2006 Winter Contest
First Dance
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1st Place: Armando Solares from Florida, United StatesJudges Comments
Great use of off-camera flash (whether intentional or not!) to create a subtle mood. The motion in the skirt and the perfect timing on the twirl bring it all together for a classic image. Very well done.
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2nd Place: Len Spoden from Virginia, United StatesJudges Comments
The better moment always wins out over other pictures for me. This picture has a great moment with the little child pouting as the couple dance. Technically I am bothered by the placement of the light in the background and just the general clutter as well as the way the couple's hands get cropped off but THE MOMENT carried this picture.
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Judges Comments
Excellent image and use of space. This is a good example of what you can get when you pull back from the subject and try to capture them in situ. It still has a lovely intimacy and the use of the strobe light is particularly effective.
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4th Place: Bill Morgan from Ohio, United StatesJudges Comments
Pros: Tonally this works so well, especially as a B + W. The attention to detail especially the ring, really helps. Cons: I would like a bit more of the bride/bride's eye to counter balance the groom's obvious neck/ears.
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Judges Comments
This picture is a good depiction of the couple with an gorgeous golden background.
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Judges Comments
Pros: Her gaze is so intense and focused on the groom it is amazing. That makes this work Cons: The hotspot over her shoulder and his white-jacketed shoulder hurt the composition. I would not have tilted the horizon and moved closer or cropped to get just the faces.
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7th Place: Zach Dobson from Indiana, United StatesJudges Comments
Tender and sweet moment with great use of ambient light to accentuate the intimacy. I would have liked to see a slightly pulled back look where more of the bride's arm and the top of the groom's head were included, but still a strong image.
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Judges Comments
I just love the quiet setting and moment here. It looks like the moment when they first take each other's hands on the dance floor. It's nice to see that more understated moment as opposed d to seeing the dance in full swing. I wished the photographer had moved around to the right just a little to give some separation between the bride and groom though.
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9th Place: Matt Adcock from Quintana Roo, MexicoJudges Comments
What I really liked about this image is the way the shadow represents an emotion of sensuality and then the image of the couple represents fun and enjoying the moment. I also liked the way the image's background was divided into black and white with the white or lighter part of the image against the black and the black part of the image against the white. Excellent symmetry.
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10th Place: Cameron Gillie from Wisconsin, United StatesJudges Comments
Pros: The veiling of the hands and torso create the real drama here. Cons: The excessive inclusion of the lower dress draws attention away from the main focus, the hands/veil.
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11th Place: Nathan Welton from Colorado, United StatesJudges Comments
I love images like this. Very intuitive use of body language, gesture and composition. Creative seeing by taking a different point of view. Always refreshing to see this.
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12th Place: Michele Waite from Washington, United StatesJudges Comments
This is a photo that really captures the emotion this couple was feeling at the time. I imagine that this will be a very special image for them. This was one of the very few tight images on the first dance and we found it sincere and refreshing.
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13th Place: Jonathan Adams from Kentucky, United StatesJudges Comments
When it came down to deciding a 4th and 5th place image I was having a hard time determining what would warrant the recognition. In this image I guess it is the fact the couple and the band are combined in a single frame but I am not really moved by this image. I'm ok with it being recognized but not totally happy with it getting a numbered place in this contest.
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15th Place: Simon Atkins from Northamptonshire, EnglandJudges Comments
Pros: The expressions of joy on both faces make this work, as does the out of focus background to concentrate the viewer on the faces. Cons: I would either have made it vertical or cropped 25% from the right. Having the faces dead center is a bit static.
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16th Place: Kelly Moore from Illinois, United StatesJudges Comments
Although not usually a big fan of the fisheye lens, it works well here. The photographer kept the subjects out of the zones of heaviest distortion and used the setting well to create a very graphic and memorable image.
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17th Place: Thomas Graves from Maryland, United StatesJudges Comments
Pros: The framing and the use of dark outside to focus the viewer on the couple in the middle is what works. Cons: Either, crop it to a vertical losing 20% on each side or crop it shortly above their heads to get rid of the black blob overhead and reemphasize the couple's centrality to the image.
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18th Place: Zoe Bowen from Connecticut, United StatesJudges Comments
I was taken by the crafty use of front and back lighting, and the way the photographer played with their reflected image in the back. The composition is strong and the moment sweet between the couple. I would have liked if the reflected image behind them was better separated from the actual couple
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19th Place: Ryan Browne from South Yorkshire, EnglandJudges Comments
The use of light really is great and the rainbow effect on the dress helped this image survive the judging but no other element of the picture really rises above to make this a strong contender for a recognized place.
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