Aleksander Rotner Earns Perfect Score for “Sunset Conversation”

New Club member Aleksander Rotner had quite a first competition, as his image Sunset Conversation earned a perfect score of 27 from our three judges for September’s competition.  Aleksander’s image was submitted into the Digital Projected Image Assigned Subject category.

Aleksander says about the image:

“The story behind the picture is very prosaic, but very poignant from a photographer’s point of view. This was the last day of our vacation in Italy. We were sitting, late afternoon, in an outside cafe in Cinque Terre. I did not have my camera with me, wanting to please my wife, “for once being totally with her, not with my photo equipment”.  As we sipped wine and admired the magnificent view of the sea, I noticed this couple siting by the balustrade, obviously in love. They struck a contrast against the bright sky and the sea.

The couple was very animated, they were kissing, holding hands, drinking wine…

I felt a pang in my heart.

I did not have my camera with me!!!

I could do nothing but look at them helplessly.

And then I remembered: I HAVE MY DROID PHONE!  I CAN take pictures!

This pose, selected from few others, enticed me the most, because of the unusual dynamic asymmetry. I adjusted the contrast in Photoshop, but the picture still lacked something of that first impression. I used the “threshold” adjustment and, as an afterthought, added a yellow adjustment layer. It started to look promising…Then I made the sun more prominent and finally used the “Oil Paint” filter. It looked good but I did not have the emotional certainty I had there, that they were in love.
At the end I added the flower to the picture and thus recaptured the feeling.

The poignant lesson I learned: Never leave a camera behind!”

Congratulations Aleksander!  Your image was added to the Perfect Score Gallery