Waybo

Drat! I just went to a five-year-old's birthday party at a gymnastic center, solely for getting a photo for this challenge, and it's already full. :(

Some of that can be done with Aperture (and presumably Lightroom). So does "No major photoshopping" include no major work in any editing program?

HDR = High Dynamic Range, a technique of combining several images with different exposures to create a single image. These images are created by bracketing shots with the camera, and then combined within the camera or computer. A single raw image can also be used to create bracketed images. Photomatix is the leading HDR app, but Photoshop can, too.

A recent contest, "HDR only" has some excellent examples:
http://www.dpreview.com/challenges/Challenge.aspx?ID=5012

http://www.stuckincustoms.com/ has good info, a tutorial, and a discount code for Photomatix.

HDR can create some startling images, or can be used to create some very subtle adjustments in lighting and contrast, which can't easily be detected.

To be done properly, one MUST have good photo skills to create 3-5 decent photos at different exposures (or one decent raw photo). Then, to properly use this technique, one must have good computer skills.

HDR, PS or "pure": Is it not the quality of the end result that should matter?

You are correct, Dennis. But the rule says "No major photoshopping. Minor things like cropping are ok." So, even looking at the exif data won't differentiate between major or minor editing."

So, those who follow the rules don't bother entering. And the others, who don't have a lot of integrity, hope they can fly under the radar without being detected. The ones with the really good post processing skills can make their images look so natural that they won't be culled by the Challenge host ... and they'll win.

I'm struggling to comprehend this ... and I am failing.

I respectfully argue that your opinion needs to be reconsidered. Post processing after shooting a photo is long-recognized as acceptable. Ansel Adams, arguably one of the greatest photographers, ever, spent hours in the darkroom, dodging and burning to get his spectacular images. I suspect that there are very few, if any, professional photographers coming out of training who don't have Photoshop as part of their camera "tools" ... just as valuable as filters, flashes and tripod.

Have you ever taken the same negative to two different labs and have them come back looking quite differently? Of course! Because the photo labs adjust the colors, white balance, saturation, etc. Better labs do a better job.

Photographers should be able to do the same to their photos which are being processed for the web.

Again, respectfully.

Nope. My best shots have some PP work ... including HDR. Getting very frustrated with this website, so probably won't bother.

Thanks for clarifying. I needed to ask, since I don't use Photoshop, but I do use other apps to create my HDR's.

This rule means that I am unable to submit the photo that I'd like to enter. :(

It also means that you have a lot of work ahead of you in disqualifying images, as I spot a number of photos with heavy post-production editing and several HDR images ...

No major Photoshopping ... how about HDR?

The first line of the top is: "Challenge #11 in the Creativity is a frame of mind... for photography, your mind is the frame. series." There is nothing in the rules to state that the photos must show details or can't be abstract ... just creativity!

I do wish that it had been clarified that this was to be a self-portrait ... it doesn't seem proper to enter a photo taken by another person in a photo contest. But that wasn't in the rules for this contest, either.

Some good post processing work could do miracle with this!

A nice shot. I wish that you could have held the cloud details better.

Good capture of a fast-moving object. Great detail. Impressed that we can actually read the writing on the front! Initially it didn't seem to fit the topic, but, on reflection, the Royal NZ Air Force is certainly New Zealand! Good job.

Nice and peaceful setting. A good shot that could have been better if:
1. White caps on mountains hadn't been blown out
2. Turn off the date/time stamp!

I am unable to tell about the horizon. If it's off, it's not by much, but it feels like it is slightly lower on the left. (It may be an optical illusion to my eyes, because the objects to the right are also thoes that are closer.)

Darks could use a little brightening.

A little over exposed.

When reviewing my votes, I realized that this tilts down on the right, so watch the "horizon" as well.

I'm having a hard time determining your focus point. I'm wondering if you had upped your ISO, made your aperture smaller (higher number), and increased your shutter speed if you might have had a more successful shot.

Nice coloring, composition. Just watch your horizon!

Very nice, but too much water. Cropping it to make it a panoramic view, using the Rules of Thirds, would make approximately 1/3 sky, 1/3 skyline, 1/3 water ... a vast improvement.

Very, very nice. I wish the wing on the far right wasn't clipped off.