Opinion solicited for my photo entry on a theme "stay discovering"...

[Bongex]

I have next to none skill in photography but found guts to join in a photo contest event over south-east-asia of the theme "stay discovering". I posted this photo primarily because of my personal 'discovering' experience as I took this image with Tough 8010. Quoting one of the comments in my entry... "The discovery of this place and capturing it is what fascinates me. Re-discovering mother nature in this unique situation, then rediscovering oneself in relation to mother nature, is indeed a lifetime experience. Not every adventure offers this kind of mysticism!", boosted my enthusiasm. However, as the days wore off, I realized I might just be getting too romantic or sentimental about it. I'm at loss for any technical evaluation of my photo entry and sort of regretting and embarrassed I did that thinking I might be just a nuisance there. Is my photo entry correct? This link is my entry of the photo event: http://apps.facebook.com/holidayinnd...ry/679/?ref=nf Turning my neck to the experts

[Donald]

Bongex

This is a very, very good image.

You have achieved a low shooting position. This contributes to a very good composition. You have managed the range of light very well.

Please do try and post your image at a larger size. I think your picture does lose some quality when we click on the thumbnail. The thread that can help you is here .

Well done. I like this very much.

[Bongex]

Thank you for the inspiring remarks sir. I felt relieved knowing at least I'm not fooling around with the contest. I've been trying to install the just downloaded "Lytebox" by following your link but to no avail. I can't proceed to the instructions unless I got this one installed. My OS is Windows XP Pro and keep rejecting my efforts. Still racking my brain how to install it.

I really wish to upload the bigger image so that you can see better on it's technical aspect...

... I guess I still need a website to host the lytebox. It's getting complicated :-(

[Klickit]

Hi Bongex.

I like the sense of peace and serenity that this image gives. The lovely soft light in the background contrasts beautifully with the darker foreground and the harder rocks in the middle work as a balance point between the two. Don't hesitate to put images in competitions as even if we don't "win" or get high marks, we can always learn from such situations, mainly from the feedback we see on ours and on others images.

[Dave Humphries]

... I guess I still need a website to host the lytebox. It's getting complicated :-(

Nope, just read this How to make attached photos appear bigger to do what I just did, which helps.

If you want bigger than 700px, and that is necessary with many images to get the best effect, there are alternatives; the easiest, requiring nothing extra on your part is to follow this system: How to post pictures inline using TinyPic

The Lytebox feature is provided here at CiC and comes in automatically when the image is posted at larger than 700px, so you don't need a complicated external site to do it.

Cheers,

[Katy Noelle]

This is a lovely photo! Full of mood and a sense of possibility. Also, the competition doesn't look "highbrow". You're fine!!

If you keep posting, here at CIC, or just keep working on your photography, then, you'll grow in your own thoughts about these photos - which, maybe, is what matters most. Just this week, I was going through old photos and was surprised at some that I, now, feel are really good, even though, at the time, I felt unenthusiastic for them. Some, that I loved, then, I still love but I see what i "now" feel is a mistake in them. I still love them, though, because they remind me of where I was, then, both in the person and with my skills as a photographer. Soooooo, what I'm trying to say is - emotions go and emotions come about what we're doing. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there. Just keep going and having fun.

[Bongex]

Gush! Amazing opinions, so simply said and so true.
@ Klickit: Agree. Perhaps I was getting so insecure. How well I know what lies at the next bend if I won't put a step forward to check? Learning is one hell step at time... you are so encouraging. The quote is a 're-discovering of oneself' itself. Very nice.
@ Katy: Ma'am, I am very appreciative on the way you teaches. It makes me pause... feel your words... and grasp the wisdom of your insights. It's a unique way of learning by comparative example, and I tell you, it works for me well. 2 thumbs up.
@ Dave: I did try the Lytebox and got confused. So from your helpful link on TinyPic, I guess it works. I notice the large image "blink" after I finished editing my original post. I hope that was it.

Xtra-large thanks to you guys for being so supportive and boosting my confidence on my entry, "Win or Lose, what matters is the FUN!" . You said it, and I applaud it. So my picture is correct. That's settled for me. To sum up what I learn here, if the picture looks good to the eye, then it is fine, just as I suspect. Like a balance scale, if the "elements" looks equal, then the picture is fine. Add the intensity of expressiveness, and it will be better. Add the creative manipulation of the subject, and it will be best. Did I get this right? Gush, I still have a long way to go to understand that "elements" in photography itself.

[Dave Humphries]

I never said Bongex, but I like it too, it withstands careful study, especially at the new larger size.

Very good,

[arith]

Actually this is one of the best landscape photo's I've seen for a while. The light is special, a pool of light in the foreground could be emphasised, the background is already right.