Help me choose a photo for

[MontanaZoo]

the AZA photo contest.

AZA - Association of Zoos and Aquariums

It's only open to staff/volunteers at AZA institutions. The winner gets the cover of their magazine so has to be in portrait format.

TIFF or EPS; 300+ dpi and 9"x12" in size - so I can't even crop the photos really.

So yes, I'm competing with San Deigo Zoo, National Zoo, etc staff photographers (I won't win but a runners up would be nice - maybe they won't enter).

Here's previous winners -
http://picasaweb.google.com/ZoosAqu...hotoContestWinners/photo#s5132435594684483202


Siberian Tiger

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliez_pics/2714301708/

Grizzly Bear

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliez_pics/2557267279/

Belgian Horses

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliez_pics/2435985379/

Bighorn Sheep

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2359/2428983588_6168719c46.jpg

Red Panda

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliez_pics/2432358052/

 

[orchjoe]

Vote: Big Horn Sheep


You should create a poll.... would have been easier to get a general consensus. You might be able to change it to a poll. No idea.

Otherwise great shots and good luck!

 

[MontanaZoo]

Vote: Big Horn Sheep


You should create a poll.... would have been easier to get a general consensus. You might be able to change it to a poll. No idea.

Otherwise great shots and good luck!

Yeah shoot, I guess I need to learn how to do a poll.

 

[wenrob]

I was really torn between the tiger and the horses but the horses really drew me in. I kept going back to look at them.

 

[MontanaZoo]

I was really torn between the tiger and the horses but the horses really drew me in. I kept going back to look at them.

That's cool. Thanks!

 

[wen-tom]

I have a thing for bears and so I've gone with the Grizzly.

Great shot and good luck

 

[Quicklabs]

I like the face on the red panda and her coloring is really gorgeous. Nice shot!

 

[NC State]

I like the face on the red panda and her coloring is really gorgeous. Nice shot!

Me too!

 

[MICKEY88]

Tigers are my favorite animal, but I keep going back to the red panda..

for a cover shot I think this wins hands down...it lends itself to a cover better than the other shots...

room across the top for the magazine name..

room down the side for article titles...

and the color will best show the text...

 

[MontanaZoo]

Thanks everyone for your comments and for voting. Looks like it's getting to be a tight race between the panda and the bighorn.

 

[Pirate's Princess]

I voted for the tiger. There seems to be space on the side for article titles, and it just makes the animal look so pensive and thoughtful. I liked the red panda but the expression on its face was kind of wigging me out.

 

[jann1033]

i chose the panda, different animal, seemed sharper than the others for some reason and it has the whole thing, nothing cut off which could be for artistic effect but i thought they might grade better with the whole thing

 

[Michele]

I voted based on the previous winners. They seem to like dark and close cropped pics. So I voted Bighorn Sheep. But, I really like the Red Panda, I wonder how it would look cropped in closer.

 

[ThurlFan]

Tigers are my favorite animal, but I keep going back to the red panda..

for a cover shot I think this wins hands down...it lends itself to a cover better than the other shots...

room across the top for the magazine name..

room down the side for article titles...

and the color will best show the text...

Those were my thoughts also. If the animal fills the whole image, there won't be room to work around it with the essentials. This is assuming the cover is a full-bleed image, and not a scaled down image framed in white (or some other color) space that they use for text elements. I'd recommend looking at old covers to see how they are composed to help select your entry.

Also, since it's a zookeeper magazine, the red panda shot gives an idea of how the animal is exhibited. This might be a bit of an edge also.

 

[MontanaZoo]

Unfortunately, the requirements for the size of the photo are so large that I can't crop at all (I don't think). I have some great landscape oriented shots that I'd crop but it won't make the competition size. Add that to the limitations of my telephoto lens and how large our exhibits are (the grizzly one is 2 acres by itself) and it's difficult to get the close cropped in look that the other photographers get. I think more photographers are entering each year too because a couple of years ago I wasn't all that impressed by their photos but last year I thought they were incredible.

 

[minnie4me]

Like others I like the panda, but the actual animal seems small for a magazine cover so in that case I pick the bighorn sheep !!
Good luck with whatever you choose, they are all nice photos !!

 

[MontanaZoo]

Those were my thoughts also. If the animal fills the whole image, there won't be room to work around it with the essentials. This is assuming the cover is a full-bleed image, and not a scaled down image framed in white (or some other color) space that they use for text elements. I'd recommend looking at old covers to see how they are composed to help select your entry.

Also, since it's a zookeeper magazine, the red panda shot gives an idea of how the animal is exhibited. This might be a bit of an edge also.

They only use the word CONNECT on the cover. They seem (at least last year) to prefer images that look like they were posed against a black backdrop (our animals are outside and my only photo ops are usually between 10am and 5pm so it's a challenge to get the best light).


http://picasaweb.google.com/ZoosAqu...hotoContestWinners/photo#s5132435594684483186

I think those are definitely up a notch from the year before.

http://www.aza.org/AZAPublications/2006PhotoConIntro/index.html

 

[MontanaZoo]

Thanks everyone! Looks like I'm entering Ramsey the Bighorn Sheep for the contest. Was a tight race, I'm sure Taylor the Red Panda will be sad.

 

[MICKEY88]

They seem (at least last year) to prefer images that look like they were posed against a black backdrop (our animals are outside and my only photo ops are usually between 10am and 5pm so it's a challenge to get the best light).


QUOTE]

have you tried doing selective edit and darkening the background only,

I did a quick edit on your bighorn, and it really makes him stand out..

 

[MontanaZoo]

I'll try that, thanks.