Labor Day Throwdown Challenge!!!

[Julie Kenward]

Three days ago I issued a throwdown to Ed Vazta (and anyone else who was brave enough to accept ;)) to see who could take the best photo for the macro/flora forum over the long holiday weekend. My entry is below - Ed's is soon to follow in this same thread.

Please leave us a comment on who's photo you prefer and why. It can be for technical reasons, post processing choices or just 'cause you think one is prettier than the other - there is no wrong or right answer!

We'll wait until Wednesday evening to count up the yea's and nay's and declare the winner so leave us a comment and determine the fate of who will win the First Annual Labor Day Macro/Flora Throwdown!!! :D:):D

Canon 40D, EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
F3.5 @ 1/100th, ISO 400
AWB, Center-weighted metering
Handheld, no flash, late afternoon sun

Processed in Camera Raw and CS3. Levels, curves, and slight saturation adjustments; small crop.

[Ed Vatza]

OK Folks, someone has got to go first. (OK so we did it the same time! :))

Moderator Julie Kenward issued the challenge in my thread "It's a Beautiful Day". She laid the gauntlet down at my feet. She invited others to join in. Best I can tell everyone else was smarter than me and didn't take the bait. But hey, my manhood was challenged. What could I do? I took the bait - hook, line and sinker.

If you didn't see that thread, here is her challenge: " I am challenging you to the first ever "Break the Mold" BPN Macro/Flora Throwdown Challenge. You and I have three days (that would be this labor day weekend) to get out there in the world and make an image for the Macro/Flora forum that is so different from our usual 'modus operandi' that people will have to LOOK at the name to see who's photo it is and then cause them to clap wildly at the majestic beauty that is our vision."

Ok so I guess I posted one too many yellow flowers!!! :D

So I worked at it. No classic flower images. Be creative. I dug down deep in my macro bag and pulled out gear I haven't use for quite a while. But what should I use as a subject for this Macro/Flora Throwdown Challenge. I do flowers and I do birds. I turned to spiders, bees and mayflies caught in spider webs. I broke down flowers into component parts. But none of them were different enough. Then it came to me. I don't do landscapes. So why not look for macro landscapes to photograph.

So here it is. I don't know whether you will clap wildly or even at all. But without further ado here is my offering -

Lilliputian Landscapes - The Canyon

This image is part of a series made on Sand Island in Bethlehem, PA. This image, and all others in the series, were made by focusing in on small segments of shelf fungus covered with a variety of lichens. As I made this particular image, I couldn't help but think it resembled a Utah landscape. Then as I was wrapping up, a young family came by and asked what I was doing. I explained and the father asked if he could see a sample picture. I showed him this one and he said to his wife, "Hon look, it looks like Utah!" I figured maybe I was on to something.

Image made with my Canon Rebel XT; Sigma 150mm Macro lens with Sigma 1.4x TC and Kenko 20mm extension tube; Canon 430 EX Flash with LumiQuest Softbox mounted on a flexible flash bracket; and all tripod-mounted with a Novoflex Focusing Rail.

1.3 sec @ f/32; ISO 800; +1 EV; FEC -1; Focal length 210mm

No crop, slight shadows and highlights adjustments, slight sharpening, nothing else.

[Julie Kenward]

Very VERY creative, Ed! You've definitely got me on the run with this one. I'm not sure but I think I might have something like this growing in my fridge right now...:eek::eek::eek:

I wish I had some extension tubes to play with (anyone rolling in the dough feel free to buy me a set!) I love that you got down and dirty - it certainly paid off.

Okay, everyone...what say you???

[Ed Vatza]

Very VERY creative, Ed! You've definitely got me on the run with this one. I'm not sure but I think I might have something like this growing in my fridge right now...:eek::eek::eek:

I wish I had some extension tubes to play with (anyone rolling in the dough feel free to buy me a set!) I love that you got down and dirty - it certainly paid off.

Okay, everyone...what say you???

Ah yes, but there is a certain elegance in your offering!

OK, Enough of this being nice stuff! Let the games begin! :D

[Bruce Murden]

VOTE: for Julie.

Although Ed's is definitely a very far departure from his norm, I'm stuck figuring out if it's documentary, artistic, or a play on scale. I can't quite find the subject, so my eye wanders too much. The creativity to choose this subject was good, but for me it either needs more dramatic shadowing from lighting direction, or a change in DOF or center of focus to really bring home the concept Ed's going for.

Julie's subject isn't as far removed from others of hers, but the treatment seems to be. The underlighting on this grass seedhead and the blue temperature here makes the image sing for me, and the composition keeps me bouncing up and down the sweep of the grasses, pausing for some seed details, then whisking out to the wispy ends of the threads.

Great idea for the Macro Break The Mold Throwdown. I hope we see more throwdowns among our members!

[Aristotle Georgiou]

Both are very interesting subjects with great colour and detail.

I see Ed's image is more of a documentary style and has stepped away from the usual images that I've seen from him.

Julie on the other hand has stayed in her comfort zone and there is nothing wrong with that. I do like the composition, detail and lighting is superb. But what really draws my attention is how the grass starts from the bottom with vibrant colours and detail; then gradually fades away as your eye is drawn to the top.

My vote goes to Julie.

[Amy DeStefanis]

Sorry, Ed, I have to vote with Julie, too. I like the concept of the "macro - ature" landscape, and I "got it" right away, but there's something missing there.

Fun challenge, though!

Amy D.

[Mike Moats]

I'm going to stay neutral here, I don't want any one thinking I'm taking sides with my fellow moderator, or picking my own gender in this battle.

[Michael Lloyd]

Decisions decisions... should I schmooze and go with the hot chick's image (you can tell from her avatar that she's hot but then again I'm a sucker for one big, gorgeous, dark eye so I may be biased) or some dude that got some killer DOF with his moldy shot?

One vote for Ed :)

[Ed Vatza]

Aw come on folks! Over a hundred views and just 4 votes!?!?!?! It's not like this a presidential race or something. It's much more important than that! :D

[Janet Leigh]

Is it too late to vote? This will be hard for me since Jules is a friend of mine!! :) However, Ed's seemed to be more unexpected. So I will vote for Ed.