dp+ photo challenge 10 Popular Votes Pick Winner

photo challenge 10 - First Prize Winner by Popular Votes Pick
theme: Ethnic Dance
photographer: Raphy Arcaina
title: Kagay-an Cultural Street Dancer
camera: Nikon D5100
total no. of votes: 43

dp+ pick winner - photo challenge 9 with theme "happiness captured"

dp+ Winning Entry - photo challenge 9 - dp+ Pick
theme: Happiness Captured
photographer: Macky Sevilla
title: "Shower Fun"
camera: Canon 500D
total judges score: 460/500

Here are the remarks of the judges who included this entry to their top 3 picks: 

Judge 1 - 2nd Pick - 88/100

"Great in-the-moment shot. It is difficult to capture the nuances of water and expression, but ably done! Very nice image, makes me smile!"

Judge 2 - 2nd Pick - 90/100

"Simple yet the adaptation is clearly defined. We all enjoyed a splash in the tub in our childhood."

Judge 3 - 1st Pick - 97/100

"A very happy kid playing with water. Happiness captured, indeed. Perfect, what more can i say?"

Judge 4 - 1st Pick - 93/100

"Now this is pure unadulterated fun! I'm pretty sure everyone experienced this kind of joy, even just watching kids playing and having fun makes one happy. It brings out the child in all of us, This entry fits the theme perfectly. The black and white treatment makes it a classic. Great job!"

Judge 5 - 2nd Pick - 92/100

"Not just a well captured expression of joy, it added the extra challenge of a nicely done water splash."

This entry placed 4th with 38 votes in the Popular Votes Pick where dp+ members voted entries through likes compared with 1st placer entry by Karen Eaquinta Sharkey with 65 votes.

5 judges voted for this entry in the dp+ Pick. 2 judges as 1st Pick and 3 judges as 2nd Pick. It is the first time that an entry gets to be picked by all 5 judges. Compared with 2nd Place entry by Aileen Siwa with 170/500 picked by only 2 judges, Macky Sevilla's entry got included in all the judges' top 3 picks, gathering 460/500 votes. The rest of the entries that made it to the dp+ Pick only got picked by 1 judge each. This entry won unanimously. An easier competition for the judges and a decision that sure made everyone happy.

Congratulations, Macky Sevilla for winning the "Happiness Captured" theme. Happily captured and happily judged, a real winner of an entry - really great job!!

dp+ pick winner - photo challenge 6 - exceptional flower photo

dp+ Winning Entry - Photo Challenge 6
theme: Exceptional Flower Photo
photographer: Jane Woodhouse
title: Breath of Fresh Air
camera: Canon Powershot A470
total judges score: 279/500

Out of 5 judges for dp+ Pick, 3 included this entry to their top 3 picks. 2 voted it as their 1st picks and 1 voted for it as his 2nd Pick. Compared with Lennox Tpc's Top 2 entry with 184/500, it is 95 points higher and 109 points more than Top 3 tied entries of Ric Tan and Derlin Zhang with 170/500. The rest of the 5 remaining entries chosen by the judges got 1 vote each from the judges.

Here are the remarks of all the judges who included this entry to his/her top 3 picks:

Judge 2

1st Pick
Remark: Great element of design !!!

Judge 3
2nd Pick
Remark: The totality of the picture is well-presented. I very much like the choice of camera angle and although it's "crowded", it leads your focus on the main subject being the darkest in the whole frame. The sun behind the subject produced a brilliant light that seems to cuddle all the objects together, making them a bit flooded on the edges to make the main subject come more "alive". I would have preferred a little bit darkness to the total presentation, but in one package I love the WHOLE picture as presented.

Judge 5
1st Pick
Remark: A well thought and planned composition in a simple honest shot. Exceptional in the way it is presented without much photo whizbangs. Unique in its own way, a refreshing traditional approach but quite effective nevertheless. An honest to goodness "breath of fresh air" as it is so aptly entitled.

This entry placed 10th in the dp+ Popular Votes Pick where dp+ members vote through Likes on the entries. It gathered 30 votes compared with 1st placers, Lily Vinluan and Lennox Tpc with 47 votes each.

Quite unlike all the other entries in approach and presentation - it is undoubtedly an exceptional flower photo, very well composed and an altogether beautiful piece of work. Bravo Zulu*, Jane Woodhouse! 

*Bravo Zulu - from the words of dp+ member, Monching Corpuz, is a naval signal conveyed by flag hoist or voice radio meaning, "Well Done".

dp+ Pick winner, photo challenge 5 with theme photo illusions

dp+ Winning Entry - Photo Challenge 5
theme: Photo Illusions without Photo Manipulation
title: "Dreamy"
camera: Olympus PEN E-PL1
total judges score: 354/500

There were 5 judges in all in dp+ Photo Challenge 5. Unlike previous challenges, out of 5 judges, 4 judges included this entry to their top 3 choices. Only 1 judge excluded this entry in his top 3 picks. 2 judges voted for this entry as their 1st Pick, while 2 others placed this entry on their 2nd and 3rd Picks. A score of 354/500 - means a comparatively high majority score from the judges.

This entry is 1 judge more in its favor compared with the top 2nd dp+ Pick with a score of 261/500 by Juanito Vinluan which was chosen by 3 judges to be included in their top 3 picks. Vinluan got a 1st, 2nd and 3rd Pick each from 3 judges while top 3rd dp+ Pick by Zandro Cenizal got 1 top pick and 1 2nd Pick. These 3 are obviously ahead of all the other entries.

Here are the remarks of all the judges who included this entry to his/her top 3 picks:

Judge 1

1st Pick

Remark: The best thing I like about this one is that it is not scripted. She did a good job in spotting this one and took her time to take it. The shot is simple, yet has a big impact.

Judge 2

2nd Pick

Remark: I like the colors and proper exposure on the shot, not too technical and fancy, but effective.

Judge 3

3rd Pick

Remark: Illusion ought to be something that remains a mystery, a riddle. In this entry, it took no time for me to see the illusion the secret of the photo is very evident to be inversion. Technically very sound.

Judge 5

1st Pick

Remark: No fancy technical stuff - that just did it. A simple yet effective photo illusion. Sheer aesthetic appeal place it on my top pick, for at the end of the day, when theme adaptation is exhausted and when all is said about technical stuff, the bottom line is still how a photo would look and on that score - this entry is a winner.

It should also be noted that this entry is also the winner of the dp+ Popular Votes Pick - getting 53 votes, compared with 2nd placer, Juanito Vinluan with 42 votes and 3rd placer, Monching Corpuz with 35 votes.
It is undoubtedly a photo illusion minus photo manipulation and it is technically sound, too. When you look at it, it is as if leaves are floating in the sky like some Chagall painting - an altogether beautiful work of art at its best - kudos to Nada Stambuk!!

Popular Votes Pick winning entry for photo challenge 5

dp+ photo challenge 5 - Popular Votes Pick winning entry

photographer: Nada Stambuk

title: "Dreamy"

theme: Photo illusion without photo manipulation

camera: Olympus PEN E-PL1

winner dp+ Pick - photo challenge 4

dp+ Pick Winning Entry - Photo Challenge 4
theme: Celebrating Woman/Women
title: "Will always be waiting for you"
camera: Canon 7D
total judges score:  187/500

As what's been customary for the group, there were 5 judges in all. This time no 2 judges have similar top picks. Only 1 judge picked this entry as top pick. So this entry won through judges' scores. Compared with Photo Challenge 3 with a total score of 188/500, this entry is 1 point lower in judges' score at 187/500. It could have tied with Zandro Cenizal's entry entitled, "Has purpose through the years" if Cenizal's entry wasn't given a 5 points deduction by one judge because of a quite visible watermark or signature.

Here are the remarks of all the judges who included this entry to his/her top 3 picks:


Judge 3
"Fantastic composition with idea in mind. What comes first to mind is that the off focus was done on purpose to portray the photographer's side of his story."

Judge 5
"Remark: When judging photos I don't give much weight on the caption or what the photographer has to say about his/her piece. I just look at the photos and let it speak to me with its own visual message. Undeniably a woman form, not even a glamorized silhouette of one - just a woman in utter simplicity and mystery, an understated force to reckon with. Simple yet speaks volume that celebrates a woman's mystic. Creatively done, I appreciate how the photographer subdued and contained his subject to present a remarkable, powerful piece.

It should also be noted that this entry is top number 2 in the Popular Votes pick, second to Zandro Cenizal's entry. A Popular Votes Pick winning entry gathered the most number of votes from dp+ members. This entry was the only entry that represented women in general. Very creative use of photographic technique, too! It's a simple celebration of woman minus all the embellishments speaking volumes. Congratulations, Sam Ade, wonderful job!

To be posted next is the ranking of dp+ Pick winners.

Popular Votes Pick winning entry, dp+ photo challenge 4

dp+ photo challenge 4 - Popular Votes Pick winning entry

photographer: Zandro Cenizal

title: "Has purpose through the years"

theme: Celebrating Woman/Women

camera: Nikon D90

dp+ Pick Winner - 3rd photo challenge

dp+ Pick Winning Entry - Photo Challenge 3
theme: sweet Valentines
photographer: Lennox Tpc
title: "They do celebrate Valentines"
camera: Fuji Film Finepix S200 EXR
total score: 188/500

There were 5 judges and 2 voted for this entry as the 1st Pick in their top 3 choices. There is no vote for this entry from the remaining 3 judges since majority of the judges did not reach any consensus on their top 3 choices. A tough decision for all the dp+ panel of judges.

Here are the remarks of all judges who included this entry to his/her top 3 picks:


Judge 3
"When I saw this picture it put a smile on my face. The timing was perfect because it's very difficult to capture a moment like this. Very unique, too."

Judge 5
"Kudos for being in the right place at the right time when nature chose to make its union in the shape of a heart which is a symbol of Valentines, too, although not as sweet. For lack of other more eligible entry puts this on top of my list. A quite unusual Valentine and great capture!"

A special mention from Judge 4 but not included in his top 3 picks:
"Great capture, but then this again is a good picture that just happened. The photographer came across these two insects. The other thing is that with the spirit of Valentines Day, one insect eating the other kind of kills the romantic part, hahahaha... but overall a good image."

It should be worth mentioning that this entry also won the Popular Votes Pick. It means that majority of the  dp+ members who voted, also liked this entry. It is the first time that an entry won both the Popular Votes Pick and the dp+ Pick. A tough competition in the dp+ Pick with only 2 points more than the top 2 Pick, though, but nevertheless, emerged victorious. A CONGRATULATIONS in all caps - well deserved, Lennox!!

dp+ 3rd photo challenge winner by Popular Votes Pick

dp+ 3rd photo challenge winner by Popular Votes Pick
photographer: Lennox Tpc
title: They do celebrate Valentines
theme: sweet Valentine...
camera: Fujifilm Finepix S2000 EXR

2nd dp+ Pick winner

dp+ Pick Winner - 2nd dp+ photo challenge - theme: New Year
Entry no. 5 entitled Dreamworks
photographer: Richie Alano

camera: Canon 5D mk2

There were 5 judges and 4 voted for this entry as 1st Pick in their top 3 choices.

Here are the remarks of all judges who included this entry to his/her top 3 picks:

Judge 1

One look at this photo and you immediately see what you want to see---fireworks, surroundings, and people, which in the equation adds up to "NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION". By just looking at the photo, you can just see and feel the spirit of New Year. Technically, it is the same play of long exposure. But, to conceptualize the photo in the middle of their local festivities is totally genius.

Judge 2

Now here's a perfect shot. What made it perfect? Richie was able to capture both the land and sky activities at a same speed rate...it really symbolizes New Year, the human element of celebration is present and was shown at a very artistic way thus the long exposure, and the imperfect fireworks capture made it a perfect shot for me. I love how the fireworks scattered all over the place it makes the whole image so real and lively.

Judge 3

Good bulb setting on a long exposure shot. I like the details captured with the children playing on the sides and the human element.

Judge 5

A match of technical skill, aesthetic appeal, theme adaptation and creativity all put together. Elements all gelled together to create an apt interpretation of the theme. It is a live photo that presents the feel and festivities in celebrating the New Year.

total score: 349/500

This photo won by majority votes as top pick for each judge. Congratulations, Richie Alano for winning the dp+ Pick, job well done!

dp+ 2nd photo challenge winnerS in the Popular Votes Pick

2 winners tied in the dp+ 2nd photo challenge with the  New Year theme as Popular Votes Pick. They are winners who get the most number of member votes. With 37 votes each they are, Joey Rico and Wendy Picton. Congratulations to both of you!

Entry no. 1
photographer: Joey Rico
title: Flower in the Sky
camera: Nikon D90 

Entry no. 23
photographer: Wendy Picton
title: Celebrate!
camera: Olympus e510

first dp+ Pick winner

First dp+ photo challenge theme: Christmas is...

dp+ Pick winner: Leo de la Rosa

title: Christmas is around the corner

camera: LUMIX LXS

Among 5 judges 3 judges voted for this photo as first place.

Judge No. 1

remark: This photo gives you a potent combination of technical know-how and adaptation to the theme. A skillfully crafted photo, a play of lights, and a touch of Christmas spirit makes this entry my top pick.

score: 83/100

Judge No. 3

remark: His photo is well balanced and technical. Even the colors and the exposure is spot-on.

score: 90/100

Judge No. 5

remark: Although not as deep in interpreting the photo-challenge theme - this is Christmas with an exclamation point! Very few technically well-crafted photos are as equally visually appealing - this is a combination of both!

score: 95/100

total score: 268/500

It was a close fight between this entry and Paeng Balen's entry. Congratulations for emerging as the dp+ Pick winner, Leo!

first ever dp+ Popular Votes Pick winner

dp+ 1st photo challenge winner by Popular Votes Pick
photographer: Paeng Balen
title: Waiting for Christmas
theme: Christmas is...
camera: Canon 1000D

bare expectations

photo by Benjax Rivera

A representative work by Benjax Rivera, one of the long standing members of Digital Photography PLUS way back when it was still a Friendster group in 2007.

Doing one of the things he loves best, nude photography, Bare Expectations is a sample of his creative style.