Things I learned today ~ Photo Judging

I didn't plan on spending much time 'watching' the judging of the photos. But 3 1/2 hours later, I was riveted to my seat listening to the judge talking about the photos she sorted through.

Okay, if you aren't into photography at all you wouldn't have been very interested in it.
But it was the first time I'd ever listened to a 'judge' look over photos and explain why she would place them as she did.

I must say that I am glad I did. I learned that I'd made major mistakes that were so basic. I wanted to slap myself for not knowing that each section had a description of exactly what they were looking for in each category.

So. I took this photo and labeled it 'water scene'.
Now to be honest this is probably one of my favorite shots that I've done in the past year.
When I took it, my heart fluttered and I felt it inside of me.

I did not read the description of this category.
After all, it is a scene, and it has water in it right?
The Judge said she loved it and would give the photo and "I" for Ingenious.
However according to the definition of a water scene, the water had to be the main subject of the photo.

Water Scene- this category includes such things as waterfalls, ponds, lakes etc. Water should be the main focus. 

Obviously the flower being plucked or dropped into the water is the focus.

Well, I felt like smacking my forehead and if I had not been there and listened to the explanation I may have been a bit offended wondering why this shot was discarded.

I had read 'un' edited photos literally and questioned it out loud when the Judge talked about cropping photos for better effects. It was explained to me that no photo can be expected to come out perfect straight out of the camera so as long as it was not "photoshopped" it was deemed okay.
I asked if HDR was okay. And that caused the Judge and the Super to pause.
They did discard a photo that had been super edited and had halos around the clouds so yes. HDR if it is not extreme.

I learned that "Action" could have been something other than what I thought it was. I had several "Duh" moments.

Action.

This would have probably worked. I think she would have cropped it down quite a bit. And her mind, this action doesn't really tell much of a story.
It really does go back to basics.

This action would have made her happier, however it is a rather old photo.

Domestic Animals.
I searched and searched high and low to find a good shot of a Dexter cow or a mule.
Shots of peoples' dogs were in there too.

Winter Scene.

Well I nailed that!
Winter is my thing and I love love winter!

How interesting that the Judge and the Super assumed that the photographer had been to Apostles Islands for winter photography.

I did let them know that this was in the Kickapoo Valley Reserve and not way up north.

I also met a fellow named John and he had just started out in photography. He was rather disappointed in some of his photos not getting any notice by the Judge.

At lunch break I asked if he'd like to grab something to eat and we could chat. And we did. John had been bitten by the digital photo bug and he was hit hard. He told me that he bought lessons from someone in another town to learn what his camera functions were.

I told him to start to experiment, not to be afraid of taking mistakes and that I always made mistakes and was still experimenting after years of using a camera.

He told me he lived by one of the county parks I love so much. I said if we can hike there you can go with our gang sometime! Or I can text or call you for when I do go out.

John and I sat down in the Lion's Club area and I guess were so engaged in conversation the guy that took our order assumed we were a couple. Both of us were duly embarrassed.
However that didn't stop us from talking photos, cameras, scenes, artistic visual ideas versus the strict rules of thirds, depth of field, and photo editing programs.

Before we knew it, the break was over.

I had to leave before the Judge was done. I had learned so much.


I didn't agree with her idea of macro shots, but did see her point. When in doubt, she did stick to the rules of photography. Focus on the subject, rules of thirds, and composition.

I could see that I am more artistically creative in my shots and she was judging on the technical side.

See?
I learned a lot.

I would have liked to stick around and see how my winter color shot did. All ice and water. I won't know how she viewed it, but then again I couldn't stick around all day.

I'll do it again next year and perhaps I can watch the Judge from start to finish this next time.

Besides. I think I made a new photography friend too.

There I did it

This took longer than I thought it would however by the time I was done, I think I got the hang of it.

I feel like a mom sending her children to school for the very first time. I'm nervous too.

What a strange feeling.

I have two photos left to put on 'tag' board and then I am ready to hand them in on Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

I know, I know...it isn't being judged by National Geographic, but it still will feel odd until the judging is done.

I have a busy week coming up.

There are a lot of kids to watch at the fair that will be showing their animals. My neighbor's youngest will be showing his little goat in Open Class because he isn't old enough to go in the 4H classes yet. His sister will show a chicken and a cat in Open Class too.
Kudos for those kids who are willing to show with the adults!

I avoided the local fair for years after working in at the Kenosha County Fair for a few years as a Superintendent for the Chicken Barn. [Many many years ago!]

Tuesday after lunch, I get to go see Charlie's little siblings from the July litter. I've offered to take photos of these cuties so the owner can use them on her Facebook page.

My resistance will have to be phenomenal as these pups are so adorable.

Gearing up for the Fair

I've narrowed down the final photos I'm going to exhibit.

It took a lot more time and effort than I thought it would.

One of the hardest categories I had to deal with was "Nature".
According to Photographic Society of America Nature is:
Images used in Nature Photography competitions may be divided in two classes: Nature and Wildlife. Images entered in Nature sections meeting the Nature Photography Definition above can have landscapes, geologic formations, weather phenomena, and extant organisms as the primary subject matter. This includes images taken with the subjects in controlled conditions, such as zoos, game farms, botanical gardens, aquariums and any enclosure where the subjects are totally dependent on man for food.

Well okay, then I had to re-think my idea. I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for, but my Nature submission was finally narrowed down to this:

Good old coral fungi and a slug!

I'm still struggling with the 'Winter Scene'.
I thought about the snow scene of our farm but then got sidetracked into other winter scenes.
I admit, winter is my favorite time of year to do photography.
And... I take so many shots in the woods and on trails that I hike ...it is hard to chose.
The pasture after our freak April snow storm.

The creek after week of ice and cold, then a melt.
Hubby likes this shot because of the cool ice and the water.

Then another favorite of mine the melt down in January.

But the winner may be this one. Taken at Parfrey's Glen on an ice hike with my friends.

Well, winner for me that is. I spread the photos out on the table and stand back as a judge may do and then just let my eyes roam over the shots.

Which one grabs the eye?

Hard to say. And then again, each judge has their own likes and dislikes. Are my 'scenes' not wide enough? Are they too focused? Do they want more color?

Oh boy, you'd think I was obsessing about this and you are right.

My domestic animal shot for black and white.

And the one I chose for Landscape.

I feel this does justice to the wide open landscape definition and it really is a true photo of our area. Perhaps not enough wow in the color, but that is okay.

My color reflection shot is hands down one of my favorite photos from Jersey Valley last year.
However, due to the recent floods, Jersey Valley may once again be gone. I don't know if there will be money to replace the wing dam that broke.

Enough obsessing.
I'm going to visit with some 4H kids who do photos each year to see how to properly exhibit the photos on Tag Board.

I am entertaining becoming a 4H leader again.

But that is another story all together!

I'm going out and enjoy this thing called sunshine outside.

Color choices for Fair

I'm just going to go ahead and do this fair photo...thing!

I've never liked my work judged but here are some choices.

There is a category called Water Scene.
Here are some choices:

I like all three of them.

It could be classified as a Water Scene or Winter Scene. I'm conflicted!

For the Roads/Trails category, hands down, I chose this one.
It would have worked well for a BW shot too, or a Winter Scene:

I have a choice for the Flower category.
My thoughts are this.
A pretty flower is a pretty flower.
However, a flower that has something going on??

But it isn't really all about the flower at all in this shot.

So...

This is my choice:

And I have to work on Nature, Reflection, Weather, Autumn Scene, Summer Scene, and Spring Scene.

So many choices!

Color Fair Choices Sunset

I am really torn in what I would like to display.

One of the categories that is a color category is Sunrise/Sunset, and I have many beautiful shots but I only have one that makes my little hard heart flutter.

I like this one particularily  because it 'tells' a story as well as shows a sunrise or sunset....
I read somewhere that beautiful landscapes are indeed beautiful, however when a human is looking at a photo, they have more of a reaction when there is a human figure in the photo.

Or do I include a road?

Or do I just do a stunning cloud cover?

Is this a sunrise photo or should it be a reflections photo?

Or... A HOT Summer Sunrise???

Or another favorite...
Kids...
Watching a sunset...

Fair Picks of pics

Last year and well, ... in previous years, I've had friends encourage me to go ahead and enter the Fair Photo exhibition.
I'm sort of shy about my work. I don't like the thought of putting it out there for the 'public' to see.

Well that isn't the smartest thinking because I have a Flickr photo-stream which has had something like 3 million views. And those views are from around the world, not only that, I post them here on Blogger.

I may as well print some and prepare for the Vernon County Fair. However, I have to submit my paperwork by tomorrow. Eeek gads!
That is okay, I have to consider what I want to 'show' and since I have to be in town for my mid summer hair cut anyway, I may as well, put in my Fair paperwork.
It is due August 1st. Nothing like waiting until the last moment right?
However to be honest, I didn't get the Fair Book until Saturday.

Black and White Category:
Silhouettes:

 Summer Solstice

Water Scene:

Plucked

Still Life:

Thank You

Macro:

It's a Small World

Winter Scene:

Ice Falls

...or this shot taking with my pocket camera...I sort of like it better?

People at work:

Hot Shoeing

I'm going through them a bit at a time.

It is so hard to choose what I'd like to display.

These photos are unedited except to make them black and white. 

I'm working on my color stuff now. 

Decisions, decisions....

Mules, Pigs, Apples, and Stars

Here is to hoping that Rich and Mica stay out of semi retirement from mule riding. Mica is about 21 years old and has always been a 'hard' keeper. However she had a hard job in her younger years. She was a 'heeler' and a trail mule. After we acquired her she was used for trail riding and team penning.

The view from Mica is different than any other mule I have ridden.

I could really like this view...a lot!
Mica gets a little grain in the morning and a little bit at night. None of our other mules really need grain. They can stare at a piece of grass or some hay and gain weight.

I plan on riding Mica much more this fall. She is tall enough to get me through those thick weeds in the valley. After she and I break open a trail, I'll rotate with Sunshine and Siera. Fred gets a break after all of his hard work training youngsters this summer. Although he will put up a huge fuss if he is left behind.

Apples.
After juicing the wild apples the old fashioned way.

I took the left over pulp and ran it through a food mill.

And viola! I had the makings of apple sauce or apple butter.
I put the apple sauce in the crock pot with some cinnamon and sugar to slow cook while I canned 4 quarts of apple juice.
Now common sense would say that it is less work and easier just to buy apple products, but there is some sort of satisfaction in making it yourself.


Pigs.
Swine.
Vernon County Fair.

Regarding Pigs. Hmm. Well we purchase our hay from a local farmer and have for 9 years now. I met this farmer through work. Rich and Ed hit things off right away and have been friends ever since.
Ed's daughters started to show swine at the Fair along with other projects.

This year Rich and I actually went to the Fair specifically to watch the Swine judging. Rich has not been to a Fair in a very long time.

I'd forgotten how intense showing an animal at the fair can be. Months of work are then judged in an arena with a lot of people watching. The judge looks over the animals and places them.

Learning how to walk a pig and show off your pig is really quite the task. Just say I was very impressed. I'd seen the farmer's girls raise these pigs and train them.

Stars.
Last summer Lily asked me if we could see the Milky Way. So I've done a bit of studying including using a program that would show me the location of the Milky Way on any given day.
I studied and practiced in taking photos of it too.

I wanted Lily to know that indeed the Milky Way does shine right above "Grandma and Grandpa's" house.

I obviously need more practice for 'shooting' stars, but as always, ... I love a challenge.