Christine, After watching the Mark and Doug show and looking at my own pictures from previous GFM weekends, I believe I've found a secret. While I like to think I know what I'm doing, I often don't or can't execute to it. I think a simple subject, well focused and well lit, and on a simple background would do the trick and win some recognition. Even knowing this, I find it very difficult to do on command for the contest. It's good to hear you and Ted B. describe some similar frustrations. Regards, Bob S.
On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 9:13 PM, Christine Aguila<[email protected]> wrote: > (Probably best to read this with a wink ;-) and a smile :-) all the way > through.) > > > The wind howled all Friday night--I mean, it really howled--and it was > cold--and Saturday morning I felt a howling in my head and belly. We dashed > to the bathrooms and grunted a "mornin" along the way to all the experienced > PDML campers who were frying up bacon & eggs. Darrel & I put on a brave > face, jumped in the car, and headed for the cafe for breakfast. > > "You better hurry up and eat. You have pictures to take." > "Well, yes, it's a photographic weekend," I said--then yawned. > "You have to get all your photographs taken and processed by the 3 > p.m.deadline." > "Right," I said--then grumbled my tea wasn't strong enough. > "What categories are you going to enter?" > "I'm not sure what they are," I said. "Do you have any Advil? I've a > twinge of a headache." > "Scenic, Animals in Nature, Animals in Habitat, and Wildflower. Let's start > with Animals in Habitat; it's right around the corner" > "Fine," I said. "Do you have that Advil?" > "Look, it's time to get serious--and focused." > "Remember our pledge," I said, "the > I-promise-not-to-take-the-contest-seriously pledge." > "I had my fingers crossed when I made that pledge." > Yikes! I thought. > > And so we began--the great quest for 3 contest worthy shots. Since I had > taken 150 shots of that tree that presented itself through the thick fog the > afternoon before, I was quite sure I'd get one for the contest, so I felt > cheered with my work done there--now I only had 2 more shots to get. I > photographed every blooming four-legged furry and not-so furry creature in > the habitat--and the winged creature as well--and I got it all--the > sheen--the glare--the missed focused--the blown-out highlights-and shadows > so dark they'd scare the bejeezes out of Edgar Allen Poe. For the contest I > settled on a river otter shot, which consisted of a fairly cute expression > completely surrounded by relentless out-of-focus twig-mess, which probably > covered 3/4 of the frame. "Not to worry," I said to myself. "I'll crop it. > Then it will look better." I wish I'd taken that Advil. > > The sun warmed and along with it our bones, and PDMLers started popping out > of trail holes, and cars, and trees, and bushes. I met up with Ted, chatted > with him for a while, then he disappeared into a trail taking his striking > blues eyes and Arkansas drawl with him. Then from over a bush, I heard, > "There's Trouble." All weekend Sir Cotty called me Trouble, which made my > husband & I giggle. "The Trouble Begins at Eight" was a line used on Mark > Twain's flyers that advertised his evening lectures. My thesis was on > Twain, and my husband has always called me the Tricky Aguila. "Cotty has > your number, dear," my husband teased. I ran into Gonz at Cliffside, and > the two of us took some scenics, chased a bird for a shot, and settled on > some lavender flowers. I got down low for the wildflower shot. Gonz > remarked on the nice bokeh--but I chalk it up to bad luck that the flowers > didn't look so nice. > > Thankfully it was time for dinner, and Darrel and I had a great dinner with > our fearless List Master Doug Brewer. He had the K-7 in hand and explained > all its virtues--and there are many. While feasting on fried chicken, the > three of us talked about books, and writers, and photography, and all the > stuff in between life has to offer. It was great fun, and I shall always > remember it fondly. . . . > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
