Sarah has asked us ”Can you easily pick out the best of your shots and are you comfortable rejecting those that have been less successful?” She has challenged us to share three of what we consider to be amongst our very best shots, but also commented that if she did it again next week (or even tomorrow) she would probably choose three different shots!
I love to use light and strong shadows in my images now, which can be used to great creative effect in creating a story, an atmosphere, lead the eye into areas of the image you want to focus on…. Took me a long time to get to this realisation, in the past I would actively avoid any areas of shadow.
So for my first image, strong shadows frame the part of the image to be focussed on, and the lone figure in an empty street can let us create our own stories:
Now for a portrait, one that admittedly I have shown recently, but I was very pleased with this – the focus on her eyes, catchlights in those eyes, shallow depth of field ensuring subject, ie portrait is isolated:
And for my third image, a backlit shot. Three things about this…the silhouettes created by the backlight, the positioning of the figures and those lovely clouds.It all came together:
Linked to Lens artists at Sarah’s here
WordsVisual 
Good choices, Sue. When I used film cameras, I used to be ‘brutal’ when the prints came back. I have been known to discard half of a 36-shot roll or more, when unhappy with the results.
This is one of my current favourites from my digital efforts. You have seen it before.
https://beetleypete.com/2019/08/26/a-favourite-photo/
Best wishes, Pete.
Ah yes, sheep in a white-out
Oh Sue, these are gorgeous photos you have presented 😀 😀
Thanks very much, Cee! A favourite?
I think you’ve shown me all these. Nice choices.
Thanks!
Great selections Sue 🙂
Thanks, Brian!
Beautiful choices Sue – I loved the portrait especially. Your subject is truly brought to life!
Yes, I was really pleased with that one, Tina
Oooh… that backlit pier has a very utopian quality about it. I love it!
And here’s how it was when I saw it 40 years ago: https://suejudd.com/2022/05/15/pier/. Nothing utopian about it then, just damaged….
I really like the black and white.
Many thanks, Sylvie! The person just walked into the frame at the right moment,
Excellent. Portrait, Backlit, and Shadowy Door are my order of faves. Well done.
Thank you very much, John!
That portrait is simply lovely.
Thanks, Dawn! Probably the best one I have done
Something to be proud of, for sure.
Thanks!
Three great choices, Sue. I love the atmosphere of the last, though I always struggle with horizons in this kind of shot. The eyes deceive sometimes. Happy Monday!
When you’re looking at them, or when you’re taking them, Jo?
Top marks for all three, you chose well.
Many thanks, Mari – do you have a favourite? 😊
I really like the pier. You can take its bold uprights against the sea at face value – as in a failed pier. But it also has abstract looks too, making me think of temples or prehistoric avenues, and the smallness of the two silhouetted figures adds to the ambiguity/drama.
Thanks, Tish…I like the idea of temples or prehistoric avenues…brought o mind avenues flanked by pillars in Greek and Roman ruins I have seen….
Exactly that sort of thing.
Good!
I think I have seen it before, and probably said it then – the portrait is stunning. A lovely woman beautifully captured.
I think you have, and thanks!
Great selections and it’s interesting how your choices tell us something about you as a photographer, especially the emphasis in the first and last shots on contrast. While I like them all, and the portrait really drew me in, I think the last is my favourite as the silhouette of the pier is so striking and its roughness contrasts perfectly with the soft light and perfectly positioned human figures 🙂
Many thanks, Sarah, and bang to rights about my love of contrast for a good few of my images!I was very pleased with the pier image….
Definitely the pier for me. Great contrasts, lovely light on the water, a perfectly horizontal horizon (😉) and the two figures just in the right position.
Thanks, Jude! Perfect horizon is important, non?
It is to me 😉
Well, I do agree😊
I actually hoped you would choose one of your still life’s, you are so good at those, I loved the book and coffee cup ones.
Oh, thanks, Jude!,,,,why didn’t I??
Excellent selections. Beautiful portrait photo. The backlit is my favorite!
Thanks, Amy! The backlit seems popular
Lovely trio and the beauty of the lady is felt in second image
Also / I agree that your third phototherapy had many element come together – all of what you said and then also the scale felt by the people – and those two people being a slight organic shape to the strong geometrics –
And the posts and all that do lift us towards the sky! Strong photo sue
Many thanks, Yvette! Pleased you like my images
☀️😊📸