[shuttertalk]

Can you believe that it'll be Christmas again in less than 17 days? To celebrate, we're giving away some prizes through a photo competition. Here's how to win.

The theme is "The Spirit of Christmas", and is open for you to depict your interpretation of the Christmas message. To enter, submit your image in the gallery here. Also post a copy of your image in this thread to make it easier for us to track your submission.

We've been very fortunate this year to have SmugMug generously donate some prizes for this competition.

- 1 x SmugMug Pro account, for the winning entry, worth $99.95 (USD)
- 1 x SmugMug Power account, for the runner up, worth $49.95 (USD)


Winners will be announced on Christmas day, 25 Dec 2005.

Here are the rules:

This competition starts 0000 GMT+10 on 08 Dec 2005 and ends 2359 GMT+10 24 Dec 2005. At the conclusion of the competition, the winner will be announced based on overall photographic merit by an independent judge. All decisions are final.

Image editing techniques are allowed, so long as they do not affect the overall integrity of image. Removing imperfections and minor distracting elements from images is permitted, but creating or moving major elements of your photograph is not. If possible, please list the effects and changes perfomed in the comments/notes for your entry

Photos used in submissions have to be captured by the entrant during the duration of the competition. Up to 3 submissions per person will be accepted, and originals may be requested to validate entries.

Some final notes - you need to be a member of the Shuttertalk forums to participate. Register for free here. Email or PM me if you need any questions or need assistance with your submission.

Have fun everyone, and good luck!

[guerito]

Christmas Reflection



Hope you like it!

[Petographer]

I really like what you are trying to achive here G. I just wish you could see a clearer reflection of, maybe a lit tree?

[Irma]

Mexican Christmas Tree



A Mexican Christmas tradition is that the kids put their letters to Santa Claus in the Christmas tree, which, by the way, is set up already in the beginning of December. The letter would be picked up a few days before Christmas by Santa's helpers...

[guerito]

I really like what you are trying to achive here G. I just wish you could see a clearer reflection of, maybe a lit tree?

You've got a point there, Colin...

But reflection means so much more than just an image thrown back from a shiny surface. It also means meditation, thoughts of Christmas times past, maybe thinking of Grandpa who used to get drunk on Christmas Eve, the hand knitted pullovers Grandma had made, things like that... Have you noticed the tear filling up the corner of the eye?

[ospring87]

!) A continued Christmas Tradition, family and universal




2) Santa brings joy to everyone, especially those who need it most

[shuttertalk]

Thanks for your entries everyone - some great work there!

And here I was thinking that no one would enter, and I'd have to keep the SmugMug accounts for myself. Drats...



There's still plenty of time left everyone - remember, this comp closes midnight this Saturday! (Eastern Australian time)

[XeoX]

Wish the Santa came faster. We don't have even a Christmas tree in our house. If we will succeed in bringing a Christmas tree before Saturday, I will post my shot here, too. But if not..

[noisynoodle]

Removed by NN after reading the rules

[matthew]

Image editing techniques are allowed, so long as they do not affect the overall integrity of image. Removing imperfections and minor distracting elements from images is permitted, but creating or moving major elements of your photograph is not.

A couple of questions from the newbie:

- how does the PP rule affect B&W and selective colour (partial B&W) techniques?

- what are the size guidelines for the gallery?

[shuttertalk]

Size guidelines - no larger than 800x600

Selective B/W... hm.. that's a hard one. General rule of thumb is that you can do anything you could do in a conventional darkroom...

[noisynoodle]

Julian,

You'd better remove mine as I think it's had too much pp for the rules (beams of light coming from cross) - That'll teach me to read the rules BEFORE I start!!

--NN

[Rufus]

Julian,

You'd better remove mine as I think it's had too much pp for the rules (beams of light coming from cross) - That'll teach me to read the rules BEFORE I start!!

--NN

General rule of thumb is that you can do anything you could do in a conventional darkroom



This lighting COULD be done in a darkroom.

[shuttertalk]

I'm not going to be too much of a Nazi, and will be a bit liberal with the rules... After all, photography and Shuttertalk is meant to be fun. But it's your call..

[Rufus]

No, I expect NN will leave it out.

I suppose the problem is that too many people just dont know anything about real darkroom work, and will assume that it's not possible.

Never mind. Like that web-site, it doesnt matter.

[noisynoodle]

I don't know enough about real dark rooms to know whether it could be done or not, which is why I posted asking for it to be removed. Rufus has far more experience than me and disagrees....... but you set the rules, so it's really your call......I don't like it anymore anyway, so whether it's within the rules or not, please remove it!

[Petographer]

I really like what you are trying to achive here G. I just wish you could see a clearer reflection of, maybe a lit tree?

You've got a point there, Colin...

But reflection means so much more than just an image thrown back from a shiny surface. It also means meditation, thoughts of Christmas times past, maybe thinking of Grandpa who used to get drunk on Christmas Eve, the hand knitted pullovers Grandma had made, things like that... Have you noticed the tear filling up the corner of the eye?

Ahhh, ok. I see now. I did not notice the tear but thought it was just the reflection. It is indeed a very nice image G. As well as Osprings and Irma's too. Irma, I really like. Well done.

[shuttertalk]

Ok I've removed it NN...

Hope to see more submissions!

[noisynoodle]

Ok I've removed it NN...

Thanks

[Irma]

Time to remember



I posted my picture in the wrong album.... sorry

Could anybody change it please?
Thanks a lot

[noisynoodle]

OK...I've uploaded my entry again, but this time without the added pp effects.

I've called it "Hope" because Christmas is a time of hope. When Christ was born He brought humanity a hope of reconciliation with God and of eternal life in His presence. So often Christmas seems to make people think of Jesus Christ as a helpless baby, but though He was born in that fashion, just as we all are, the hope He brought with Him became assured when He willingly went to the cross as a man and declared "It is finished!" That's why I've included the cross in the photo - because we need to keep sight of that too, and in a way, the cross was already present when Jesus was born. The lighted houses represent the light He brought into the world, and the general joy, peace and goodwill of the season.

The photo is of some small pottery houses with lights inside which are decorating our mantelpiece for Christmas and a small wooden cross that sits there all year round. The "star" in the sky is a blue fairy light. The "sky" is a jumper of mine pinned to the wall!



A very merry and peaceful Christmas to you all.

Jan

[Wedding Shooter]

Lovely Noisy Noodle.

[matthew]

Sure enough, even after reading Irma's message, two out of my three wound up in the "Windows and Doors" challenge gallery. Could someone please nudge them to the proper spot? (One of them would qualify for that theme, too.)

Having been raised in a (mostly) secular household, with a small family and no children of my own, my experience of Christmas is probably different from most. I have little personal involvement with the holiday -- holy day -- and don't take part in most of the seasons' activities, including gifts. Still, I see a lot of the consumerism and predatory drive, as well as the charity and reflection. I know I'm not unusual in wishing that there was more of the latter and less of the former.

It certainly doesn't seem like less than a year ago that we were all jolted back to the reality of catastrophe and desperate need.



Christmas has many associations, including presents and joy. When I was a kid, waking my parents up at 5am to open the presents, they were one and the same. The more I learn, the more I realize that having stuff and being happy are two different things.



Walking through a back alley, I was stopped in my tracks by this little vignette. (Actually, I was stopped in a truck's tracks in a foot of fresh snow, but it's a very similar thing.) There's something to see everywhere.



The snowman seems so happy that I just had to take his photo. The 'snow' is the white tissue paper he came in; this seems to suit him so well it's almost a shame to put him on a tree.

[shuttertalk]

Sure enough, even after reading Irma's message, two out of my three wound up in the "Windows and Doors" challenge gallery. Could someone please nudge them to the proper spot? (One of them would qualify for that theme, too.)

Nudged...

[XeoX]

I have had few really good shot oportunity during the last three days, unfortunately I hadn't my camera with me. Maybe I can up with something good today.

I took a look at the pictures, you all have posted, I really like the shot, where the little child looks at a Christmas decoration.

I added my first picture, too. Hope you get the point of this shot. Technically it's not the best one.

Plastic Christmas

EDIT:
I just added my second photo to this assignment.
PS! I had a hard time calculating when is the last oportunity to add my photo. We are in a timezone GMT +2. I hope I made it.