Winner Chosen - June 2010 - 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. I just wanted to point out that each month this is getting much harder. To my delight, the quality just keeps getting better and better.

This month's choice is Swirls by edG

I chose this image for several reasons:

I love the sharpness here and overall depth of field choice here. Lovely sharp foreground flower (the focal point) at left.

The tonal quality of the flowers is very unique and well done. It's a bit darker than I'm used to seeing, but it adds to the unique tonal quality and mood of the photograph. Gorgeous palette of pinks and reds. Great highlights in the flower at left and nice subtle highlights on the right flower as well. I like that the left flower is slightly brighter than the right.

My eye is skillfully guided around the image and rests on the focal point. This is due to some fine focal point selection and lens selection during exposure and some lovely post processing. The post processing (especially the darkening of the background) refines the overall composition here and it totally works.

If I have one small niggle, I'd clone out/burn the brightish white edge of the petal on the main left flower at lower left, but that's it.

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 edG for creating this gorgeous image!

[Iguanasan]

Congrats, edG! Cheers!

[JAS_Photo]

Congrats, Ed! Pretty flower and lovely post work!

[Marko]

Just wanted to add that again this month it was VERY hard to choose. I'll blog edG's photo and 2-3 honourable mentions later on this week.

Congrats again edG!

[Bambi]

woo hoo Ed! Definitely a good choice!

[edG]

Thank you Marko, I very much appreciate your feedback and constructive critique.

Cheers Iggy, JAS and Bambi.

[Matt K.]

Congrats ...

[Lovin]

Congratulations ! Indeed best image of the month.

[Mad Aussie]

Nice work Ed!! Well done.

[edG]

Thanks and cheers - Matt, Lovin and Ma.