We’ve been absolutely blown-away by all the amazing image submissions for our “Admired by Beckstead” twice-monthly photo contest. Every day here at the Pictage HQ we huddle around our computer monitors to check out all the latest entries – and many of your photos have been creating quite a bit of buzz around here! We’re especially grateful for David’s generous commitment of time and enthusiasm toward the contest.
If you haven’t already, head over to our Admired By Beckstead Facebook group to catch-up on all the great work and take part yourself.
Now onto the winners for this round:
We’re thrilled to announce this week’s FIRST PLACE winner: Sara Wall of Sara Wall Photography in Kauai, Hawaii. Congratulations Sara!
Here’s David’s commentary on Sara’s winning image:
“At first I was immersed in the wonderful feeling of this image, and then the ‘degree of difficulty’ astounded me! I know this was a difficult shot, yet the final concept works on many levels. The composition is really nice: the bottom of her dress creates a leading line to flow and follow to the baby. Body positioning of the baby and bride are just great! Their face expressions are wonderful! (No easy task underwater!) Color, reflection, depth, and other compositional elements help this shot move to first place rather quickly. The shot created a passionate reaction to me and I know by the comments, to others also. By shooting underwater Sara also created an abstract feel like an impressionistic painting. Nice!!”
With so many great images we’ve decided to also recognize David’s choice for 2nd and 3rd place winners.
SECOND place goes to Kevin Wynn of Kevin Wynn Photography in Southern California.
David comments:
“When I look at this shot is feels like I am seeing something I have not seen before. It really is hard to describe: the flat depth (when I know it should feel more expanded), the unusual color scheme, the dark jungle story, the strange lines, and more. Almost as if it should be in a 3D pop-up children’s book. Let’s just say I love the whole overall look!!”
THIRD place goes to Sacha Blackburne of Sacha Blackburne Photography in Bermuda.
David Comments:
“I just love the overall abstract feeling of this shot! The leading line of the banister and geometric shapes…great!! Love the angle Sacha took to get this shot!”
Congratulations to our winners, and to everyone that submitted images. Sara will now be in the running for our quarterly Grand Prize drawing.
*** Next contest round is now open! We’re accepting submissions through Monday, April 27. We’ll then present the winners here on the blog Friday, May 1st. Head over to our Admired by Beckstead Facebook Group and submit your entry.
And…be sure to leave your feedback and congratulatory notes in the comments here.
April 17th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Congrats Sacha!!!
April 20th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
3 very unique and powerful images. Congratulations to the winners!
April 24th, 2009 at 6:37 am
All three images are amazing…I love how each of them has great texture & but all in their own way!
April 24th, 2009 at 6:39 am
Beautiful Images!!! Congratulations to all three winners! Love the compositions, colors and post-production work.
April 24th, 2009 at 6:43 am
These images are AMAZING! Sara Wall’s photo with the baby should be a painted mural somewhere…it could be a water color painting, it’s so fluid.
Kevin Wynn’s image is one of a kind. It has this sense of “the big, bad world is out there, but as long as we’re together we’ll be just fine.” That couple is sooo lucky to have that photo.
I looooove the circular and swirly motion that is depicted in Sacha Blackburne’s photograph…spiral staircase, the bride’s hair is twisted and their bodies are interlocked in the same sort of way…LOVE IT
April 24th, 2009 at 6:58 am
Wow – thank you so much – I am so flattered and happy. That first image is just amazing – mind blowing really as I have modeled for an underwater shoot before and it was so incredibly hard. And the second has inspired me to go back and shoot in a bamboo forest here in Bermuda. I picked my image because of all the swirls – just thought they were unusual and perfect for the composition theme. Can’t wait until you start doing more specific themes. Thanks so much!
April 24th, 2009 at 6:59 am
All stunning photos but i have to say i wish i had taken that image by Sarah Wall.
April 24th, 2009 at 6:59 am
All three of this pictures are amazing. Definitely a reason to step up my game and give me something to aspire to. Congratulations to the winners. You work is truly inspiring.
April 24th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Love the images. Sara, great moment. Kevin love the effect you have created – brilliant.
Well done you three.
-dave
April 24th, 2009 at 7:25 am
We love the Top 3, the weekly contest and David! Pictage ROCKS! Yeah, we said it
April 24th, 2009 at 7:38 am
LOVE the images, but I don’t love how difficult it is to get submissions into this contest, you really need to make it easier. I could not figure out how to submit my images, I emailed you and never heard back from anyone :O(
Congrats to the winners!
April 24th, 2009 at 7:39 am
Absolutely beautiful. Sara Wall you are amazing, this must of been a difficult shot. But the end result magical.
April 24th, 2009 at 7:55 am
All three are absolutely stunning, but man that first one knocked me off my chair!! Gorgeous!!!
April 24th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Just beautiful. I totally agree with David’s assessment of Sara Wall’s photograph. This is a technically difficult shot that not many photographers could do, but the final result looks effortless and whimsical. Congratulations! I can’t wait to check out all of your websites and other images.
xoxo,
Alice
April 24th, 2009 at 8:14 am
Sara’s photo left me just speachless. All 3 are beautiful, congrats to the winners!
April 24th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Oh My God, when I saw Sara’s image my heart just pounded, it is sooooo beautiful, I just had a baby and if I had a photo like that it would be the best. Kevin’s shot has amazing colors and the lines of the bambus are amazing. Sacha’s picture looks like a flower, roses, they are all so good. Congratulations, it helps me be inspired.
April 24th, 2009 at 10:00 am
I love how Sara captured the tranquility and beauty in a photograph with all it’s simplicity and complexity. Cheers!
April 24th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I am very impressed with Sara Wall’s work on the first image. The amount of difficulty in this shot in order to pull this off the way she did, is simply stunning. I love it and it stirs me to be a better photographer. Awesome job. I have done underwater shots for many years and therefore understand how crazy difficult this is. My hat is off to you Sara . . .
April 24th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Sara – I told you before that you made my heart stop! It sunk when I saw this. Never had I seen anything like it before! I would love this done for me and my little one
Congrats again to you Kevin a7 Sacha! LOVELY photos! Great work 
April 25th, 2009 at 8:37 am
Congratulations to all the photographers! Inspirational work, Sarah!
April 25th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
All 3 are great images! I LOVE that photo by Sara Wall. Wow.
April 26th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Love all three! The colors in each are amazing…blues…greens…reds. Nice work all!
April 27th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Sara! Sara! Sara! Amazing :0) I am sure that you have succeeded every expectation that your client could have possibly ever imagined and in return you have provided her with an timeless heirloom that all the money in the world could not buy!
We would all be so lucky to have an image like this hanging on our wall to remember the joy, purity and innocence that brand new baby brings to the world.
What a vision … I am sure that this is not the last I will see of your inspirational work! God Bless, Misty Miotto
April 28th, 2009 at 6:54 am
All of these images are amazing! The first one has rendered me speakless….WOW. Thank you so much for sharing these images.
April 29th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Absolutely stunning!! The underwater image is beyond inspiring!
May 1st, 2009 at 9:57 am
Super cool! I would like to see a behind-the-scenes video on the first shot!
Great job photographers!! 
May 1st, 2009 at 11:47 am
Beautiful work, all three. I love how each of the images has just enough post work to enhance without detracting.
May 3rd, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Sacha, the lines in the bannister envelope the viewer into
the couples embrace, beautiful. Kevins shot is mysterious, beautiful lines
and Saras shot a fluid fantasy, amazing.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:21 am
love the bamboo