Congrats regnaD kciN! Winner

of the September Contest.

First place Phantom in the Mist




Second place goes to Joan_Alpern with Before the Storm.




Third place goes to Whoa_Nelly with Sunset Cypress.



The winner gets to host next month's contest, second and third place get room and board as they work on my kitchen with me.:evilgrin:
Everyone that entered had a winning photo. Thanks you for sharing your vision and trees with the rest of us. This was a great bunch and made things a bit hard on the lounge folks and all voters.
:applause::applause::applause::applause::toast::toast::toast::applause::applause::applause::applause:

...you really outdid yourself with the trophies this time around, CC! :yourock:

I want to congratulate all the finalists this month -- this was a great group of photos. I second the praise for Joan_Alpern for one of the most evocative black-and-white images I've seen here. And Whoa_Nelly gets a singular distinction, as Sunset Cypress could, I think, have been entered in either this contest or the one just before ("Texture") and be equally effective in each.

But there's one photograph that, for me, was particularly special -- superconnected's Mountain View.



You see, I was up there that same wet, foggy day. I was probably standing no further than fifty feet away when that photo was taken. I had been trying to find a composition that would sum up the scene -- the treeline, those wonderful green foothills, the fog. I took at least half-a-dozen shots of that scene. None captured it.

superconnected's photo did.

Phantom may have come out as the top image in the balloting, but I consider superconnected a real winner of this contest. Although she first introduced me to this group many months ago, her day job and filmmaking efforts have kept her away from here for quite some time (but hopefully won't in the future!). I've always known what a great photographer she is...I think, now, everyone else does, too.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:


P.S.: I find it ironic that, each of the two times my photos have won this contest, my entry was something I wasn't even seriously considering for submission, and that I had to be talked into entering by the other members of this group. Maybe I should start polling the membership on Raven Falls business decisions? :shrug:

Anyway, thanks to everyone! :hi:

of my favorites this month. I love the mood superconnected caught in that photo. There is something about the photo that draws you in and keeps you there. I am no good at explaining how it makes me feel. Glad you added your thoughts on it, you are much better at it and you were there.
This month had so many great photos with so many different moods to them I almost felt sorry for the lounge. Almost, but they got to see some great photos so that made up for having to pick out which to vote for.


Edited to add, TY on the trophies but I just found a blank, changed colors and added text. Someone else did the hard work.

I think you all do such wonderful work. I wish I had the courage to participate but after looking at the photos you all present, I hide mind back in the folder where they belong.

just jump right in. Everybody has to start somewhere. I think I remember WhoaNelly expressing a similar sentiment to yours a while ago, and now here she is in the winner's circle.

Coming from you, that is some real encouragement. I cannot believe how good you guys are. I will build up the courage and jump in soon.

I watched for a long while before I ever posted to the group. I noticed no one was cruel in their critiques so finally decided why not. I have learned so much from the group and had so much support it made it worth the trepidation of showing my pics. So jump on in, the welcome is always warm.

I remember the first time I entered. Once again, it was superconnected who brought the contest to my attention, and we both put in first-time entries. Hers (the "Staircase" photo ConsAreLiars praises in a message below) made the finals; mine wound up far back in the pack. I wasn't sure whether to bother entering the next time around but, once more, superconnected told me I had better try again or else...I remember thinking that I would be satisfied if, just once, one of my entries actually made it to the finals, but I really didn't expect it to ever happen. ;-)

To the deserving winner, the distinguished runners-up, all the formidable finalists and to the host for running a seamless & smooth contest.

All of you: :yourock:

:)

These were beautiful photos.

:toast: :bounce: :thumbsup: :headbang: :yourock: :woohoo: :applause:

But, somehow, the loungers and I happenened to agree on the "best." This was a truely unique entry. and also a masterpiece in terms of technical merit amd aesthetics. And I also agree with regnaD kciN that there were many others deserving of praise, with a special "hello" to superconnected whose "Staircase" photo reminded me that even the most mundane can be seen with an artist's eye.

All that said, I think this may have been the best collection of entries so far. Everyone deserved a trophy.

:bounce::toast: :yourock::toast::bounce:

Thanks Regnad and ConsAreLiars!

I really loved the photos in this contest!

I want to do an honorable mention to insane_cratic_gal's Natures reflection because I don't think it got nearly the attention it deserved.

That was one of those images that, when they showed up in the submissions, made me think, "Well, we know what's going to win this month." (Of course, I had the same reaction when I saw yours.) A very nice photo from a first-time finalist.

It's subjective. It's art!

i was suprised it got any votes at all! but to be acknowledged by my peers as you just did, was equally as rewarding as winning any contest, thank you for that!

regnaD kciN's Phantom In the Mist captivated me throughout the entire contest.

And, Joan_Alpern's Before The Storm is extremely powerful.


Thanks so much, CC, for runnign a great contest. I know I could never do so well!


Congrats to all who entered! This was a very beautiful and interesting contest. Loved it! :hi: :loveya: