June 2008 Contest Votes

[T Paul]

Voting will run from 24 June to 30 June 2008. Deadline for votes is 5pm EDT.

Only those that entered the contest may vote. All other votes will be deleted. If you did not enter, but would like to comment on an entry, please post your comments in the June 08 Contest Discussion thread.

Vote for the 5 best entries in order.

You cannot vote for your own image. If you do, your votes will be deleted.

Example Vote:
Pick the top five contest entries and list in order...

1. Entry X (First Place)
2. Entry A (Second Place and so on)
3. Entry Q
4. Entry S
5. Entry P

This thread will remain closed until it's time to vote.

And as always, when you vote try to include some things you especially liked about your choices…what made them stand out, what impressed you, etc. This is a learning experience!

[T Paul]

Here is a link to a temporary album for easier viewing: June Content Entries

[r_dg]

1.jaime- I love your picture, It Feels touchable. lol.
2.ruzzez- i liked it but one of the ballerinas color looks a little bit fake.
3.Lorraine- Very good image, looking natural but not perfect.
4.Lurch
5.kgm

[PhotoB]

1. LonK
2. PanPan
3. Lorraine
4. Jaime
5. Ruzzez

[lkroll]

I actually remembered to vote this time. lol

1. LonK
2. KGM
3. panpan
4. asims28
5. HelenC

[Swampy]

This was really tough!

1. Lonk
2. Jamie
3. Carol B
4. Printmeister
5. lKrol

[dkcoats]

1. Ruzzez
2. LonK
3. KGM
4. printmeister
5. asims28

[Lorraine]

This contest was very difficult to judge, as all entries are exceptionally good.

My choices:

1. jamie – Beautifully done. You kept the vintage look while adding sparkle to the entire photo.

2. Ruzzez – It looks like a hand-tinted photo. Good job in incorporating hints of the underlying colors into the sheerness of the white ballet costume. The background restoration is well done also. Wish it were a little lighter to better show the details.

3. HelenC – I like the overall softness of the photo that shows its age. You did a great job on both women’s faces adding the hint of cheek and lip color just as the old hand-tinted photos are done. The palm tree might be a little bright for the rest of the tones in the photo.

4. Cassidy – Excellent colorization and tonal quality.

5. matthewmarshall – Love how you maintained the old feel with your color choices. Great restoration work on the background.

Lorraine

[Peter S]

1 LonK
2 Ruzzez
3 dweekley
4 HelenC
5 KGM

[0lBaldy]

1. Lonk

2. Ruzzez

3. Jaime

4. PanPan

5. KGM

[Maggie42]

1. matthewmarshall
2. KGM
3. Lorraine
4. Cassidy
5. carb

I loved all of them, but so difficult to choose. I decided to go with straight colouration rather than altered.

[Ruzzez]

1 PanPan Great Wall
2 Lorraine Colors selection is excellent.
3 HelenC The colors are excellent here too
4 dkcoats Nicely done
5 mathewmarshall The hand colored look is excellent.

There were other excellent entries but I tried to stay with the ones that realistically transformed the provided photo from B&W to color photography.

[laura.lala]

Because they were all so beautiful and well done, it was difficult for me to provide a top 5. Finally I've decided I'll vote for the ones that gave me the strongest sensation of a genuine photo made in "the turn of the 19th to 20th century"... one that "grew old" forgotten in a drawer but in time it becomes more mysterious, somehow like those French wines...

1.mathewmarshal
2.Ruzzez
3.Jaime
4.Lorraine
5.KGM

[HelenC]

1. Lorraine
2. Ruzzez
3. Pan Pan
4. Mathew Marshall
5. Jaime

A difficult image to colorize and judge. I found some images either too dark, overly sharpened, unusual skin coloring and areas that are too white. Looking at how everyone appoached colorizing helps to train the eye and was a great learning experience for me. Glad I don't colorize for a living.

[carb]

1. MatthewMarshall
2. Ruzzez
3. Lon K.
4. dkcoats
5. KGM

[CarolB]

1. KGM
2. Lorraine
3. Swampy
4. dkcoats
5. PanPan

[LonK]

My voting criteria:
- Per the contest tasks, "Realistically colorize the provided photo"*. Does it look real (i.e. like a natural color photograph)?
- Is it complete? Has EVERYTHING been colored?
- Were the color choices appropriate? Does it present a harmonious and balanced color scheme?
- Quality: Is the coloring accurately placed (no bleeding)? Is there a full tonal range, good contrast, depth enhancement, adequate sharpness, etc.?

1. K_GiMiNi_M (KGM?) - Best colorizing. Nice hue blending. Rug could use a tint. Chair upholstery is a bit distracting (brightness).
2. Panpan - Pleasant subtle colors. Slightly flat - improve by setting black/white points.
3. Lorraine - Well balanced and airy. Could benefit by a contrast masked adjustment to reduce highlight clipping.
4. Ruzzez - Good pop though somewhat contrasty. Distracting blown out area on rug. An overall contrast mask and slight desaturation would help.
5. Jaime - Very bold, but almost too sharp. Reduce contrast some for less shadow clipping.

Honorable mentions to asims28 and printmeister.

* Although it would have been considerably simpler to execute, I did not interpret this to mean an aged, faded or hand-tinted colorization appearance. While I can understand how it could be construed that way, it doesn't seem to me that very many prudent commercial clients would desire that sort of interpretation.

[K_GiMiNi_M]

r_dg i liked the vivid colors
jaime good depth
Ruzzez your colors were nice
Lonk not sure i like the tights but the dresses are well done
printmeister eye caching

[dweekley]

I had more fun coloring than judging, well done everyone!
My interpretation of 'realistic' was based mostly on the couple of hand colored photos in my family that are low in saturation even though my own entry strayed from the goal. I also judged on execution (was there bleeding of areas, areas left untouched...)

Based on my interpretation and experience level my votes are:

Lorraine - Face/Hair detail was the 1st place clincher
MatthewMarshall
HelenC
PanPan
Laura.lala

Have to add that I loved the entries from both Lonk and Ruzzez_22, even lowering the saturation they were beautiful and very well executed. Maybe next time I’ll have to change my interpretation for ‘realistic colorization’! Learned a lot, think I'll do some clean up first on the next one also!

[Kraellin]

ok, i officially hate judging! i've never felt so bad about having to eliminate so many in one contest. and you wouldnt believe what i had to resort to when i got down to the last nine. talk about picky, picky, picky! sheesh! i had to go back and read the rules... several times!

hehe, ok, here's my votes:

1. KGM (the rules said 'realistically coloize' and i felt his/hers was the closest to that)

2. Carolb

3. Lonk (i'd have put you higher Lonk, but it was so damn good it had a painting quality to it instead of a photo and again, the rules stated "realistically". i've never voted someone down for being too damn good before.)

4. Panpan

5. Swampy (dee dee, i almost didnt include yours due to the background change, but everything was so nice, i just had to include yours.)

also, i'm curious in general; how many saw leggings/tights on the women's legs?

[asims28]

1.ruzzez- I love the colors you chose and the quality of the coloring is amazing.
2.matthewmarshall- It looks hand colored and the background looks great.
3.Lonk- i love what you did with the roses and how everything looks metallic
4.kgm
5.r_dg

[printmeister]

Very tough....but...

1. Jaime
2. LonK
3. MatthewMarshall
4. Ruzzez
5. panpan

Super entries from everyone!

[Sunniee]

1. Ruzzez
2. MatthewMarshall
3. Lorraine
4. LonK
5. Jaime

[Cassidy]

Almost impossible to vote on this one, every one so well done
1. Lorraine
2. dkcoats
3. HelenC
4. Ruzzez
5. KGM

[Doug Nelson]

And the winner is...

Ruzzez!

Here are the top 5 results:

Ruzzez - 53
LonK - 44
Lorraine - 40
KGM - 36
Jaime - 34

Congratulations to Ruzzez, and everyone who entered.