Which of these would you choose? (feel free to critique)

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Paddy
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Hi All,

I am looking to enter a local photography club annual competition. I really want one of my entries to be one of the below pictures but I really can't decide which I prefer and the results of asking other people have been pretty inconclusive.

Which one would you guys chose and why? Also feel free to critique the shots if you're not a fan etc.

Thanks.

 
Number 3, I think you need to see the umbrella and I love the large amount of rain framing her.
 
My opinions:
I like the concept, and I think you've done a good job on them.
#1: Personally, I don't like the "looking up the nose" viewpoint.
#2: My favourite. I particularly like the dribbling water which doesn't fall in front of the face. Possible tone the highlights down a touch?
#3: My small niggle with this one is that the backlighting behind the model's head is a bit too strong, and there is a bit too much rain.
#4: Would have to be my 2nd choice, but only because of the water falling in front of the face.

Overall, you've done well, and I would be pleased with these.

Oh, and good luck in the competition !!
 
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I like them all, great work. number 3 sets the scene but my favourite is number 2.

4 is similar but the 'drip' off the brolly edge is close to her eye and blocks the view of the whole face.
 
Would be 4 but for the drips across her face so it's number 2 for me
 
Number 4. Great shot! It has the best pose and the best focal length also for me. Its close but still with enough context in the umbrella to make it have a purpose. Good stuff but i would have loved a color also. Well done!
 
I like them all, great work. number 3 sets the scene but my favourite is number 2.

4 is similar but the 'drip' off the brolly edge is close to her eye and blocks the view of the whole face.

what DrRusty said sums up my thoughts

don;t like the bright light to the left of the face on 3, so fave is #2
 
ok 2 - emmalou-3 - and as somebody above said, it would of been 4- emmalou-2 if only the drip wasnt down her face...
 
I find myself in agreement with Gary on much of this. I'm torn between 2 and 4. Critically 4 has the drops in-front of the face as has been mentioned. But they could relatively easily be removed.

I'm not sure how much experience you have of local camera club competitions, or indeed if this is a sole judge, or panel. Sadly at local levels judging is quite formulaic in the initial stages of assessing an image, or indeed at effectively eliminating an image, and so you have to look at competition images with two sets of criteria:

A) Does it fail on the common rules camera club judges use as a means of scoring an image (BTW I'm not saying these rules should always be applied just that inexperienced, weak, or even off-their-subject judges will often use them in lieu of looking at an image as a whole).

B) Does it grab the judges attention, have impact, and tell a story

I think 3 has the best chance of meeting criteria B - because it shows the underside of the umbrella and completes the image but it is so blown out on her chest that you'll never recover that and it is probably a deal breaker. Images 2 and 4 whilst technically better don't really show the brolly - although 4 does show the stem of the handle.

I guess my gut feel on this is I'm not sure (and obviously without seeing other entries) that any of these is a winner. There are technical faults in all of them from a highlights point of view, and position of the face, and most judges will mark down images which are burnt out in critical areas, or where the brightest part of an image draws the viewer away from the subject (Images 1, 3 and to a certain extent the blurred highlight near the face of 2).

If you want an image judged from this set then I think you need to do some work on highlights, particularly near the face, and which punctuate in areas of otherwise deep shadow. You might if it is image 4 you select remove that set of drops in-front of her face.

If you want to do well, or even place, then my recommendation would be to consider reshooting this with more control over your lighting, and composition - I actually think as a concept it is strong and could do well - or if this isn't possible look to something else.

As always on the day the judge can make a choice which confounds everyone else so there are no guarantees - your job is to give yourself the best possible chance.

Good luck.
 
My vote would go to 3, but as a square crop with the 1/3+1/3 on the models right eye and a heavy vignette to make the most of the blown central high lights. (I can post an example if you like)

I don't like the shoulder skin on 4.
2 is out of context.
1 is a funny face.

Very nice work tough!
 
love number 2... its a bit more dramatic than number 4 for me. All are beautiful so im sure you will do well with any
 
Love number 2.

Carol
 
2 or 4 have such great eye contact and fewer large areas of blown highlight that distracts the eye.

Of those, there's something peculiar about the beads of water in No4 that are falling in front of her eye, but she has total sexiness in No2. Plus, No4 has too many goosebumps on her shoulder.

No1 she has a strange expression, her eyes look a bit wasted IMO and her skin looks a bit blotchy because of uneven lighting.

No3 has really interesting bokeh and a great, fresh-faced expression but the blown highlights draw my eye away from the girl.
 
#1 & #3 for me. These are all great though. I really like the feel of #1.
 
Any of the 4 would be worthy of winning a competition imo
 
Beautiful shots but my favourite is #2

Not keen on the facial expression in #1.

Prefer the pose in #2, I think her eyes look stunning and really draw the viewer in, plus the crop adds intensity.
 
No.2 for me on 'instinct' it just looked the most natural and un-posed, almost as if you had surprised here in the street. The bokeh to the left is an added bonus. No.4 almost has it but I found the streak of water near her eye just a little too distracting. Great concept altogether though.
 
Number 2 has my vote with No. 4 a close second. The thing that puts me off No.4 slightly is the run of water between the eye and nose.
 
no 1 or no 4 - I can see the umbrella and this tells the story about rain. And although the others are all spectacular, they have some areas of blown highlights.
hope this helps :)
x
 
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every time I come back to these, number 2 shouts louder! Excellent images :)
 
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