December 2022 50/50 Winner - Stacy Scandrett

WINNER!!!

Stacy Scandrett is a Niagara, CA-based (Mississauga; Niagara Purchase Treaty 381) photographer who seems to be ruling the roost with a second (and consecutive!) win of the 50/50! Not one to colour between the lines, she continues pressing upwards and outwards on her journey as a creative professional, mother, and woman. Here's what she had to say about her winning image entitled A Shade of Cora:

I originally brainstormed some epic shots of leading people into the woods in robes from my client closet, dipping toes into Lake Ontario, or maybe even scaling down a cliff to one of Niagara's many waterfalls. The more I pushed this idea of how I could show slowness and environment, the more complicated I made things and I realized I was defeating the purpose of this challenge. 

I ultimately decided to take my camera to the park with my littles. Countless hours we've spent there, especially during the pandemic when it was all we could do with a lack of a backyard. This is our environment after all... One where we go to unwind, take in the fresh air, and spend quality time together. To observe and capture my babes in their element of play while resisting the urge to compose the "perfect" portrait was a challenge. No directing to the best light, no prompting... just sitting, watching, admiring, and appreciating the events unfolding around me as I took in everything that is my kids. Slowing down for me is appreciating what has been in front of my eyes this whole time.

Stacy's win comes with a $100 payout and this feedback from Viktoria Haack:

"I love the honesty of this image. It speaks of a real connection both with your subject and their environment. I enjoy the choice of silhouette, the composition and the fact that the image also has a sense of motion and yet suspension in time, with the ball elevated in the air and the child's hands ready to catch it. The lighting forces us to look harder, to try to understand the image as it isn't laid out for us and there are no expressions to read. Compositionally, the elements are nicely separated out. All round, an interesting, moody and memorable image that I really like."

Congratulations on your second 50/50 win, Stacy! Please take a few minutes to find and follow Stacy online here: Website | Instagram

RUNNERS-UP!!!

We had a surprising repeat of November 2022 - the same Challenger took both Runner Up spots! Congratulations to Tracey Halladay from BC in Ktunaxa Amakis territory. Congratulations, Tracey!!! Here are her images, what she had to say about them, and what Viktoria had to say in response:

BJ & Sedona: Taken during a workshop the fall of 2022. Photos with people in them are a whole new learning curve for me. When capturing images with people I approach it the same way as shooting wildlife. Stop. Look. Watch & wait. Trying go see the little moments that come through creating connection between people or people and animals. BJ is a character I'm so happy to have met. He is a working cowboy, a poet and an old soul. The connection and love between him and his horse was touching. I wanted to capture one of those brief moments as they occurred.

Viktoria's Feedback: A beautifully crafted image with wonderful lighting and a lovely moment caught between BJ and his horse as their heads turn towards each other. I love the backlight rimming the horse's mane and BJ's hat.

I am not technically skilled with artificial lighting, so don't feel qualified to make suggestions as to how to achieve what I feel could potentially add a slightly higher hit factor to the image, but perhaps a touch less foreground light might help create a little more mood. I really love this shot, well done!

Savannah Smiles: My granddaughter is entering those oh so awful pre-teen years when young girls start to question their looks. We've all tried to raise her to be a strong confident young woman however a recent bout with an eczema flare up has made her self conscious and uncomfortable in her own skin. We took a simple used dress and spent a couple of hours driving to some various locations close to her home to take some photos showing her that beauty comes from within. While driving we chatted about what makes a person beautiful and it is reassuring to know that she still holds the values we have tried to instil in her. She is a beautiful young woman inside and out. The golden light shining on her skin emulates the aura she emits.

Viktoria's Feedback: A really lovely image of your granddaughter. The lighting is soft on her skin and she has a really nice gentle smile to her expression. A couple of things you could try for her next portrait session might be to move her slightly further away from the background bushes to create more separation, and experiment with some shallower depth of field. As I mentioned, the light looks nice and soft and because her eyes are cast down, she is not struggling to look at the camera with that light in her eyes. I love to experiment with backlight for portraits too as it can create some lovely soft additional mood. Wonderful, I imagine she loves this image and it will certainly help boost that teenage confidence.

Find Tracey here: Website | Facebook | Instagram

And, of course, we want to give a HUGE shout out to the one and only Viktoria Haack for lending us her time, talent, and expertise! Do you have a photographer you think would make an amazing 50/50 Judge? Send us your ideas! You can reach us here. 

And of course be sure to check back on January 1, 2023 for complete details on Joel Robison's 50/50 Challenge!!!