AG|WPJA The Artistic Guild of the WPJA

Judges Comment: Freakin' awesome. 1st and 2nd place are meant to work together and we just love these images. We’re trying to figure out how they were done. Whoever shot them, drop us a line - inquiring minds want to know! Also, sweet dress!

Judges Comment: Freakin' awesome. 1st and 2nd place are meant to work together and we just love these images. We’re trying to figure out how they were done. Whoever shot them, drop us a line - inquiring minds want to know! Also, sweet dress!

Judges Comment: Good thought process by the photographer with strong framing. The image clearly shows that the photographer was thinking and not shooting haphazardly. The image would benefit from a highlight burn on the right foreground (white shirt). Nice eye!

Judges Comment: Intense and soft at the same time, this image makes you stay within the moment. The man’s direct look connects instantly with the viewer. The image is a tad flat and could use a contrast bump.

Judges Comment: You don’t always have to show faces to get the idea across. The lovebird sign is perfect for this engagement image and the flash of pink blanket keeps your eye cruising to the top of the image.

Judges Comment: Cool multiple exposures combine different facets of the engaged couple to life. We enjoy the interaction and think this concept could be done again having the couple react to each other a little more. All in all, an excellent concept.

Judges Comment: This is a sultry image with direct eye contact from the woman. The hair blowing across her face adds to the timeless feel of the image. We like the texture but would have erased it from her chest. It draws attention to itself while the rest of their skin is flawless.

Judges Comment: Quirky and fun against an orange wall. We like the matter-of-fact pose of the couple. The clothing styling works really well and seems to reflect the couple as well as location. One thought: crop the image just below the fence line for a quicker point of entry.

Judges Comment: The unique camera angle directs you into the couple and forces your eye to stay there. The overlay on the walls compliments the clean, white background behind the couple and creates a rustic separation between the two subjects (the couple and the wall).

Judges Comment: The angle is perfect in this situation as it shows the couple engulfed in a field of green grass. Nice find by the photographer. Keep this location in your pocket for future use! Joseph comes from a fashion background and one of the first things he was taught was "watch those fingers." Fists, bent fingers and bad hand/finger placement can often ruin an image and give the illusion of deformity especially with a shallow depth of field.

Judges Comment: Lots of energy is coming from this image with the couple being the center focus. The border treatment compliments the image and doesn’t distract from the couple.

Judges Comment: The hidden groom is a cool effect provided by the striped glass in front of the couple. We like the placement of the bride’s eye within the strip and it helps stop the angle of the lines and makes you look at her face, then go searching for the person behind her. Cool frame!

Judges Comment: Street scenes can provide excellent locations to shoot in and this photographer came up with a good one. The vertical lines throughout the image make you feel like you’re sitting across the bench from the young couple. We like how the photographer shot this almost like he/she were a fly on the wall. It truly feels like a “street” photo.

Judges Comment: At first, we thought this image had too much of an overlay but the more we looked at it, the more we liked the heavy-handed textures. The off-kilter pose of the couple combined with the tone of the image (like it’s an old 60’s print) make an interesting combination that keeps me looking. While we love overlays and textures, they can easily hurt an image when the treatment isn't reduced or removed from faces.

Judges Comment: It’s an interesting location (in the middle of the road, hope you had a spotter) with the cars whizzing by just as the sun went down. The couple’s intense connection with one another and the blast of the car headlights right by the couple’s head make you stay focused on the two. The Photoshop around their faces could use some work but all in all, we like the unique feel and location of this shot.

Judges Comment: An engagement image doesn’t have to include two people but this photographer used the ring to imply engaged. The shallow depth of field keeps the ring in focus but doesn’t altogether lose the excitement in the woman’s eyes. It has a simple and pure feeling and it’s also a good solution when the groom-to-be is being difficult and doesn’t want his image taken!

Judges Comment: So we’re thinking that this is a traditional outfit the couple wears when they get engaged? And if so, it’s really cool! We really like how you’ve used the vine-covered rolling hills and placed the couple to flow with the movement of the hills. They are integrated with nature all around them. The subtle toning and variation of color across the image also compliment the color of their clothing. The couple is too dark in relation to the rest of the frame and needs to be lightened. This would make them and their colors pop off the frame.

Judges Comment: The reflection creates a piece of art in the water that shows the location but doesn’t give too much away. We like the lampposts but would have liked to have seen a better composition that didn't have the lamppost coming out of his shoulder. A slight burn to the lower left corner would have alleviated the distraction and render a quicker entry point to the couple.

Judges Comment: We like this reflection image because of it's clarity on both the top and bottom of the frame. The cold blue toning is cool and the overall image image could use more contrast.