Dear Reader,

Here’s your weekly photo dispatch with a list of last month’s Photo Challenge winners…  

Lori Allen
Director, AWAI Travel Division

P.S. This may be your last chance to get a set of AWAI Exclusive Photo Tip Cards while they’re on clearance for 20% off and FREE shipping. One of the great things about these little cheat sheets is that you can carry them with you wherever you go. Just slip them into your camera bag or your back pocket. It’s like having a pro photographer with you, telling you what settings to use for perfect sunsets, pro-quality portraits, sports action shots, and more. On sale until they sell out. Get a great deal on a set before they’re gone, here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/tip/website .

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May  6, 2009
The Right Way to Travel, Weekly Photo Tip
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APRIL’S FOOLS RUSH IN -- WINNING ENTRIES
By Shelly Perry in Portland, OR

Last month’s theme “April's Fools Rush In,” certainly proved a challenge. But the harder the task, the more we can learn and grow. And it’s great to see people rising to the challenge.  Here are the winning three...

** First Place goes to beggermann for “Things Disappear in Our House”

** Second Place goes to artfinan for “boom baba boom”

** Third Place goes to LJ for “Over the Edge”

FIRST PLACE – THINGS DISAPPEAR IN OUR HOUSE

 

Here is what Paul Hippauf, March’s winner, had to say about his pick of “Things Disappear in Our House” by beggermann...

“The concept for this shot is humorous and delightful, with a simple, clean composition and uniform lighting -- even though it appears to be a composite. The composition also works for the theme, ‘April’s Fools Rush In,’ because of the gag concept. A fun image!”

SECOND PLACE – BOOM BABA BOOM
 

This is a fantastic image. The subject is interesting, the lighting is well done, and the photographer managed to capture the woman’s expression and the strange scene. Plus, it benefits from great post-processing. In fact, it’s an excellent example of what post-processing can do for an image, which is something I encourage you to learn. Though I can’t see the image at 100% to say for certain whether or not it meets technical standards, with a signed model release, it could be a good stock photo.

[Ed. Note: Shelly post-processes every single photo she sells as stock. You can learn the Photoshop and Lightroom techniques she uses to perfect her shots without “over processing” them, at the Ultimate Stock Photography Workshop this October in Santa Fe: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/phw/santafe09 ]

THIRD PLACE – OVER THE EDGE

 

This photo makes my palms sweat just looking at it. The photographer did a really nice job of foreseeing what was about to take place, preparing for the shot, and capturing the moment at the peak of the action. The boys are a bit too close to the center of the shot for me, but notice how the motion is moving into the frame. The photographer really pulled this photo into the theme with her title and description, too: “I saw these boys out on a narrow ledge, 1,000 feet above the canyon floor. They were posing for their own cameras... so I waited. They were very fortunate that I was not their mom!”

Congratulations, winners! The first-place winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to the AWAI bookstore, and all winners will be entered into the Hall of Fame for a chance to win the $2,000 Grand Prize in October.

ENTER TO WIN!

Remember, this month's theme is "Silhouettes and Shadows." Submit your photos by 8:00 a.m. EST, Monday, May 25th, 2009. If you're a first-time user, you'll need to register first on the "register" link on the right side bar. Once you have a username and password, click "Enter to Win" to upload your photo. Only one photo per applicant will be considered.

[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. To meet Shelly in person, visit: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/santafe]

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