Reminder - "Color" Challenge Deadline Monday, 24 November

Photo by Carol McGonegal

I hope everyone has been taking pictures for the "Color" Challenge! There are only four days until the submission deadline. We have been getting some really nice images as you can see from Carol's entry above. Submit your entries by Monday, November 23rd. The challenge images will be reviewed by Dick Bond at our meeting December 1st. See the details below.

Challenge - "Colors"

In color photography colors are a significant in the overall effect a picture has on the viewer. Vivid colors in combination their complimentary colors can provide the subject of pictures alone. But, the best use of color in all of our compositions make for the most evocative pictures. Color unrealistically over saturated or causing an overall color cast to a picture can easily diminish the desired effect. It just seemed appropriate as peak color arrives in nature at this time of year in Maryland that we see your interpretations for this challenge. I look forward to the entries.
Our first challenge had 83 images. Overall most people were pleased with the last challenge. I mentioned that the process was an experiment in progress. After getting lots of feedback, I would like to refine the format for challenges as we continue the experiment in discovering the best we can do for the club members. First, the challenge went longer than our endurance so we will still take 3 entries but I would like the submitters to rank them in the order of priority by number them 1 through 3 in the filename. The goal for next challenge will be to have about 60 images reviewed. So if we get over subscribed I will reduce the number for each submission from 3 to 2.

The second significant change is the elimination for the next challenge of having merit categories using 4 and 5 stars. We got mixed reviews both loving it and hating it. The challenge allows us to bring in experts from the outside to provide positive critique and recommendations for improving our photography. I found the reviewer to be distracted by having to think about the quantification of merit. On the other hand it would be great to have the reviewer identify those pictures found outstanding and explain why they were so effective. So.... I will ask the reviewer to make sure he or she is positive in recommended improvements and explicit in recognizing the outstanding images and the qualities that make them so. I will be looking forward to feedback from you after we try this format too.

Here is the critical information:

• Challenge Subject – Colors
• Up to 3 Pictures to be taken between October 20 and November 24, 2008
• Three JPEG image files (any size or resize to 1024pixels maximum on a side to keep the file size reasonable)
• Rename the files with your name and a sequence number in priority order (i.e., john-smith-1, john-smith-2, john-smith-3)
• Challenge Review Date – December 1, 2008
• Submission Due Date – November 24, 2008
• Email Images to: challenge@digitalphotoclub.us
• All images will be posted in a special challenge web gallery on the club website- If you don't want your pictures in the club website gallery put the phrase "Don't publish my pictures on the club website" in your submission email.

The challenge will make for a fun meeting December 1st. Hope to see you there. Thanks.

Colby