In case you are new around here this is where the Admin (me) chooses one excellent photo nominated by other members from the Member’s monthly choice forum. Once 10 images are nominated, I choose a ‘winner’.

Just so it’s clear, the photo I choose are not necessarily the best ones of the month. I’ve come to realize it’s not 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 round of nominations, once again yielded images of exceptional quality and I waffled for a few it was very difficult to choose just one. This round’s winner is Late Snowy Owl for the GTA by Rdbender. I chose these images for several reasons;

1 — Colour/exposure — The colour here was well seen with the yellow sign matching the owl’s yellow eyes and blending into the yellowy background. Exposure is well handled with lovely non-clipped white tones.
2 — Sharpness/aperture — The eyes look razor sharp as they should be and I really like the super-shallow depth of field that separates the owl from the background.
3 — Framing/composition — Unlike many compositions that include words that become a distraction, here the word ‘caution’ on the sign compliments this composition big time. We see the owl’s direct intense stare as well as its sharp claws and we should indeed take caution. I very much like the scratch marks on the sign that may well have been the result of those sharp claws.

For all these reasons, this is my choice for this round. 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 Rdbender!

Late Snowy Owl for the GTA by Rdbender

In case you are new around here this is where the Admin (me) chooses one (occasionally 2) excellent photos nominated by other members from the Member’s monthly choice forum. Once 10 images are nominated, I choose a ‘winner’.

Just so it’s clear, the photo(s) I choose are not necessarily the best ones 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 round of nomination yielded images of exceptional quality and now for the second time in a row I was unable to choose just one.

This round’s two winners are “If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.” by mbrager and Fort Myer’s Beach Birding by Mike Bons

I chose these images for several reasons;

“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.” by mbrager

“If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.” by mbrager

1 — Mood/Contrast/Exposure — I like everything about this image but it’s the exposure itself and the subsequent post-processing (which I’ll get to) that are the stars for me. This is a late sunset shot and it looks and feels like it. The contrast is low, as it should be, and yet beautiful shadow detail dances with varying degrees of highlight detail. This creates the wonderfully gorgeous and thoughtful mood of the image.

2 — Composition — Extremely well framed image and I can see the deliberate thinking that went into making it. Very thoughtful placement of the focal points and other elements that make up the image. I love the dark moody reflections at foreground left that seem to play diagonally with the brighter highlight reflections in the water as well as in the sky. There are lots of gorgeous lines for our eyes to follow in this photograph. These include the snowline at midground left toward the center, bridgeline in the center, vertical lines in the trees and reflections. There are even lines in the sky for our eye to explore and enjoy.

3 — Post processing — Fabulous choices were made in this regard. Temptation was surely there to pull additional highlight detail as well as shadow detail from the water in particular. This would have made the tones more dramatic and exciting, but it would have forever changed the mood and turned this into a completely different, and less interesting photograph.

(4) — The title — I don’t think it influenced my decision, but I’m a sucker for perfect titles like this one.

Fort Myer’s Beach Birding by Mike Bons (Reddish Egret)

Fort Myer’s Beach Birding by Mike Bons (Reddish Egret)

1– Colour, Clarity and sharpness — All 3 are superb in this image. I really like the tones of grey in the feathers and the reddish feather tones as well. The colours and contrast look natural.

2 — Gesturing and decisive moment — The bird’s gesture is grand and Mike’s quick trigger finger was there to capture it.

3 — Exposure — Exposure is bang on for me. A nice high shutter speed captures the lovely feather detail and a medium aperture on a long lens gets good eye and feather sharpness while blurring the background for good foreground to background separation.

For all these reasons, these are my choices for this round. Since we all have opinions, some members may disagree with my choices. That’s cool but THIS thread is not the place for debate over my picks, NOR is it the place to further critique the image. The purpose here is to suggest strong elements in the photos that we may learn from.

Congrats again to Mike Bons and mbrager!

Every month on our pho­tog­ra­phy forum mem­bers nom­i­nate images that they like. Then at the end of the month I choose an excel­lent image and talk about why it rocks. 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. I just choose a photo that has extremely strong ele­ments that we can learn from.

This month’s choice goes to Lizardqing for capturing Sunset on the Blue Ridge Parkway

I chose this image for several reasons:

1. Composition/Framing — This sunset image has many strong compositional elements going for it. The laying of the foreground trees, midground hills and background clouds/sky and sun works really well for me. My eye really enjoys the lines and curves in the mountains and hills. There are also no major distractions on the edges in this scene for me. My eye goes straight to the sun, then straight below it to the midground sun patch, and then it explores the rest of the photograph with delight.

2 . Exposure/lighting — The light is just plain lovely here due to the partial cloud cover. That said, shooting into the sun is often challenging and often yields underexposure. Correcting it often leaves lots of shadow noise but this image looks clean and the tones in the foreground and midground have lovely shadow detail.

3.  Colour and post processing — The colours are warm and bright in the sky but not too overdone. Sharpness works well for me and looks very natural.

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 to Lizardqing for capturing this fabulous moment!

Every month on our pho­tog­ra­phy forum mem­bers nom­i­nate images that they like. Then at the end of the month I choose an excel­lent image and talk about why it rocks. 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. I just choose a photo that has extremely strong ele­ments that we can learn from.

This month’s choice goes to Hillbillygirl for capturing this image from Rodeo Action

I chose this image for several reasons:

1 — Decisive moment and gesturing — This captured moment is extremely well timed and the captured gestures are superb. Look at the musculature and the angle and stretched out leg of the horse in mid–maneuver — It’s fab. The concentration on the rider is also fab.

2 — Sharpness — The sharpness here is bloody gorgeous and anyone who has tracked moving targets knows it’s not easy. A nice fast shutter speed coupled with precise focusing has frozen an intense moment. Even the kicked-up dirt in the air and on the ground is sharp — love it.

3 — Composition — Composition works really well here with the fence of spectators in the background, The Coors barrel/obstacle on the left and the intense gestures of the central main focal points.

4 — Post processing/exposure — I like the fairly realistic processing in this image with good well controlled tones in the sky and good clarity in the faces of the horse and rider.

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 to Hillbillygirl for capturing this fabulous moment!

Rodeo Action by Hillbillygirl — Click to see larger version

Every month on our pho­tog­ra­phy forum mem­bers nom­i­nate images that they like. Then at the end of the month I choose an excel­lent image and talk about why it rocks. 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. I just choose a photo that has extremely strong ele­ments that we can learn from.

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 was another crazy hard month though as the nominations from different genres were of very high quality.

This month’s choice goes to Hillbillygirl  is for capturing Air Time .

Air Time by Hillbillygirl

I chose this image for a few reasons:

1 –Decisive moment and timing — The moment captured is very exciting! The wakeboarder is parallel with the water and yet he looks perfectly calm and concentrated even though he is flying through the air.

2– Composition — I really like the framing here. The frozen wave at the bottom, the spray coming off the wakeboard at top left, the line pulling the wakeboarder at right — it’s all working well. I like that the background has gone medium soft which highlights the wakeboarder so nice aperture choice as well.

3 — Sharpness and high shutter speed — I really like that the eyes are nice and sharp. It’s a testament to good tracking skills and the use of an appropriately high shutter speed to nail this scene. The eyes are sharp enough to see and feel the concentration. The whole body gesture is wonderfully frozen.

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 Hillbillygirl on this exciting capture!

Every month on our pho­tog­ra­phy forum mem­bers nom­i­nate images that they like. Then at the end of the month I choose an excel­lent image and talk about why it rocks. 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. I just choose a photo that has extremely strong ele­ments that we can learn from.

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 was another crazy hard month though as the nominations from different genres were of very high quality.

This month’s choice is Fostering by Mike Bons Fostering.

Fostering by Mike Bons

I chose this image for a few reasons:

1 — Focal point sharpness and decisive moment — Look at the sharpness on the eye of the baby bird, it’s just gorgeous. The timing is equally gorgeous; the hummingbird’s beak is inside the chick’s mouth and we can see a hint of a bug. The hummingbird’s legs are wonderfully frozen. Mike explains in his post that he used a ‘triggertrap’ to trigger the shutter from yards away and I just love the use of this new technology to help us make better images. I also applaud the dedication to setting this all up and waiting patiently.

2– Composition — Framing here is bang on as is the guiding of our eyes which go right to the chick. I really like the shape of the hummingbird’s blurred wings. I also like the leaves that are included at the opposite side of the frame and the free space around the hummingbird.

3 — Shutter speed — Wonderful choice of high shutter speed to get sharpness like that on the chick and the frozen hummingbird legs. The motion-blurred hummingbird wings add to this image bigtime and are a testament to how fast that little bugger flaps its wings per second.

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 Mike Bons!

Pink by Barefoot

This month’s choice is Pink by Barefoot

I chose this image for several reasons:

1 — Composition — The is a very interesting and unusual composition of a gorgeous bird sleeping. I really like the curve all around the bird’s body and where the eye falls in the image. The framing is also interesting here and Barefoot has clearly ‘made this his own’. The pure black background also creates interesting negative space here.

2 — Lighting — The lovely lighting here is soft overall and reveals lovely detail in most of the bird’s plumage. That said, certain areas of the photograph are quite dark but not too dark for my eye. I really like the dramatic aspect of the light in those selective zones.

3 — Post processing — The post processing here is lovely. Making the background go to pure black doesn’t always work but it works very well here to compliment the form of the bird. I dare say that some of the darker areas in the bird’s plumage actually match the background and this works for me. The bird is rendered in desaturated tones that I find very striking and suitable to the subject and mood of the image.

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 Barefoot!

Male RTH Hummingbird by Mike Bons

This month’s choice is Male RTH Hummingbird Mike Bons

I chose this image for several reasons:

Composition — The composition here is very pleasing. The bird’s eye lines up on right near one of the lines of the thirds which is visually interesting. The plant and the bird are captured on a diagonal which is also visually interesting. Brightness is very well handled here and I find no distractions that bother me.

Colour — What a rich pleasing colour palette used here. The colours of the bird and the flower even seem to match. Reds in the flower might be a hint too bright and oversaturated for me, but I can easily live with it.

Sharpness — I love how sharp the bird is here (especially the eye and the beak) versus the out of focus background, it totally pops.

Exposure/lighting — Again both are well handled. The combination of flash and ambient light is what is freezing the bird in mid-feeding here. I like how the bird is well lit without being ‘over-lit’ by the flash.

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 Mike Bons for capturing this little beauty.

Jump — behind the shot by Richard

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!

And miles to go before I sleep… And miles to go before I sleep by jumpinjimmyjava

This month’s choice is (Click to see the larger version of this image) And miles to go before I sleep… And miles to go before I sleep by jumpinjimmyjava

I chose this image for several reasons:

1 — It tells or suggests a strong story & Composition — The title of the image is a well known phrase from a poem that many of us studied in High School (Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert frost). Just reading the title helps to support this image and veers our interpretation of it in a certain direction both with visual and thematic elements. I love the position of the man in this image. It’s close to the edge but not quite at the edge. This adds tension to the image and helps support the theme that “there’s still work to be done”, it’s not over just yet) .The wintry scene also supports the theme of a person in their sunset years but the image is bright, not dark, again supporting a thematic element.

I like the layered aspect of the image where the bottom of the image is darker than the rest. The middle part of the image shows lines moving from right to left. The top part of the image shows more sky and is distinct from the other 2 parts of the image. These ‘divisions’ or layers as I like to call them add visual interest to the image. Our eyes like them.

2 — Colour — The subtle colour palette in this image works very well for me, the colours are very harmonious. For me they are calm, well chosen colours. The blue of the jacket stands out really well against the white and brings our full attention to the focal point of the image. In addition, the blue of the jacket is complimented by other subtle blue tones in the image, again helping to create the overall visual harmony.

3 — Post processing — This image is a composite of several images or textures. I don’t know exactly how many but I’d say at least 3 (the snow flakes, the man, the wintry landscape). Either way the blending of the images is well done to my eye and each part of the image compliments the other parts.

And the whole image, is greater than the sum of its parts.

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 jumpinjimmyjava for creating this wonderful themed image!

The Peace Bridge — At Last! by JAS_Photo

This month’s choice is (click to see the larger version of this image)  The Peace Bridge — At Last! by JAS_Photo

I chose this image for several reasons:

1 — Composition — This is a very strong composition and the bridge itself acts as a fantastic leading line. It guides our eye beautifully into the image. In addition, aside from the shape of the bridge itself, there are also other “mini-shapes” in the bridge itself as well as all around the image. These other mini-shapes add a lot of interest to the image.

2 — Tones and post processing — The bridge itself is selectively coloured in this image and I like that very much in this case. I feel it works and offers a new take on what is likely a heavily photographed piece of infra-structure. For me it suggests ‘something new’ being introduced into a city. The desaturation of the background compliments the bridge and really makes the bridge pop.

3 — Story and perspective — This bridge is still a work in progress and we can see a crane in the background that suggests this. We see the bridge “moving” toward the background which suggests to me something new being introduced to something older. The angle or perspective from which the image was taken was very well chosen to suggest this story.

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 JAS_Photo for creating this wonderful image!

Fight Club! by Lizardqing

This month’s choice is (click to see the larger version of this image) Fight Club! by Lizardqing

I chose this image for several reasons:

1 — Timing/Decisive moment. You gotta have a quick trigger finger to catch a moment like this or you will miss it. We’ve all missed fab opportunities like this, or misframed opportunities like this; good on Lizardquing for this fab capture.

2 — Composition — I really like the composition here. It is especially impressive given the speed needed to catch this image. I really like the faun at the right side as well as the position of the trees.

3 — Exposure/lighting/colour — Exposure looks very good here and could easily have been missed given the lighting. Good choice of shutter-speed to keep things fairly sharp but still reveal motion in the deers’ front legs. Lovely colour palette as well. The lighting is wonderful in this image, good on Lizardqing for being there early enough to capture.

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 Lizardqing for capturing this wonderful moment!

Autumn Web by Richard

This month’s choice is (click to see the larger version of this image)  Autumn Web by Richard

I chose this image for several reasons:

1 — Planning and execution — This striking image is the result of planning, it didn’t “just happen” and it wasn’t a quick snap. The lighting, comp and post-processing are all well thought out here. The result is a striking moody fall image.

2 — Composition — details — postprocessing — Lovely rendered details like the spider as well as the spider’s web all contribute to the composition here. Spider is framed nicely between the red leaves and against the backlight. The postprocessing including the vignette and possible selective sharpening are guiding our eyes thoughtfully without distractions.

3 — Lighting — Mood — Backlighting is a challenging light to deal with, but Richard balances it well with off camera flash. The end result is an image with a lovely mood that would likely have felt too dark without the added light.

4 — Selective focus — A wide aperture is well used here to get the dreamy background bokeh. It adds another ‘layer’ to the image.

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 striking image!

My Little Friend by Wicked Dark

This Month’s choice is  (click to see the large version of this image) My Little Friend by Wicked Dark.

I chose this image for several reasons:

Sharpness — It’s difficult to get this level of sharpness when doing macro work and the sharpness on the crawler here is wonderful and very striking! On the opposite end the background out of focus elements also work well to isolate the primary subject.

Composition — All eyes are on the bug here and this is due to good composition with almost no distractions. The curved part of the crawler is well seen due to the comp and the diagonal branch at right act as a frame and helps keep our eyes on the most important element.

Colour/Lighting — The image busts with colour due to shooting in softer light along with some (likely) processing to enhance the greens.

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 Wicked Dark for capturing this striking crawler.

Today’s Calla Lillies by Ernst Ulrich-Schafer

This month’s choice is Today’s Calla Lillies by Ernst Ulrich-Schafer.

I chose this image for several reasons:

Composition — Composition here is very pleasing to the eye! Diagonal stems from bottom left guide the eye to the focal point of the image which are the flowers’ interiors. The shapes of the flowers themselves are wonderful and wonderfully placed in the image. The flowers even create quite an interesting negative space due the contrast against a black background.

Lighting and Post-processing — Lovely lighting here shows off the flowers very well. The lighting is softish but doesn’t look oversoft. Shadows are well controlled here with the deepest blacks being the background itself. This helps the flowers “pop” big-time against that background. Post-processing is also well done here with lovely details in the whites. If I have one nit, I’d nix the black frame as this changes the overall perspective of the flowers making them look smaller. That said, I know Ernst put it there 100% on purpose and it works for him.

Tonal quality — I really like the monochrome (light sepia to my eye) quality of this image. Monochrome really helps show off the strong shapes of these flowers, as well as give them a nostalgic feel.

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 Ernst Ulrich-Schafer for creating this wonderful image!

Every month on our photography forum members nominate images that they like. Then at the end of the month I choose an excellent image and talk about why it rocks. 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. I just choose a photo that has extremely strong elements that we can learn from.

Flower Picking at Astbury Mere by Richard

This month’s choice is Flower Picking at Astbury Mere by Richard

I chose this image for several reasons:

Gesture/Mood — The overall ‘gesture’ is beautifully captured in this image. Richard captured his daughter in mid-step while walking through nature playing with a leaf and a flower. It feels as though she may have been daydreaming; in fact the whole image has a daydreamy quality due in good part to the ‘gesture’ and wonderful backlighting.

Post-Processing — The (PP) post-processing here works very well to support the image. I really like the vignetting all around the girl as it emphasizes the girl’s walk through a field of flowers and sunshine.

Selective focus — Shallow depth of field is classically used to have the girl stand out against the dreamy background.

Lighting/exposure — Backlighting was well chosen here as the light is quite harsh but the image doesn’t have a very harsh feel. The girl’s face looks well exposed and appears comfortable and natural because the sun is not blasting it directly. The specular highlights on the hair, hand and around the clothing are wonderful warm accents and do not distract.

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 seeing and capturing this wonderful photo!

Lake Wall by taffy

This month’s choice is Lake Wall by taffty.

I chose this image for several reasons:

Mood — The overall mood here (which I interpret as as “ethereal”) is created by many factors including; the soft light, the composition and of course the black and white post processing. The whitish clouds reflecting in the water as well as what looks to be a really gentle surf also give you the feeling/illusion that the wall is floating on air.

Composition — The lines, curves, shapes, sub-shapes created by the lines and curves, and the use of negative space are all well used here. They please our eyes and intrigue our eyes. The curved wall-path that starts with medium/light tones in the foreground to darker at left midground leads our eye beautifully as it ‘cuts’ through the lighter tones on the left..

Exposure and post processing — Both well handled here. Even though the light is soft, reflections off the water make for a trickier exposure. Whites hold their subtle detail on my monitor and I like that. Silvery midtones in the sky (background) and immediate foreground match each other for wonderful effect.

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 taffy for seeing and and creating this wonderful photo!

Repetition in Monochrome by Casil403

This month’s choice is Repetition in Monochrome by casil403.

I chose this image for several reasons:

Spotting the scene — Abstracts like this are often all around us, and the vast majority of us will never ever see them. Looking is not the same as seeing. Seeing takes longer, it takes more time and more patience. Hats off to Casil for seeing this fabulous abstract.

Composition — Even though we are not sure what we are looking at, this abstract scene is very well composed and very deliberate. Both the curved lines and the straight lines in this image intrigue and successfully guide our eye through the image. The repetitive quality of the curves and lines is also very pleasing. In case people are wondering what the abstract actually is, Casil wrote …“it’s the reflection of a soffit ceiling on a mirrored pole.”

Post processing — Black and white was an excellent choice for this scene. The lack of colour emphasizes the graphic quality of the lines and patterns that we see. The tonal quality of the scene (good representation of tones) as well as the frame around the scene suits this image extremely well.

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 Casil for seeing, capturing and processing this wonderful find!

Urban Eagle by Michaelaw

This month’s choice is Urban Eagle by Michaelaw.

I chose this image for several reasons:

Story and composition — The title Urban Eagle tells it all and the awesome background imagery of a bridge and cranes make the story more compelling. Themes and subthemes abound in shots like this and I really enjoy that. The eagle is well positioned in this shot that had to be composed super-quickly. The background elements (bridge structure and cranes) are also very well placed in the shot.

Degree of difficulty — timing/decisive moment — This is no easy shot to get. The timing, (just look at the lovely frozen open-wings) the focus, and composition have to be very well synced and Michaelaw did an excellent job.

Sharpness — The bird’s feathers are really sharp and the eye looks quite sharp along with some lovely background bokeh.

Colour and post processing — Both are well controlled to create this very striking image with a lovely ‘cool’ colour palette that totally suits the image. If it were my shot I may have burned in the rear white wings a bit and dodged the face a wee bit 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 Michaelaw for capturing this wonderful scene!

Junk Yard Cat by Barefoot

This month’s choice is Junk Yard Cat by Barefoot

I chose this image for several reasons:

Mood — Lighting — This image has a great mood due to the wonderful lighting. The lighting is on the low key side and it’s totally working for me here. Even though the lighting is low-keyish there’s still quite a bit of delicious shadow detail.

Good suggestion of a story — This is also related to the mood but it looks to me like this car is in an old garage or barn. The car is also way old with loads of rust but it still serves a purpose, it’s not dead yet. It serves as a potential favourite resting spot for the cat.

Subtlety — Mystery — Surprise — I love the fact that my eye did NOT go straight to the cat in this shot and this is due to the fact that the bright circular thing on top of the headlight at right is the first thing we look at. I love that. Had the cat been brighter, the shot would have been more about the cat and our eye would have gone straight for the cat. This way, we get a better surprise when we notice the cat.

Composition — I dig the repeating circles and lines in this image as well as the point of view from which the image was taken.

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 Barefoot for seeing and capturing this wonderful scene!

A snowy morning by Bambi

This month’s choice is‚A snowy morning by Bambi

I chose this image for several reasons:

Mood — This image has a wonderful mood and this mood is created by the falling snow, the snow covered branches in the foreground against the darker toned trees in the midground and of course the figure in the background. A shallower depth of field with the sharpest elements in the foreground might not have been the obvious choice for many photographers, but it is rocking this image big-time! The shutter speed catching the suspended snow is also helping the mood. The Black and white conversion is very well done, and it suits and enhances the other elements contributing to the overall mood.

Composition — Very well done here! There are ‘layers’ of interesting things for our eyes to look at starting from the foreground and continuing to the background where the focal point (the person) is. Our eye is well guided through this wintery ‘tunnel’.

Exposure/shutter speed — Both are well handled here. The shutter speed ‘freezes‚ ’ the falling snow here. A good exposure keeps the whites in check and offers up wonderful tonality with a good range of tones. If I have 1 teeny niggle I might burn in the lightest branches at top right by maybe 5%.

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 post 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 Bambi for capturing this gorgeous scene!

Golden Glitter by Donna

This month’s choice is‚Golden Glitter by Donna

I chose this image for several reasons:

Composition — I just love the composition here, it’s so pleasing to the eye. The rule of thirds is working well for me here with approximately 1/3 foreground, 1/3 midground and 1/3 background when you look horizontally. When you look vertically it’s a classic 1/3rd left and 2/3rds to the right. Some people scoff at the rule of thirds.…scoff away…if the horse were centered here, the image would not be as visually interesting. The horse was likely deliberately captured in an excellent spot which is the brightest spot in the image. Our eye goes right to the horse. The water line in the midground is another interesting element.

Colour palette/tonal quality — These are WOW colours for me even though they are quite contrasty in parts of the image. The colour palette is golden warm, well balanced, and the tones are harmonious.

Lighting/exposure — This is tricky lighting which means tricky exposure and it is very well handled. The backlighting/sidelighting on the horse has just enough detail on its side to make it interesting and provide a bit of reflection in the water. The head is partially silhouetted which adds drama and grabs our eye as previously mentioned.

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 Donna for capturing this gorgeous scene!

Golden Glitter by Donna

This month’s choice is Golden Glitter by Donna

I chose this image for several reasons:

Composition — I just love the composition here, it’s so pleasing to the eye. The rule of thirds is working well for me here with approximately 1/3 foreground, 1/3 midground and 1/3 background when you look horizontally. When you look vertically it’s a classic 1/3rd left and 2/3rds to the right. Some people scoff at the rule of thirds.…scoff away…if the horse were centered here, the image would not be as visually interesting. The horse was likely deliberately captured in an excellent spot which is the brightest spot in the image. Our eye goes right to the horse. The water line in the midground is another interesting element.

Colour palette/tonal quality — These are WOW colours for me even though they are quite contrasty in parts of the image. The colour palette is golden warm, well balanced, and the tones are harmonious.

Lighting/exposure — This is tricky lighting which means tricky exposure and it is very well handled. The backlighting/sidelighting on the horse has just enough detail on its side to make it interesting and provide a bit of reflection in the water. The head is partially silhouetted which adds drama and grabs our eye as previously mentioned.

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 Donna for capturing this gorgeous scene!

I Got it! by Iguanasan

I chose this image for several reasons:

The decisive moment — Iguanasan captured the decisive moment here; 1 second earlier or later and this moment would be gone.

Simplicity & Story — The background is uncluttered here so this shot is not busy and there are no distractions. This makes the universal story of a boy (let’s call him Stanley) playing in the water with his shoe even stronger. The story is well captured and it strikes a happy chord in all of us.

Composition — Stanley’s pose is very interesting to look at and helps make this shot. Despite the water drops everywhere, this is a clean looking image. I am glad we can see some of the Stanley’s face here. Although I normally like to see more of a face, there are always exceptions and this is one of them. Stanley’s pose and engagement in the activity are universal enough that we don’t need to see the full face.

Exposure is well handled here and the drops look great. My only teeny niggle would be that the boy could be about 10% brighter to my eye.

Sharpness — The overall sharpness is very good here. Some of the drops seem sharper than the boy to my eye but for me this still works well. The drops are an integral part of the story and since Stanley is not looking at us because he is engaged in activity, the sharper drops work for me.

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 Iguanasan for capturing this universal moment!

I¯¿½d also like to include these 2 images as honourable mentions.

Somehow prickly by MoinMoin

Krimml Cascades — Europe’s highest Waterfall

Time for Sunflowers by mibriet

I chose this image for several reasons:

Impact — Wow, bang, kapow, this is an extremely striking image and it’s a pleasure to look at it.

Sharpness — Love the sharpness here. This is partially achieved through focus stacking (where multiple images with different focus points are blended together)

Degree of difficulty — This is no easy shot to get. mibreit waited for the right time of day to get this. During the shoot both exposure AND focus were shot differently on multiple frames. Then in PP these were all blended. A whole lot of love and dedication went into getting this gorgeous image.

Colour — These colours sing. There’s also some great juxtaposition in the colours of the sky versus the colours in the foreground.

Blending — The blending of the various exposures (and focal points) is tastefully done here to my eye. Sometimes HDRs or DRIs are too overdone and call attention to themselves. This is not the case here for me. The greens here are the only colour that I may have toned down slightly (but they still work for me and we are in the realm of personal taste at this point). If I have one niggle, I can still see a touch of haloing around some of the leaves, but I can totally live with it.

Composition — Very interesting elements throughout the foreground, midground and background. Although there are multiple things to focus on, the large foreground left flower is extra-sharp and just slightly brighter than the other flowers, thus making it one of the main focal points.

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 post 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 mibreit for creating this gorgeous image!

I¯¿½d also like to include these 3 images as honourable mentions.

Crummock Water by Richard

Tasmania — ‘The Chrurch — Port Arthur’ by Mad Aussie

Summer Shower by Barefoot

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!

I¯¿½d also like to include these 3 images as honourable mentions as they also came close to being picked.

Yummmmm — I Love Pollen by Matt K.

Wading Pool by Jas Photo

Descending by Barefoot

A Black & White Foray by Mad Aussie

I chose this image for several reasons:

First off, it’s a WOW image. A lot of the ‘wow’ comes from the incredible sky and the way it’s processed. It’s darkish, somewhat ominous and sets an incredible mood. Had the sky been boring, this shot would not be the same, so good on Mad Aussie for noticing the amazing sky.

The tones in this image are very nicely rendered and the higher contrast used here works extremely well to my eye. It’s very dramatic and makes me think of the Greek Myth involving Atlas. If I have one teeny niggle I’d have toned down the brighter rock just under the main boulder.

Leading lines — The rocks at lower left lead upward toward the big rock at center right which is the focal point of this image. This is NO accident and is the result of careful in-camera composition. In terms of overall composition — just friggen fab. Interesting foreground (jagged rocks) midground (boulder which is the focal point) and background (awesome sky) elements. The split between rocks and sky is also interesting and well thought out with 2/3rds sky and about 1/3rd rocks. Although we often have the discussion about the rule of thirds being a mere guideline…that rule is rocking this image

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 Mad Aussie for creating this striking image!

I¯¿½d also like to include these 2 images as honourable mentions as they also came close to being picked.

Mountain Stream by Bambi

Driftwood and clouds by Michaelaw

I chose this image for several reasons:

The eye is tack tack sharp and that’s hard to do on a subject this small, because focusing (and dof) is a challenging task at this size and distance to subject. Sharpness is lovely in many places; leg hairs, thorax, abdomen. Blurred background shows no distractions.

The subject has a definite impact on the viewer. It’s likely very creepy for many viewers, probably because of sharpness. My eye is focused on one thing, that fly.

Good composition all around which can be challenging at this size as well.

Nice highlight control on whatever the fly is resting on and the overall exposure is well handled with supplementary lighting.

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 OWLP for creating this striking image!

I¯¿½d also like to include these 2 images as honourable mentions as they also came so so close to being picked.

Colorless Beauty by Kat

Dinner time by Richard

Power At Sunrise by Mad Aussie

Message delivered by Michaelaw — Click for a larger version

This month’s choice Message delivered is by Michaelaw.

I chose this image for several reasons.

First off look at the great mood Michaelaw has created here. This is no accident; it’s a product of Michael’s attention to the the lighting. This mood helps create the story that ‘makes’ this shot. What IS the story? That’s up to the viewer, it’s helped by the title, but there is a story here. The bottle is without a classic paper message in it, it’s empty save for some water. Who sent it, why? Maybe the beer bottle itself IS the message — “hey I’m on a bender; that’s my message”. Maybe the shot is really about the environment and Man’s lack of concern over it. But there IS a story here, you just have to choose it for yourself.

Compositionally I like this very much. The curved patterned formations in the sand add interest to the shot. The diagonal slant of the bottle with specular edge highlights really give my eye something to cling to. The focus also works very well for me here and I’m digging the background blur. My eye is skillfully guided along the bottle toward the slanted water level collected at the bottom. At bottom of the bottle we see the sun’s reflection and it grabs you.

Exposure is handled very well here with a good range of tones and excellent highlight control.

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 Michaelaw for creating this beautiful image!

I’d also like to include these 2 images as honourable mentions as they also came so so close to being picked.

Behind the mask by Chantelle

Day 3 — Banff‚ by casil403

Message delivered by Michaelaw — Click for a larger version

This month’s choice Message delivered is by Michaelaw.

I chose this image for several reasons.

First off look at the great mood Michaelaw has created here. This is no accident; it’s a product of Michael’s attention to the the lighting. This mood helps create the story that ‘makes’ this shot. What IS the story? That’s up to the viewer, it’s helped by the title, but there is a story here. The bottle is without a classic paper message in it, it’s empty save for some water. Who sent it, why? Maybe the beer bottle itself IS the message — “hey I’m on a bender; that’s my message”. Maybe the shot is really about the environment and Man’s lack of concern over it. But there IS a story here, you just have to choose it for yourself.

Compositionally I like this very much. The curved patterned formations in the sand add interest to the shot. The diagonal slant of the bottle with specular edge highlights really give my eye something to cling to. The focus also works very well for me here and I’m digging the background blur. My eye is skillfully guided along the bottle toward the slanted water level collected at the bottom. At bottom of the bottle we see the sun’s reflection and it grabs you.

Exposure is handled very well here with a good range of tones and excellent highlight control.

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 Michaelaw for creating this beautiful image!

I’d also like to include these 2 images as honourable mentions as they also came so so close to being picked.

Behind the mask by Chantelle

Day 3 — Banff  by casil403