Monday, July 26, 2010

A Photowalk Competition

 

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I can't believe I'm waking up at 5am Saturday morning to take some morning pictures with a photo club I've just joined recently here in Hawaii. And now my first photo tour with them is to do a photowalk around Hilo Bay with an early sunrise start.  But this will not be any morning excursion, its a world wide photo walk and competition with over 30,000 registered participants that will compete in one single day of shooting to submit only one photo for consideration as their best work.

It was tough making a decision on the one, but I have boiled it down to two shots below done in the early morning light, more diffused but with a lot of detail and a hint of a tropical environment. Maybe you can help me choose the best of the two?

 

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So which of the two looks more like a winning photo to you, they are a little similar except for the foreground with different rock studies.

 

Along the way, I did stop at the Japanese garden close by to take some practice shots, unfortunately, there wasn’t enough good light to make these make my top considerations, but I’m showing them to you anyway so you get to see photos of this beautiful park in Hilo.

 

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In a quiet corner is this beautiful shady grove with thousands of colorful impatiens in hot colors, it just lit up this little corner.

 

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Hope you enjoyed the tour, please help me select the final cut.  To enjoy more views of the world on Tuesday go visit http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

29 comments:

  1. Dear Noel, I am no judge and certainly not qulified to make a decision where photography is concerned never, I think, having taken a picture now for more than fifty years. However, these images of yours are outstanding and I do so hope that you feel really proud of your achievements.

    Garden photographer friends of mine always cite the early morning light as being the best - your results more than support that theory. Good luck!

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  2. Breathtaking captures, Noel! What a beautiful place! Definitely looks worthwhile to me and you should feel proud indeed! Will be looking forward to seeing more! Have a great week!

    Sylvia

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  3. Hi Noel,
    I have started my photography a few months back. I am nowhere near commenting anyone's picture. Both pictures are equally good.

    I am just trusting my eyes, I don't know the technical aspects of a good picture. I like the first picture with more rocks with sunlight reflecting from them. I see more colors in that one. The reflection of the tree in the water is more prominent. But would have been nicer if you had a few more boats in that one.

    Don't get me wrong, your second picture is equally good to my eyes.

    Unni

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  4. Wonderful shots, my favorite is nr 5 :)

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  5. Aloha Noel

    My personal favorite is photo
    9751.
    All your shots and subjects are beautiful though.

    Shalom

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  6. Great photos of a beautiful place. I vote for the first shot.

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  7. Great photos of a beautiful place. I vote for the first shot.

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  8. I prefer the top one, I find the colours magical, and the composition inviting. I want to step right in.

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  9. What a fantastic photo walk. I feel like you have taken us on a tour of paradise. It is so subjective and I'm not qualified to judge the technical aspects but my personal preference is for the second of the two shots you wanted us to consider. The image name is 9754(4).jpg
    However, I think both shots are great and there isn't any precise reason for my vote.

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  10. Hey, Noel, your photo walk definitely paid off. What fantastic captures! The first shot of the post, with the tree, is spectacular. I'm totally jealous of your skill, which seems to me to be evolving at a prodigious rate lately. I'm sure that's just lots of passion and hard work showing through. :)

    As for the two shots we're to compare, I definitely feel more drawn to the first one. Something about the composition gives it a more mysterious feel. It's just stunning work!

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  11. Both photos are very good - if I had to choose I would say the first one. But only by a whisker ..

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  12. Absolutely awesome photos! The first one gets my vote for the more balanced composition and interesting foreground. The lighting also appears to be softer and more restrained. I'm really impressed!
    BTW, thanks for joining my facebook group!

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  13. Noel: Your world is certainly a paradise. I liked the second brighter photo the best.

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  14. What a lovely set of photos Noel - thanks for sharing them. Out of the two you wanted to submit I would definetly go with the first - there is something there that pulls you right in - with the rocks being beneath your feet so to speak.

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  15. Hi Noel,

    I would be thrilled to be able to capture such beautiful shots. Unlike most of those who commented, I like the 2nd picture. I like how the rocks look in the foreground.

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  16. goodluck. i think whatever you choose has a fighting chance since you took really rocking pictures.

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  17. I definitely prefer the first photo. The water in the second one leads the eye out of the frame in the lower right, but otherwise it's excellent too.

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  18. Noel, I think the topmost photo is the best. All the best in your competition! All the pictures are lovely!

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  19. Noel, All these photographs are wonderful; I love the way you've used reflections in so many of them. Like many readers who have already "voted" here, I was more drawn to the first image. If I hadn't known these were taken in the morning, though, I probably would have assumed that one was an evening shot. The second photo, with the bright green seaweed-covered rocks in the foreground, more clearly said "morning" to me. -Jean

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  20. What a beautiful morning you have managed to capture.
    I really love the first one. It look very much like the Lord of The Ring pictures -the tree look magnificient with the very much enchanted florals.
    The second picture look very much like a painting and to say the time of the day, one can never say whether its dawn or dusk.

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  21. Noel: It is very hard for me to pick from those two, a little bit leaning toward to the first one. I love all the fatastic photos you have shown us. Love, love that big shady grove tree with massive impatiens underneath ( the last one), with the colorful carpet, lights shinning through the tree top, just gorgeous!

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  22. Hi Noel, a phototour is always a lovely experience. I did that last Saturday and my legs haven't recovered yet from the long walk. This is a very difficult assignment you are asking from us, hehe. They are equally lovely. But i would prefer the first one if the crop is the same as the 2nd on the left side. As it is, it's a bit cluttered maybe, but it evoked more emotions than the 2nd because more foreground, also love the mood there.

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  23. In my opinion 9751(4). I hope you win.
    All the best!

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  24. they're both really good but i have to pick out the second on.

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  25. wow, marvelous light, gorgeous photos! the first photo is my favorite--glorious!

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  26. beautiful photos, of a beautiful place. i like the 5th photo too, and of the 2 you chose the top.

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  27. Ok I was going to say number 2 - and I see that my blogging friend Dave who I think is an absolutely amazing photographer says its number 2 aswell - so Noel I hope you have chosen no2. Besides the competition I think you have taken a wonderful set of photos. The compostions are great and the light just so evocative.

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  28. Noel, my choice is the second one. I like that the light is a bit brighter to one side while still darker on the other. This one shows more contrast and pulls the viewer in.
    You're a great photographer and capture some amazing shots!! Good luck with the contest!!!!!
    Thank you for sharing the park, also. These are lovely shots...and the park is such a beautiful place. I truly hope I can visit one day...probably after the kids go to college!! :)

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  29. Hi Noel,
    grazie della tua visita :-)
    Il mio nome è Myriam.
    Molto belle le tue foto in questo tuo blog.
    Ti ho inserito nella mia lista amici... spero che tu ne abbia piacere, ho voglia di vedere altre foto di questa tua isola così meravigliosa.
    Aloa a te :-))

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I always love to hear about your comments or questions on this post, mahalo nui loa - noel