Winners of "Flying and Motion"

Congratulations to all the participants of this event for another great showing. Voting was difficult and a lot closer than our last couple of events. And congratulations to this week’s winners.

First Place - Bubbles In The Breeze by Brian Crossland

Second Place - Ravens On the Wing by Jacqui Binford Bell

Third Place - Slocan Lake by Ieneke Van Houten

Honorable Mention - UFD not UFO by Monica Griffey

Best of Theme: Monica Griffey's UFD not UFO (Honorable Mention, above) was chosen by last week's winner Eagle Finegan for this week's best of theme. Congratulations, Monica!  As Eagle said, "It's a still photo... but yet, you know it's moving!"

Shanghai Shers

 

Seaside Cottage by Shers Gallagher

Winner of first Picture Picks Event Real Estate

We admins have been mulling this idea for awhile to have a surprise winner every now and then, what we are choosing to call "Ms or Mr Congeniality".  This is intended to recognize an individual who has been particularly positive, supportive and helpful to contributors to Picture Picks and enters into the spirit of the group.  It won't be every week, but just now and then when we get the urge.

This week we say good-bye to our dear friend and co-administrator Shers Gallagher, as she heads to China for a teaching assignment until August.  Without her knowledge we decided Shers should be our first Ms Congeniality.  Shers is perpetually positive and lends encouraging words to all participants.  In addition, our Shers is an accomplished photographer as well.  We thank her for her wonderful help as as admin, her positive happy attitude in the Picture Picks comments, and we wish her well in her travels and a safe return.  We take a minute here to recognize her in this way and remember some of her photos that we have loved.

 Zeeland Winterscape by Shers Gallagher

The land she is leaving for five months

Wall of China by Shers

The land without any Facebook

And what photo blog of Shers as an admin for Picture Picks would be complete without one of her STOP signs which she posted as we all slept to tell us no more pictures or no more votes. Shers will continue to take pictures while in China and has promised to post them on her Blogspot so we can share her adventures.

Winners of Into The Night

This weeks theme of INTO THE NIGHT produced some of the most wonderful photographs from our membership and guests making voting very difficult.

FIRST PLACE 

Lake Oakwood Sunset by Donna Palmlund

SECOND PLACE

Weeping Mother by Ron Shook

 

TIED FOR THIRD PLACE

Pacific Beach - by Ruthie Benjamin

Agapanthas by Heather Lossie

TIED FOR HONORABLE MENTION

Weather on the Move by Eagle Finnegan

 

Settling in for the Night by Stephen Prendergast

BEST OF THEME

Stephen Prendergast, who picked this theme,  wrote: This was a very difficult group of photos to choose from. Being a Californian, I was drawn to Ruthie's photo "Dimming of the Day" with the placement of the setting sun behind the lifeguard tower throwing everything into silhouette. I also liked our winning photo, "Lake Oakwood Sunset" by Donna Palmlund, again for the use of sunset and sihouettes.  But I wanted to find a picture that took a different look at the theme, and Brian's photo of the marketplace at closing, with the dark blue sky, the lights in the buildings, and the empty tables, had that something different quality to it.  Congratulations, Brian.

 The Market by Brian Crossland

Winners of "The Things I Love"

Here are the winner’s of this week’s theme, “The Things I Love” -- some beautiful photography and some heartwarming subjects. Thanks to all who participated.

1st PLACE: Beach Sunset, Eagle Finegan

2nd PLACE: Architecture: Ruthie Benjamin

3rd PLACE TIE:
Sentimental Rose, Catherine SweetPotato

My Two Boys, Suzanne McLaughlin Stout

HONORABLE MENTION 3-WAY TIE:
My Mother, Ludmila Kalmaeva

Home, Bob McLaughlin

Linden Vineyards, Suzanne McLaughlin Stout

BEST OF THEME: Picked by Deborah Binford Baker:  How can you pick a best of theme for Things I Love? Can you measure how much is loved and who loves that someone or thing more? No you can't. I believe all of them should make the Best of Theme list. 

But if you must make me choose it is Taking Pictures by Brian Crossland.

A special thanks to all those photographers that participated by sharing what they love with strangers.

Winners of "Today"

This week’s theme was “Today” and there were no restrictions on the photos that could be entered except that they had to be taken on the same day they were posted. Participants had fun getting fresh new shots to contribute. The subject matter and quality were remarkable with the many beautiful shots submitted. We had an unfortunate glitch during the voting due to Facebook changes, and we hope everyone was able to vote as desired. Here are this week’s winners:

First Place: San Diego Bay at Night by Stephen Prendergast

Second Place: Three-Way Tie

Bassoon Study by Val Juneman,

Frosted Aspen on Snowy Hill by Jacqui Binford-Bell

Today is the Sunshine by Ludmilla Kalmaeva

Honorable Mention: Tie

Snow and Shadows by Catherine SweetPotato

I See You by David S Issel (picture omitted on request)

Best of Theme

David Issel who chose our theme "Today", has selected for Best of Theme "Better luck next time" by Brian Crossland. David says, : "He took my concept and turned it into a literal photograph. Nicely done!"

Winners of BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

We had 35 entries for this very interesting event. It would seem that a lot of our members know what it is like to be between a rock and a hard place. Voting was heavy by the 28 confirmed guests. But this week we have clear winners.

FIRST PLACE by Deborah Binford Baker

Lonesome Pine

 

SECOND PLACE by Becky Griffin Stauffer

Erosion at Bryce Canyon

  

HONORABLE MENTION by Brian Crossland

Abandoned

BEST OF THEME
A Hard Place by Wester Potter

Deborah Binford-Baker picked the theme Between a Rock and a Hard Place and had this to say about her pick for Best of Theme:

It was a hard choice (HA HA) but my choice for best of theme is not only to do with the picture, but the photographer. I always said my sister got all the talent and with much urging from her I started to do more with my photographs now not only I'm I competing with her but my husband now as well. So my picks are a between "Three Sisters Marching Across Arches" and "Fishin' off the Rocks". This choice putting me between and rock and a hard place, I took the safe route and chose "A Hard Place."

Deborah's other two considerations are included below as runner's up for Best of Theme and for the sake of family unity and peace. We are after all heading to Moab in the spring: Three cameras in a Rubicon Jeep. Truly between a rock and a hard space. J. Binford-Bell

Fishin' Off the Rocks by J. Alan Baker

Three Sisters Marching Across Arches by J. Binford-Bell

Wheels and Things That Go Round

Congratulations to another batch of winners in our weekly contest. Once again the submissions were beautiful and interesting, making the voting very difficult. Thanks to all who participated. We, the Admins, hope you are all enjoying these contests as much as we are. Here are this week's winners:

First Place:
'Let Me Off' - David Issel

Tied Second Place:
'Dilapidated Wagon Wheel' - Eagle Finegan

'Millstone In Field' - Val Juneman

Tied Honorable Mentions:
'Big Wheels' - Deborah Binford Baker

'Windmill Near Esmond' - Donna Palmlund

Best Of Theme:
'Women On Harleys' - Wester Potter

This week's best of theme was selected by Becky Stauffer (yours truly). I didn't realize how hard it would be to make this choice. And before I explain why I chose this photo, I'd like to recognize Bob McLaughlin for the most original interpretation of the theme with his home run baseball stars--good one, Bob!

I picked Wester's photo because something about it grabbed me and made me go back again multiple times for another look. I liked that the photo itself was an artistic shot of a piece of art. I liked that the sculpture in the photo was intriguing and somewhat mysterious: Who is that woman, why is she on a Harley, and in a skirt, stopping for a smoke? I know the Harley is the topic of the sculpture, but when you look at it, you have to wonder if the woman is ornamental to the bike or the other way around. I think this photo is at first just about the wheels and then upon further examination it is about so much more.