Dog Photo Competition 4 2012 : Results
- Competition Winner : First Prize
- $579.60
- Judges Comment
- this image was a very early favorite in this competition for me, and has remained a strong leader throughout ... not just for its rich tones, well-handled depth of field, and framing, but because it represents the essence of "dog" ... dirty snout, stick, rocks, leaves, outdoors, nose pointed at his owner's (photographer's) legs. to me, it doesn't get more "doggy" than this. i'm wondering if the tones are leaning a little on the magenta side here (one of my own bad habits) and whether just a little more depth could be added to your shadows. but i absolutely love this. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Thank you for this honor for my photo of one of my dogs, Gertie. I had been attempting to photograph my dogs by an old stone wall at our lake cottage in the Adirondacks..but as usual they had other plans. So I quickly snapped this right before I put the camera away. I just looked down and liked the angle. Taken with a Nikon D90 and a 50 mm 1.4 lens. I adjusted exposure, highlights, and shadows in Lightroom. I am Maureen Jordan, an aspiring pet photographer.
- www.adifferentbreedstudio.com
- Competition Winner : Second Prize
- Judges Comment
- absolutely brilliant. wonderful soft tones, beautiful setting, and incredibly executed. the turn and curve of the body you have captured, along with the reflection in the shallow puddle are absolutely mesmerizing and definitely memorable. this is a definite fave. i'm not sure if you have this to play with in the original file, but the only thing i think that could make this image stronger is a little more image top and bottom -- giving a little more breathing room above and below the tail/tail-reflection. if it were me and there wasn't more image, i might even tempted to do a little photoshop to see what i could squeeze out of the image as far as elongating it -- either more just on top, or more equally top and bottom. wonderful wonderful image. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Thank you very much for choosing my picture. It shows my lovely Scout. The puddle my dog stands in is only a centimeter deep so the water surface is immediately calm again. It took several shots to get the picture I wanted. This photo is not photoshopped, the reflection is real. My name is Elke Vogelsang.
- wieselblitz.de
- Competition Winner : Third Prize
- Judges Comment
- what a powerful image. this comes across as a still from a b&w movie ... oh wait, i know this one: Ol' Yellar, right? :) the drama in this image is palpable ... one can almost feel the breeze in the weeds that is stirring in the wake of the brewing storm. beautiful management of light and shadows, and a wonderful b&w conversion. a very powerful and memorable image! a definite fave. well done. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- My name is Lesley Bailey, owner/artist at www.happytailspetphotography.com in Manitoba, Canada. I can't thank Illona & team I-Shot-It enough for the beautiful comments & 3rd placement award alongside such a talented group, but praise God for this blessing! Congrats, all! Titled “Calm Before The Storm”, I managed to grab this shot of Ol’ Yeller---I mean Daisy---with my Nikon D700 before the rain came. ;-) Minimally processed in LR3 & PS. I, too, felt it came together after the B&W conversion.
- www.happytailspetphotography.com
- Competition Winner : Fourth Prize
- Judges Comment
- i love this image too many ways to count. beautiful tones and color, great depth and richness, and wonderful wonderful depth of field and bokeh. the richness of texture from the fur to the sparkle in the eyes, the moss, the lichen, the old wood and the rusted metal are just a feast for the eyes. it's the kind of image that invites the viewer to come back again and again, which to me is one of the mark of a strong image. well done! ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Thank you for choosing my picture! The photo shows Lissi, my foster dog who is a very talented model in front of my camera. I found that old bench on a walk through a park and luckily I brought my camera so I could capture this beautiful moment. My name is Maren Leuker.
- www.ml-tierfotografie.de
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- a truly, truly striking image. there are a lot of b&w images in this particular contest, and so many of the are SO well executed ... as is this one. beautiful done! the expression of the pup is wonderful, and the framing works well. the only distraction is the blown out highlight on the top of the adult CKC Spaniel's neck. normally i'm NOT a stickler about blown out highlights at all ... but in this case it really stands out. i'm wondering if it can be recaptured in the raw version? but it's a great, evocative image. a definite fave. well done! ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Thanks I'm Erin King a Melbourne based Pet Photographer www.erinking.com.au. Thanks for the feedback.
- www.erinking.com.au
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- oh, i love this. first, yes, the fabulous colors, the framing, the drama, but also the emotion it evokes. this border looks like it has an Eeyore energy ... making me want to just go up there on that hill and join him/her. love the clouds and the touch of amber light on the horizon to the right. my only criticism is that i would recommend cleaning things up around the dog's head. the blue "layer" that you have used to boost the sky seems to have come in on the the dog a little -- the top of his heck and a little on his wind-blown ear hairs. if there's a way to clean this up a bit, he would really pop from the drama of the skies. but well done. well seen, well captured, and well handled in post. ~ illona
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- shaking shots are be a dime a dozen ... but a truly stand-out shaking shot is rare ... one that is more than simply a "wow" of great shutter speeds capturing flying water and slobber, lips and fur, but is also a well-framed, interesting piece that invites the viewer to come back for multiple viewings. this is one of those. the tones and depth of this image, the richness,the shallow depth of field make it one of those stand-out shots. well done. ~ illona
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- i would love to be able to see this image larger. i love the muted tones of this image, the wonderful color management, the great framing, and most of all -- dogs being dogs. i love that these dogs are engaged with the environment and each other, that they are dirty, having fun, and just being dogs. nicely done. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
My name is Holly Montgomery and I am the owner/photographer at www.brindleberrypetphoto.com in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
This photo was shot on a very overcast day in an Alberta hayfield with a Canon Mark III. There was actually very little processing done to this image (other than removing a leash). The lighting outside was fabulous!
One of my favorite images also! Illona, I would be happy to show you a larger image if you would like to see it! :)
- www.brindleberrypetphoto.com
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- love the tones and color management in this, as well as the shallow dof. the drops of water/sand coming off of the dog make us feel as though we are right there, and the variety of textures keep the viewer coming back for more. beautiful framing. well executed. nicely done! ~ illona
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- i know i've seen this image someplace else recently, just can't remember where, and it struck me then as well as being such a strong image. beautiful color management and expert exposure control. my only suggestion to strengthen this image would be framing. its centeredness gives it the feel of a show/conformation photo more than an art photo, and i wonder if a different framing -- i.e. giving a little more breathing room to the right of the frame -- would give a more open feel and free feel to it. but well done! ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Photo taken by Kathryn Schauer in Guilford, CT, Canon Mark II. Thank you Illona, I'm honored to achieve the Mark of Excellence amongst so many great images. The dog, Haunter, had such a strong way about him, I thought this position up on the rock was very fitting to his personality.
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- wait, i think you've entered this in the wrong contest ... this is the Dog Photo Competition, not the Panda Bear Competition! ;) this photo truly cracks me up every time i look at it (and i do go over these photos at least a dozen times each). what an awesome tree and setting (although what i wouldn't give to have that fence gone ... but it is what it is). perfect capture and an instant fave. thank you for sharing! ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Thanks so much for the lovely feedback! This is a picture of my friends dog Kosmic who is completely ball obsessed. Totally agree with wishing the fence wasn't there...but it took weeks to get this shot, as every time I'd get ready to take the picture, Kos would decide I was finally going to throw the ball he's looking at and would take off at full speed...so in the end I was just happy to be able to capture it at all!
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- beautifully seen and captured. wonderful management of light and great depth of shadow. whether viewed small or large, this image has that 'it' factor. the play of the light, the conversion to b&w, and of course the subject matter -- a dog by the window -- are all sure fire winners. great execution. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- So honored to be in this gallery with such beautiful work. I am Kelly Beal with Kellybealphotography.com and i usually shoot with my canon 5d MKII, but all i had at this moment was my iPhone...then cleaned up a bit with Photoshop. I volunteer at a pit bull rescue in Eugene, Oregon. Most of the dog pictures i take are of rescued pups that society has thrown away. I adore dogs and am so grateful to you Ilona for your critique and encouragement.
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- i always say that when an image works both large and small, that is the mark of a strong image, and this is one of those cases. very nicely done. i think the only thing i'd love more is if we saw a hint of the bottom of the culvert(?) ... that way there wouldn't be quite as much 'tension at the bottom of the frame with the very limited space between the dog's paws and the bottom of the frame. otherwise, a wonderfully executed image. well done. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Hi from Germany! My name is Sandra and I'm just a beginner in taking pictures. I am very honored that you gave me a mark of excellence. It motivates me to learn more about this great hobby. The picture show my German Shepard mix. It is taken with a Panasonic DMC-G3 and the Lumix 45-200mm. Thank you very much! =) Sandra
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- i love this. of course, any shot that captures whites of the eyes and, as such, an expression, is generally good with me. :) beautifully managed depth of field and great conversion to b&w. i might have framed it a little different to add a little more breathing room on the left, but otherwise a very evocative image. well done! ~ illona
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- great capture. the "upside-downedness" of this image makes it unique, and the sentiment it evokes with the closed eyes and opened mouth greeting are lovely. well done, and beautiful b&w conversion as well! ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Kelly Beal with Kellybealphotography.com Thank you Illona! This sweet pup is just one of the many abandoned pit bulls that we help find homes for... his name is Bodhi and he is a big goofball of love and silliness.
- kellybealphotography.com
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- this image is made even more striking by its expert b&w conversion. what we also see here is what happens a lot in pet photography -- a combination of skill and luck. for instance, the framing of the retriever by the lighter bush behind it, the angle if the stick following the angle of the ear ... it's not as though we pet photogs can set these things up ... BUT with skill we can align the elements as best possible to make it possible for this kind of capture and THEN we need to have the skill to actually SEE these elements in post and choose the right images. in this case, the right image was chosen. and by converting to b&w, these elements -- the echoed angle of stick and ear, the bush behind framing the retriever -- are really accentuated. well done on a truly rich image. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Many thanks for the Mark of Excellence for my photo! I feel very honored about this! My name is Sabine Lackner and I come from Austria. I took part the first time in your competition. So I am very happy about this success. I made the photo with a Sony Alpha 550. This retriever "Scooby" is such a lovely and cute dog. She run around with so much joy and it was a pleasure for me to take photos of her. Thank you for you nice words about that picture!
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- absolutely beautiful. wonderful tone and color management. i love this dog-in-environment shot ... even though we know a spaniel would never really go up on a stump on its own to survey the landscape, we can imagine that what she is doing, truly engaging in her environment. absolutely brilliant. nicely done. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Thanks for the award of excellence in a pool of so many great photos. I also love this environment for a Brittany photo, it is tiger snake country for half of the year so you need to pick your time to take photos here. She has got some mountain lion in her and loves to climb but yes, I did ask her to jump up on the log :-) Photo taken by Helen Green, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
- helengreenphotos.com
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- i adore this little scruffnut and the expression on its face as he/she looks up at her owner. great capture, lovely conversion, well presented. nicely done! ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- "scruffnut" haha. Thanks I'm Erin King a Melbourne based Pet Photographer. Thanks for the feedback.
- www.erinking.com.au
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- okay i must be a sucker for Brittanies. this image rocks my world ... and i know getting one dog, or two dogs, much less THREE dogs to look up all at once is not always the easiest feat (although sometimes, with the right pack, it's a breeze). well done, BEAUTIFUL color management, and wonderful depth of field. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Thanks for the Mark Of Excellence, a lovely surprise :-) You are so right about taking photos of multiple dogs, it isn't easy, and add climbing onto a chair to get the shot LOL. I think I managed to get two photos, they all took turns in wondering off but I got there in the end :-) This is a favourite of mine and I have a large framed print of this coming my way. Photo taken by me, Helen Green in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
- helengreenphotos.com
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- beautifully shot. i love the variety of textures here -- the fur, sand, grass, and the hint of water in the top right frame. great handling of depth of field, and wonderful color management. the grass in the foreground really 'places' her, and is a wonderful addition. well done! ~ illona
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- beautiful image, expertly captured and handled. the b&w conversion really makes the subject pop from its surroundings ... although with all of these delicate flowers and greenery, i'd almost love to see it in soft color as well. very nicely executed conversion, though ... great strong contrasts. well done. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- Thank you so much! The picture shows Jeannie, the dog of a friend, and is formed spontaneously when walk together. However, the colors were due to the weather not as nice as I had imagined, so I am a black / white conversion was attempted. I love the reaction in the event very much, and am glad that she is also well received - thank you!
- www.element-kunst.de
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- while i can appreciate this image for its wonderful conversion, great depth and composition, and the overall sentiment of the scene, i think what captivates me -- as a pet photographer -- the most is the humor as i think about the number of clients i have who turn their backs to the cameras. great shot. ~ illona
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- love this captured. beautiful tones and dof. you couldn't ask for better placement of these hounds as they're coming around the track! well done. ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- I shot this with a Canon EOS 7D on a sighthound racing track in Germany. In Germany sighthound races are non-commercial, so you'll find family dogs running there for fun. These three Afghans were a happy shot really. Your camera has to be really fast and it's hard to compose a shot. So I was lucky to have these three aligned in such a way. My name is Elke Vogelsang.
- Mark Of Excellence
- Judges Comment
- i like it. i just do. i wish it had been uploaded larger so that i could see more details, but i love the 'dogginess' of this image ... a white froo dog in his sweater out there on the trails, raising some dust. well captured! ~ illona
- Photographers Comment
- This is my crazy dog, Jack. He looks like a foofy dog but he is anything but! He loves to swim, play with rocks, roll in the dirt and run with reckless abandon:). I adore him.
- www.kellybealphotography.com