Judge – ?
1. (Absolute Worst Photo in the Contest) • Rick Egan •
“Sparkles”
“Maaaammaries, light the corners of my mind…” OK, I’ve stared at this photo, and stared at this photo, and stared at this photo. And after extensive, prolonged study I could come up with only two good reasons to run this photo. And a whole bunch of reasons not to.
For starters, although I know absolutely nothing about f-stops, shutter speeds and the like, even I can tell you this photo seems a tad “overexposed,” shall we say? The harsh lighting and the straight-up “snapshot” look of the image leaves it virtually devoid of artistic or journalistic redeeming value. I can’t imagine why any sane newspaper editor would run this photo, unless of course it was accompanying some Pulitzer Prize-winning story about a new anti-gravity dress that researchers had just developed. (How DOES that thing stay up?)
This ran on a society page, right? And probably one with the motto “Tea Cups to D-Cups: All the Society News That’s Fit to Print.” Thanks for keeping readers abreast of the news.
2. (Absolute Second-worst Photo in the Contest)
“Just Ducky”
I don’t know much about photojournalism, but I know what sucks. And this sucks so bad, it blows. Pity the poor photographer who got called out on this assignment. Oh, and four words for Mr. Quackers here: “Dude, Where’s My Life?”
3. (Absolute Third-worst Photo in the Contest)
“Parade”
Although it seems it would have been better to be able to see the children’s faces closer-up in this photo, I have to admit shooting it from a distance (and from above) gives a sort of sniper’s-eye-view feel to the whole thing.
Serving suggestion: Maybe photoshop into the image the crosshairs of a rifle scope, centered right on the cherry. Sweet.
4. (Honorable Mention Absolute Worst Photo in the Contest)
“Arrow in My Yard”
I’m actually strangely drawn to this photo. So much so that I’m not even sure it belongs in this category. There’s something unsettling-yet-appealing about this mother standing in the bright sunshine, thrusting a wicked-sharp arrow toward the camera – her children spread out in the background, smiling these odd little smiles.
Indeed, I can think of only one thing that could possibly make this photo better: Put the arrow-holding mom in the anti-gravity dress.