AG|WPJA The Artistic Guild of the WPJA

Judges Comment: Nice anticipation and composition by the photographer. The image gives me a story of the day and the palm trees provide a good sense of location. Nice toning keeping the bride's skin tone warm and supple with a touch of grain, the photograph doesn't look overworked. Nice frame!

Judges Comment: This is a great use of a vignette and movement to elevate an already lovely moment. I wonder if the wall paper behind the bride really is as distracting as the photographer thinks. The blurred wash around the bride could be finessed to a smaller radius.

Judges Comment: A peaceful moment with superb toning. The soft window light creates a silent mood as the bride prepares for her wedding.

Judges Comment: It's great to see someone shooting from a different angle! The soft layering of the gowns leads you into the last minute preparations of the bride. It's a simple moment that happens at every wedding and an angle all of us should make an effort to use.

Judges Comment: What a great moment!. Moments are happening all around us during a wedding and not every moment has to center on the bride and groom (as a side, where are the getting ready photos of the groom?) but to capture a moment of pure happiness and love with the addition of the gown in the background really sets this photograph apart from the rest.

Judges Comment: Good seeing by the photographer and probably some waiting around for this moment to happen. It's a '"different" moment from a wedding, not one most people would jump on but the composition and color palette work well together. I would suggest a tighter crop from both sides, the image would be a quicker read as a narrow vertical.

Judges Comment: Beautiful colors, good lines and a little movement combine to make an interesting painterly image. The photograph set's a good scene and creates a good tone for the rest of the wedding to come.

Judges Comment: It seems like all brides want their dress photographed hanging up against a window these days and we see it almost every weekend. Kudos to the photographer who left the background in and layered the photo with the bride and others in the room. It has great movement throughout the photograph and simple, complimentary toning.

Judges Comment: What a lovely silent moment captured by this photographer! A shift of a head, the drop of a shoulder can speak volumes. Nice framing as well, looking for unique ways to photograph the moment. The warm B&W also adds to the quietness of the image.

Judges Comment: I feel like I'm peeking through a doorway and catching the final glimpses as the bride gets ready. The image feels a little off-balance due to the large amount of black space on the left, a slight crop from the left would complete the image.

Judges Comment: Here's a great way of using your local video crew to your advantage. It's a nice apprehensive moment and your framing is much better than the videographers:) I would like to have seen the distracting object next to her face taken out completely and the left bottom side of the frame (specifically her dress) burned in more. A nice moment and I'm glad that you didn't take the cliché route and shoot the video screen.

Judges Comment: A tranquil moment that tricks your eye at first sight. Good eye!

Judges Comment: This image feels like a retro movie still. By converting to b&w and adding grain, the 70's wood background becomes attractive and provides a good background.

Judges Comment: A dark image full of movement and shapes. Good use of the bridesmaids as bookends for the bride. The light at the top of the image is really distracting and fights with the bride. It should be darkened, cropped out or simple removed. This would prevent your eye from jumping between the bride and two bridesmaids bouquets. All in all good seeing but the Photoshop execution could use some improvement. Remove the light, open up some of the shadow detail and you have a wonderful image!

Judges Comment: If you were thinking about book layouts when you shot this, you hit the nail on the head. The split down the middle of the image really will lend itself to a big double-truck. The cool tone on the left of the image balances nicely with the warmth of the wedding dress. I think the bottom left corner of the photograph could use less burn-in, it's too heavy. The softness of the veil is nicely mimicked by the curtain.

Judges Comment: I'm not sure if this a a composite or a blown-out image but I really like the composition and slight movement. The mono-chromatic tones also works to tie the two pieces of the image together. One thing to look at is the "elephant neck" that is created by the bride's turned head. Most of the image is soft and light except the shadow's that are created by her neck. I would suggest a shadow dodge on the neck lines or a simple brush stroke (select the skin tone and brush over the lines at 20%).

Judges Comment: Excitement fills most rooms as brides get ready for the big event and this images really captures the joy and fun of putting on a wedding dress! Be careful with image treatments that 'soften' the whole photograph, I would have liked to seen her face lighter and sharper. Also, all hotel rooms have vents and lights in the most awkward places, there's nothing wrong with taking them out of ceilings and off of walls when they prove distracting to the eye.

Judges Comment: Initially I though what a beautiful photograph! It has really nice subtle tones, warm and peachy even. What is throwing me is how wide the photograph is. It could stand a crop, making it almost square, so the bride doesn't seem so engulfed by the blackness around her. Her body language, the way she is totally ignoring the photographer and just waiting, for what I don't know, but just calmly waiting is really nice.

Judges Comment: A cute peek-a-boo getting ready image is highlighted by the shaggy bangs and clean background. After looking at the image, my eye starts wandering around, looking for more, I think a simple vignette and brighter eyes (highlight dodge) could help keep the viewer focused on the woman's eyes even longer.