Photo by Marcin Rusinowski, Poland
First Place - Getting Ready

Getting Ready

Photo by Anginet Page, Colorado
First Place - Ceremony

Ceremony

Photo by Emin Kuliyev, New York
First Place - Reception

Reception

Photo by Roger Tan Pin Hwa, Malaysia
First Place - Ring Details

Ring Details

Photo by Marcin Labedzki, Poland
First Place - Kids (Being Kids)

Kids (Being Kids)

Photo by Brooke Mayo, North Carolina
First Place - Portrait of Bride AND Groom Alone

Portrait of Bride AND Groom Alone

GENERAL JUDGING COMMENTS

"The quality of the images was good which made my job tougher. The 'Portrait of Bride and Groom' was the strongest category, followed by 'Ring Details' and 'Kids'. While 'Ceremony' had some very nice images, it was the weakest category overall and the same can be said about 'Getting Ready'. Photographers really had fun and showed extensive creativity in 'Portrait of Bride and Groom'.

I would caution photographers to carefully look at the category that they are entering an image in. As a judge, it is really tough to disqualify a good image simply because it is in the wrong category, but I too must follow rules. At least 25 images that would have otherwise had a chance were disqualified for being entered in the wrong category.

As this contest also considers Photoshop, I would urge photographers to take more time refining their entries. Again, as a judge, I must consider the usage of Photoshop and there are many entries that would have placed or at least placed higher up if there was more attention paid to the technical merits of the image. I hate to generalize but there were a lot of images that had blown out whites in dresses that would have been easy to fix as well as a loss of detail in the shadows and blacks. I understand using vignetting as a positive creative effect but I saw far too many images that the vignetting looked like it was simply a function of chromatic problems with the lens. The same can be said of horizon lines that are out of kilter. When they are purposely distorted, that is fine but some were just out enough to be annoying and they could have easily been fixed.

Other Photoshop related issues were images overly sharpened and many where some parts warranted selective sharpening while other areas would have benefited from selective softening. Many times, I saw skin tones that would have benefited from smoothing and eyes that would have benefited from sharpening.

I certainly do not mention any of the above to be overtly critical and hope my criticism is taken as a means of improving already solid imagery."

- Seth Resnick, Founder of D-65

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