Dear Reader,

Last month’s Photo Challenge theme was My Green Thumb. Scroll below for the winning photos...

-- Lori

Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division

P.S. Join me and professional photographer Shelly Perry in Paris this May and find out first hand how to take saleable stock photos while you travel. Shelly has successfully turned her travels into thousands of dollars a month of passive income -- money she’ll continue to earn over the lifetime of her photographs, even if she stops taking photos today.

We’ll follow her through the streets of Paris, photographing all the most-visited tourist stops from lesser-known vantage points we’ve found over the last five years leading this tour. You’re guaranteed to see the city in a way the typical tourist never does -- getting all the best photos while at the same time steering clear of the typical tourist paths.

Shelly’s the ideal instructor for this expedition, too. Not only does she earn enough through her stock photography to cover an average mortgage payment, car payment, and hefty college tuition bill, she was once an inspector at istockphoto.com, so she has insider knowledge of what it takes to get your photos into a stock photo agency so that they sell well.

Join us and discover -- or rediscover -- Paris while you learn to take photos that sell. Click here to learn more about the 2010 Paris Photography Expedition.

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April 7, 2010
The Right Way to Travel
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My Green Thumb -- Winning Entries

By Shelly Perry in Portland, OR

Last month’s Photo Challenge theme was “My Green Thumb.” We received a variety of shots, from the garden to green landscapes, and some more unusual takes on the theme, including a giant thumb statue. Narrowing it down to a few winners is always a difficult task. February’s winner, PhillDanze, was our guest judge and picked March’s first place winner.

** First Place goes to Maurya_PK for “My Green Thumb”

** Second Place goes to mm767cap for “God's Green Garden”

** Third Place goes to deborah_kolb for “Shamrocks and Rose Petals”

** Honorable Mention goes to henryhurry for “Sahara Green Thumb”

FIRST PLACE -- MY GREEN THUMB

Here’s what PhillDanze had to say about his first-place pick:

“I found this photo represented the Green Thumb theme well. It is in focus where it needs to be while the depth of field and uncluttered background keep your eye on the head of the caterpillar.

“The lighting is good and the composition is strong, being slightly off-center. The dominant (and vibrant) green color adds to the composition.

“Finally, what made this image really stand out for me was the use of the insect as the main subject. Insects are found in every garden and belong there as much as the flowers -- it was nice to see a different point of view on the theme.”

SECOND PLACE -- GOD’S GREEN GARDEN

A stunning and beautifully-executed shot. A long exposure allowed the water to run and take on that silky smooth look. I love the mist rolling on the hills in the background and the one lone tree near the center.

The only criticism I have is that I’d prefer if the whole thing were not quite as centered. However, having said that, I like the way it was composed with the leading lines of the river moving into the frame from the side, keeping the eye inside the frame. This is a wonderful art shot.

THIRD PLACE -- SHAMROCKS & ROSE PETALS

I like this unusual take on the theme, and how the photographer added a human touch while still focusing on the shamrock. Extra Green Thumb points for growing the roses and using the description to fill in the details.

While it would take away from some of the rose petals at the bottom of the frame, I’d like to see the shamrock (the point of focus) dropped down in the frame a little bit, so it is not so centered. The lighting here is unusual and interesting. I really like the colors and tones captured in the shot.

HONORABLE MENTION -- SAHARA GREEN THUMB

The description of this shot put it into the winners list as much as the shot itself. It tells the story of how a water pump in the village allowed this farmer to grow food in the Sahara to feed his whole village. If that is not a green thumb, I don’t know what is.

[EDITOR’S NOTE: You’ll find step-by-step instructions for editing a photo like this to make it saleable to both magazines and newspapers as well as fine art, in our Turn Your Pictures into Cash program.]

Congratulations to each of our winners!!

The first-place winner will get a $30 gift certificate to the AWAI E-Bookstore, and all winners will be entered into the Hall of Fame, to compete for next year’s $2,000 Grand Prize.

[ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shelly Perry from Portland, Oregon, specializes in people photography, what she calls documentary or lifestyle portraits. She is known especially for her imaging of children. Shelly’s concern for people is reflected both in her sense of purpose and the images she produces. Her images have been seen all over the globe on music CD covers, books, magazines, catalogues, web sites, ad campaigns and even on TV. Her work has also appeared in several local exhibits and gallery shows.

She’s coming with us to Paris this May as we wander the streets, cameras-in-hand, seeking out French-flavored stock shots, stopping for espresso, and sampling a little bit of Parisian life. Join us and learn how you can turn adventures like these into a second income. Those who sign up now will get $300 off the full price... and may qualify for deeper discounts, too. Find out more about the Paris Photography Expedition.]

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