Writer, Photographer,

Greetings! Today I entered two free contests through a site I’m relatively new to, called ViewBug. It seems to be along the same lines as Flickr–a photo-sharing site–but with paid membership to ViewBug you gain access to all sorts of other perks and more contests. I’ll have to wait and see if it’s worth it to pay for this site, right now I’m just a free member.

So, the two contests I joined are for gear, cash, and discounts on the site’s membership. The first contest had the category “Orange,” and this is what I came up with to enter:

I took this near Pismo Beach when we went up north last December to visit Jeremy’s uncles and our ex-dog. There was an amazing colony of more than 12,000 Monarch butterflies, and I got some unbelievable shots. I don’t think I realized when I was taking this picture that the butterfly was actually landing and was sort of hovering with wings outstretched. Lucky capture! Also, when I opened the image up to color-isolate, I realized the backs of both wings and the center of the right had some tears and damage. I used Gimp’s clone tool to rebuild parts of the wings, so hopefully you can’t tell which parts are fake.

The other contest I entered had the category “Composition,” where you were supposed to choose a photo with your best use of framing, main subject location, image balance, and DoF. I looked at the photos submitted so far and didn’t see a lot of consistency; it looked like people just put in whatever they wanted. So, I did the same. I chose one of my favorites and threw it in there:

I took this at Mission San Juan Capistrano this year. I HDR’d it for maximum texture and really like how stormy it makes the photo feel. I have it the signature Jill Tilt to get everything I wanted in the shot and make the hallway seem a little more interesting. I think the tilt gives it a kind of unsettled feel and adds to the haunted look of it. I do think it’s got good balance and interest. The color version is one of my very favorites.

All for now!

Good morning! Today’s contest entry was with a company called cPhotoZine, and the theme was Cities and Scapes. It’s a little open to interpretation, but basically they want to see cities or landscapes, or both. The prize is for gear, as this is just a small-ish monthly contest type of deal. This is the photo I chose as my entry:

What I Like About this Photo:
There are a few things going on in this photo that really appeal to me. I went with the BW and cropped the photo pretty close so the focus is on the three elements I thought were most interesting: the hill, the hikers, and the buildings. I took a few versions of this shot, but this one is my favorite because while each hiker has a different stance from the torso up, their legs are in almost the same position. I was also far enough away from them that they all kinda look like unisex stick figures. To me, it seems like a good mix of uniformity and difference, especially with the uneven space and elevation intervals between them. I don’t think I’d like this photo nearly as much if you couldn’t see the LA skyline buildings fading into the background. I love the contrast between the rolling hill and the choppy heights of the buildings. It seems like these are two things you don’t normally see together–business and wilderness–but really, our world can be a lot more compact than we think it is.

One of my goals for the year is to gain some exposure by putting my work into galleries, boutiques, and contests. Contests seem like an easy way to have a little fun judging my own work, even if it always is a long shot to win anything. I feel like it’s good practice at being objective and finding ways to improve.

That said, today I entered the Costco “Give Us Your Best Shot” contest with this photo:

What I Like About this Photo:

I took this photo on San Dimas Ave. right below Foothill. From a technical standpoint, I like the double “rule of thirds” thing going on from top to bottom, and side to side. I feel like the tilt gives it a little more interest and saves it from looking so textbook with the frame divisions. From an artistic standpoint, I like how old this looks. The shot has been HDR’d so the shoes look as grungy as possible, with the only crisp, tidy element being the Converse logo. I like texture in my shots, and I like an overall organized feel.

What I Like About the Contest:

At first I was a bit wary about entering this contest. I read the rules and some posting by other photographers, and it sounds like a major objection to this contest is that once you submit your work, Costco owns the rights–even if you didn’t win! That seems pretty unfair, but for this year they’ve amended the rules so that the photographer keeps their rights. The theme “Give Us Your Best Shot” seemed nebulous, but in looking at past winning photos it seems like you just send them something you like. It does seem like they prefer non-abstract subjects. The prizes are pretty hefty, and they have several to hand out. It’s a long shot, but how fun would that be to win something?!

Well, the name of the game these days seems to be “life transitions.” I’m doing my best to keep up! I’ve been doing SO MUCH shooting, and I feel like the missing link now is to get my photos out there into contests, onto gallery walls, and into loving homes. Little by little, I’ve been matting and framing selected prints for intended placement into a few galleries and shops that have caught my eye. Another plan in the works is to purchase and equip a SERIOUS machine…most likely a huge iMac. Stay tuned for that, and find out what happens when I finally attempt to learn Photoshop! I’m excited.

The other exciting news of the moment is that last month a photo of mine was chosen for a show in Brea at The Birch Street Gallery. Finding out I was in a real show was one of the happiest moments of untainted joy I have experienced in my life. Walking into the gallery to see my work on the wall…that feeling of purpose and encouragement is something nobody can take away from me, and it was something I desperately needed. My parents and little brother even came out for the weekend to see it, and a bunch of wonderful friends of mine made it, as well! The show is running most of this month too, until the 21st. Info here (the show is called “Click”): http://www.thebirchstgallery.com/

Here’s the photo that’s in the show, printed 20 x 30 on canvas:

And just to show you a preview of what I’ve been shooting lately, here are a few from my quick trip to Big Bear this past weekend.

Jillangill is a supermodel on Pluto

Originally uploaded by Jillmac

Sign me up!