Future Submission Input

[Jay Ing]

Thinking of trying to enter a comp in the coming year. I've never done so but that part of things will be mine to learn. What I wanted to know if which image you all think might be a better submission.

The first is a shot from a Basque del Apache a few years back. I loved the shot and you guys were kind enough to award it photo of the month if memory serves. I had cloned out some feet in the bkg in the original post but I know for a submission cloning isn't allowed so I've reprocessed it (maybe the software has improved over the last few years and helped me get a slightly better image ... (I hope)... but, this is one candidate.

The other is a recent submission here ... of the the young AK's early flights. I like the image a lot esp the playful yet intent look on his face, the baby fuzz still showing and the whipped around look of his leg feathers. That said, I don't know if I'm selecting this one because of a fondness for the AKs after my time with them...so... don't want to go on a personal bias.

SO, which would you choose to submit to a general bird photography comp... the Sandy or the AK?

Thanks for your opinions.

[Jay Ing]

[David Roach]

The sandhill for me. Just a wonderful canvas. Both worthy though... TFS

[arash_hazeghi]

Both are nice images but your chances with the kestrel is much higher IMO. Sandhills cranes are dime a dozen and anyone can photograph them Easily. If you search you will find hundreds of crane images like this one posted on this site in the past 10 years. but a Kestrel in flight is a much more rare and difficult subject and the image is way more dynamic in this case.

good luck !

[Daniel Cadieux]

I think you'd have more chances with the crane image - it is a stronger candidate for a contest IMO. I agree with Arash that the kestrel is a much more difficult image to obtain, but judges of these types of competitions don't always look for difficulty as much as for overall content. But then again, who knows what goes on in judges minds lol. In any case, the crane is my fave of the two because of the BG birds adding a very positive element of interest. Both fun!

[Brian Sump]

Vote for the Crane Jay. I can see the intense pose capturing attention and also can see the faint subjects being more favorable in a comp than a pure bkg.

The main criticism in the Crane frame is the dark line going across the bottom. A bit unfortunate personally, however I think judges often times will overlook a line like that in exchange for the aforementioned.

[kevin Hice]

Jay both great and I agree with Arash and Daniel. I enter some contest and find the judging so subjective. Even if I don't place I look at Photos that I think deserve to be higher in placement than the one that placed first. Even my own I look at the ones that placed higher and not being biased sometimes the ones that placed weren't that good.
Some aren't even sharp or in focus. I would go with the Sandhill just on size alone has such impact. Good Luck

[arash_hazeghi]

It also depends on the contest.... the crane image isn't bad but there are thousands if not 10's of thousands of images like this submitted to contests every year and they all virtually look the same and none makes it even to the second round (yes I have been a judge in a few contests). Anyone with a Costco kit camera and a plastic lens can get the crane image and of courses the judges in such contests are not idiots and know what difficult or unique means.... If you are aiming for something prestigious like BBC or nature's best you'd be wasting your time and submissions fees. I am really being honest if I say zero chance. you need to have a unique photograph that stands out from the crowd, not just a nice frame.

if it's a local low key competition where judges don't know anything about birds then both would have an equal chance....what contest is this ? One questions you gotta ask yourself is that is it worth entering a contest where the judges may pick some blurry junk and call it a work of art


good luck

[Bill Dix]

It's true one can't divine what a given group of judges in a given contest might find appealing. But that aside, for me the crane is the more appealing image.

[Kurt Bowman]

I also think the crane image is more appealing, but Arash is right about them being very common and it might get overlooked as a result.

[Wayne Niz]

Crane gets my vote too, both awesome captures though

[Arthur Morris]

Lots to say here FWIW :)

Both are fine images. A few comments on the crane. Where? When? Looks like the crane pool at Bosque ... It looks as if the image might need a degree or two of CW rotation ... I would do a tiny crop from our right to eliminate the small dark area that might be the top of a folded wing ...

Surely it depends on the contest. The best way to learn is to look at as many winning and honored images from recent years in the contest you are entering.

Early on I had six or seven images honored in the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition. I had the wrap-around cover of Light on the Earth, a compilation honoring the best of thirty years of the WPTOY contests. That was quite an honor. And I had close to a dozen honored in the Nature's Best contest. I kept on entering the major contests for many years but became disenchanted with the quality of the judging. I have not entered either of those in several years :)

I think that the crane image is pretty special.

with love, artie

[Jonathan Ashton]

I'd go for the crane, I have done quite a bit of judging over the years and I appreciate, also agree to some extent with what Arash says about common subjects but I can tell you from my perspective it is picture content that impresses me and not the commonality of the subject. In fact I am sometimes inclined to look at "common subjects" a little more closely when well photographed because at the back of my mind I sometimes find myself saying, "it's true, you don't have to go to another country or continent to get a winning image". The dark water line at the base has no impact upon me - I would expect it, though if you wished to soften its impact I think that would be an easy fix, and permissible.
I think the kestrel is good but I am a little uneasy over the dark plumage - does it have a too strong blue component?

Regarding judges yes there is considerable divergence of opinion, and some judging standards do appear to be highly questionable.....but not all. If you feel you don't respect the competition or the judges I would not apply.