VOTING: MPC #127: Depth of Field, Poll Ends Friday 10/3 at 11 AM MDT.

[butterscotch]

There were 40 (!) total entries for this MPC. Thanks to everyone who took the time to take pictures, edit them and post them.

After making some initial cuts, I ranked the remaining photos in three categories: artistic merit, technical merit, and how well it fit the theme. Each category was scored on a scale from 1-5. I then summed the scores to get a final score for each picture. I compared these rational results to basically how I felt about each picture, how much time I wanted to spend looking at it and whether I wanted to look at it again. This got me to seven photos that I felt good about. I contacted ghosthop to make sure his photos were actually taken during the time period of the MPC. It turns out they weren’t and that left six.

I didn't feel like inventing a reason to throw one out, so here’s my six and why I chose them.

uglymoney - Fuzz said it best. You took a scene that could have been a snapshot and turned it into a phenomenal photograph through your composition and use of a shallow depth of field.


joedesperado - this picture really tells a story. the light and composition are fantastic. i was going to say that this photo could be one of those inpsirational posters (as much as a i hate them), but really this photo is so good, it doesn't even need a caption.
Out of the Dark by Christoph Oberschneider Photography, on Flickr

mtcham - this is a(nother) perfect example of using depth of field to enhance the composition of the photo. sometimes blur in the foreground can be distracting in this type of scene, but not here. the position of the cows draws your eyes to the coyote (and the magpie) as well.
Coyote1-3036 by jrmorris-mt, on Flickr

zartagen- cool use of depth of field. great contrast between the scene in the mirror and background. another one that could been just a snapshot but the composition make it something more.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/pn3cb4]

fuzz- we had a lot of flower shots. this one was unique in that it had flowers in varying degrees of focus. great colors, too.

Spring lupin by FuzzSummit, on Flickr

phildo_baggins - i think this was the most creative use of depth of field. the photo is kind of an optical illusion. i like that the photo is abstract but still has a subject -- my eyes keep getting drawn to the train.

[butterscotch]

Well, that's silly. I can't seem to set the poll to close in a non-integer number of days. Does any know how I can make the poll close on Thursday evening?

[Tye 1on]

Well, that's silly. I can't seem to set the poll to close in a non-integer number of days. Does any know how I can make the poll close on Thursday evening?

added a day to it, looks like full days only. Now ends 11am Friday. [silly indeed...]

[butterscotch]

Thanks, Tye! I'll edit the thread title. Hopefully, the winner can still get a new topic up for the weekend.

[systemoverblow'd]

I'm glad joedesperado made the cut, it's an exceptional capture. Really magnificent to my eyes.

[From_the_NEK]

I can't imagine how you whittled down to your top 6. I had to think about which one I was going to vote for for quite a while.

This is the best MPC we've had in a long time. You all...

[Supermoon]

Stoked just to have made the cut for this one. Tons of great shots this time around!

[zartagen]

Nice shots all around. I have to give all you guys credit for helping me push my photography to the next level. There is some serious talent around these parts.

[buttahflake]

not having outabounds in this MPC vote, is silly.
dude has easily the most creative eye on TGR.
just sayin'

Fuzz wins this one, technical knockout.
that is DOF

[uglymoney]

Very nice MPC butterscotch! Stoked to have made the field with so many strong entries. Thanks for the comments!

I voted for joedesperado - to me the runaway best shot here and it fits into the depth of field theme nicely. I am bit biased because I like to shoot bike racers on the rare occasion I get to a race. Sweet pic that is hard to turn away from. Super crisp night shot! My wife (a true bike racing fan) gave it a wow when I showed it to her.

[Mr. Multiglisse]

As a hack photographer, I never thought that I would participate in an MPC until this one. The subject really made me think about what I was looking at and how the camera would capture it. Very much a learning experience, now I want to kidnap my wife's "big camera" and see what can be done with that. Though it is fun to work within the limits of the P&S. I voted for mtcham, my eyes kept coming back the to wild animals.

[Fuzz]

Great shots all around; although frankly I'm surprised at being included.

I really like uglymoney's for the reasons I stated in the MPC thread. Love joedesperado's -- overall it's a brilliant shot, although maybe the DoF isn't the first thing that jumps out. Really like mtcham's, but for me, the magpie is a bit distracting -- competes a bit too much with the dog.

[Cruiser]

Tremendous pics this time around guys! I feel like Joedesperado's shot is the most engaging image overall, but I agree with Fuzz that DoF doesn't seem to be the star of the show there. Uglymoney's shot really draws my eye in. Love the way the kid is concentrating on her slice. From a pure technical perspective Fuzz's shot just kills it. But I sort of wish that those really out of focus flowers weren't right in the middle of the field because I find it mildly distracting to my eye.

[Tippster]

I love Joedesperado's shot, especially since it shows how DoF can be from conditions other than the aperture of the lens. Good shit all around.