Black-And-White Photo Competition 3 2013 : Results

  • Judges Comment
  • Getting ready. This image of playful disorder seems a somewhat familiar situation and is the winner of the I SHOT IT competition. A private view into the life of a family that could live in any country, a mother and her grown up daughter, or two mothers with their kids. Somebody coming to pick them up or somebody telling them something from outside. Maybe new shoes have to be fitted in all of this, the boxes are on the bed. The kids make the image playful and alive. Technically we like the perspective, the light and the tones. It took us a while to decide if too much was happening in this photo, but as it grew on us and made us smile, we realized this is a very good reportage about real life as it is seldom photographed. Very well done, and congratulations!
  • Photographers Comment
  • First of all thanks to the jury for appreciating my photography and choosing my photo as the winner of this contest ! My name is Ernie Blarinckx and I live in Belgium (Balen). THis picture was made during a wedding at a farmers family. In Belgium often little children are used as 'bridesmaids'. Sometimes they are really very young. When the mother was making them ready I lay myself down on the floor and took this picture without being noticed. I saw a lovely composition and great light, and I hit the shutter :-) The camera I used was a leica rangefinder with, I think, a 24 or 35 mm Summilux. You can find me on Facebook: Ernie Blarinckx. Thanks again to the jury for making a dream come true ! ! Ernie Blarinckx, Belgium
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • We like the beautiful flow in this image. Clean and yet very detailed with the light and shadows creating a rhythm to the image. Shot at the right moment where the composition is right. Very well done! </br>Runner up prize winner.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank You Very Much.... My name is Michael Ryan Borja, a pure Filipino blood. I have a deep passion for street photography. I currently live in Bahrain and work as a graphic artist. (Al Fateh Grand Mosque Bahrain) I saw this woman walking and entering the mosque to pray. This photo was taken during Eid using my Fuji X100
  • www.flickr.com/photos/33649815@N03/with/9350179228/
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • We would hope many more people would take time to make still photos of life as it happens, getting the exposure, focus and everything right. This is a very good example of getting that shot of something that is most likely a reoccurring event at that place. So many details on the bridge, in the water and in the background. </br>Runner up prize winner.
  • Photographers Comment
  • It is a great honor to be elected from the I-Shot-It jury for a mark of exelence in this B&W competition. Thank you very much. My name is Bernd Hoppmann. I am a hobbyist photographer living in Munich, Germany. On a very hot weekend this summer me and my family went down to a little lake south of Munich in the hope to find a quiet and shady place. Unfortunately thousends of Munichs seemed to have had the same idea. On the way back I spotted this web. No square foot without people on it. They were chatting, laughing, relaxing...And they all were trying to escape the heat. Leica M9, Summilux 50 ASPH. This price will be an incentive to shoot more people/street and not only landscape, thanks a lot!
  • www.hoppmann.org
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • How did she get above the water without touching it first? That is what you think, but first and foremost the expression is what makes this image talk to us. It has a nice balance and a touch of "action photo" about it.</br>Runner up prize winner.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you so much for this Mark of Excellence! My smile is wider than my face:-) My name is Rob Jenkins, originally from the UK, I now live in Hoboken, New Jersey, across the Hudson river from New York City. This image was taken with a Nikon D80, on the same Hoboken waterfront where Marlon Brando once trod, on a grey & rainy day. Originally shot in colour, I then applied a small amount of post processing in Photoshop, including the B&W conversion. My daughter jumped into the puddle so many times, that by the time I had the shot, there was no water left to jump into!!
  • www.robjenkinsphotography.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Nothing reveals if this is a new or an old photo, if they are dressed for the occasion or like that every day. And then the classic Coca Cola ad in the background. An image of American motherhood perhaps, but sweet and with a great atmosphere. </br>Runner up prize winner.
  • Photographers Comment
  • To begin with, a sincere "thank you" for the recognition! This photo was actually taken in August 2013, at Fort Edmonton Park in Edmonton, Alberta. It was shot on Tri-X 400, and self-developed at home. That its "age" is not immediately evident is a testament to the stylistic prowess of my lovely wife (pictured above). I captured this unscripted moment of "Canadian motherhood" (well, universal motherhood, really!) while setting up for the planned shoot itself. For me, it is really the expressions of the children that make this photo something I will treasure. Congratulations to all those featured here--it is an honor to be among such fantastic photographers.
  • iftimestoodstill.net
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • The little mermaid picked up by a passionate man who believe in love at first sight? The clean tones and composition, the intensity in the kiss, as well as the fact that the legs have a shape that make it look like a mermaid makes this photo. For those who know them, we guess, it's a great shot of a moment of passion.</br> Runner up prize winner.
  • Photographers Comment
  • First of all, congratulations to the winner, Ernie Blarinckx, well deserved! I am very humbled that two amazing photographers, Thorsten Overgaard and Birget Krippner selected my image from so many other wonderful photos. Thanks! My name is Juan Schultz and I live in Honolulu, HI. This image of two great friends who are madly in love, wading in front of their favorite surf spot on the North Shore, Alligator Rock. I was lucky enough to capture this tender moment just two weeks before their wedding. The lighting was provided from a beautiful sunset from behind my left shoulder. Tools: Leica M9, 50mm Summilux, Silver Efex Pro 2
  • juanschultzphotography.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • While not politically correct with the cigarette, this is a great portrait with the man looking straight into the camera and the boy looking with interest and admiration.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Beautiful photo from a time gone by, or a recreation of such a moment. We don't know, but the light and tomes, the reflection and the details in the background gives a beautiful atmosphere. Well done.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • When you study this for a while and realize what is going on, it starts a lot of thoughts about why, where and how they managed to do this. It almost look like a piece of modern performance art. Great composition and storytelling, as well as interesting tones that draw you into it.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • One of those photos that more people should take of everyday life when the light is right and the moment captures the right rhythm. The composition and angle offers great storytelling for today, and for the future. That place will undoubtedly look very different and people will look at this picture and think back.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Nice atmosphere and great composition is what draw us to this photo. Considering nothing much is happening but it is one of those sceneries that make you want to grab your camera, this is the way to capture such a place and moment. Perfect timing and composition.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you for awarding me this Mark of Excellence! It is indeed a thrill to receive this accolade along with so many other great photographs. My name is Doug Frost and I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Photography is my avocation and my passion and I shoot whenever I can. I shot this by the lagoon on the grounds of the Marin County Civic Center in Terra Linda early one morning. I noticed a couple of interesting trees by the lagoon footpath. Some joggers were running along it for their morning exercise, so I positioned myself strategically between the trees and waited for them to pass by. This is one of my two favorite shots from that morning. I took it with a Sony A850 with a Zeiss 24-75mm lens at ISO 500, f/5.0 and 1/320 sec. The raw file was minimally processed in Photoshop CS5.
  • www.pbase.com/dougfrost
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • The photographers choice of angle, from the shadows and against the light is what makes this photo a pleasure to look at. You sense the atmosphere and can almost smell the dinner being prepared.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you for awarding my photo with Mark of Excellence. I took this photo in a small Himba Village during the trip of a lifetime in South Africa and Namibia. I had Zeiss 2/35 mounted on Canon 5DII that evening.
  • www.flickr.com/photos/msojka/
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Waiting time with mother and son before reaching dry land made interesting with good composition and use of light, reflections and the mood of the scene.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This could be a portrait, a magazine photo or a street photo. The unusual crop that allow the viewer to see more than just the alley lifts the photo to being a photo from a time period as well. Yet, everything leads to the person walking, and that is what makes it work and sets the atmosphere.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Photo: Edmond Terakopian
  • www.terakopian.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This could be the artist or just a fashionable guest at a gallery. The composition tell a story of a man, a piece of art and a city outside in one photo, elegantly framed with light and shadow. Well done!
  • Photographers Comment
  • Photo: Edmond Terakopian
  • www.terakopian.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • How to tame a powerful creature! The crop of this image makes the story even stronger.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you very much, I am honored and proud - My name is Throstur Thordarson from Iceland. This image is of the Icelandic horse at the corral Laufskálarétt in Skagafjörður north of Iceland, it was taken with Nikon D3X, Nikon 24-70 @ 24mm f5.6 processed in Lightroom 3 and Silver Efex Pro 2. I have a deep passion for photography, shooting landscape,, portrait and architecture as well...
  • www.facebook.com/Throsturphotography
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Rock festival ecstasy or did he just win a marathon? Whatever the occasion is, it is a strong image with some dramatic tones.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you for the recognition. This was shot at the end of an annual 10K race in Atlanta, Georgia. Always on July 4th and always hot. The cool down water spray at the end is popular for runners as well as photographers. This was shot with Tri-X and probably a 180mm lens on a Nikon.
  • louiefavorite.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This could be punk rock in the 80's or a scene from a current occupation of an old house. In any case it is a sight you wouldn't get to see unless you were there during the punk rock period. An interesting view into another reality.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Well composed cute picture where the black and white of the cat exactly match the black tire.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Well seen capture. Perhaps they just woke up, or the ship is arriving or leaving. The contrast from inside and the wet outside is clear. And the image has the details as if it is eyes looking at you.
  • Photographers Comment
  • A giant cruise ship was coming into port of Charleston, South Carolina and the people in portholes were watching all the action on land welcoming the ship. Nikon with 180mm lens and Tri-X. One note on this, it was absolutely the last frame on roll. Luckily I managed to squeeze 37 pictures out of a 36 exposure roll.
  • louiefavorite.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Focused and dreaming of a great future, this boy looks straight at the photographer who chooses an unconventional angle. Not a single one of the many other people in the image are fully visible.
  • Photographers Comment
  • With images from the four corners of the earth, I try to show the human condition in all its wonder. My very graphic approach to imagery ensures a very visual experience, especially in my black & white works. I prefer to invest in marginal areas, meet the landless, the homeless...telling stories with images. Marc-André Robert marp.ca http://www.flickr.com/photos/artamarc/
  • www.marp.ca
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • We haven't figured out if this rather dramatic image is from the harbor, the beach or made with photoshop. But it caught our attention and we kept looking at it.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thanks for this wonderful competition and congrats to the winner for his marvelous photo! Thank you for giving my photo a Mark of Excellence. It is called "Munich City Surfers" and was shot at the "Eisbach" in Munich, Germany. The "Eisbach" is branching off the river Isar and provides a dramatic scenery for real city surfers, jumping in the river from both sides of the stream and crossing it from one side to the other. They usually make it for only a few seconds before the river gets them. Surfers are queuing at both sides, waiting to give it a try. This is a REAL scenery, so NO PHOTOSHOP AT ALL, just a few things optimized in Lightroom with all the means available in the good old analog darkroom - added a bit more light to the face of the surfer and gave the silhouettes less light. No cropping, no manipulation whatsoever. Best wishes from Germany! Thomas Hackenberg. E-mail: [email protected]
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Peaceful image of a hippo and kids relaxing in the water. Surreal and relaxing.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This unity of closed eyes and arms reflecting the light might be a music festival, group yoga or a religious ceremony. Mesmerizing to look at.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Happy portrait of an elderly woman with a youthful glow.
  • Photographers Comment
  • A Nepalese woman at the end of a hard day’s work in the fields.
  • www.didiermayhew.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This very simple, dramatic image is so well composed with shadow and light we can almost hear the sound of it. Well done.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you so much for the Mark of Excellence Award. My name is Allen Bourgeois and I took the photograph at Millennium Park, Chicago. I thought it was interesting the way the light was coming in from behind and highlighting the water that the wind was whipping up. Congratulation to Ernie Blarinckx and all the other Mark of Excellence Award receivers.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • A portrait of two boys, with their friends and everyday life in school in the background. Works very well.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Many thanks to the judges for the Mark of Excellence - truly delighted. Congratulations to the winner and all of the other Mark of Excellence recipients. The photo was taken near Kyaingtong, Shan State, Myanmar. Leica MM with a 35mm Summilux lens. Brendan Williams, Ireland.
  • brendanwilliamsphotography.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Simply cute way of photographing a wedding and the romance involved. The unusual composition tell the story very well.
  • Photographers Comment
  • thank you all for the comment and the mark! I always try to tell the stories in a wedding, it's my style! the wedding is for my a true reportage.. visit my web site if you want to see the stories.
  • www.spbstudio.it
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Very straight and simple composition and storytelling, stylish!
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you for selecting my picture. My name is Andi Zehan, I am a Romanian living in Germany. Picture was taken in one of my favorite places in the world - Paris. More precisely, Jardin du Palais-Royal. I was walking there just a couple of hours before my train was scheduled to depart and I noticed this guy with his bicycle under the tree. The way the light was shining through the leaves reminded me of the impressionist paintings in Musee D'Orsay (color version fits better, see below). Camera is Sony RX1 - I am lucky to shoot it, it is a wonderful tool.
  • picasaweb.google.com/109005048399472612109/ParisBis2013?authuser=0&feat=directlink
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • A moment for yourself to reflect and look at the world passing by. Even it is a group of people in a bus it comes across to the viewer as individual persons. Very good capture of a mood.
  • Photographers Comment
  • I shot this picture on the occupied North side of Cyprus in Kerynia at a bus stop using a Leica M9. I thought the woman in the bus echoed a feeling of acquiescence which I thought reflected the general mood of the people on the island at the time.
  • www.ademetriades.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Just simply cute and well-composed photo of generations and new life.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you to the Judges for giving my photo a Mark of Excellence. I am truly amazed as this the first time that I enter one of my photos in a judged competition. The photo is of my daughter the day after she was born being held by my niece and my step-mother. The photo was taken with my grandfather's Chinon CE-II camera on Kodak Tri-X 400 pushed to 1600.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Funny capture with lots of interesting details and storytelling. Well done to capture the mess of things with so much clarity that the eye can wander and read the details
  • Photographers Comment
  • First of all, thank´s for honoring me with this mark of Excellence, I am thrilled. I shot this image at my local barbershop in downtown Toronto a few years back. First time I went there I felt I was stepping back in time and I immediately thought I would have to document this. The third time I had my hair cut there I brought my Leica M6 loaded with TMax 400 and a Summicron 28mm and asked for permission to shoot, which was graciously granted. The rest of the series can be seen in the galleries section on my website.
  • www.hrolfur.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • A different beach picture that captures the light and the water and textures in a great way. Despite not really showing anything other than walls, a girl and water, the image make us feel we know the place and have been there.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • So much wood, and nothing but trees and wood throughout this image. Composed as if there was a story happening when really nothing is happening. We like the photo and perhaps that it shows life, that things are coming together.
  • Photographers Comment
  • Leica M Monochrom 35mm Summilux ISO 2000 f/1.4 Processed using Lightroom 4 and Silver Efex Pro The 2nd day I had my MM. Wandered around a construction site and saw the light tumbling onto the lumber and just liked the way the scene layed out. Took several shots at differing elevations but I liked the tones in this one best. Doug C -- Atlanta, GA
  • dougcurlingphoto.com