Since I am not a finalist in the competition, I have no problem with asking my readers to partake in the voting at Digital Lightroom Still Life Contest – Short List.
I have cast my vote, but unlike the last contest, I decided not to give feedback. I did not see anyone else giving any, so it felt presumptuous of me to do so. Plus, I think I might have come off as a bit of a jerk (surprise!) when I gave feedback for the Movement and Motion contest short list.
Not that I was trying to . . . I explained my selection process, and give my reasoning for each of the photos.
Now, here’s the interesting thing . . . I must have a different concept of still life than what the judges have; I thought only four photos qualified as meeting the theme. Stretching it a bit, maybe two more. Not to say the others were not good photos. Quite the opposite. Still, the photo I liked the best (but did not vote for) was not what I considered still life.
And yes, it may be that still life is a much broader category than I understand it to be.
Those are all amazing photos, and all are much better than my entries, so this is not a case of sour grapes (Hey! . . . I should have done grapes!). I know; no one believes me when I say so. Oh well; the life of a misunderstood person would be a difficult one if they did not have a thick skin.
Anyway, click HERE, and cast your vote for whichever photo captures your imagination.
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Please, if you are considering bestowing me some recognition beyond commenting below, refrain from doing so. I will decline nominations whereby one blogger bestows an award onto another blogger, or group of bloggers. I appreciate the intent behind it, but I would much prefer a comment thanking me for turning you away from a life of crime, religion, or making you a better person in some other way. That would actually mean something to me.
Should you still nominate me, I will strongly suspect you pulled my name at random, and that you are not, in fact, a reader of my blog. If you wish to know more, please read below.
About awards: Blogger Awards About “likes”: Of “Likes”, Subscriptions, and Stuff
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. . . my FP ward . . . chieken shit.
Disperser Tracks 
Yesterday I looked at each of the photos that made the short list and I, too, was surprised by some of them that, to me, do not really qualify as “still life”. I much prefer your selection of photos.
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. . . although you might be a tad biased. I do think the ones that were chosen and that do “qualify” as still life are better than mine, but it comes down to judging them as a photographer or as just someone who is looking.
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I agree with you and AnnMarie that there are at least 2 photos that don’t qualify as still life, at least not in the classical sense of what a still life is even though they are all very good photographs. I voted for “Bowl of Peppers” because it embodies the ideal still life in an aesthetically pleasing composition with a simple but interesting color balance. Technically, a photo like this looks easier to take than it really is.
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Interesting; that was my vote as well . . . doh! I wasn’t supposed to say anything.
Some of the entries are from people who follow me, and that photo is not from one of them.
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I voted for the last photo, Late for the Party by John Smith. I don’t know much about how to judge if it’s technically the best, I just enjoyed the subject and how many different objects there were to look at. I also like the fish, peppers and peas.
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I think that was the most visually striking and interesting photo of the bunch . . . it just did not spell out Still Life to me.
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Happy to know I am in good company. I voted before reading all of your post and the comments here, and I, too, voted for the bowl of peppers. I loved the flower, but didn’t think that was still life at all. I always thought still life pertained to the arrangement of objects.
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It’s a vague and (obviously) broad category. Given the finalists, it seems it could be almost anything.
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Interesting coincidence . . . I must add that we (me, you and your followers) have similar taste since I voted for “Bowl of Peppers”, too!
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Unfortunately, that just means it won’t even place.
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Just catching up here, and I do have to agree with you about the finalists. Fine photos all, but only two met the criteria that I understand still life to encompass.
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Yeah . . . and as much as I like the photo that won (and his work is very good and very striking), in my opinion it only marginally qualifies as still life.
I suppose the theme is a loose suggestion, and then it’s whichever photo readers like, but still . . . .
Not sure I’ll enter again because my primary reason to enter (win or lose) was with the hope to get feedback on the photos, but I’ll still promote the contest.
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I suppose I should follow that blog if I want to participate in any future contests.
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The next one starts today or tomorrow. Urban landscape . . . you should have a bunch from your recent trip.
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