St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

> http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-142051-1.html <

And the winners of (Speed Challenge) - Flowers with 167 entries and (670) votes are...

1st place = (jazz7) with 11.67 points and (29) votes (returning)
2nd place = (catfish252) with 9.33 points and (21) votes (new)
3rd place = (melequus) with 8.12 points and (20) votes (returning)
4th place = (kitmom) with 6.31 points and (9) votes (new)

Congratulations everyone - especially those who added a little more by telling us about their photos!!!

Running Totals - Underlined equals multiple time winners
1st = Skew, Eric LS, colnago, Ugly Jake, 369Kae, scruffyherbert, wbaiken2, LovePhotography330, Kerryanne, LovePhotography330, Audie Thornburg, Gryffon, wowbmw, christy123, JoeS, pinkycat, Zulu inc, robartphoto, mooseeyes, BLeete, Govt_Lacky, jazz7, lorindam, debsic, imagebyTerri, wISOr, Chris, DavidT, rodee5430, gessman, ocbeyer, raysailor, (jazz7)
2nd = Bridges, wbgrice, Severums, colie, R'laine, Fuzzycoach, jasarah, simplesimon, LovePhotography330, JJPhoto, LovePhotography330, abby, dickerst, Delaware Man, mopinia, abby, amyinsparta, kcimato, ocbeyer, Rex-Pix, Isshe, Vicki57, hgsp, O hi O, Old Redeye, scruffyherbert, gym, treadwl, calan, pebbles, ygelman, O hi O, (catfish252)
3rd = nanaval, pinkycat, behindthecamera, tk, brownky, wowbmw, LovePhotography330, Severums, Lazy Old Coot, krus54114, abby, jrstjean, Gifted One, rsd381, susanmary, kerfree, amyinsparta, Sundance, Shaughnessy, Panacea Particulars, LiamRowan, pledwith, DebAnn, hgsp, NormPR, planepics, Coolcameragirl, larrywilk, seeSAW, Nan333, gessman, LBJ, (melequus)
4th= TNmike, Flyboy001, O hi O, Canoe50d, plessner, fotkaman, Bret, bob44044, Shane T, jkaye65, Severums, jazz7, Edmojo, LolaPL, johnhowardkemper, ophart, Lorima, auntmary, RoyM, jazz7, legion3, John Howard, grubnide, CHG_CANON, wilikioti, plessner, melequus, MJPD, GENOBURRITO, Susyseek2, wowbmw, Photos by Paula, (kitmom)

HINT: Click (ratings) to see all the entries at once
> http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/photo_contest_ratings.jsp?pcnum=74 <

NEW: Please note the change to voting below
> http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-142376-1.html <

Tulips


Purple Cleome


Blue Water Lily Close Up


Burst of Tulips- taken at Filoli Gardens

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

To help this weeks (Speed Challenge) - Flowers ANALYSIS volunteer please visit http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-142851-1.html#2414679

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

An interview with jazz7

1) How long have you been into photography and what got you started?
Years, since I was a kid - I love photography, it gives me enormous pleasure

2) Have you had any formal training and what kind of photography do you do most?
No formal training, self taught. All kinds of photography, but landscapes are usually what I like to shoot best, and I live in a city - lol!

3) What inspired you to take your winning shot?
I love flowers, even those considered weeds, and the color of these tulips is what made me grab my camera.

4) What equipment did you use and was there any special setup?
I used a Fuji XS-1, black card for background, tripod and a table lamp, and took a lot of shots before I was happy with it.

5) Would you change anything if you could do it again?
Don't think so.

6) If you couldn't do photography what else would you do?
Don't take my hobby away! I don't know, I can't draw or paint to save my life, perhaps I would knit or something.

7) Is there somewhere we can see more of your work?
No, I have little confidence in my ability and don't post online. But thanks to UHH my confidence is growing, little by little

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

An interview with catfish252

1) How long have you been into photography and what got you started?
I started in photography in 1970 while stationed at Udorn, Thailand in the USAF. I started out using Pentax gear for approx 5 years, after getting married I found I no longer had the time and money so I put it down until 2008 and have been shooting with Nikon and Canon since then.

2) Have you had any formal training and what kind of photography do you do most?
I have literally watched hundreds of online tutorials on youtube and have subscribed to Lynda.com for their photography classes also I have taken 2 or 3 classroom courses since I switched to digital, these were offered through the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge Park photographer. I'll shoot anything that comes along: love shooting macro, airplanes, and trains.

3) What inspired you to take your winning shot?
There is a park not far from my house that offers hundreds of flowering trees, shrubs, with many statues, and water features. Plants bloom year round and I spend a lot of time there honing my skills, one reason is that it is free and I can take the same shots under different lighting conditions. For my contest shot I was intrigued by the Cleome garden at this park the cleome has so many delicate features and the tendrils this plant shoots out make wonderful subjects.

4) What equipment did you use and was there any special setup?
This was taken using my Nikon D60 with a inexpensive($165.00) Tamron 70-300mm telephoto zoom that also has a Macro function. It was a handheld shot of the full bloom and I cropped this out in Photoshop.

5) Would you change anything if you could do it again?
I am going to try it again with my D300s and Sigma 150mm macro lens on a tripod and see if it turns out any better but no, I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out

6) If you couldn't do photography what else would you do?
I'd really like to be able to start flying again.

7) Is there somewhere we can see more of your work?
No - I really don't put much of my work out in the public eye.

colo43 Loc: Eastern Plains of Colorado

Congratulations to the winners.
All beautiful shots.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Thanks everyone for posting such delightful photos in this contest. :thumbup:

Malky Loc: Originally UK, now Kansas City

St3v3M-Thanks for taking the time and trouble to organize the recent 'Flowers" Speed Challenge. Many of the entries were truly outstanding. However; despite your advice that " archived photos are not encouraged " I notice that at least two of the first four winning entries depicted flowers not expected to be blooming during the challenge. This strikes me as blatant encouragement to enter archived photos! Perhaps a strict rule that entries must be photographed during the days of the Speed Challenge would be helpful in this regard.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Please see http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-142061-1.html