WHich one should I choose?

[Hui Song]

Need choose one picture for my "Competition for January 2014 " entry. Today is the Jan 30 now, I still can not make up my mind. I have 4 available choice here. Help needed to make final decision with in 3 days.


#1. I like the simple and powerful contract between the Blue and Yellow/Orange. Also, those stars behind the tree are interesting touch.


#2 First time shooting on a foggy day. I like the mood with the weather and the geese.



#3. Not planned for this shot. When I stopped at the scenic out look point at 10PM, I immediately know that is the view I want to shoot for a long time. I will definitely go there again. It can be improved with more Long Time Exposure practice and study more that area.



#4. Great waterfall, full of detail. Is that too busy in the image?

[Clive Kirby]

Hard to decide which one. I would discard no 1, not that it's bad, it's just not as good as the other three.
I like no 2 the most, but for a competition I would tend to discard this one too as it doesn't have the immediate impact that no 3 and 4 do.
I think either no 3 or 4 would make good competition photos. However I would crop no 3 so that the sky takes up the upper two thirds and I would crop of some from the bottom and a little from the left on no 4 to make the waterfall the prominent feature of the image.
Hope this helps you make your mind up - let us know how the competition goes.
Clive

[pnodrog]

Yep. my preference is almost reverse order to how you have them. A bit unusual to ask at this point but who cares?

[KHarmon]

#3 does it for me. All are very good but I like #3 the best.

[IzzieK]

Me too. I'm with Kris...I like #3 the best.

[Tom47]

Photo # 2 I like because of the star pattern and the pastel colors in the ski with the lights in the back ground.

[ST1]

Either three or four would get my vote

[Daisy Mae]

2 because it is simply a timeless classic piece of art and 4 because it is something most of us will never see.

[shreds]

Undoubtedly No.4

[Mike Buckley]

Hui,

Some people would object to your thread even though it's clear to me that you mean no harm whatsoever. Consider that you're asking the very people who can vote in the January contest to vote in advance in this thread to give you a better idea of which photo might garner the most votes in the contest. Doing so probably wouldn't be considered cheating but some people would think that doing so perhaps violates at least part of the spirit of the contest.

Part of the spirit of the contest is that submitting an image helps all of the submitting photographers learn the discipline of determining what makes an image the best possible image. When we can do that with our finished products, we're further on our way toward envisioning what makes a great photo before we release the shutter and as we post-process the image. That in turn leads to making better and better photographs, which is really what CiC is all about.

Asking people which photo is best is great for getting their opinion but it doesn't necessarily lead to you being able to decide for yourself, which might be the most important part of photography. It doesn't even necessarily lead to a consensus opinion, which gets back to the point that it's most important that you learn to decide for yourself which photo represents your best work.

[Daisy Mae]

I agree totally with Mike's comments above but I am sure your intention was not to filter out less popular shots from your competition entries.

I don't know the criteria for the competition you are entering or indeed whether it is even on this site but as Mike says..your most important lesson is to judge yourself....only by doing that can you learn.

[Hui Song]

Hui,

Some people would object to your thread even though it's clear to me that you mean no harm whatsoever. Consider that you're asking the very people who can vote in the January contest to vote in advance in this thread to give you a better idea of which photo might garner the most votes in the contest. Doing so probably wouldn't be considered cheating but some people would think that doing so perhaps violates at least part of the spirit of the contest.

Part of the spirit of the contest is that submitting an image helps all of the submitting photographers learn the discipline of determining what makes an image the best possible image. When we can do that with our finished products, we're further on our way toward envisioning what makes a great photo before we release the shutter and as we post-process the image. That in turn leads to making better and better photographs, which is really what CiC is all about.

Asking people which photo is best is great for getting their opinion but it doesn't necessarily lead to you being able to decide for yourself, which might be the most important part of photography. It doesn't even necessarily lead to a consensus opinion, which gets back to the point that it's most important that you learn to decide for yourself which photo represents your best work.

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your for your honest opinion.

I did not went out taking picture in December, 2013 and tried to make up this Month. So I went out I a lot this month. Every photography day tripe is a new exciting experience. I am still feel it is so hard to judge a picture by myself for these different subjects. By posting the thread at CIC, I do learned a lot. Colin helped me on #3 and you helped me a lot on #4. I was in the mood of actively practice=>post=>practice. I just through my question out and did not think too much when I started this thread.

Since this thread may lead some people consider that it is cheating, I declare here that I will not summit any of these four pictures and even similar one to January competition. Still welcome any analysis these pictures.

[Hui Song]

Hi Clive, L.Paul, Kris, Isabel, Tom47, Peter, Sharon and Ian, Thank you all for your comment.

Since this thread may lead some people consider that it is cheating, I declare here that I will not summit any of these four pictures and even similar one to January competition. Still welcome any analysis these pictures.

[jamn4ex]

Hui I like 2 and 4 best, I like 2 for its tones, Some one else above called it classic and I have to agree. 4 For its composition which portrays a depth that's hard to display. I am looking forward to see how you improve on 3 Its a good shot but not in league with 2 or 4 in my opinion.
I don't think you were trying to get an advantage in any contest, but I feel like you handled it admirably.

[Mike Buckley]

Hui,

You're doing a very nice job with your photography. I think all of the images in this thread are worthy of submission to the competition. To put that in context, I only have one image for the month that I feel merits submission.

Since this thread may lead some people consider that it is cheating, I declare here that I will not summit any of these four pictures and even similar one to January competition.

I would like to re-emphasize my post stating that I really don't think anyone believes your thread has anything to do with cheating. Exactly the opposite, I hope I can convince you to submit an image to the January competition. I have already submitted one and hope you do too. Moreover, if one of the images presented in this thread represents your best work of the month in your mind, I really do hope I can change your mind to submit one of them.

[Hui Song]

I would like to re-emphasize my post stating that I really don't think anyone believes your thread has anything to do with cheating. Exactly the opposite, I hope I can convince you to submit an image to the January competition. I have already submitted one and hope you do too. Moreover, if one of the images presented in this thread represents your best work of the month in your mind, I really do hope I can change your mind to submit one of them.

Hi Mike,

I do like CiC daily and monthly competition It is not because we can win anything. They are activities to tie this wonderful community together. I treat them as learning course homework which push me to work on them every day. For learning perspective, you always gain more from criticism.

About my January entry, I really appreciate your advice. But I have made up my mind and already moved on to post process my other pictures taken in this month.

[Hui Song]

I am looking forward to see how you improve on 3 Its a good shot but not in league with 2 or 4 in my opinion.

Hi James,

Regarding #3, this is my first time taking picture in that area. I did not have any starry night shooting knowledge and experience. After I gain some advice about the Long Time Exposure from my thread "Exposure Night View", I googled online and find much more tips of taking this kind of picture. First, in order to bring out more detail on the ground part without high noise, I can to shoot one right after sunset or before sunrise. Second, there are much more star in the sky . I need another shot with big aperture, high ISO and relative faster speed to avoid the star trail. Third, I need another shoot
for the moon burst with small aperture. At the that same time, I need pay attention to the formation of the cloud. For each of these three shoot, I need experience many setting to choose the best one. Finally, I need stack all three pictures together in PP. It is a challenge project, but worth to try. I should have much more ideas if I get to know that area and location better.

[Clive Kirby]

I must admit I presumed this was for an external competition, so I didn't see anything wrong with helping out. Entirely my fault I should have realised it was for CIC. I can't say that I think it was cheating as it was openly done, however, now I know it doesn't feel quite right. Having said this I must say I admire the honest and conciliatory way this has been dealt with, both by Hui Song and the critics.
regards
Clive

[Donald]

I admire the honest and conciliatory way this has been dealt with, both by Hui Song and the critics.
regards

Yet another illustration of why the people who populate this forum make it so good - sensible, mature exchanges and discussions. Occasionally, we do get a bit of nonsense, but thankfully remain free of the nasty, vindictive bile that seems to be traded in some other places.

And as for Hui Song's images - I'd have been happy to put any of these into a competition.

[IzzieK]

And thank you Donald for making this so...it is a refreshing forum to be with.

Yet another illustration of why the people who populate this forum make it so good - sensible, mature exchanges and discussions. Occasionally, we do get a bit of nonsense, but thankfully remain free of the nasty, vindictive bile that seems to be traded in some other places.

And as for Hui Song's images - I'd have been happy to put any of these into a competition.