It was not an easy decision for any of the judges. With 50 submissions to the contest, it was amazing to see how each one of you portrayed the concept of home.

When I thought of how to describe the subject of the contest, my wife said "keep it as open as possible", and as I usually do, I followed her advice.

And what a great advice it was, submissions took the subject of "Home" to many directions, and played on the home theme in many different ways. As you can see below, there was a lot of debate and diversion amongst the judges as well.

Without much more ado, I give you the winners of the "At My Home Photo Contest", each won a personalized copy of the great America At Home Photo Album.

Honorable Mentions:

"My Father" / Michael Strobert

3rd By Kerry: I like this image not just for the image but because there is a story behind the image as well. It’s images like this that you wish you had when a family member is now longer with us. It’s a simple image but it has a lasting quality to it.

"David" / Ben Aqua

3rd by Jim: It’s quirky and different. Certainly not a "warm and fuzzy" feeling. But this is the real physical space that a young person (teenager?) creates for themselves. The pure individuality of this image let me know it was a home.

"play, eat, sleep, work, live at home" / hk – Square Colors

3rd by Udi: This picture drew me in with the way that it displays the every-day actives. HK manages to step out of the box and convert those daily tidbits which we overlook into an artistic say about his home and life.

"Christmas Tree" / Gary Thom

3rd by Rick

No Title / blart

3rd by Brian: I like this photo because it’s so direct and simple. House, yard, dog – this is my sanctuary, this is my home. The composition of the photo is easy to take in, and the pose of the dog is classic. This is a wonderful example of a real home with real people living their lives.

"Bathroom Love From the Big Boy!" / Matthew Mortensen

2nd by Jim: This was one of the first entrants and I liked it from the get-go. The love and joy and the physical space made this a favorite.

"Cassie Walking In Sunshine" / Candy Beauchamp

2nd by Kerry: Ahhh…the innocence of youth and the unadulterated joy of walking barefoot in the grass that only a child can truly appreciate. According to the EXIF data it was taken at f/5.6 at 205mm which nicely blurs the distant background making the child stand out even more. This picture just makes you want to smile.

4th Place: "Dreamland" / Alissa

1st by Rick

3rd Place: "Bubbles" / Heidi Samora

1st by Brian: This photo won me over because of the inherent innocence
and purity that it displays. Blowing bubbles out in the yard is an
icon of a carefree childhood. My kids are 3 and 5 years old and they
go nuts over bubbles. With my own experience of growing up, this type
of scene brings me back to a period of no “grown up” responsibilities
and when my only care in the world was making a giant bubble and
basking in my glory.

2nd Place: "Home is Where the Noise is" / a_gulbrandsen

2nd by Udi: This picture was something I could really relate to. After a
hard day at work, when some work was taken home to be completed, kids
will not let work overload take dad away. It is a favorite for me
because of the great warmth coming from this picture.

2nd by Brian: I love it – Dad on the couch, laptop up and running, time
to get some work done. Hah! Nothing attracts the little ones like an
attempt at productivity… they can smell it from any corner of the
house. And the thing about this situation is that you can’t help but
give in and put the work aside. This photo is a great symbol of life
at home with the kids.

Grand Winner: "Grind" / Ken Barnett

1st by Kerry: I love the feel of this image and the photographer started
with a concept of the formal portraits of the 1900’s with a modern
feeling and I think this accomplished not only that but also plays to
the "at home" theme very well. Using f/6.3 at 24mm keeps everything
framed and in focus well. This is just a well done image.

1st by Udi: A family united. Bound together by a physical activity. I
love the sharp contrast between the fun skateboarding activity and the
harsh and serious looks on the kid’s faces. I also love the careful placement of each object in this frame. The triangles on the top, and bottom.

2nd by Rick

1st by Jim: This one just reminded me of being a boy and of my own home.
It also reminded me of my parents’ homes and how they appeared in
pictures. The timeless quality of the image had a lot to do with my
pick.

Collecting your awesome book

If you won a book, ping me on the contact form with your email and address and I’ll send you the link for your free book.

Wanna hear some more?

Kerry from Camrea Dojo did some really awesome job of hosting a podcast where us judges decide the winners. And while you are there, check out the other great podcasts by Kerry, each one well worth the time it takes.

Once again, I would like to thank the esteemed panel who made this contest happen: Rick – I Made this Book – Smolan from Against All Odds Productions, Jim – Lighting Master and VJ – Talkington from Pro Photo Life, Brian – Fine Art – Auer from Epic Edits, Kerry – Wedding Pro and MC – Garrison from Camera Dojo.

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