Updated – Help Me Enter the DCist Photo Contest (And Maybe You’ll Win a Free Print)
By Avelino Maestas on Jan 5, 2009 in Featured, Photography
So, D.C.’s wonderful blog DCist is sponsoring their annual photography contest/exhibition. The deadline to enter is Wednesday night, and I’m debating which photos I should enter. We’re limited to three (click the link above for the full rules), and the pictures had to be taken in the Washington, D.C. area during 2008.
It was a pretty good year for photography, and I guess this will work as well as any for a “Favorite Images of 2008″ post, though I might do another at the end of the week with other images from across the globe.
I’ve whittled my choices down to about 10, and I’m looking for your help in making the final selections. I’m definitely including the image to the left (which is perhaps one of my favorite pictures of all time), but that leaves two spots open. So, below are our options — keep reading to find out how to vote, and learn how you could win a free print:
So, here’s the bonus part of this post: once you all have helped me determine my three entries, I’m going to print them out and send them to three lucky commenters. This will help me get ready for the exhibition (how’s that for optimism?), and I will therefore be printing the photos on high-quality paper using my fancy new photo printer. I’ll select three commenters at random (you MUST use a valid e-mail address so I can follow up for a shipping address) and send them each one print next week.
So, here’s the drill:
- Leave a comment on this post (and be sure to include a working e-mail address).
- Somewhere in your comment, list your favorite two photos from the selection above.
That’s it. You have to comment by 11 p.m. EST on Wednesday, January 7, to be included in the contest. That’s only 48 hours, but it means there shouldn’t be much competition for you! If you have any questions, please shoot me an e-mail.
1/7/09 Update: Check this post for the vote breakdown.
Tough call. I love “Watching Over You.” It’s like something out of a Wenders film. And I like “stairway to heaven” for personal reasons but that kid reaching for the cherry blossom while the dad takes a photo is just too precious. Argh! I’m going to go with the polka dot baby in “seeing yellow” (and “Watching Over You”, of course). (neither of which is “quintessentially DC,” but whatever. Good luck!
Kerry | Jan 5, 2009 | Reply
Of course the first commenter is somebody that would require me to ship overseas! Thanks for the thoughts Kerry.
Avelino Maestas | Jan 5, 2009 | Reply
They’re all beautiful. But I particularly like the one w/ the family at the cherry blossoms. That is DC to the max!
Claire | Jan 5, 2009 | Reply
If the spiral stairs is already in, my choices are Walking Tall, Stairway to Heaven, followed very closely by Seeing Yellow. Only because the lighting is slightly off. That’s my two cents.
Kelly | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
My first choice is Stairway to Heaven and a very close second is The Chase. I like the 1.2.3 family picture, but I wonder what it would be like in b/w or sepia?
You’re so good Ave!
Harmony | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Will you ship to Canada? I have some empty wall space. . .
My choices are “Stairway to Heaven” because locally recognizable landmark shots seemed to be popular last year and “Watching over You” because it is a beautiful photo.
Jasmine | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
The Chase is by far the best – my eyes kept going back to it as the photo of interest. The sun in the front wheel brings the suspense needed to make this snapshot work.
The 1.2.3 family picture is all D.C. with the people appearing spontaneous.
Buena suerte
ErnestO Stolpe | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Avelino,
Your photos are wonderful!
For myself the favs in this bunch of DC images is the cherry blossom: Bountiful. And the Land Sea and Air. The exposure and rich quality of the colors.
Best of luck to you.
Mary Ellen | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Thank you all so much. I’m keeping a spreadsheet with a tally of the votes, and hopefully for me (but not for you, since your odds at winning go down) more folk will come by in the next two days.
Avelino Maestas | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
I am sucker for silhouettes. Throw in my subway stop and a cyclist and I’m hooked.
I’m also a fan of the Land,Sea and Sky.
Lizzie | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Watching Over You is AMAZING. Toss in something with people, like Seeing Yellow or Walking Tall, and I think you’ll have a solid entry.
Good luck!
Aislinn | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
I like the baby picture and the water picture the best. And I know you are choosing at random, but just think who would cost you the least in shipping! :-)
Miriam | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
They are all gorgeous. But I would say 1…2..3 and By Land Air and Sea. I think you need one showing people, and the cherry blossom one really has that strong personal connection aspect. I would vote for the escalator shot but it shares certain similarities to the winding staircase shot, so for variety and technical greatness my third vote would be for the very blue bottom pic. Hope that helps.
Dena | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
First, you know I’m a fan of your photography, so thanks for making this a REALLY difficult choice.
1) Watching Over You just takes my breath away, so well done. I wonder, tho, does it say “Washington DC”? Maybe. No matter, it’s a stunning photograph.
2) Bountiful is the next one that speaks to me. And those cherry blossoms DO say Washington DC. Then again, I wonder…will a lot of folks submit cherry blossom photos?
if you think so then…
Then Stairway to Heaven is my alternate.
Good luck with the contest!!! Your stuff is top notch, so I believe you have a really good chance!
All my fingers and toes crossed. Since Richardson can’t represent NM in DC, maybe YOU can!! :)
Karenfl | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
I love your photos :) I would say that my favorites are Stairway to Heaven and The Chase.
Good Luck!
Ali | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Yo! I like Stairway to Heaven and Bountiful a whole lot, though RNA? is pretty awesome. They add a little spice to the city landscape and might have a chance amongst the millions of entries at DCist… they are always looking for something interesting, and not always people… Nice work this year. Looking forward ot our phot walks in 2009, its been a while!
Shelby | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Amazing photos, Avelino. This is a tough choice.
For the contest, one of my votes is for “Watching Over You.” It is a great photo to look at, and it also portrays a quiet sense of peace and hope in a grayish, coldish, urban setting. It’s very thought provoking in a meditative kind of way.
My other choice would be “The Chase,” but instead I think I’ll pick “1…2…3″ since it is a well-captured happy human moment with a cute kid and a nice sense of DC with the cherry blossoms.
I have to say that I really like “Bountiful” a lot – beautiful colors, light, lines, and depth, but for a big contest it might not stand out enough.
Good luck to you!
Rosalyn | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
I love the family with the Cherry Blossoms. Just a beautiful moment, captured. It actually choked me up.
Jill | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
My votes would be for Seeing Yellow and The Chase. (The title + subject of The Chase makes me think of the Jeremiah Tolbert short story “The Girl With The Sun In Her Head”, where the main character runs a little bit faster every day in hopes that someday she will chase the sun past the horizon and see him when he sleeps.)
Nora | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
My two favorites are “Watching over you” & “1..2..3″! ~ :) Good luck!
Tisa` | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Thrilled you are submitting the beautiful staircase at my work! Also love the stairway to heaven and 1.2.3. Best of luck Ave
Erin | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Avelino, you know I’m such a fan of your photography. I dig Bountiful the most of this group. With the cherry blossoms, it’s very DC, and also very elegant.
Gabriela | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
My favorites are The Chase, and 1,2,3. The one called Seeing Yellow is interesting and unique, but I agree that the lighting is slightly off. Bear in mind, I’m not particularly familiar with DC and what “says DC,” those are just the ones that appeal to me the most. Walking Tall would be my next choice.
Debby | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
Ave,
I pick Stairway to Heaven and The Chase.
:)
Serena | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
I think Watching Over You is the photo I consider best of the bunch for technical reasons, but I can see the point that maybe it isn’t “DC.” So, that said, I’d go with Stairway to Heaven and 1..2..3, which I think are nice because both say DC without screaming it, and 1..2..3 says cherry blossoms but I think it would stand out from a crowd of cherry blossom shots.
And you needn’t enter me in the drawing. I’m going to make you give me a print anyway. :-) It’s one of the perks I get, you know.
Meredith | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
I chose Bountiful and The Chase. Very excellent perspective.
Good luck
Amy | Jan 6, 2009 | Reply
I’m going with Watching Over You and By Land Air & Sea, simply because I think they afford you the best shot, contest-wise.
Crawl, Spot, Crawl! is adorable and has wonderful visual impact, but I worry they’ll think it could have been taken anywhere.
Elise | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
You know I’ve always been a fan of your photography…. my vote goes to Stairway to Heaven and Bountiful. Good Luck!
Mario Burgos | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
I like them all! I whittled it down to The Chase (the sun peeking through the front wheel is awesome), Stairway to Heaven (that’s my stop so I’m biased) and Watching Over You (the lighting is so heavenly surreal). But then in the land of cherry blossom picks, Bountiful is bootiful because of the jaggedness of the trunk. Hmmmm.
I’m going with Stairway to Heaven and Watching Over You, using the reasoning of “the places are in DC.” Though if you think the DCist doesn’t care about that, switch The Chase out for my Watching Over You vote. Haha, just to make it difficult. You’re awesome Ave!
Kristin | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
Wonderful photos! My particular favorite is “Seeing Yellow” but IMO “1…2…3″ really captures DC. Best of luck to you!
Star Aasved | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
Hi!
These are beautiful! I love RNA? It’s too bad those pics you took at TST’s 30th Anniv. fall into 2007 tho (j/k!!)
I think my fav’s are Bountiful and Stairway to Heaven (I’m a sucker for that particular Metro stop!) although this is such a hard choice…
Janet Boutilier | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
My favorites are:
1) 1..2..3
2) Seeing Yellow
Although it was a tough choice between Seeing Yellow and By Land, Air and Sea.
Good Luck!
Becci | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
You’ve got quite an eye, which makes it hard to choose! My favs are:
1 – The Chase
2 – Stairway to Heaven
Good luck!
Steve | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
Sheesh, all of them are great. Part of me is tempted to choose the two that I would most like hanging in my home, rather than which ones might win the contest, but I wouldn’t do that to you! I think the best entries would be The Chase and Watching Over You. By Land Air and Sea and 1,2,3 would be great entries as well, but I’ll stick with my picks.
Zan | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
i like By Land. A and Sea, and Stairway to Heaven.
A Hurley | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
All are great pics. My favorites are
- Chase (I like how it falls in the rule of 1/3′s)
- Stairway to Heaven
Good Luck :)
Crystal | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply
I vote for 1, 2, 3 and By Land, Air, Sea. Hard choice though! Really like them all. As always, your eye is wonderful.
barb | Jan 7, 2009 | Reply