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Fair Fun and Frustration....

Posted by laxwings at 11:43 PM on July 26, 2009

Last Sunday was the closure of the La Crosse Interstate Fair. It is our local county fair which has an open class of photography for anyone to enter. There were about 70 different categories divided between color and black and white. Most of the prints had to be in the small 4 by 6 inches with a few categories could only be 5 by 7 inch sizing. This is done to keep the cost of printing to a minimum and with over 900 entries they only had room to display the ribbon winners. Jon Lee was the judge and the best I have ever heard at this competition. He knew the subject extremely well, added helpful critiquing and seemed extremely fair in his overall presentation of the winners. We were only able to stay for one hour but I was amazed at his ability to communicate with the audience. He started judging the open class at 4pm and finished at midnight!

I had 2 other winners a 1st and 2nd place in infrared photography, one in color and one black and white. I totally missed the boat because I didn't realize why they looked foggy. I forgot to reset my ISO which was at 1600 from shooting the fireworks on the 4th. Since there were no other entries but one in that category I was awarded those ribbons by default. I couldn't figure out why and blamed it on a very windy day when I took the photos but when I looked at the pictures I took around the fairgrounds I still had the same problem and the light bulb finally went off.

So if I can give you the tip of the day: check your setting on your camera BEFORE you start taking your photos so you won't be embarrassed and leave without the photos you thought you took.

I hope you enjoy looking at these 12 of the 14 ribbons I won. I would show you the infrared photos but I can't find where I saved them...likely story, huh dry .

Enjoy!

Category: Transportation, Color 1st Place Winner - Blue Ribbon

Category: Special Occasion, Black & White 1st Place winner Blue Ribbon

Category: Architectural Close-up, Black & White 2nd Place winner Red Ribbon

Category: Architecture, Color 2nd Place winner Red Ribbon

Category: Other Travels, Black & White 2nd Place winner Red Ribbon

Category: Architecture, Black & White 2nd Place winner Red Ribbon

Category: Other travels, Color Third Place winner White Ribbon

Category: Close-up Man-made Object, Color 3rd Place winner White Ribbon

Category: Enlargement, any other, Color 3rd Place winner White Ribbon

Category: Wild or zoo animals, Color 3rd Place winner White Ribbon

Category: People over 19, Color 4th place winner Pink Ribbon

Category: Nature Close-Up Color 4th Place winner Pink Ribbon

Categories: None

6 Comments

Reply Edna B

06:03 PM on July 27, 2009

I am very impressed. Congratulatons on your many ribbons. I think your "Architecture-color" print is awesome. For some reasons, the buildings never look this good to me when I am in a downtown city. Mayhaps because I never really looked at them from a camera. Great job.

Reply Mary Ann

10:21 PM on July 27, 2009

Thanks Edna for your kind comment. Actually I was really in a hurry when I took this photo and never looked back to see what I got. I was pleasently surprised at the composition these buildings made and then to have one refect the color of the sky...wow!

Reply Helen

12:32 AM on July 28, 2009

Congratulations on all your ribbons a great result
My favourites would have to be the dragonfly and the guitar. You have captured such detail on the dragonfly wings.
Like you Mary Ann, I don't know how many times I have forgotten to change the ISO or some other small feature back to normal. It always takes me a few photos before I realize what is wrong.
Well done

Reply Mary Ann

12:40 AM on July 28, 2009

Helen says...
Congratulations on all your ribbons a great result
My favourites would have to be the dragonfly and the guitar. You have captured such detail on the dragonfly wings.
Like you Mary Ann, I don't know how many times I have forgotten to change the ISO or some other small feature back to normal. It always takes me a few photos before I realize what is wrong.
Well done

Thanks Helen for taking the time to view. I think I have entered the dragonfly in a RedBubble challenge also. The beauty is certainly there in the turquiose like design as if it is wearing a piece of precious jewelry. The guitar was being played by a man in a park as the Rotary Club was decorating for our Christmas light desplay. It was a bright red shiny guitar so the translation to black and white worked well.

Reply Anna Shaw

04:38 AM on July 31, 2009

Mary Ann - who's a clever girl then??? You did so well and I feel very proud for you. My favourite is the grasshopper. It is original, funny and beautifully shot.

I had to give a wry smile though about your camera settings. I have done that so many times and never seem to learn from it!

Keep them coming - you have great talent.
xx
Anna

Reply laxwings

06:41 AM on August 26, 2009

Anna Shaw says...
Mary Ann - who's a clever girl then??? You did so well and I feel very proud for you. My favourite is the grasshopper. It is original, funny and beautifully shot.

Thanks Anna for the comment. Gene actually didn't like the grasshopper at all..he thought it looked cloned in or something. Must say I took a chance with entering it but what fun to win with it! I'm glad I'm not the only one that forgot to reset the camera settings. Auto is a way to miss that but when you have all those settings on the camera one should read past page 30 in the manual and learn how to use them...I'm speaking about me! Enjoy...Mary Ann

I had to give a wry smile though about your camera settings. I have done that so many times and never seem to learn from it!

Keep them coming - you have great talent.
xx
Anna