2022 April Entries

Topic: REPETITION Judge:

(Double Click on any image below to start slide show)

BASIC LEVEL WINNERS

: 5.0 This image makes me long for spring to come to my neighborhood; I have a pergola the same color! The color palette of blue, green, and brown hues work well together. The theme of repetition is evident in the top planks of the pergola. The light tells me this is around mid-day with the shadows, but I am ok with the shadows; they show me the benefit of the pergola bringing shade. The camera settings bring the whole image in nice sharp focus. To help enhance this image, I suggest using the straighten tool in your post-processing to correct the horizontal lines in the photograph; the roof of the building is at an angle, which causes tension in the photo. I also suggest slightly bringing down the highlights; I see blown highlights where the sun is the brightest.

: 6.0 The overall image is balanced because of the reflection from the clouds in the water. The clouds in the water also simulate an organic leading line from the bottom left to the tree and telephone pole in center of photo. The green grass areas have a triangular shape also leading my eye to the tree in the center. I assume the subject are the clouds, and they follow the theme of “repetition.” I do like the overall story being told. One of the challenges with the image is the subject (repetition of clouds?) isn’t strong enough to hold my attention; for me, I would like to see more detail. If the two landscapes are the subject, they are less strong as subjects than the obvious cloud formations. I would like to see more details in the clouds or perhaps more movement; quiet clouds give a static feel to the image, and a viewer can lose interest. The overall image and the tree in the center of the frame are dark, and the tree lacks details, so I recommend raising the shadows a bit. The telephone pole is a distraction and could be removed in post-processing; the pole does not contribute to the image.

: 6.0 This image is a good example of repetition with all the beautiful Harley bikes in a row. The angle of the shot draws my eye into the bike store and shows front-to-back depth in the photo. The light is at a good level and illuminates the subjects well. There are a lot of geometric shapes and forms to observe, so the photograph has interest. When I first looked at this image, I noticed the highlights were over-exposed, especially at the windows, so I suggest lowering the highlight slider to compensate (highlight control is secondary to overall light). The other challenge I see is the shutter speed was 1/10 of a second, so the image is not sharp. In my experience, there are many software programs to help sharpen photos; my preference is Topaz DeNoise or Sharpen software; most editing software offers sharpening as a tool.

: THIRD PLACE 7.0 What a pretty blue flower; it is standing tall and strong. I like the light; the highlights are well under control, and the colors look natural. The camera settings have the subject in sharp focus, and the bokeh background still allows me to feel the repetition of this flower behind it. To help enhance this image, I will suggest a vertical crop putting the subject on the left vertical rule of thirds line. I say this primarily because when a subject is in the center, the image feels static; my eye stays on the subject and doesn’t move through the image. This new crop will also remove unnecessary distractions around the primary flower. There is a blade of grass on the right (after the crop) that I recommend removing in post-processing. Notice the smooth flow from the foreground to the background after the crop.

: SECOND PLACER 7.5 The photo ‘Ridges’ is an interesting abstract that shows me lots of repetition. I like the diagonal flow of the lines and the warm brown hue. I can almost visually feel the rounding of the ridges. The camera settings gave a sharp center to the image, and the light shows the details. I have a couple of suggestions to help enhance the photo; one is a new crop to remove the blurry edges. The aperture used was not wide enough to capture clarity edge to edge in the frame. When a subject has a contour shape, I recommend a narrower aperture like f/8 or higher to get a sharp image side to side. What I see at the edges is a soft focus and this is a distraction. Lastly, the overall tones in the photograph are in the mid-tone range, with no black or white tones. I suggest lifting the whites in post-processing and adding some vibrance.

: FIRST PLACE 7.9 A clever and creative way to show repetition with motorcycles! I find the image has a nice balance, and overall, the photo has interest due to the originality and creativity in post-processing. The light is bright mid-day light as seen by the harsh shadows, but the shadows are ok because they follow a story when I would see people riding motorcycles, I would also be seeing shadows. I have caught myself following the zigzag angles following a wheel from one row to another, so the image captures my attention and holds my eye. My only thought to further enhance the photo is to work more in your post-processing to lift the contrast that the bright light has removed. I also feel this image would work well in black and white because it would remove the sky and trees in the background which, in my opinion, do not add anything to the composition—something to consider.

ADVANCED LEVEL WINNERS

: 5.9 Natures Steps photograph shows repetition in the circular stones and leads my eye through the photo from the bottom left and along the left side of the frame. Overall, the image has balance. I find a juxtaposition between man-made concrete stepping-stones, the tree’s organic leaves, and blue water. The stones are in shadow, and the mid-day light is bright. I feel the stone in the foreground is the subject, but due to the wide aperture setting (f/1.8), the front half of the stone is not in focus; this is distracting because it is the first thing my eye sees. The stones along the left side of the frame lead my eye around the subject stone and not to it; this type of composition is distracting; I feel I want to start with the subject stone and move straight to the background, but there is no path leading me to the background; taking a left to the other stepping stones is an uncomfortable line of sight because those stones are falling out of frame. To help improve this photo, I suggest considering a vertical crop; this would make the subject stone more prominent in the frame, and my eye would have a pathway to the stones in the background. The revised crop would eliminate the other half stones, which I do not feel contribute enough to the story. With a vertical crop, my eye would go from the subject stone directly to the back of the frame to see the repetition.

: 6.5 Leaves make an excellent subject for repetition, and this image is full of leaves. The bright light tells me this is probably a mid-day exposure. As I would expect in nature, the colors are natural, and the photo is in sharp focus. I have a challenge with this photo: there is no prominent main subject; my eye does not know where to rest. It is my opinion that a simple image with an identifiable subject and secondary subject is more significant in competition than a busy image. Think about a path of leaves that leads you to an eye-catching leaf with interesting texture, contrast, or color. Lastly, the highlights in the photo I find over-exposed; this can be corrected by lower the highlight slider in post-processing. I also recommend the use of a polarizing filter when photographing during mid-day sunshine; this will help protect the mid-tone contrast that is missing in this photo.

: 7.9 Clever photo of seven birdhouses! I like the circular pattern, giving my eye a pathway around the repetition of elements. The colors are vibrant and liven up this fall tree. I notice the yellow birdhouse aligns with the rule of thirds, and I find the photo in sharp focus. There are a lot of branches and twigs, but I see this tree with buds and giving me the hope that spring is arriving! My suggestion to help improve the composition is a new crop. I see a white garage door on the bottom of the frame, pulling my eye away from the subjects. A new crop straight-up from the bottom will remove it.

: THIRD PLACE 7.9 ‘Natures Target’ is a lovely photograph of a Japanese garden designed for meditation. The rock and circle align nicely with the golden spiral. I see the path starting at the large rock and curving around to the right, ending at the lower-left corner of the image. The few elements allow my eye to move around the image effortlessly. The dappled light on the top coincides with a feeling of a calm day in a peaceful location; it completes the story. The camera settings are good, and the whole image is in focus. The colors, hues, and tones are what I would expect in the shade of a Japanese garden. I also find repetition in organic rock shapes and circle patterns. I do find a couple things that crab my eye away and that is the left side of the frame. There is a partial rock on the edge that I fee could be removed in post-processing. Also, I recommend watching the edges of the frame when cropping for things that touch the edge like the smaller rock on left side of the large rock above; just touching the edge causes tension and draw my eye out of the frame. Lastly, I recommend lifting the shadows on the large rock and the one to its left. This adjustment will open up more detail on the face of the rocks.

: SECOND PLACE 8.0 This structure appears to be a worship or meditation space with great interest, and I find many geometric shapes and lines. I find the photo has good balance, especially in the seating area. The light is good within the room, and I see no distractions. The overall colors in the image are natural in hue and tone. I also find a good depth of field leading my eye to the outdoor area, where I notice the trees and brown object in the background. My only suggestion for improving this photograph is to lower the highlights because they are slightly over-exposed; the light on the fern on the right may not be able to regain the green detail in the outer frond; I see it as an area of white and a distraction.

: FIRST PLACE 9.0 There are nice spring colors in the photograph of these Crape Myrtles; I can almost smell the freshly mowed lawn. The image has a pleasing asymmetrical balance and repetition, and I like the diagonal point of view that brings depth and dimension to the photograph. I also find the image is in sharp focus. Your photo shows me something I would usually never see, and that is the details of the bark and the branches; they are still beautiful when not in bloom. I have no correction.

MASTER LEVEL WINNERS

: 5.9 There must be hundreds of repeating blooms on these snowball bushes; they are beautiful! The primary colors in the photo are neutral and earthy hues and have warm tones and a comfortable feel; the cool tone of the blue sky brings about a feeling of calm. Compositionally the snowballs are centered in the frame, so my eye moves from left to right. It is my opinion photographing these bushes straight on produces a two-dimensional photo because the camera is directly in front of the snowballs and this prevents my eye from moving around in the whole image. My suggestion is to photograph the subject at an angle, so the eye is drawn into the photo giving it a three-dimensional feel. Another option is getting closer with a macro lens if an angled shot doesn’t work. Lastly, the harsh sunlight affects the details of the subject and the blue sky; for this I recommend lowering the highlights in post-processing. Do consider I recommend using a neutral density filter (one appropriate for your lens) when shooting in harsh sunlight or choosing a different time of day when the sun is not so bright like morning or late afternoon when the light is more golden.

: 5.9 Bird migration against a lovely blue sky is a good way to capture repetition. Compositionally, these white birds are flying in a v-pattern; the motion was caught with a fast shutter, giving my eye a path to follow. The mid-day light is bright, but the highlights are well under control. The image is simple, and the photographer gets right to the essence of the story told in the photo. The negative space allows the viewer to rest their eye and concentrate on the subjects. With bird or nature photography competitions, I recommend holding out for birds that are well spaced from each other and not overlapping, or encroaching on the edges of the frame. Overlap causes distractions because my eye is looking for details; that is difficult when a bird crosses another bird’s path. I want to mention that I find sensor spots on the blue sky in a few locations. This is common when shooting the sky. When in post-processing, I recommend raising the dehaze slider to 100%; then, these spots will pop out for you, allowing you to remove them in your photo editor quickly; then reduce dehaze when corrections are complete.

: 5.9 Bolts make a good subject to show repetition. The subjects have interest, and compositionally there are a lot of lines, shapes, and angles to look at and observe. I am especially noticing the odd nut alone in the front. First, I find the bolts are not in sharp focus and the aperture used was f/40. I suspect the lens was too close to the bolts and not adhering to the minimum focal distance. Next, the placement of the bolts is a bit chaotic; my eye doesn’t know where to look for the primary subject. I recommend arranging the bolts in a pattern utilizing the rule of thirds guide to show repetition. A noticeable design allows the viewer to find an organized path leading the eye from front to back in the image instead of viewing left to right. I am also puzzled by the brown wood piece in the background; I do not see it contributing to the story, so I recommend removing it.

: 6.0 The title fits the story of these birds, but what catches my eye is the differing breeds, spoonbills and an egret! As I understand it, this is a common occurrence with these two breeds. I like the background green water plants for a backdrop; there is nice spacing between the birds so that I can see their bodies easily. The bright light tells me the hour is around late morning. The pink color and the vantage point of the spoonbills help me identify the type of birds. Compositionally, the birds align to the center horizontal line of the rule of thirds. Lastly, I do get the feeling there is a texture added to this photo which has an interesting appeal. My challenge with this photo is the bright overexposed light has blown out the spoonbill’s bill on top and the back of the egret’s neck; those areas of detail will not be recoverable from the effect of harsh sunlight. The only suggestion I can offer is next time to try using a polarizing filter at a 90-degree angle to the sun; this will reduce the harsh sun reflecting off the water. Other options would be to try shooting on a cloudy day (clouds are a natural filtering system), choosing an earlier time of day when the sun isn’t as harsh, or looking for an angle where the reflection doesn’t affect the details on the birds so harshly. In bright sun I do recommend an ISO setting as close to 100 as your camera allows. In this image the camera is at ISO 4000 in shutter priority. I recommend trying aperture priority as an alternative when birds are standing still and see if that helps.

: 6.5 Repetition as a compositional technique is what rhythm is to music; the Shiplap siding, as I see it, is yet another example of repetition in photography. The overall image is minimalistic, with geometric shapes, lines, and forms in the siding and brown beams with some texture in the beams. The tonal range of the photograph extends from some blacks to whites. The challenge for me in this photo is the subject’s not strong enough to hold my attention to the photograph. My eye is focused on the white vertical corner trim board running up the center, and I do not find enough details in the beams to pause and notice them. The other piece that stands out includes the white electrical cover by the beam and the dark shadows on the white ceiling. Using natural light can be difficult when photographing indoors. I can suggest using a foam core board or something white in the area you shoot to bounce the natural light back onto the subject; this may or may not be possible in all situations but it is an option.

: 6.9 Looking at this documentary-style photo, I have fond memories of when my son played piano. I see repetition in the carpet and the pillow under the piano. The sepia tone of the image works nicely. The scene is free of unnecessary elements; the piano angle gives the photo depth allowing my eye to move through the photo. My challenge is with the soft focus; nothing in the image is in sharp focus, possibly due to camera shake or slow shutter. I might be able to see repetition in the keys on the keyboard, but the focus is preventing me from clearly seeing the keyboard.

: 7.0 Seven Oreos (repetition) and chocolate milk, what a delicious photograph! This flat lay is a birds-eye view of a still life done in a minimalistic style. I like the diagonal from lower left to upper right (cookies to the milk) layout. The blue tablecloth is a nice rich color and is complimentary to the treats. I notice that the highlights are high and clipping; the histogram shows the light is too far to the right. To alleviate this, I recommend lowering the whites and highlight sliders; this will also reduce the brightness of the blue background and give the blue a richer hue. I am guessing a bar bulb was used for a light source (or a softbox setting was too strong) and produced harsh bright light I see reflecting on the cookies. I recommend adding a diffuser to soften the light or lower the setting. You don’t need fancy equipment, so try a white handkerchief or tracing paper to soften the light in front of the bulb. Lastly, I find the creases in the blue cloth distracting. These can be removed with the eraser tool in post-processing software; this will help keep the eye focused on the cookies on the plate and not wander away to look at the lines in the tablecloth.

: 7.0 This feathered squadron is a contemplative photo for me. I wonder where these birds are flying off to. I pause and wonder if they are over an ocean and if there is a sunny beach beneath. The sky’s blue hue is natural in tonality, and the birds have a separation between their bodies and wingspan. Compositionally, they align with the golden spiral rule of composition, and the puff of clouds adds some interest. My eye moves in a triangular path from bird to bird. The one thing that stands out to me in this image is that the birds are not in focus; possibly due to camera shake if a tripod was not used. In my opinion, at least one bird needs to be in sharp focus and have details for my eye to see, or a viewer will lose interest in the photograph.

: 7.0 I can’t say that I have seen this many orbs in one place as you found in this location: how interesting! There is lots of repetition in the floating balls; I like the low-angle point of view. The colors are natural for the scene, and the afternoon sun shines bright on almost every ball. I have difficulty with the water with the orbs in the background. So, my idea is a new crop that removes the loose balls at the top and on the side by the foliage. Open the crop tool and move the upper left corner point towards the right and down so it is just above the single orb in the water. The result is an organized grouping of balls with the top of the frame with some water and a single orb; this simplifies the subjects below. Lastly, the horizon is out of balance, so I recommend using the transform/leveling tool in post-processing software to adjust this automatically; one click will do it.

: 7.0 I like how the loafers are color coordinated; this makes the image easy to view when the elements are organized; perhaps this is what caught your eye to taking the photo! I find the quality of the light works, and the diagonal point of view helps draw the eye from one edge of the image to the other. My suggestion to help improve the photograph is to use the straighten tool in your post-processing software to straighten the right edge; the shelf or camera angle was not straight, but this is an easy automatic fix with the straighten tool

: HM 7.3 This blue hydrangea is beautiful with lots of repetition in the cluster. The flower appears balanced; the colors are vibrant, and the light seems to be diffused and soft. Compositionally the flower is nicely centered in the frame. To me, orange, though a complementary color to blue, is too intense of a background color for this delicate flower. The color orange is often described as an energetic, high-energy color and an attention-getter. In this image, I see the orange overpowering the flower. The other concern I see is the leaves in the background. Because the aperture was f/6, and the leaves were so close to the cluster, the leaves became a distraction; the distance between them wasn’t big enough to produce a nice bokeh. I suggest getting closer to the subject to eliminate the distracting elements with a macro lens and using a narrow aperture of f/11 or more. Always be aware of your minimum focus distance for your lens, so you get the subject in sharp focus. Another option would be to try to cover the green leaves in the background when shooting, or remove them in post.

: HM 7.7 I like the simplicity in this photo of salt worker quarters; you have captured the essential elements of the scene and eliminated distractions. I also like the diagonal (left to right) point of view because my eye is drawn into the photo, giving the image depth and dimension. The image is sharp, and the colors of the buildings compliment the blue sky above (blue and orange). To help enhance your photo, I suggest some added sharpening on the buildings. I also notice sensor spots in the blue sky. If your post-processing software has a dehaze slider, move it to 100%, and you will see the spots then be able to remove them; when done, put dehaze back to zero if that is where it was. Having sensor spots is very common in the sky, but the fix is easy. Another reason for spots is the lens may have needed cleaning.

: THIRD PLACE 7.9 Shadow repetitions are an excellent subject for this category; I also see repetitions in the tree groupings, and the rocks on shore. I like the curvature of the railing as it leads my eye into the photograph. The light is bright but well handled. The colors are pleasing hues for a natural outdoor environment near a body of water. I also find the subject to be in good focus. I notice the horizon line is not level, so I suggest using the straightening tool in your post-processing editor. I also recommend lowering the highlight slider a little; the highlights on the back of the truck in the background are over-exposed. Lastly, you could consider converting this photo into a black and white silhouette. I can recommend Nik Software Silver Efex Pro 3 has fun presets ideal for images with strong shadows such as these.

: SECOND PLACE 8.0 A viewer’s eye is usually drawn to the brightest object in a photo, and the white fence has my attention. The rails and posts, red brick landscaping around the trees, and shadows from the fencing are all repetitions in this photograph. The diagonal line of the fence directs visual flow into the image. The colors in the photo are natural in hue and tone, as I would expect to see in a neighborhood like this one. The sunlight brightness is under control, and I find good highlight exposure. The photo is also in sharp focus. In this particular photo, I would like to see a wider degree of angle to the fence; the angle is a bit sharp now, so try standing further to the left. I would like to see more of the length of the fence. Having a person or something interesting at the end of the fence line would complete the story as you draw the viewer’s eye down the fencing to an interesting subject like a person with their back to the camera would be something to consider.

: FIRST PLACE 8.1 Clever idea for repetition; I have not seen this many taxis in one place in a long time! You have done an excellent job capturing the essence of the story you intended to tell, and I see no apparent distractions. The focus is sharp; there is a good depth of field, and my eye has a path to follow from right to left through the photograph, a nice vanishing line. The well-manicured yards make an excellent background and compliment the taxis. My suggestion to help enhance the image is to lower the highlights slightly; they are clipping because the sun is reflecting off the tops of vehicles. Also, I recommend using a linear gradient on the trees and the road to darken the areas a bit. This correction with help the taxis remain prominent in the frame.

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