then I didn't get anything I thought was really spectacular.

I don't know enough to know if it will merit but speaking as someone who knows how difficult it is to take a compelling image at this location I applaud your effort.

One thing I see is accent lines that tend to draw attention to themselves.

I think this is good advise. If I were buying this image to display in my home I would want this border but I'll bet it hurts you in competition.

Oh, and on Santuario de Chimayo, just know that the title could get butchered when it's announced.

I agree. I like the name but there is a good chance heathersmith is right.

One final thought. I was hoping the most recent remodel of the Santuario grounds would eliminate the concrete walkway. With all the tourists, like me (!),visiting I know why it is needed but it just doesn't "fit" the location and is distracting in photograghs there. Is there a way you could tone the sidewalk down or replace it someway in Photoshop?

Thanks for sharing this image and good luck.

[Jerry_W._Kelley]

Hi Jerry;

One thing I see is accent lines that tend to draw attention to themselves. Turn your images upside down and squint at them. I think you will end up wanting very slim accent lines instead. For clients, those would work well but I don't think they would fly in competitions.

I'll look at them closer tomorrow. We had a very nice, sunny, day here today around 50ºF so I went on Photo Safari and created around 100 images so I'm tired.

Hi Craig,

Sorry I'm so late in replying to you, I've been out all day photographing hundreds of books that will be used for an EBay auction, it ain't creative work but it does pay!

Yes the accent lines was one of my concerns, thank you, I'll have time on Wed. to make the changes and I'll post the changes then. I've got another 250 books to snap tomorrow.

Jerry

[Jerry_W._Kelley]

Wow. Wow.

You know, sometimes you see images and think "can I enter this in competition?" and then other times you see images and think "wow"... this is one of those moments for me. Jerry - these are absolutely beautiful, in my humble opinion. I would hang any and all of these in my home, office, anywhere.

The ONLY (and I mean ONLY) comment I can provide is on the third image, Cabizon Storm, the 'burnt' edges on the very outside of the print may be more than it needs - not that it's distracting, but it may just be a little too much.

Oh, and on Santuario de Chimayo, just know that the title could get butchered when it's announced.

Sorry, I know that's not really all that helpful - except that I think these have a 'wow' factor to them.

Heather,

Wow, thank you! I think you are right about that edge and I'm considering a name change although when I sent it in to the VPPA competition I was surprised, the announcer pronounced it correctly! I'll post the changes on Wed.

Jerry

[Jerry_W._Kelley]

HI Jery,
I love images 1 and 3. On the house, take a look at placing the house in the dead center. It has a haunting quality to it, and would even have more impact if it were in the middle. I actually like them all, but these two speak to me. Relly nice work. I think you will see some 80+ scores from some of these.

Thank you, Jeff, for your super comments!

From what I remember, I think I originally photographed the house in the center and I cropped a little off of the left side. I'll try centering it and post it here in a couple days.

Jerry

[Jerry_W._Kelley]

Very nice image of the Santuario. It is such a beautiful place you'd think it would be easy to get something nice but I've been there on many occasions and have yet to capture the mood of the place like I think you have done here. On one trip the resident priest agreed to model for me in front of the church but even then I didn't get anything I thought was really spectacular.

I don't know enough to know if it will merit but speaking as someone who knows how difficult it is to take a compelling image at this location I applaud your effort.


I think this is good advise. If I were buying this image to display in my home I would want this border but I'll bet it hurts you in competition.


I agree. I like the name but there is a good chance heathersmith is right.

One final thought. I was hoping the most recent remodel of the Santuario grounds would eliminate the concrete walkway. With all the tourists, like me (!),visiting I know why it is needed but it just doesn't "fit" the location and is distracting in photographs there. Is there a way you could tone the sidewalk down or replace it someway in Photoshop?

Thanks for sharing this image and good luck.

Stacy,

Thank you very much for your comments!

I think I will change the title if I can come up with a better fitting one and I'll make the changes in the borders on all of them. I didn't like the concrete walk either, I'll see what I can do in PS. Also only a few weeks after I made this image, they put in a ugly parking lot with big lights and signs all over. I think they ruined the whole atmosphere and made it too commercial, like a tourist trap.

A little story about the Chimayo church. I was photography elementary class groups at a school about 45 min. north of there and I was a little late getting out of there. It was raining off and on and mixed with snow all day. I got to the church about 30min. before sundown and it was very cloudy, not good for a photo. I got back into my truck to head back to Albuquerque and my truck would not start, so I sat there trying to figure out what to do next. The sun broke through the clouds just five minutes before it set, I grabbed the camera and got four frames and the clouds came back! I got back in the truck and it started immediately.

I feel like I was meant to make that photograph!

Jerry