Here's a complete report of how my photos did at the county fair last weekend. Each category has four divisions - black & white, color, sepia, and digitally enhanced.
All photos except the digitally enhanced (obviously) and ones with other changes noted are SOOC (straight out of the camera) except for cropping to 5x7 and being made into black & white or sepia. I know some people would disagree, but I never photograph in black & white or sepia. If I've got the color version, I can easily make them black & white or sepia, but it doesn't work the other way.
People:
Black & White
1st place & Reserve Champion!
Taken July, 2011, at Jerland Farm in Wisconsin.
SOOC.
I just adore this photo, so I was very pleased that it did so well!
Color:
3rd place
Taken October, 2010, at the Catholic Church in St. Leo, MN.
SOOC.
A little disappointed with this placing as this was another of my favorites photos.
Sepia:
2nd place
Taken June, 2011, at the Crystal Springs Rodeo, Clear Lake, SD.
Drastic cropping (original photo included horse).
Pleasantly surprised that this one placed this high as none of my photos from the rodeo were real high quality due to the low lighting and distance from the subjects.
Digital:
1st place
Taken October, 2010, at the Catholic church in St. Leo, MN.
Used the cross process feature on Picnik.
Happy to get a first, but I thought the other photo of this couple (above) was better than this one.
Animal:
Black & white:
1st place
Taken July, 2011, at Sand Creek, WI.
Rotated slightly.
I love my macro setting! The animal division is always very competitive, so I'm always happy with a blue ribbon in it!
Color:
1st place
Taken July, 2011, at Jerland Farm, Wisconsin.
SOOC.
Another blue ribbon in the animal category! I'll admit this was not one of my favorite photos, so I was surprised.
Sepia:
2nd place
Taken July, 2011, at Jerland Farm, Wisconsin
SOOC.
I actually liked this photo much better in color, so I was happy with a 2nd place.
Digital:
2nd place
April, 2011, Jerland Farm, Wisconsin.
Made black & white but brushed out the foal to be color (loooong process!)
Very happy with a second place on this one!
Sport Action:
Black & white:
1st place
Taken June, 2011, at Crystal Springs Rodeo, Clear Lake, SD.
SOOC.
Again surprised due to the graininess of the photo and it not being a "typical" action photo.
Color:
Didn't place
Taken June, 2011, at Crystal Springs Rodeo, Clear Lake, SD.
SOOC.
Love this photo, other than I'm really disappointed with the graininess. Hadn't expected it to place.
Sepia:
2nd place
Taken at Crystal Springs Rodeo, Clear Lake, SD.
SOOC.
Better than I'd expected on this one, but then the judge didn't know what I know - I was going for the whole horse, but it bucked right out of the frame!
Landscape:
Black & white:
Didn't place
Taken July, 2011, at Sand Creek, Wisconsin.
SOOC.
Liked this one much better in color, but could only take one landscape photo in color, and this looked better in black & white than the one below. Still... had thought it would at least place.
Color:
Didn't place
Taken July, 2011, at McCrory Gardens, Brookings, SD.
SOOC.
Love the light and unique perspective of this one. Very disappointed with no ribbon.
Sepia:
2nd place
Ida Noyes Hall, Chicago, Ill.
SOOC.
Really surprised this one placed so high. I didn't know if a building would even qualify as landscape.
Digital:
2nd place
Taken February, 2011, in my yard in Minnesota.
Used the boost feature in Picnik.
Really liked how this one turned out and am happy with the placing.
Fair:
(new category this year, so I hadn't been looking for photos)
Color:
2nd place
September, 2009, South Dakota State Fair, Huron, SD (We were allowed to take photos more than a year old for this category this year since it's new. Usually photos must have been taken since the previous fair.)
SOOC.
Really good placing considering I just went and found a photo for this category. Usually, I'm looking all year long for shots for each category, so I have lots to choose from.
Still life:
(There used to be a flower category, but they dropped it this year, hence the flower photos in the still life category.)
Black & white:
2nd place
July, 2011, McCrory Gardens, Brookings, SD.
SOOC.
Another that was much better in color, so I'm happy with 2nd place. Was a little miffed though because they had it turned 90 degrees on the display board with the back flower pointing straight up, and it looked strange with the stem coming from the side of the photo.
Color:
3rd place
July, 2011, McCrory Gardens, Brookings, SD.
SOOC.
I'll admit I'm very disappointed with this placing. I love the light and shadow on this photo and really thought it would do better. This one was also displayed wrong, but it didn't really matter with this one.
Any other subject:
Black & white:
Didn't place
July, 2011, Jerland Farm, Wisconsin.
SOOC.
I'm just plain peeved about this one. It was also displayed on the board at a 90 degree angle with the horses' noses pointing straight down. It looked ridiculous, and I'm quite mad thinking they probably judged it that way as well.
Color:
Didn't place
July, 2011, Sand Creek, Wisconsin.
SOOC.
Another disappointment. I'm rather happy with this photo.
Digital:
3rd place
Rockefeller Chapel, Chicago, Ill.
Used focal zoom feature on Picnik.
Love this one too and a little disappointed with the low placing.
Overall, I'm very happy. The judge last year didn't like my photos at all, and I didn't get a single blue ribbon, so I did much better this year. I also had fun entering the digitally enhanced divisions for the first time!
