The Final Results for the 2015 Whitewater Photography Competition. Yes
2015, sorry it carried over into 2016. We're going to start earlier
this fall if I have the free time.
Contestant
B
Darin:
It's interesting to judge all four
images together. In my eye they look incredibly similar as far as color
goes. In the first image the red boat really pops, but it's a rapid
already used by the contestant in an earlier round. I like the vertical
shot but not so much water in the foreground. although the layers of trees in the fog are great. The third image is nice,
but the trees on the side of the Soca are busy and kind of an ugly
brown, I had the same problem when I was there. I'd like to see a
tighter crop of it. The final image is just fantastic, yet I do like it
more with the foreground rock cropped out. In a way it frames the
image, yet is distracting.
Clay: B - has the diversity and color range I appreciate. The
dark grey slide with yellow-green accent left with red boat, the foggy
SE looking spring boof with yellow boat, the New Zealand like blue
water in the group boulder field shot then the more vertical nor-cal
looking RED boat into blue water - a drop I haven’t seen before..
This is one incredible combination and the first shot - while near
perfect, falls away as I investigate the others to try to figure out
what river / what country / why haven’t I seen this? Great
collection and only one less interesting shots - the group one. I
like colors and kayak action and this group delivers in both
categories.
VS
Contestant G
Darin: All of contestant B's
images are on overcast days and all of B's are sunny days. I think
that's a large part of what makes me like these images more. Personally
I see more of a mix of color in these four. The first image kind of
upsets me, because it's of me and I was trying to get some unique
angles that day and didn't come away with any good images. I love the
canyon and rock wall texture on the second. The green paddling gear is
a nice accent to the brown walls. The Stikine image, is my least
favorite of these, but I like it more than B's Soca River shot. It gets
the emotion of the place - it's a huge relief to not be getting
hammered on the wall at this point. As for the last image the only
thing that surprises me is that JJ (in the background) still has his
cloths on. Overall I prefer this four pack of images because it feels
like more variety, where all of B's images are shot head on.
Clay: G opens with this amazon yellow boat into tight Cali
granite… I think it’s just a river left view of super-boof
on San Juaquin but the rocky framing makes it unusual and adds
intrigue. Unfortunately the next shots ad more brown to the
arrangement. While that other Cali shot shines with the red boat,
safety and photographer on the rock - all in bright colors that stand
out against the rock, the Stikine shot and that desert-canyon .. while
including really fascinating rock texture with a nice bright boat to
contrast, the action doesn’t overshadow the more monochrome
overall visual plate. So while each shot is very good, as a whole
they lack the kayaking complexity and visual variety of B.
B (Harald Glanz) advances over G (Jim Janney) with a vote from Clay and
the popular vote! Congratulations for Harald Glanz for coming
up with enough images to win again - a true accomplishment to do back
to back. He walks away with an Adventure Technology paddle of choice
and $42.50 in cash, just enough for a beer and hot dog at home in
Austria. Jim Janney goes home in second with $25.5 and a pair of
shorts. Daniel Brasuell came in third and gets $17 and a pair of shorts
too. Thanks to Adventure
Technology and Immersion Research for providing great prizes, and to
all who have taken part, voted or just watched. Also thanks to everyone
who paid their entry fee and a big middle finger to those who didn't,
or paid in Canadian.
