Stories Behind the Photos – Page 3 – Different Isn't Wrong, It's Just Different

This was my fourth year entering the Photography Contest at the Iowa State Fair. And the fourth year of having at least one photo on display. In fact, three were chosen for display this year. I was in complete shock when the infamous yellow card from the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon arrived. None of my photos received an award this year, but an amazing accomplishment all the same. Especially when there are not separate divisions for professional and amateur photographers. I am the latter. The Iowa State Fair Photography Contest is quite a challenge.

The odds of having a photo chosen for display are tight. This year a total of 2,536 photos were submitted for both adult and youth. Only 801 were chosen for display, 32%. Of the 801, only 176 received a ribbon, 22%. The stat they don’t share, 176 out of 2,536 received a ribbon, just under 7%. There were 802 photographers who submitted photos this year and only three had all four images chosen for display and received the Superintendent Merit Aware for Photographic Excellence. Yes, I was close, but so were many other photographers.

Enough about the stats. Well, except one more, and it’s quite interesting. All three of my photos chosen for display, were made in my home! Many people think they have to travel to make a great image. You don’t, and my entries prove that point. Do I enjoy getting out in nature to shoot? Absolutely! But sometimes I don’t have time and other times ideas pop into my head and I’m able to make images at home.

When I moved from Phoenix back to my home state of Iowa, I added many plants and flowers to my yard with photography in mind. The only problem with that is the amount of time it takes to maintain my yard. I do enjoy gardening, however, it takes away from my photography time.

The first image chosen for display, Peonies, was in the Adult Division, Black & White, Class 25 Plants, Flowers & Trees. Peonies are one of my favorite spring flowers. There was already a large pale pink peony bush in my yard when I moved back to Iowa. This photo was made in my living room with natural window light. The dramatic light called for a black and white image.

Next up, Framboises, in the Special Division, Black & White or Color open to both adults and youth, Class 41 Anything Goes! (for dramatically computer enhanced or radically altered photos only). The raspberries are from my garden and the original image was high key, a white background. I added two images on top of my original photo to add color and texture. I used my Nikon 105mm, Nikon macro lens to make the original image. Could I have entered the original image in the macro class? Yes, but I chose a different image for that class.

The third and final image Frozen Lace, in the Special Division, Black & White or Color open to both adults and youth, Class 46 Macro (close up photography of small objects that are magnified to “life size”. Animals, insects and flowers are not eligible. The image is frost that was on one of my windows on a very cold morning. The pattern reminded me of lace that might be on a wedding dress. Some people think it looks like a forest. What do you think it looks like? Leave me a comment!

Two of my favorite photography genres are macro and floral. Usually using my macro lens for my floral photography. I have had two images chosen for display in the macro class, but still strive to receive an award. There are two classes for Plants, Flowers & Trees. One for color and one for black and white. I have yet to have a color image chosen for display in Plants, Flowers & Trees. And I really want an award in this category! My image Peonies was the first black and white image chosen for display in the class Plants, Flowers & Trees. What does this mean to me? I have to work harder to achieve my goal of having a color image chosen and to receive an award in this class. And yes, I’m already working on ideas for next year’s Iowa State Fair Photography Salon.

It’s autumn in the midwest and the colors in some areas are at or near peak color. The next couple nights the temperature will be dropping into the 20’s, which is quite unseasonable. Will the leaves all drop before reaching peak color? We will know in the next day or so. It is autumn in the midwest and while the next couple nights are expected to be unseasonably cold, next weekend it’s suppose to be in the mid 70’s.

I wanted to get outside and see the autumn color before it quickly disappears. It was quite windy today, anything but unusual for Iowa. Certainly not the conditions typically wanted for nature photography. However, it was an ideal day for intentional camera movement (ICM) images.

ICM is a technique I learned in 2012 while attending a photography workshop in Acadia National Park. It was fun! It’s been a few years since I made images with this technique and was unsure if I would be successful. While pressing the shutter, you intentionally move your camera. You want movement and sometimes complete blur and only the colors are distinct. Today, I wanted movement, but just enough so that you still knew my subject. Sort of like an impressionist painting.

Some may say it’s a blurry photo and others will see and appreciate the artistic perspective. The artistic side of photography is what appeals to me and being someone who tends to be more left-brain, it is a challenge. You can’t move your camera just any direction, there has to be thought to it. What is the outcome you are looking for, what story are you wanting to tell?