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Congrats to Jesse Estes - 2008 Wild Beauty Contest

Discussion

15 replies
Posted by Scott Brown on January 25, 2009 at 8:21 PM
PNWNP member Jesse Estes won "Honorable Mention" in the 2008 Wild Beauty: Columbia River Gorge Photography Contest...
http://www.prophotosupply.com/gallery/p-gallery-wild_beauty_08.htm

To honest... I think he should have received a higher score. Looking at the top 2 winning photos I can't help but wonder what goes on in the minds of judges...

The description for the contest was: Photographers of all levels are encouraged to be inspired by the natural beauty of the Columbia River Gorge

I fail to see how binoculars against a boring blue sky or power lines @ the dam are "natural beauty" - but hey, that is just my opinion.


I submitted a photo for the contest - the people @ ProPhoto liked it, but that is about as far as it went... no worries, it is selling @ the Vista House...


Last year I won "Honorable Mention" with their (ProPhoto) Tulip contest with the worst photo that I submitted (I could submit 3) -- looking back I don't know why I submitted it - the horizon was tilted, it was horrible and yet it won something... makes you wonder who picks these things.
Posted by Mark Hudon on January 25, 2009 at 8:27 PM
Hmmm... Jesse's shot is the best of the bunch, imho.
Posted by Adrian Klein on January 25, 2009 at 9:02 PM
I agree, Jesse's photo is one of the better ones IMO. However, this the way photography contests work. It's art and it's subjective, one judge will see what another won't. I have sat more than once for hours watching judging of print comps by professional photo judges that included fine art landscapes to wedding and portrait images and you have to expect anything and think of it as more of a game to play... sometimes you win and sometimes you don't!
Posted by John Williams on January 25, 2009 at 9:10 PM
Congrats Jesse! I agree yours is one of the better ones, but I'm glad you were recognized.
Posted by Aaron Ellingsen on January 25, 2009 at 9:21 PM
Kind of an erratic mix of images - some much better than others. I don't know who should have one, but IMO I'd put Jesse's in the top 3 for sure.

I know the winners' (Thomas Boyd) mother. She lives here in North Bend, and I've seen some of his work in person at her house. He is an excellent photojournalist, and a staff photographer for the Oregonian newspaper. Mark H might enjoy some of his stuff. It's pretty quirky and full of character. Generally not nature related but well worth checking out.
Posted by Scott Brown on January 25, 2009 at 9:32 PM
I agree with Aaron about Thomas Boyd -- he is a great photojournalist... I track his blog often and really enjoy a lot of his work... just not that one winning picture...
Posted by Mark Hudon on January 25, 2009 at 9:34 PM
Thanks, Aaron, I'll check him out.

(dang, that was sweet, I get a point in my comments column that was honest and not (too) gratuitous. Thanks again, Aaron.)
Posted by Aaron Ellingsen on January 25, 2009 at 10:41 PM
No prob. :wink: +1 for me!
Posted by Joseph Campisi on January 25, 2009 at 11:03 PM
Excellent shot Jesse, very Adamus-like. :smile: As others have said, art is subjective. I also think your shot is among the top 3, but I can see why the winner won. That shot, along with the reflection window shot might be perceived as "creative" (although some would say gimicky), while yours might be considered just a good lanscape shot (although we all know how much is involved in creating an excellent shot like yours).
Looks like the criteria was pretty open, it would have been nice if they had a seperate landscape catagory. Anyway, congrats, definitely one to be proud of!
Posted by Erik Lundh on January 25, 2009 at 11:28 PM
Jesse,
Congrats on an impresive image. Well deserved!
Posted by Ryan Dyar on January 26, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Congrats buddy! Well deserved. :toast:
Posted by Paul DeCesare on January 26, 2009 at 12:56 AM
Adrian said: " It's art and it's subjective, one judge will see what another won't." OK, that's very true, but the contest subject did mention " wild beauty" in the title... how on earth did the huge metal monster holding up the power lines place second??

I guess that's subjectivity!

Nice job, Jesse.
:toast:
Posted by Kevin Hillegass on January 26, 2009 at 1:44 AM
Congrats, Jesse, and I think your picture captures the essence of the contest best. I have to say, that contest was ill-named. There's nothing wild & beautiful about man's mark on the land.

I also looked at the Tulip Fest contest pics, you never really know what the judges will go for.

Kevin
Posted by Catherine Reilly on January 26, 2009 at 5:29 AM
Many congrats, Jesse! Very nice image that I agree could've placed higher. To me "wild beauty" doesn't have much to do with the "hand of man" so evident in many of the winning photos. So, Jesse, you GO! boy! :toast:
Posted by Marc Dilley on January 26, 2009 at 9:15 AM
Congratulations, Jesse! :toast: :toast: :toast:
Posted by Austin Booth on January 28, 2009 at 2:27 PM
I like most of the honorable mentions more than the actual winners. Oh well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and in contests the judges are the beholder's.