Each year the Maple Grove photo contest elicits images of our community. We see photographs of nature, identifiable city locations, kids and families, adorable pets and sometimes people in humorous predicaments. Last year we invited professional photographer Sandy Jones to join the team of judges. Witness her thought process when judging a photograph, specifically, the winner in the ‘people’ category: Stop and Smell the Flowers by Lisa Willey.
Is there a clear center of interest? Yes. What is the first thing I see? A happy, beautiful girl, smelling/holding a flower. I love the wind blowing her hair.
Do other elements in the image compete with the subject for attention? No. In a strong image, the subject should dominate and form the viewer’s first impression. Great first impression. It put a smile on my face. I think I made the same face [as] the young girl smelling the flower!
Is the image composed well using the rule of thirds? Rule of Thirds: Imagine a tic-tac-toe pattern in the cameras view finder. Then, when you place the subject of the photo at one of the intersections points, the result creates a pleasing sense of order. The rule of thirds is used. The girl is in the left intersection points. Composed well.
Does the image tell a story? Yes.
Is the image tack sharp? Yes. The sharpest point of the picture should pinpoint what the photographer sees as the most important aspect of the image.
Correct exposure? Yes. Exposure: the correct combination of focal length, aperture and shutter speed.
“I always ask myself, ‘What would I change or make sure I do next time?’,” says Jones. In this case, she says she would show both legs instead of one or have both ankles crossed. “That being said, we all know, photographing kids can be tricky and sometimes we only get one chance at a split second. Thumbs-up to the photographer.”
Photography is Jones’s passion, “I love to study all aspects of an image, both negative and positive,” she says. “The positive feeds my soul and the negative makes my soul stronger.”
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Sandy Jones Photography
18280 84th Ave. N.
763.200.0903
sandyjonesphotography.com
