LPS #6 coming to a close

Shay Stephens

The LPS#6 qualifying round is in the final stretch. If you are planning on entering, you still have till the end of Sunday to get your entry in, specifically Monday 12:01am EST (that's midnight around here) . The next qualifying round (LPS#7) will begin Monday, and the new theme and judges will be announced then. We will be charting some new territory in #7, so keep some Kleenex handy :wink

The LPS#6 judges will be getting their final instructions soon. Best wishes to you all

PaulThomasMcKee

Shay Stephens wrote:

We will be charting some new territory in #7, so keep some Kleenex handy

New territory? Kleenex? Hmmm... Could be interesting.

Nikolai

Shay Stephens wrote:

We will be charting some new territory in #7, so keep some Kleenex handy

As if it was not enough pressure already...
Great job, Shay & Co!

BistiArt

Can LPS be National Geographic?

Shay Stephens wrote:

We will be charting some new territory in #7, so keep some Kleenex handy

Shay,

"We will be charting some new territory in #7, so keep some Kleenex handy."

Without using Kleenex, recently, I have been thinking about new LPS territory as well. It seems LPS might be missing focus on landscapes, or is it just me missing focus...

Out of the first 45 entries on LPS #5, I could only class 20% as landscapes. Of the other 36, I really did love some of the gorgeous images, but... [clearly, I didn't try to make statistical significance a criteria in this somewhat arbitrary analysis nor did I consider all prior LPS entries (what I now think of as our break-in period)].

There could be several reasons for this seeming imbalance; finances, access, imagination, [I'm sure others could think up different reasons; this is not meant to be an exhaustive list], the creativity to focus an LPS title on an evocative landscape which might even contain both words in the title, etc....
For example, as a landlocked landlubber on LPS, my landscapes are going to be high deserts and mountains, not such gorgeous entries as sibilant waterfalls, soft lakes, verdant forests, or indelible sunset seashores from some of our prominent contributors
... each a topic which seems to taunt, provoke, and intrigue me, yet at such a distance.

With three quarters of LPS to go, may I suggest creators, judges, and contributors of Last Photographer Standing seriously consider how to incorporate some of that proposed "new" territory as landscapes?
Among other things, with contributors from around our planet, it might allow other lubbers to literally see places they may never get to, yet clearly yearn for!
Think of it as your own coffee-table National Geographic travel guide, just our LPS on the Internet!

I would be interested to hear other views on the subject. Mayhap with, mayhap without Kleenex...

Strikeslip

Shay Stephens wrote:

The LPS#6 qualifying round is in the final stretch. If you are planning on entering, you still have till the end of Sunday to get your entry in, specifically Monday 12:01am EST (that's midnight around here) . The next qualifying round (LPS#7) will begin Monday, and the new theme and judges will be announced then. We will be charting some new territory in #7, so keep some Kleenex handy

The LPS#6 judges will be getting their final instructions soon. Best wishes to you all

Is it my fault you're announcing the close of the qualifying round?

Shay Stephens

BistiArt wrote:

Without using Kleenex, recently, I have been thinking about new LPS territory as well. It seems LPS might be missing focus on landscapes, or is it just me missing focus...

There has been many opportunities for entering a landscape photo

• March 5 - Chilled or Steamy
• March 19 - Stately or Humble
• April 2 - Irregular or Picturesque
• April 16 - Artificial or Organic
• April 30 - Translucent or Silhouette
• May 14 - SEMIFINAL 1

• May 28 - Curvy or Angular

The themes have all been chosen from the start, and as we move forward some themes will suggest a landscape entry more than others. Some themes may be difficult to get a landscape to work, but that does not prevent one from trying. One can learn a lot by trying the seemingly impossible.

But if you are expecting a cut and dry "landscape" theme, well you may be in for a bit of a wait as that's not quite how we roll here hehehe.

For example, as a landlocked landlubber on LPS, my landscapes are going to be high deserts and mountains, not such gorgeous entries as sibilant waterfalls, soft lakes, verdant forests, or indelible sunset seashores from some of our prominent contributors
... each a topic which seems to taunt, provoke, and intrigue me, yet at such a distance.

A great photo can come from the most humble of locations, Vandana for example simply had a sunset with a man and a ball and a basket, and yet it burned in my brain. The high desert has a wealth of details that are highly photogenic. The potential is literally staggering. You have access to a resource many do not.

I recently had a photographer contact me looking for advice on an upcoming assignment, and my suggestion to them might apply to you as well so I will paste here:

That helps a lot to see the photo links. It looks like a decent mix of views and talents. If I were to offer a suggestion as to a possible direction, it would be to not try to stand out amongst the others as far as content. There looks to be a wide enough assortment that unique perspectives (e.g. close) would not stand out on its own.

Instead, I am thinking of trying to appeal to the gallery attendee directly. Look for emotional shots, interaction between animal and vegetable, or interaction between organic with inorganic. Sounds a little like a contest theme here, but I think it would stand a better chance of engaging the viewer rather than simply standing out.

So when looking for something to shoot, look for anything that moves you emotionally, look for interaction between two or more elements, look for pure beauty/purity. Keep those themes clear and simple in your mind (write them down if you have to). That will be a better guide than any gallery I can think of at the moment.

Shay Stephens

Strikeslip wrote:

Is it my fault you're announcing the close of the qualifying round?

hehehe no, just a coincidence, I usually post a reminder as we head into the last weekend.