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This thread is here to allow you to cast your votes for the May 2009 competition. See entries at gallery's, photo competition, May 2009. Voting closes on the 20TH.

You need to be registered and logged into the forums, where you'll be able to cast your votes for your three favourites. Once you've voted, that's it!

Please note : Any self votes will be removed

Gruditch

Congratulations to Rodosranger, for a magnificent win, with 50 to do, you better get started on that critique. Also congratulations to Fishiee, and Kipper for a well earned joint second. And thanks to all, for making this the biggest Monthly comp to date.



Cheers Gruditch

A great competition - and a worthy winer.
A very high standard, with about 12 on my short-list.
I actually voted for 1, 2 & one of the 3s - not a bad judge am I?
I am also delighted to share the 4th spot with Eccles & NickB.
Thanks for those that voted for me.
I may take the winning sot for June this weekend
Roger

Tough one this month just getting down to 3; and I think the spread shows that it was extremely competitive, so well done to rodosranger for a great shot. For my part, I am delighted to share such elevated ( ) company as Eccles and Roger but am brought back to earth by the fact that we were only just ahead of Jack's fantastic Elephant Hawk - and that is a moth
Great work and keep it up! ...And Roger - "Yeah, I'm sure you will - in your dreams"
N
And Eccles, is there an alpha virus around? I've met 2 owners in as many weeks

NickB wrote: For my part, I am delighted to share such elevated ( ) company as Eccles and Roger

One of the votes that elevated you into such company Nick, was my solitary vote. I loved that shot, by far the best Dingy Skipper image I've ever seen. A perfect Dingy skipper, on a nice Cowslip, with a lovely exposure, great semi defused background, and the light playing on the lower wing, just wonderful, wish I took it.

Gruditch

I just wanted to add my thanks to everyone who entered. As Gary has rightly pointed out - this has been the most-entered competition to date! On that note, I'd like to thank Gary (Gruditch) for organising the whole thing from start to finish!

And my own "congrats" to the winners - although I think there are quite a few "winners" this month - whose photos have definitely improved over time. You may not be in the top 3 - but you're definitely improving!

Cheers,

- Pete

I echo Pete's sentiments - the improvement made by everyone can be put down to the way everyone is supportive and helpful - whether where to see or tips and suggestions - and good natured and humoured to each other (well mostly ) ! And... thanks Gary - the cheque's in the post (A bit soft on the top right wing I thought...) Loved the Wood White too, and many others; Lisa manages to produce stunningly different images most of the time. this one was almost too good - I guess you loved it or hated it...Roger's Frit was nice too - lovely composition and clarity - a bit over-saturated? Eccles is consistently on the mark....and well, FisHEE great image.....And a worthy winner, well composed and executed winner with a humble White, rodosranger...
shame that too many should have had more votes; in another competition they'd have been winners
N

My congratulations too to the winners, and indeed to all the entrants. A superb selection of photos!
Regards
Deano.

Congratulations to the winners very nicely done indeed & everyone that entered.

Cheers

Congratulations to all on another set of stunning images. Although rodosranger got one of my votes, it was Gruditch's Wood White that hit the nail on the head for me. A remarkably sensitive and delicate shot for a big bloke that apparently used to chop people's heads off with a sword (battle re-enactments for those that are considering ringing Crimewatch UK). This one shows why it's always permissable to break the rules. Usually we try to achieve the sharpest image possible, but I think that the slight softening of the wings works beautifully with the soft focus flowerheads. WW is one of the hardest species to photograph well, as when you get up close they can look a bit grainy and dirty - so this was the clear winner for me, with rodosrangers' beautiful GVW second. I'm always delighted to get anywhere near FISHiEE, so thanks to all that gave me their vote. Gwenhwyfar would have got one of my votes for the PBF she removed! Next month's comp is going to be another headache of decisions!
Neil

Cheers Kipper, with this style of image, I should not really expect to do too well in a competition where often, closest is best. But six people liked it, and got what I was trying to do, so that makes me very happy.

BTW, I am only 5ft 6, so not so big, granted I am an expert with a bastard sword, but otherwise, sensitive and delicate, that's me.

Gruditch

sensitive and delicate

I voted for the winner, a common butterfly but the lighting is superb and an easy winner for me. But choosing second and third from so many first rate photos was much more difficult. In the end, I rather liked Gruditch's understated wood whites, and Susie's painted lady. The latter attracted me as I like the way the butterfly leads the eye into the picture with a sort of wide-eyed wonder at all that nectar to be shortly sampled.

Another great comp, done and dusted, so congrats to the top three - and Matt gets this months bragging rights for producing a superb Green-veined White.

My single vote went to the awesome Dingy Skipper of NickB.

Gwenhwyfar would have got one of my votes for the PBF she removed!

Lisa manages to produce stunningly different images most of the time. this one was almost too good - I guess you loved it or hated it..

I pretty much knew, when I changed my entry, that it was far too quirky! if thats the right word, but went with it anyhow. It was more 'me' than the P-b F.

I voted for I voted for NickB, eccles and Polly. Nicks looked very good, to me like it cwould make a good painting or something. Loved the way the skipper stood out well in contrast with the background.

Eccles I liked a lot, liked the skippers eye also. Loved the colours in that shot, Wish I could get as good a shot. It was tough picking a third but I voted for Pollys because it was very clear and showed the SPBF very well, I have seen similar shots before I'll admit, still good.

I thought I'd have a chance this month with my large white, but I guess not, think it looked a little soft around its head and maybe it looked a bit bright cause I used flash or something.

The cheque's in the post, eccles.

I must admit that I was amazed that with so many superb photographs in the competition that I even got one vote. There were quite a few photos that when I saw them for the first time I thought, "yep, that's this months winner for certain!". The standard is so high now that they didn't come anywhere near first place but they are still beautiful images. As for the people with the higher numbers of votes, all I can say is "WOW" and "absolutely stunning".

Dave McCormick wrote:.....I thought I'd have a chance this month with my large white, but I guess not, think it looked a little soft around its head and maybe it looked a bit bright cause I used flash or something.

Not a bit of it Dave! Technically a really nicely exposed shot - difficult to do with a White and you executed it very well. I'd be happy to achieve that
Most of the contributors are of a standard to execute their shots well technically most of the time; the next bit is the most subjective. What distinguishes one shot from another if they are both technically good? IMHO, If you analyse the shots that get a good number of votes one thing generally stands out - they stand out against a blurred or uncluttered background and I don't think it is an accident! I took the liberty of doing a little processing of your shot: and one I crudely processed in Photoshop to illustrate the point: The eye is drawn more to the butterfly in the processed one, whereas the eye switches from the yellow behind to the White in front with the original. (I could have spent a few more minutes removing most of the yellow flower to greater effect...)
There are two ways to overcome this sort of thing: 1) Spend hours in Photoshop doing "digital gardening" ; or 2) Spend hours in the field trying to get a butterfly in the right place at the right time....I know which one I think is best....
Happy butterflying
Nick

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to say thanks for the votes on my GVW shot - was quite surprised to have won! I thought Jon (Fishiee) would edge it, but maybe the light in my shot caught peoples eye as much as the superb detail in Jon's fritillary shot?

Kind regards,
Matt

Congratulations rodosranger. Fab shot and a worthy winner. Can't wait to read the critique this month!
Fishiee and Kipper, well done also.
I didn't actually vote for any of the winners this month, but you were on my shortlist of 12.
This comp just gets bigger and better each month. Well done to all who took part.

Denise

Just back from 5 weeks of travelling so only just caught up on this one. It looked like Matt's (Rodosranger) was going to take it comfortably before I left and that has been the case - a superb shot

Don't envy voting for next months now as I see the entry is massive!

NickB wrote:

Dave McCormick wrote:.....I thought I'd have a chance this month with my large white, but I guess not, think it looked a little soft around its head and maybe it looked a bit bright cause I used flash or something.

Not a bit of it Dave! Technically a really nicely exposed shot - difficult to do with a White and you executed it very well. I'd be happy to achieve that
Most of the contributors are of a standard to execute their shots well technically most of the time; the next bit is the most subjective. What distinguishes one shot from another if they are both technically good? IMHO, If you analyse the shots that get a good number of votes one thing generally stands out - they stand out against a blurred or uncluttered background and I don't think it is an accident! I took the liberty of doing a little processing of your shot:

Large_White.jpg

and one I crudely processed in Photoshop to illustrate the point:

Large_White_Photoshop.jpg

The eye is drawn more to the butterfly in the processed one, whereas the eye switches from the yellow behind to the White in front with the original. (I could have spent a few more minutes removing most of the yellow flower to greater effect...)
There are two ways to overcome this sort of thing: 1) Spend hours in Photoshop doing "digital gardening" ; or 2) Spend hours in the field trying to get a butterfly in the right place at the right time....I know which one I think is best....
Happy butterflying
Nick

Sorry for the late replay. I looked at what you did and I can see your right, looking at other shots in past I can see there was not things that could deter your eye away from the butterfly thats supposed to be in focus. Now I have not found it easy to get such sots becuase whenever I find butterflies they are usually in places like in grass or in front of flowers that have such things in background and I don't find it easy getting shots like others because of this, but I am learning and trying better because of peoples shots on here, still a fun experience to photograph and see butterflies/moths and I will continue to do so.