And the Winner Is....
Happy Tuesday, friends and fans! As promised, it's time to announce the winning photo that YOU, my greatest supporters, have chosen for my submission to Canon USA's call for photos on their Instagram feed this week. The theme Canon chose was "Light". There's really no award or anything if Canon chooses one's photo to feature on their IG, other than the opportunity for broader exposure of my work. And there's no sure guarantee they'll choose my submission for their featured shot. But that's the whole idea behind submitting my work to any venue, contest, or call for artists -- to get my work out there, get recognized, and build my career as a freelance photographer. And you all will have had a hand in helping me go forward toward that goal. Thanks! So, with no further adieu, here is the winning photo YOUR votes chose to be my submission to Canon USA: "Linear" .
This photo was taken several years ago, on one of my rambles through Bond County, looking for subjects to shoot. I'm pretty partial to abandoned barns, farmstead, and old ramshackle, falling down houses out in the country. I've been told by my husband I'm going to get shot at one of these days, but I doubt it. I tend to be discreet about it, not destroy or alter any property, and if there is another home nearby, I'll go introduce myself, explain my motive, and ask permission, if they can give it. That's also a great way to ask about the history of the place you want to shoot and explore. They won't always have the answers, but around here, that's unlikely. Most folks here have lived here for generations, know everyone, and are more than happy to tell you stories. The rural Midwest is chock-full of storytellers, and all happy to find a willing audience. So, in addition to learning about the history of the area in which I live, I get a back story for my photo, and get to meet new people. It's fun! This particular barn, however, was on an old farm in a remote area, and no one was about that day at the place up the road from there. The house itself didn't seem so old, relative to the barn, nor all that interesting, but that barn was calling my name. I took some shots all around the outside of it, looking for interesting angles or ideas. It was a beautiful sunny Spring day, and once inside, I discovered the play of the sunshine streaming through the barnwood. What attracted me most to this scene was the lines of this wall and door, accentuated by the rays of light. The play of horizontal and vertical lines, sunlight sneaking in through them and adding more lines along the barn floor, the lines of the block wall, the door juxtaposed with the sheep gate....the title of the image immediately jumped out at me: "Linear". I felt the image would say more in black and white than in color, so b&w it was. I did shoot a frame in color too, but my instinct was right on the money as far as the black & white idea. This turned out to be the stronger image. Thank you for all of your kind comments and "likes" for my images, but especially this one. It's one of my favorites, too. Wish me luck with my submission to Canon USA! And stick around, because out of those of you who participated in my first-rate poll and giveaway, one will be the lucky winner of a free print of your choice, suitable for framing, and shipped to you! Any image from any of my galleries is up for grabs. I'll announce the winner Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM Central, here on the blog, and on Instagram and my FB page, so stick around! Thank you all for your support. I really appreciate it. If you see something you like, feel free to share my website with those you know, using the social media buttons, or sharing a link to my site. Appreciate it!