Scheduled Themes for 2017-2018





Competition Dates Please note there will be three (3) Digital Art Themes this year.


September 20, 2017 Nature

Summer


October 18, 2017 Ducks/Birds

Famous places/buildings/memorials


November 15, 2017 Working (animals, people, machines)

Street Photography


January 17, 2018 Simplicity

Abstracts in Nature (Digital Art)


February 21, 2018 Black and White

Winter (Digital Art)


March 21, 2018 Night Photography

Animals in Motion


April 18, 2018 Things That Fly

Photojournalism


May 16, 2018 Town of Vienna

Flowers (Digital Art)

 

Theme Descriptions

 

 Ducks/Birds – Both aquatic and non-aquatic birds are appropriate for your subject. Your image may be of wild, domestic, or zoo birds.  Post processing should be minimal, maintaining the realism of the image.

Famous Places/buildings/memorials -  These places have been photographed hundreds of times.  The challenge here will be to take a photograph that still communicates the famous place/structure, but in a different way.  Snap your shot from an unexpected vantage point.  Or focus on a minimal portion of the memorial that still clearly communicates what the place or structure it is.  Try taking shots at different times of day, or in different weather.  People may be present in your image.  Post processing should maintain the realism of your image.

Working (animals, people, machines) -  is defined as the action of doing physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose or result. Images that quickly come to mind are a farmer plowing his fields, or a horse pulling a carriage, or a machine in motion showing how the actual parts operate.  What are some more unusual examples? This theme says action and motion. You may want to experiment with moving your camera (panning) or varying your shutter speed to capture motion in your image.  Post processing should maintain the realism of the image.

Street Photography -  A kind of photography usually shot in an urban environment.  Streets are not essential however—the space just needs to be public. People are usually in the image, although not required. The image should have an element of spontaneity or uncertainty. It should make us react emotionally to the (suffering, hopes, dreams) of everyday people. The image is usually candid, and may use humor, ambiguity, or odd circumstances to elicit an emotional response.  This type of photography is seeing and reacting quickly—no time for tripods and special lighting. Check out http://erickimphotography.com/blog/the-ultimate-beginners-guide-for-street-photography.

Simplicity - This style of photography takes a minimalist approach to conveying a message/mood.

Include only the essential objects that add value to your photograph and exclude details that may distract or
confuse the viewer. Examine your final photo and determine if there is anything else you can leave out that
will make your message stronger. Here is a link to examples of simplistic/minimalist photography
https://digital-photography-school.com/minimalist-photography-4-tips-to-keep-it-simple-with-a-maximum-impact/

Abstracts in Nature Digital Art  - Your nature image should not include the hand of man (people or
man made objects) Nature abstract images can be created by focusing up close on a small area of something,
or focusing on an area from a great distance away. The resulting image ceases to be representational and
becomes an abstract series of lines, shapes, patterns. Abstracts can also be achieved by moving the camera
(swiping) or rotating the lens while taking the photo. Slowing the shutter speed can also achieve interesting
results. Check out this link https://digital-photography-school.com/creating-abstract-images-in-nature/
A digital art theme allows you to transform your original photograph, using your choice of apps,
software, filters, textures, etc., into something that is more akin to fine art.

Black& White – In this theme your images should display black and white tones that lack color and include neutral tones of black and white and intermediate shades of grey in a subject of your choosing.  Photographs in sepia tones are also acceptable.

Winter Digital Art -  Winter is the coldest season of the year.  It occurs during the months of December through February, and snow and freezing temperatures are typical.  Winter can be conveyed through a range of images from a ferocious blizzard, to a quiet scene of pristine beauty.  The focus of your image is your choice, and it need not be limited to landscapes. This is a Digital Art theme, which means you may transform your original photo into something more akin to fine art with apps, filters, textures, software, etc. of your choosing.

Things That Fly - Birds, butterflies, and planes fly.  You may use these subjects for your images.  But try thinking outside the box. . . what are some other things that fly?

Photojournalism - Photojournalism is the collecting, editing, and presenting of news material for publication or broadcast that employs images in order to tell a news story. The situation implied by the images should be a fair and accurate representation of the events they depict in both content and tone.

Additional information regarding upcoming themes will be uploaded soon.




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