Photo Competition for August 2014 - The Result

[Donald]

After a few months in which it has been just a couple of votes between 1st and 3rd and, often, 4th, 5th and 6th as well, this month we have a big winner.

As usual, in reverse order ..............

3rd Equal are:

Peter

with





and


Mike

with

In 2nd place is:

Bobo

with

and the BIG winner, with more than twice the number of votes of the nearest challenger, is ....

Grahame

with

Well done to these folks and to everyone else who entered. You can view the full list of entries here. The September competition is now up and running here.

[Stagecoach]

I'm sincerely honoured to receive this win and thank all who voted for Blue Morning. To Peter, Mike and Bobo, congratulations also and well done to all that have participated.

The image is one that has a special place in my collection in that it helps to remind me of the following;

It is worthwhile getting up early in the morning and it's even better when the weather gods help out

Grahame

[Otavio]

...I'm sincerely honoured to receive this win...

...and you should really be, Grahame! Great image! Congratulations to you and the others who won 2nd and 3rd place. Regards,

[Kodiak]

•
Congratulations Grahame! …a beautiful take.

[dje]

Congrats on your runaway win Grahame with an excellent image. Congrats also to the worthy runners up Bobo, Mike and Peter.

Dave

[Brownbear]

Congratulations Peter, Mike, Bobo and Grahame! Inspiring images - each and every one of them!

And a special congratulations to Grahame! A drop-dead gorgeous image that captured my heart. Technically perfect and all that stuff but most of all - simply magical!

[Mike Buckley]

The thing that I admire the most about Grahame's winning image is that he has worked so diligently to master this type of photograph. This particular image is wonderful, but it's just one of several that are proof that effective practice pays off big-time.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

Congratulations Grahame! …an outstanding photo!

Antonio

[MarvinTheSpartan]

Thank you everyone! And congratulations to the other finalists as well, you guys took some awesome pictures.

And I'll second what Grahame said, it definitely paid getting up extra early that morning. I was really really close to just climbing back into bed.

[Stagecoach]

Thank you Otavio, Kodiak, Dave, Christina, Mike B, Antonio and Mike.

Mike, what you say about practise is very true and equally so I believe that the knowledge gained from those posting their 'practising' efforts that include such areas as difficulties encountered and questions along with the subsequent assistance given provides us with the knowledge of what to practise.

[mknittle]

Congratulations to all the winners! All are amazing images. Bobo I don't know how you bird guys do it, I probably would be so much in awe at that sight that I would forget to push the shutter button.
Grahame that is one nice capture!

[dragon76]

Congrat Grahame! For my learning, may I ask if the image is a one shot or a composite?

Well done!

Dean

[ied]

Congratulations to all winners.

Grahame,your image is absolutely stunning. Congratulations !

Irene

[Bobobird]

Stunning image Grahame, stunning. Congrats on the win.

Congrats too to Peter and Mike for 2 gorgeous pictures.

@Mark - not easy but not all that hard either. Patience, determination and perseverance (and a long lens) is all you need.

[Stagecoach]

Congrat Grahame! For my learning, may I ask if the image is a one shot or a composite?

Well done!

Dean

Thank you Dean and here's the story behind the image.

It's not a composite, my skills are not up to that yet but a single shot at a location of which I had some previous experience of shooting the tree at pre/sunrise on a number of occasions.

Seeing the boat tied there one day I thought about trying to capture it at the magic hour but the problem being this would require long exposures and preferably it would be better with water all around the boat and of course boats float. Checking the times shot of previous images of the tree against tidal heights I worked out the day that both tide state for the boat to be bottomed and magic hour of preferably 20 minutes before sunrise would coincide.

On the anticipated day I was there and ready, this image being the third taken at 8 seconds with the previous two being 30 and 15 seconds. The blue colour is what the camera chose in AWB and as time progressed and light increased towards sunrise the scene became bland due to the heavy cloud.

Here's the final one of the session I shot before going home.



Grahame

[dragon76]

Thank you Dean and here's the story behind the image.

It's not a composite, my skills are not up to that yet but a single shot at a location of which I had some previous experience of shooting the tree at pre/sunrise on a number of occasions.

Seeing the boat tied there one day I thought about trying to capture it.



Grahame

Graham
Thank you for taking the time to provide further info about the image. IMO, regardless of how the story was told, as long as it was a great story, that’s what important. In this case, it was beautifully depicted in your well deserved winning Image which in my opinion, was already a winner at the moment you self-framed it in your mind. Cheers Dean

[FlyingSquirrel]

Congrats to all in the top places; all wonderful images which are very worthy!

[IzzieK]

Congratulations Grahame (and others) a very well deserved one....!!!

[bnnrcn]

Congratulations to all winners

[Slipper]

Congratulations to Grahame, and to the runners up, all excellent images to aspire to.