AUTUMN PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST - WINNERS!!!

[blueraven95]

Congratulations to all the winners!

1st Place

Threnody
JeffR

2nd Place

Final Performance on a Bare Stage
Mz Pip

3rd Place

Fall before the Fall
regnaD kciN

Host's Choice

Giving Thanks
Mira


and

Dependably Red
Cassandra



and the hosts would like to also create this one-time-only award:

Innovative Approach

Autumn in the South
WannaJumpMyScooter



Again congratulations to all the winners!

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[HappyCynic]

1. Congrats!

Congrats, JeffR! A great victory in a hard fought contest. And congrats to all those who entered. Fantastic photos all around!

And thanks to blueraven95 for a wonderful job hosting.

:applause::applause: :toast: :applause::applause:

[HappyCynic]

14. Missed one thank you...

Oops. I missed thanking RegnaD kciN for hosting. Thanks you. I hope you'll forgive me for that. I guess that's what happens when posting while tired.

[regnaD kciN]

15. No problem...

blueraven95 did most of the work, anyway. ;-)

[Celebration]

2. Congratulations winners!

Good job, everyone.

[regnaD kciN]

3. I want to congratulate JeffR...

...on joining RagingInMiami, mth44sc (who did it twice, amazingly) and myself in the elite circle of "DUers who've won back-to-back photo contests."

:applause:

Seriously, Jeff's entry this month was one of those photos where, the first time you see it, you know it is going to win. No doubt about it. A full analysis of Threnody would keep me up all night, but I just want to point out how the dichotomies in the image -- bright color versus darkness, natural versus human-made, leafy textures versus stark diagonal leading-lines -- bring home the sense of autumn as that strange either/or time of beauty and death, of the most striking color found even in the slide to winter's barrenness. It's a shot that captures the emotional essence of its subject, not just a "pretty picture" (unlike - ahem! - a certain third-place finisher I could mention), and that is not only the clear winner of this contest, but easily one of the most impressive images I've seen on DU in any context.

Anyway, congratulations to all! (And, Jeff, aren't you glad we don't make winners host the next seasonal contest? ;-) )

[JeffR]

17. That's some very fast company!

Thank you for your comments. And I think yours was much more than just a "pretty picture" though it was indeed very beautiful.

And everyone should rejoice that winners don't host the next seasonal. You and blueraven95 do a magnificent job with these contests.

[Mira]

4. Congratulations to the winners. And a hearty thank you to

RegnaD kciN and Blueraven95 for running a smooth and enjoyable contest together.
I think the competition was comprised of marvelously diverse autumn photos. The front runners were so clearly determined from the start that the rest kind of limped behind in a pack - but whenever I scrolled down the photos I saw the most gorgeous assembly of autumns scenes and colors imaginable.

Other than the top winners, which were incredibly deserved, I had many favorites.
And I cannot but second what RegnaD said about JeffR's photo though I could never verbalize it that well.

Thank you humbly for my honorable mention, and again
CONGRATULATIONS to every single winner and entrant.

[blueraven95]

5. link to GD announcement

can be found http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6998339">here.

[Sheepshank]

6. Congrats to all

These were amazing pics and so glad to see my favs got the nod :)

[Adsos Letter]

7. Congratulations to all of you for outstanding entries!

:applause:

[alfredo]

8. Congrats!!! Hey' Mira! I wasn't the only one that liked yours.

[Mira]

9. Well - it surely goes both ways. Your leaves are astounding,

as if arranged by a master of traversing space with the textures the colors and shapes all in harmony.
We can drink to that...I have more than one glass.

[alfredo]

10. I'm going out to buy some Pinot Grigio and some apples. I can tell they'd

taste wonderful together. A sharp cheddar would be the third leg in that stool.

[debbierlus]

11. Beautiful photos all!

:)

[Cassandra]

12. Congrats to the winners!

That was a tough field. Too many choices in each prelim.
Thanks to the hosts for the mention. In case anyone is wondering, the title came from my disappointment that most of the color this year was yellow and brown; very little orange or red. So when I came upon this great maple, I was relieved that there was one tree I could depend on.

[urbanhermit]

13. Congrats n/t

[annabanana]

16. DUers are SUCH Romantics!

That said, all these pics deserve a spot on a Calender!

[JeffR]

18. The end result really surprised me.

These photos, all of them, were so strong it's baffling to see two of them taking nearly 50% of the votes.

Likewise, I'm mystified that so many great entries didn't make it out of the prelims, most especially "Autumn Dance" which was my choice for the winner. Of course it's the nature of the beast that 30 get winnowed down to 10, and that one photo finally ends up on top, but there was a wealth of first-rate work in this contest. I think everyone who entered should be very proud.

[Mz Pip]

19. Congrats JeffR

Amazing photo. Where was it taken?

I feel honored to be in between you and kciN.

[JeffR]

22. Thank you, Mz Pip.

It was taken at St. James Cemetery in Toronto. The mausoleum houses one of the Gooderhams of booze fame.

As to feeling honored, being in a close race with a photo as extraordinary as yours was a great honor. It's brilliant.

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. Congrats to the winners!

[SeattleGirl]

21. Beautiful photos!!!

Congrats to all the winners! :applause:

[Callalily]

23. Congratulations!

And also congratulations to everyone who submitted a photo. The talent in this group is amazing.

[wovenpaint]

24. Congratulations!

Lots of talent here, that's for sure! I love these contests-even though it can be agonizing to just pick one, lol.