Black-And-White Photo Competition 4 2014 : Results

Competition Winner : First Prize
$8,760.00 and a Leica M MONOCHROM body worth $8000.00.

Judges Comment
This entry has so many layers we found ourselves returning again and again to try to read the photograph and try to decide what made us do so. A sleeping couple in a bed, arm in arm, naked feet on the table, possibly a photographer leaning back on his chair to capture the moment, a bottle, a Choccomei cacao milk and a story to unfold in the mind of the viewer. This is the winner of the I-SHOT-IT competition 4th quarter 2014.
Photographers Comment
As a young Dutch photographer (born in 1993), the winning of this prize is an enormous support for my future work. I am a friend who takes photo's, not a photographer who is allowed to come close. The past half year I have been working on a serie, based on that theme. My goal is to take pictures that capture unfeigned moments. The book will come out soon. For those who are interested, the shot was taken with a Sony a7 and a Voigtländer 35mm 1.4. Edited in Photoshop, with some added Nik filters. Of course I am honoured with the prize and the recognition for a picture from my first complete series, but at the same time, I hope that some of you will look at this shot and think: "Why on earth did the photo with the feet win this contest?". For contact: [email protected]

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Layers of aesthetics and a mood that could be from a hotel or from a store with big signs. This photograph has a very interesting perspective and a feeling that keep us in the mystery. Beautiful sparkling light and tones. We like it!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
A moment of spiritual love and happiness. We sense a lot of people, but in the moment the photograph was taken, they were alone in this universe. Beautiful work!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
A beautiful and strange, even mysterious, portrait. It draws our attention and the daring composition makes it work and keep us interested.
Photographers Comment
Thank you so much to all the judges for selecting and awarding this with the mark of excellence. Really humbled and honored to be considered amongst all the other selected awardees. The setting is set against a restaurant entrance before the opening hours and using a shallow depth of field coupled with the lighting of the passageway behind the model helps to overall bring the focus back to the model. Leica Monochrom + Noctilux 0.95 ASPH shot wide opened.
www.theonepicture.com

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
A reflection seems to tell two stories that are related and similar, yet in two different worlds. Very interesting to read this photograph.
Photographers Comment
This photo was taken in late November at Campo Santa Margherita in Venice. The elegant lady in the café was having a mid-morning espresso, reading the daily press. The scene inside the café was framed (and made visible) by the reflection of the large shadow silhouette of a lady who was standing near the window, wearing a coat with upturned collar, undecided as to whether to enter the café or not. This scene is juxtaposed by the reflection of another old lady, further away in the middle of the square, dressed in more modest clothes than the lady in the café, shopping bag in one hand and cane in the other, slowly making her way home. The photo was taken with a Leica M8, Summilux 35mm f/1.4 ASPH with an exposure of 1/180 at f1. 4, rated at ISO 160. Post processing was done in Lightroom and Silver Efex Pro 2.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
The mood in this not fully uncovered story is amazing. It’s a very unusual portrait. We love it!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Simple, yet playful and graphically pleasing. Almost a painting or drawing. It tells a story with the simplest means possible. Great work!
Photographers Comment
Many thanks for the appreciation :), Picture was taken in Doha, Qatar, shot with Leica M9, 35mm Summicron ASPH, LR and PS
www.flickr.com/photos/heriadijoewono/

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Stunningly simple and beautiful!
Photographers Comment
Photographer: Jim Perdue. Location: Monterey, California, USA. Image Title: Ghost Lily. Process: This image was photographed and edited using an iPhone 6. Post processing was done using the apps; Reflect and Mextures.
www.flickr.com/photos/127644650@N07/

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Coincidence or a real angel amongst us? In any case, a different looking angel than we have learned to expect. Beautiful!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Charming photograph that brings us on a time travel where the subject and the decoration seem to complement each other. The reflections and crop makes it even more great.
Photographers Comment
I was simply looking for good light and found this window decorator. She was aware of my presence and didn't seem to mind me taking pictures as she went about her business. Extremely pleased to have this picture included with such excellent photographs!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
The surreal business of relaxing brought to us in this intriguing and playful photograph with many elements where the eye goes from subject to subject, while noticing that we are not the only ones watching.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Stunning simple and beautiful portrait that brings us in a different mood and perhaps to a different time and continent.
Photographers Comment
My goal was to make a catching portrait with a clear point of focus. This idea came up because the model has striking green eyes. A touch of boundless mystery of a beautiful woman in black and white. I would like to express my gratitude to the jury for marking my photo as 'Mark Of Excellence'. Herman de Pagter
www.wethinkphoto.com

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Fantastic perspective and so many people involved in this photograph that makes it on one hand very simple, on the other very complex and detailed.
Photographers Comment
Thank you for awarding a Mark of Excellence to this photograph. I'm very honored! My name is Etienne Plumer. I live in Belgium. The picture has been taken on October 2014 in Bologna, in the Asinelli Tower. Low light and challenging framing. M Monochrom and 35 Summicron ASPH. 1600 Iso, exposure at f/4, 1/12s. Processing in Lightroom and Siver Efex Pro2.
500px.com/EtiennePlumer

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
This photograph caught our interest from the first moment, and as we worked our way through it in the different dimensions, we were amused and surprised. Great work!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
What we like in this photograph is how one world seems to end on this road, and another begins. No people and no story other than what you yourself add to it when you look at it.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Great composition, beautiful tones and the overwhelming abundance of nature and beauty is well captured in this photograph. We love it!
Photographers Comment
I greatly appreciate the judges’ comments and the mark of excellence award. Chinaman’s Hat (Mokoli’i: “little lizard” island) islet off of Kualoa Point in Kāne'ohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, 2014. Captured with a Ricoh GR 28mm camera, converted to B&W with Silver Efex Pro. Initially intended as a photo of the beach and ocean with the island in the distance, I couldn’t help but notice the solitary figure on the beach framed perfectly by the palm trees on the right. The wide-angle lens kept both elements in the image and added depth. The nice leading diagonal line of the beach was the “coup de grâce.” Oh yeah, da clouds! Larry Kincaid, Maryland
dlkincaid.zenfolio.com

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
The mesmerizing atmosphere in this photograph, the tones, the play with selective focus. It’s a very calming photograph to look at and we keep returning to it.
www.eyegenart-photoconcept.de/

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
The play with shadows is great in this photograph, but the mysterious bloke with the look that is hard to define … this image burns into your memory.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
A great play with tones, patterns, lines. This photograph makes an everyday subject into a piece of art.
Photographers Comment
Henry Wicker, Fredericksburg, VA. Canon 6D, 100mm f2.8 Macro. Natural sunlight. I was chopping red onions and was struck by the interplay of the lines of the cutting board and the onions. I have this hanging in my kitchen now.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
A close-up of what seems a private corner of the world where the people want to be just private. Yet we get a close view into it, without anybody noticing.
Photographers Comment
Hi, My name is Sungsoo Lee. Thank you for awarding Mark of Excellence. This picture was taken at the Chai tea house near Ankara Castle , Turkey , Sep-2014. I used Leica Mp, 28mm Summicron f2 lens with Kodak Tri-x film. : )
www.sungsoolee.com

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
A enjoyable and great moment captured in the right instant.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Impressive capture in this photograph with a man watching birds by the ocean, and an airplane passing through the frame.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Playful and unusual, a crop that makes the photo balance and in motion. Well done.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
As if there was layers of reality in this photograph, we wonder what the circumstances are and find ourself keep trying to read more and more out of this photograph.
Photographers Comment
My name is Rui Caria and I'm from Portugal. Thank you for this distinction. This photograph was taken in Kyoto station with a Leica X2.
www.facebook.com/ruicariaphoto

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Nicely framed, the holy building with the laundry in front and the living spaces in the background. It has a very nice feel to it, we immediately feel at home here in this strange landscape.