What sky photos did you NOT submit?

[Celebration]

I had a lot of sky photos to choose from, but, something seemed lacking in a lot of them. I also had difficulty on just how much the sky should be the focal point of the photo, or whether it was ok in the background...........or what. There is one negative space blue sky entry with the outside stairs or fire escape that I think is interesting for the theme. Mira likes specific comments so I am singling that out as a very good entry. I only had a couple of birds in that category (sky as negative space). The birds were just too much of a part of the photo to submit them. I wish I had a bird photo with an awesome cloud formation but I don't. If you all have time to post them I would love to see some rejects.



I also didn't submit this because I felt the sky didn't look unique enough. Too much focus on the hawk.



Then here is a more traditional sky photo I didn't submit

[bluesbassman]

1. Beautiful portrait of the hawk, and I love the seascape.

Here's one from my final cut group.

[Celebration]

2. oh that is really cool

And definitely negative space PLUS uncluttered. I love it. Your entry must really be good.

[Mira]

3. I think

this is one of the most moving photographs I have ever seen, of its type. And it of course to me reveals your entry, which also happens to be one of my favorites for it's whimsy/beauty/title.

[Mira]

4. Your last one smoothly sings a symphony to me.

The pink on the water is so sweet, reflecting the not too excited and gentle sky.

The others are just not about sky, to me. I chose to not use a number of mine where other elements were more predominant. As I look at the photos entered I make my first determination about them considering the theme of the contest, doing that started when I showed one of mine I considered to use as an entry to a family member and his comment was: "The subject is sky, right?"

edited to say that I'm awed by your hawk portrait.
Your bird photos continue to astound.

[Mira]

5. Here's one

I thought I might save it for "reflections", or maybe not
Sky is a no-brainer for my files right now, having just returned from Florida where I spent lots of time with "Sky".



edited to add another one I did not chose

[Celebration]

7. first one is gorgeous

I love that red reflection.

Second one is amazing, but kinda over the top! It makes me smile. It should decorate a bar on a tropical island.

[Mira]

9. YUP. It's why I would not consider it

I was not able to tone it down.

[juxtaposed]

6. here's a few I thought about

[Celebration]

8. interesting

I had a possible lily pad reflection photo too, but yours is much better than mine--much better clouds, and stiller water. I am pretty sure I like the third one, but it is hard to see details because of the size. The moon is perfect of course. I thought about one of my moon photos too! But anyone who went to my blog would have known the entry was mine, so I refrained.

[Mira]

10. The lily pad is very nice. I like

the soft sky. I wish I could see number 3 larger. Four is very intriguing and a departure from the wild colors the sky can show off. Though I like it a lot, I don't think it would be a top vote getter. A moon photo like yours makes me wish that just once I could do that. Beautiful!

[Richard D]

11. These two

[Mira]

13. For both of these

I not only envy that you took the photos. I more envy that you were there to have the chance to do so.
They are both exquisitely beautiful, and could not be more complete, each perfect in their depiction of the moment.
These make me wonder just what did you chose to enter to override either of these two in your decision??????
I hope I'll find out.

Congratulations on both of these.

[Behind the Aegis]

47. Both are very nice, but...

...that second one is literally, picture perfect! Absolutely gorgeous!

[Richard D]

61. Dang.

Maybe I submitted the wrong one!

[Mira]

12. One more with wild colors

[bluedigger]

18. That's kinda...bright.

[Mira]

19. That's what I thought too. It was 5 in the morning

and God was up early and not hung over.

[bluedigger]

21. I'll bet we have some nice sunrises, too.

I'll have to get up some day and look...



Nyah!!!

[alfredo]

14. There was banding in the sky, so I didn't use it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alfre

[bluesbassman]

24. I don't see the banding, but that's a great shot!

Well done!

[alfredo]

32. Thanks. It is near the clouds.

[Celebration]

27. Agree with Bluedigger

I waited to comment because I was wondering what I was missing. What bands? Really like this shot, though.

The sky is kind of graduated in color, or strength, but I like that.

[Mira]

28. I am clueless too. I bowed to

Alfredo's superior photography skills and let it go.
(I figure if he can spot the dirt on my sensor, the sky's the limit to his powers
)

edited to place the crown

[alfredo]

33. Not superior, I just take a bunch of photos. The law of averages

[alfredo]

31. There are abrupt changes in color/shade because the sensor isn't up to such gradual shifts.

Converting to B&W seems to make it worse.

[bluedigger]

15. I almost entered this one.

[Mira]

16. It leaves me gasping.

I find it startling, and double-take beautiful. Don't know what you entered of course, but this one would make me think and maybe vote for it.

[bluedigger]

17. You can't tell which one I entered?

I'm glad you liked this one!

[Mira]

20. I plan to go back and figure it out.

Probably I will be successful.

[Behind the Aegis]

22. After seeing the entries I was too embarassed, but I do like this picture because of the colors.

This is an Oklahoma sunset.

[bluesbassman]

23. Shouldn't be embarrassed, that's a beautiful shot.

I just like getting a shot out there to a wider audience. It's all good.

[alfredo]

34. I second that.

[Behind the Aegis]

44. Thank you.

I was in the car when I took, so the focus is really off. I just thought it was a neat picture.

[Mira]

25. I like this one very much, because

not only are the colors rare IMO - but also because the proximity just grows and sucks your attention all up. If the grass were a bit sharper this would be A1 awesome.

[Behind the Aegis]

45. Aw, thanks.

Heehee. Actually, that isn't grass, they are trees. It was February so the leaves hadn't come in yet. I took the picture from a moving car.

[Celebration]

29. by your criteria

I probably should not have entered.

Yours is pretty amazing, and. yes, especially the colors.

[Behind the Aegis]

46. That's silly. Your's blew mine out of the water.

I appreciate the compliment. I really am trying to learn more techniques, but I am much better at stills, flowers, and animals. I did think the colors were really pretty. Oklahoma has some amazing weather, some which I don't really care for in the least. I really want to learn how to take better pictures of abstracts, such as weather. We just had a massive storm come through the other night and I tried to take some pictures...abysmal failure, but if y'all could have seen it...freaking amazing!

[Mira]

26. I like this thread - so I'm kicking it with another one

No big deal, it's one of the many times in the last couple of weeks I lifted my camera and photographed the sky

edited to add this one for orientation:

Charleston SC, Harbor, a few days ago (I'm sea sick = homesick for the sea already)

[alfredo]

35. Skies are hard, but you got it right. A friend of mine is

Big into sailing. He likes a bit of racing too. At a recent race an official's craft hit his, gnashing the side. It was right at the start. I have another that races cigarette boats. He's mentally unstable I think.

[Mira]

36. Yeah! you said I got it right

makes my day
one more just for you

[alfredo]

39. That one will work as a B&W. If you can do filtered conversions, a red filter will do

nice things for the sky. Try playing with the curves to bring out the boat.

[Mira]

53. I can't do much fancy stuff - so here is one I simply cropped

and converted to b/w - just a pretty picture

[alfredo]

63. Still your sky is nice, and the blacks are good and deep. Nice.

[Behind the Aegis]

48. Which bridge is that?

It reminds me of the one leading to Savannah. I hate that bridge. My palms are sweating thinking about it! Wonderful picture...but, that is pretty much expected when I see your name.

[Mira]

54. I woke up

and found this comment. My day is made.
Here is one for you identifying the bridge. It's the one in the background of the aircraft carrier Yorktown. Does that do it for you?

[Solly Mack]

30. Wow. Lots of great photos in this thread.

Celebration...I love, love the last shot.

[juxtaposed]

37. here's a bigger one of the third

[Mira]

56. There is something so special about your work.

The first one, if you don't mind my saying so, could illustrate the book "Playground of the Damned".
It's ominous, daring in the use of the diagonal.
And the second one (how on earth did you get that with the varying degrees of focus?) is a similar incongruity with the "industrial moon". I like your scary mind.

[juxtaposed]

66. Thank you

the first is of a series of bulb shots. I would hope not the damned?
On the other is the curvature of the earth, It was a very long shot over 1000mm

[juxtaposed]

66. Thank you

the first is of a series of bulb shots. I would hope not the damned?
On the other is the curvature of the earth, It was a very long shot over 1000mm

[Major Nikon]

38. A few...

[alfredo]

40. Excellent work.

[bluedigger]

41. The last one reminds me of a bad day flying into Clarksville.

Thunderheads everywhere...

[Major Nikon]

42. Those are just convective clouds

They are quite common in the spring and summer. They are a blast to fly around in a small plane. Those look close in the picture because they were close.

[Mira]

55. Oh MAN - you got it going on

I cannot imagine, I simply can't, how it must feel up there when you're in charge of some of the action and also have a camera and a creative eye.
That pink swipe one made me absolutely gasp, and immediately wish you had caught a bit more of the curve at the top for timeless perfection.
The cloud ones remind me of the best flight I ever had: In a little 4 or so people plane from Fort Myers to Key West. The clouds were so majestic, so huge, so in your face upright and tall - and we just flew all around them and through them.
After rummaging blindly for my gear, because I could not for a minute take my eyes off it all, I realized my battery was dead.
Thanks for listening, and thanks for these gorgeous photographs.

[Major Nikon]

57. Flying in and among the clouds is an amazing experience

Sometimes you're flying around cumulus clouds like the ones in the pictures. When there is a lot of them, their unpredictable upward development makes them look like trees in a forest, and you can fly around them like an obstacle course. When you fly through them you get turbulence which usually ranges from mild to moderate. Stratus clouds have a relatively smooth surface with small waves on the top. They usually don't create much turbulence. Sometimes I'm flying at an altitude that causes me to skim right over the top of them.

[Solly Mack]

59. That is 'the' awesome!

[JCMach1]

43. Some of mine for various reasons not submitted

[Behind the Aegis]

49. Where are these places?

I really like the "moon over the big hill" one.

[JCMach1]

50. Port of Tampa (unaltered weird purple sunrise)

Prague
Istanbul
Athens
The Greek Islands
Last two are the near Anapurna in Nepal

[Behind the Aegis]

51. I KNEW IT!

The "moon over the big hill" is Athens, isn't it?!

I am so damn jealous!!!

My youngest brother went there a few years back and came back with some gorgeous photos. It was so beautiful. I have always wanted to go.

[JCMach1]

60. Lycobettus Hill

Greece is a beautiful model... I loved the place.

[Johnny Noshoes]

52. This might work

This might work for a contest whose theme is heavy post processing.

[juxtaposed]

58. I like it! It could be titled Coltrane at Birdland

[Johnny Noshoes]

62. nt.

[alfredo]

64. One I snagged today

[Blue_In_AK]

65. I didn't submit any of my aurora photos.

I didn't want to take unfair advantage.

Northern Lights are the ultimate sky phenomenon.

[tawadi]

68. Just another sunset

[Solly Mack]

69. Now I can

All the same concept. Knew what I wanted to do for the theme...just a matter of getting the shot I wanted to use.

[Mira]

70. I see what you are saying!

You could have done a : "help me choose" thread...

I liked your entry very much, to me though the first one here trumps your entry, and I liked the entry more than the second one here which means it is my least favorite.
While we're reminiscing = on the first one I would have clipped out the cloud at the top. Great photo, either way.

[Solly Mack]

71. I liked the first one better than the one I entered also.

lol

Thanks, Mira!