Calendar Winners 2014

[F, Calla & Luca]

Everyone is invited to post their Calendar winners here. congratulations to all. I do know how many great photos were not able to fit in. This is the one place in this group where the word calendar is allowed until next year when sometime around August the madness starts again : ) I really prefer, and I am sure you all do too , to hear general comments on photos or specific points, pro and con, rather than " This is a calendar  winner for sure." We know there is no such thing. Or "Save this for the calendar. Anyone who doesn't know a highly praised photo is a possible submission, well need I say more. But we all know we worked hard. All the photos I saw deserved to win and hundreds more did too. We worked hard and the calendars look great. Adina has an impossible task she did well!

Addendum: someone remind us of this next year:

Adina P replied to your discussion "Calendar Winners 2014" in Photography Group on DoodleKisses.com

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If I may add some notes/suggestions for next year:

1) Practice removing leashes with photoshop and have someone check your work before submitting.  Some really nice photos either didn't or almost didn't make the cut because it was very obvious that a leash/collar/harness was erased.

2) Avoid really close crops especially if the crop is a bit tall or a bit wide.  Such crops will lead to the chopping off of heads, chins, tails or feet if they are closely cropped and/or tall or wide.  Cloning to add height or width to the photo can help!

3) Only ONE excellent photo per dog ;-)  Just kidding.  But when discussing photos with a friend of mine who has helped me deliberate year to year, her first comment about this year's photos was about how EVEN BETTER they were than last year.  Made for a tough job.

[Bonnie and Kona]

I truly love that photo too! 

[Bonnie and Kona]

love this! Save it for next year!

[Joani, Skadi & Elli]

Ha...thanks for considering this one too...she was very peaceful that day, up at the Lake out on the front porch and she had climbed into the chair...I had to rush out with the camera!

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Such a sweet photo! I love this picture!

[F, Calla & Luca]

This is not the time and place to "throw things out there". People worked very hard on their images and this is a discussion to celebrate the hard working, fortunate people whose doodles made the calendar. We had a discussion for critiquing photos and I think we all appreciated constructive criticism there. Some members and I have held differing opinions on editing and discussed this. I have come to appreciate that artistic viewpoints differ. If you have things about editing you wish to discuss you are welcome to join those debates, or start one of your own. But these photos, all of which are deserving have won.There is nothing helpful about your bringing up this right now.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

F as I stated above - I apologize if I have offended anyone!  I was not in anyway talking about anyone particular photo - just a general observation.  I didn't realize that this was meant only for congratulations - I thought it was a discussion and was merely stating what I see as a trend.  I did and do congratulate everyone who made the calendar - I know that everyone worked hard!!  Once again I am sorry to anyone that I have offended.  

[F, Calla & Luca]

Okay Jane. The air is cleared : )

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

So speaking of too bright, too much color, sky too blue...what the heck did I do wrong today?

This is right out of the camera. I would like to take out too much color. Intense.  Some cameras right now are brilliant.  The shots: clarity, focus, composition belong to the photographer.  So, consider this too. Give them credit

I know my eyesight is not the best right now, but really, is the world this beautiful?  When we are looking for fault we will find it. 

Let's congratulate.    Let's edit our thoughts and find some good in the world right now

[Camilla and Darwin]

Don't you dare take out the color, it's awesome! :-)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Thank you, Camilla.  Just saying, I set this one up.  I picked the spot, I composed, but clarity I had some trouble with...still.  Click it on and you will see it is not in focus up close. So it takes a lot sometimes to really get it right. I would hope that others realize this and take it into consideration. I have faith they will.  This one, if I knew what I was doing, could have been perfect but it's not.  

I know that many take a gabillion photos. They picked the five best from a lot of work, so much fun, and ... certainly disappointment   :)   Still, a good day

[Camilla and Darwin]

I know that when I photograph Darwin, I'll take hundreds of photos and end up with maybe 5 that are great. It's nice though, if we had more keepers think of how much space we'd fill on our computers. He he.

I love this photo of Spud. Clarity Shmarity. :-)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Hey, do you want to try and edit?  LOL  Seriously