Winner Chosen - February 2012 - Admin's choice - Image of the month

[Marko]

Hi members,

In case you are new around here this is where the Admin (me) chooses one excellent photo each month from all the photos nominated by other members during that month in the Member's monthly choice forum.

Just so it's clear, the photo I choose is not necessarily the best one of the month. I've come to realize it's not really logical to pit images from totally different genres against each other. That's why there are categories in photo contests. My goal is to simply choose an excellent photo and talk about why I think it rocks.

This month's choice is Jump - behind the shot by Richard

I chose this image for several reasons:

Colour - Lighting - Exposure - The cool colours in this image work extremely well with the subject matter. I really like the bluish quality to the lighting in this image as it is in sync with the with colder season. The overall lighting which Richard graciously explains is also well done and I like the hues of the gelled speedlights. The speedlights highlight the child's movements very well and capture an excellent gesture. In terms of the exposure, Richard confesses to to using an ND filter over the lens to balance the strobes and ambient light and this makes the shutterspeed longer. This was a very smart move that allows us to see a hint of blurred movement in the feet and different position of the hat.

Gesture and Story - The child is caught in mid-jump, playing and smiling. Even though the child is basically told to jump, Richard catches a moment that looks completely natural. For me this is a successful image of a child having a great time just being a child.

Post processing - the added wisps of smoke in the post processing are a lovely touch and blend in really well with the image and the intended concept of the image. The vignetting keeps our eyes well focused on the child and the child's activity.

For all these reasons, this is my choice for image of the month. Since we all have opinions, some members may disagree with my choice. That's cool but THIS thread is not the place for debate over my pick, NOR is it the place to further critique the image. The purpose here is to suggest strong elements in the photo that we may learn from.

Congrats again Richard for creating this wonderful image!