Horse Photo Competition 1 2016 : Results

Judges Comment
Fabulous! The rich blacks in this image give it a depth that draws us in; and the incredible line that sweeps from the rump, along the back, curves along the neck and over top of the head and down the front of the face is absolutely stunning. Because of this incredible line that draws the viewer's eye in, I would encourage you to revisit this image reconsider the line of the rump at the left edge of the frame so that it entirely disappear into black, allowing our eyes to pick the line up from the very edge of the frame. Beautifully shot and managed in post, and great focus. Nicely done! ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thank you very much for choosing my photo and also for the good advice on the lines, I will definitely try that! My name is Anna Panke and I am from Cologne, Germany. The photo shows a beautiful german sporthorse and was taken with a Canon EOS 5DIII and the 70-200mm 2.8L. I processed the photo via Lightroom and Photoshop.
www.annapanke.de

Judges Comment
What an absolutely splendid and sweet image, and kudos to you for venturing out in this fantastic landscape to capture this image. I know these types of snow days are rare when the snow (or ice) clings to the trees and it's important to get out there and utilize those conditions in those moments when they are at their peak ... and using those conditions in conjunction with such an adorable subject -- even better! Choosing to center-frame this with the receding path/road, and the snow-laden branches bowing down around this little horse, is nothing short of perfection. Beautifully edited and great white balance. Bravo! ~ illona

Judges Comment
This is a tremendous silhouette image ... even though the viewer's eye is immediately falls to horse in this foggy landscape, the eye is drawn upward to the complex interweaving of the trees' branches, but always back to the horse. Beautifully done. ~ illona

Judges Comment
This image uses depth of field perfectly. Incredible focus and sharpness on the horse's eye and wonderful bokeh and softness elsewhere, always bringing the viewer's eye back to the center of the frame to meet this horse's eye. Wonderful detail and texture, and bang on framing. Nicely done! ~ illona

Judges Comment
What a fantastic capture ... the almost stop-action on the water, the powerful action of the horse, the stunning warm glow of the backdrop, the shallow depth of field, the perfect focus and sharpness, and the tight crop ... all work to present a stunning and unforgettable action image. Beautiful white balance and post work as well. Nicely done! ~ illona

Judges Comment
What a wonderful capture ... the low angle and the horse's direct stare are fabulous, the cool tones contrasted with the warm glow behind the horse, and the variety of textures, all work to make this image a visual adventure. Nicely done. ~ illona

Judges Comment
This beautiful wide-angle shot embraces the shadows, creating an image with depth and richness that accentuates the form, lines and muscles of this beautiful horse. Very nicely done! The triangle created by the horse's head, neck and rump is fabulous, making for a strong image. Kudos. ~ illona

Judges Comment
The soft tones and the unique angle on this image make it immediately captivating. It was easily an instant favorite. The juxtaposition of the wild, windswept ponies with this big beach house is interesting, however, the house is certainly competing with the ponies for attention. Perhaps a shallower depth of field, pushing the house into softer focus might have helped (still possible to do in post, if you wanted) would have allowed the viewer's focus to remain firmly on the ponies. Either way, a lovely moment captured. ~ illona

Judges Comment
What a lovely moment captured in this photo. While the background may be a little cluttered and a shallower depth of field could have accentuated the subjects somewhat better, the moment captured here is special. The light coming from overhead, highlighting the grey horse's face, brings focus to the horses' interaction in spite of the somewhat cluttered setting. nice capture. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thank you very much. Im a visual artist specializing in photography and videography. Turning around from the main action I capture this moment of Intimacy between two athlete during The Gucci Masters Paris, one of the most important dates in the show jumping calendar, the horses are artists, athletes in their own right, with their own mastery of skill and technique.
www.lookaloopa.com