For August's contest, we had an expert and educator in photography, Grant Swinbourne as our judge. We try to mix up the judging for our monthly contest so that our community gets a wide range of expert views about their work.
Grant Swinbourne is an Australian landscape photographer who specializes in capturing the rugged landscapes of Australia, and has travelled extensively throughout Australia and the world, capturing breath-taking images.
His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions and publications, including National Geographic Viajes.
If you wish to follow Grant or would like to see some of his works, he has a website showcasing his portfolio and other information about his podcasts, workshops, etc. Grant also shares his images in social media and you can find him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
We are glad that Grant agreed to help us with our contest judging for August and here is what he had to say about the winning photos:
Human Impact Contest:
The “Human Impact” photography contest saw some amazing photographs of human impact on our planet in terms of flora, fauna, the environment, etc. It was great to see how the participants interpreted the theme and came up with meaningful and impactful photographs.
When choosing the photos, the theme was one of the most important factors in the decision making process, followed by light, composition and tonal ranges. The results are entirely subjective and there are no losers in any competition as we all know.
First Place
Remnant by Robert Apple
For me Remnant by Robert Apple is the standout shot in the selection. This is a beautiful black and white image which harkens back to Ansel Adams' western scenes. The tones and contrasts are well managed and the composition gives the viewer's eye plenty to play with.
The light and shadows in the image accentuate the textures of the elements included. Very good work Robert and congratulations!
You can find more of Robert's work on his Website and Instagram.
Second Place
Freedom Lost by Frogdaily
This photo tells an interesting story about the tiger and how its freedom is lost because it is caged and confined to a small area. It cannot do what it can in the wild and is also kept so as to entertain the visitors.
This image is powerful and uses the balance and tonal range to make the story come alive. The tiger's pose and the eye contact with the man, makes it an intriguing shot while at the same time leaving the viewers wondering what the tiger actually has in mind or is trying to communicate. A really well done shot.
You can find more of Frogdaily's work in Flickr.
Third Place
Life's Light Lost by E. Ray H
Whilst the subject matter is a disturbing commentary on the decline of the honeybee population, it sends the message in a very powerful way. The focus and clarity of the image helps drive home the environmental message very well while also showing the state of fellow bees in the background. The minimal colours and the simple composition also really make the image work.
People's Choice Award Winner
Our monthly photo contests also come with a People's Choice Award. the winner of this part of the contest receives $100 worth of store credit on lightstalking which they can spend as they please on our blueprints, drills, courses or Presets.
Freedom Lost by Frogdaily
The most popular photo for August was by Frogdaily, which has won the people's choice award besides the second place in the competition. Congratulations Frogdaily.
We're already into the third week of September and our monthly contest has already started taking entries with a lot of interesting submissions already. This month our theme is Ephemeral Moments.
If you would like to join and enter some images into our monthly contest then take a look at your options here.
