Which would you choose?

[bobt]

Hi,
I just entered these two images in a club comp - and one scored really well, and the other didn't get a mention.
I'm curious to know what people here think, and which one would have got a guernsey if you were judging. (I'll tell you which one won later)

small_Blooming_Marvellous.jpg




small_Mesmereyes.jpg

[Warbler]

Some people just aren't cat people Bob. I'd have entered the flowers with less of a vignette. The cat's eyes are good, but the reflections contain elements that distract a little. The sliding doors to the outside world, I mean.

[ameerat42]

See! CC already.
Am.

[bobt]

Some people just aren't cat people Bob.

Ain't it the truth ....... it seems people either love 'em or hate 'em!

[ricktas]

I would have entered the cat photo, based on what we see here. For me the vignette is to strong on the tulips. The cat eye photo had me exploring the eyes for all the minute details you have captured.

[rodbam]

The flower shot is terrific but the vignette is far too strong for me. The light vignette on the cat seems to suit it so I would pick the cat shot as it stands but from what I know about cameraclub judges I think they might have picked the flowers.

[ameerat42]

All right, I have decided to compromise (and slightly lightened in PShop).

What a Bob's-Cat Saw...
bob-t-cat.jpg

[ving]

going for the cats eyes... lose the vignette tho.

[dt86vyss]

the cat got all the attention???

I would say this because flowers are common, but a super close up of cats eyes is 'different'. imagine that printed on canvas on a wall and then again imagine the flowers... The cat has a lot more of an impact IMO.

[Rattus79]

I have a facebook account, so I know that all cat photos go viral.

[Bear Dale]

Cat eyes for me Bob.

[bobt]

All right, I have decided to compromise (and slightly lightened in PShop).

What a Bob's-Cat Saw...
bob-t-cat.jpg

Whoa! Looks like a night out on the tiles for this cat!

- - - Updated - - -

Well ... most of you agreed with me - the cat's eyes are a far better image to me - the flowers were just entered as an afterthought to make up my quota. I agree the vignetting is way to much, but it was just a quick 'n dirty modification rather than a serious entry.

However, the judges went for the flowers (I don't even like taking photos of flowers!). It follows my general theory that if you enter totally different types of image, one of them should appeal to a judge, but I didn't expect the flowers to get anywhere!

[Mark L]

The flower shot is terrific but the vignette is far too strong for me. The light vignette on the cat seems to suit it so I would pick the cat shot as it stands but from what I know about cameraclub judges I think they might have picked the flowers.

+1

[Warbler]

No surprises there. Pets and baby photos don't go over big at camera clubs, from my experience.

[dbax]

surprise surprise, I'd have gone the cats eyes as well, but agree with others re vignette, doesn't work for me in either image, its just a tad to heavy in both

- - - Updated - - -

[MarkChap]

All I can say, it is a good thing I wasn't judging.
The green vignette on the flowers is just way too much,
And the white one on the cats eyes equally bad

Just my humble opinion

[rodbam]

I get a great neck workout when I'm at the club on judging nights from shaking my head at almost everything they say. They seem so conservative & staid & seem to know little about the art of photography, as long as the horizon is straight & the subject is on the third the they like it.

[chris_m]

Hi Bob
I'm not surprised that the judges went for the flowers, anything slightly different doesn't get much of a run in the camera clubs, which is rather disappointing.

We need to see a different style being presented at club level, some judges are already talking about how bland the images are and that they would like to see a bit more creativity presented.

Keep submitting different shots and eventually we will change their thinking.

[bobt]

I get a great neck workout when I'm at the club on judging nights from shaking my head at almost everything they say. They seem so conservative & staid & seem to know little about the art of photography, as long as the horizon is straight & the subject is on the third the they like it.

There is a bit of a time lag in camera clubs - possibly because a lot of them are "old school", whereas on-line groups are generally more up-to-date with techniques and digitally focussed. I think things are gradually changing - at least my own club is a lot more forward thinking than it once was!

Hi Bob
I'm not surprised that the judges went for the flowers, anything slightly different doesn't get much of a run in the camera clubs, which is rather disappointing.
We need to see a different style being presented at club level, some judges are already talking about how bland the images are and that they would like to see a bit more creativity presented.

There is a marked tendency to shoot for the judge rather than shoot for what you like personally. I'm not a big fan of competitions because I think they encourage this sort of thinking. I'm getting in to more experimental stuff now, and because I don't give a rat's about competitions it leaves me free to play around with what I want.

It would probably make people think outside the box if we banned landscapes!! They are so common that people don't spend enough time looking at other forms of photography. That's where "set subjects" come into their own.

[Kym]

I'm a club Judge with SAPH / APS.
I'd go with the eyes, they have more impact and will score better.
I look for creativity and impact then technical issues when judging.

FYI Comps should be about learning not scoring