Dog Photo Competition 5 2014 : Results

Judges Comment
i can't say enough good things about this fabulous image ... the high vantage point, the almost tilt-shift capture/treatment, the deep contrasts provided by the wonderful tonal conversion, the varying textures and the extremely strong composition make this a truly standout photo. the tension between the border collie and the approaching swans gives this otherwise stark image one more layer of interest. truly an outstanding image. well done! ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thank you for choosing my photo as competition winner out of so many other photos. This picture is one of those, I've got in my mind for almost a week when i was shooting something different on this spot on riverside in Prague. I knew in that moment, that I had to get dog and swans there, so I rented tilt-shift lens and did series of shots and this one came best. In postprocessing I wanted to push river into black to make swans really stand out and also structure of river side walk. Canon 6D + Samyang 24mm f3.5 Tilt-Shift
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Judges Comment
what a fabulous photo! this image -- with its expert slow-exposure and wonderful tonal conversion -- was an instant favorite. the high angle also adds to the overall brilliance of this image, making it a truly memorable photo. nicely done! ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thank you also for choosing my second pic as no.2 in this competition! Story of this pic is kind of opposite from winner pic, I took it during autumn walk, when my dog went to this stream, I stopped him there for few moments, which gave me opportunity to set longer time (1/20sec) and capture power of this stream. Few of them turned sharp and this photo stays as one of my this years favorites. Canon 6D + Sigma 35/1.4 Art
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Judges Comment
this is an absolutely stunning image ... expert light management, great depth of field, and a perfect capture ... making it an instant and standout fave. well done! ~ illona

Judges Comment
the strength in this image lies in its simplicity -- a simple but strong composition, a limited tonal range -- allowing the subject to be part of it's environment, but still stand out. beautifully done! ~ illona

Judges Comment
what a beautiful, story-telling image. the rich tones and deep shadows draw us right in to this little dog's backwards gaze. i do find the two dead pieces of fern just left of center to be distracting in this composition and would advise trying to edit these out, however, this is a truly lovely and intimate image. nicely done. ~ illona

Judges Comment
gorgeous landscape and sky, and expert management of exposure and light. the dog's stare back at the camera gives this image a 'story' quality, and we can well imagine this dog waiting for his guardian to join him on an adventure. very nicely done. ~ illona

Judges Comment
while the wide angle of this photo and lovely texture of this dog's fabulous coat might catch our attention initially, it's the dog's wonderful eye, staring solidly into the camera, that keeps our attention in this photo. nicely done! ~ illona

Judges Comment
what a fun image, and a truly fabulous dog. while the background is a little distracting in the clutter of color and lines, there's no missing the adorable subject of this photo. ~ illona

Judges Comment
this image's strength lies in the shallow depth of field which separates and accentuates the dog from the setting, but a the same time is captured in such a way as to show foliage in the foreground, successfully placing the subject well within this wonderful environment. nicely done! ~ illona

Judges Comment
there is just so much 'wonderful' about this image -- the warm tones, the deep shadows, the fabulous play of the light, the rich textures, and of course that expression. nicely done. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Hi , my Name is Christian Wolf - GErmany - The Beagle names "Kuba" The Set was a 20° Spot direkt above the dog+gold reflector from below Sony A77MArkII , 35mm 1.4 Sigma ART Post BEA in Lightroom and a little bit Dodge n burn in Photoshop Grüsse aus Germany Christian
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