Hi Reader,
 
Bonnie here, again -- Lori’s still catching up on sleep and taking care of baby Charlotte, so I’m filling in this week.

To celebrate the birth of Lori’s new baby girl, we chose “Tickled Pink” for September’s Photo Challenge theme. Scroll down to see who won...

Remember: Starting next Wednesday, and for the remainder of October, instead of submitting to the Photo Challenge and waiting to see who wins... you’ll get to vote for your favorite shot. The shot with the most votes will win the yearly Grand Prize -- a check for $2,000!

Stay tuned for details on how to vote next week.

-- Bonnie

Bonnie Caton
AWAI Travel Division

P.S. If you’re starting to make plans for 2010...

This January, escape the winter with a photo Expedition in warm, sunny Australia. Sydney and Melbourne are on the itinerary, as well as an add-on trip for wine tasting and penguin-spying on the Mornington Peninsula. Flights are a steal right now. Details here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/phw/australia

And in February, we’re going back to Cotacachi, Ecuador for a Photography and Spanish Immersion Expedition. Head out into the surrounding villages and green hillsides in search of spectacular photo ops... and learn Spanish while you’re at it. Photos and details here:                                  http://www.thephotographerslife.com/phw/ecuador10

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September 30, 2009
The Right Way to Travel, Weekly Photo Tip  
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Tickled Pink -- Winning Entries

By Shelly Perry in Portland, OR 

The final Photo Challenge theme for the voting year was “Tickled Pink.” August's winner, aowcannon, acted as our guest judge and chose our first-place winner.

** First Place goes to MrsOKeefe for “Grown Up Shoes”
** Second Place goes to RandyLange for “Innocent Pink”
** Third Place goes to ConniePub for “Water Dancer”
** Honorable Mention goes to Mysteri for “Tickled Pink”

Here is what aowcannon had to say about her first place pick...   

FIRST PLACE -- GROWN UP SHOES

"The lighting in this photo is beautiful -- very soft and warm. The depth of focus is perfect for this type of portrait and the details are very sharp. I can remember wearing my Mama’s shoes as a little girl, so this photo brings back a lot of personal memories. The fact that she is not looking at the camera adds an element of wonder."  

SECOND PLACE -- INNOCENT PINK

   

I love this mini series of two shots -- they come together to become one story. As a mini-story, these images say more than either one does on its own. Both photos have strong composition and nice, shallow depth of field -- which works great on portraits, drawing the viewer’s eye to the subject’s face. This subject is a charming little girl, and she certainly seems to fit the theme of being tickled pink.

THIRD PLACE -- WATER DANCER   

Water Dancer is such a striking photo -- it feels almost mysterious. It looks like it could even be glass. The composition is very good, as are the depth of field and exposure, which is not easy in this type of shot. The ripples and movement are intriguing, the color rich and beautiful. Overall, a very well-done photo.

HONORABLE MENTION -- TICKLED PINK 

 
 
This photo has pink all over it -- from the little girl’s outfit and the dog’s jumper, to the autumn flowers carpeting the ground. There is something so sweet and special about this photo, it makes me smile every time I look at it. Both the child and dog seem so pleased with this moment. The photographer, Mysteri, has been submitting regularly to the Challenge -- I think the ongoing effort has really made Mysteri’s work progress, as evidenced by this wonderful shot.

Congratulations to each of our winners!

The first-, second-, and third-place winners will all be entered in the Hall of Fame to compete for the $2,000 Grand Prize next month. Watch next week for details on how to vote for your favorite shot. Be sure to vote for your favorite shot of the year and cheer on your fellow contributors. Best of luck to all those who are in the running.

[Ed. Note: If you like to enter photo contests, you can keep track of your winnings, along with other photo income, with The Business of Photography: A Practical Guide for Photographers Ready to Turn Pictures into Profits. You take the pictures, we’ll show you how to take care of the “numbers” stuff. We’ll also show you where to sell them, and how to break into each market. Today is your last chance to get a discounted pre-press version, here: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/bph/website]

[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.]

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