Winners at the State Superintendent Art Show

Congratulations!!!!

Evan Franklin's  Mountain Man won 1st place in photography and digital imagery.

Tajane Crane received an Honorable Mention in photography and digital imagery with her portrait of Alex.

Madeline V.- Lyric Old & New

Be warned, this picture is NOT FINISHED YET! I took this picture in downtown Birmingham a couple of weekends ago of the Lyric theatre, and then I got the older picture from the Internet. The Lyric is 102 years old, and has been newly restored and sits across from the Alabama Theater. I thought it would be really cool to combine the pictures together to show the contrast between the new and the old building, so I layered them together in Photoshop and started working on it from there. Like I said, this picture isn’t finished yet, but I’m exited to see how it turns out. Any suggestions?

Jeremy L- The Age of Exploration

I took The Age of Exploration a couple of weeks ago at an abandoned and decayed house, along with a couple of friends. The name carries a double meaning; one, the literal age we are at, of exploration and creation, but secondly the underlying age and decay in the context of the picture. I played with the color scheme and made it far less vibrant, and made the color values darker and richer. I toned with a slightly higher dynamic range, for the sake of a more dimensional image. It came out to have a broad interpretation and I like that about it; overall I was content with it.

Nikon D5100
Nikkor 50 mm f/1.8
Adobe Photoshop

Nick A - Lichters

This photo is Called, “Lichters” because of the sign on the right of the photo. The picture was composed of images taken over the course of a day with a Canon EOS 7D. The background photo was shot at a coffee shop called Octane and the rest of the photos were of random places downtown. If I could make this photo better, I would insert an image that filled some of the empty black to the right of face.

Crossan R- Reflection

This is a picture of my mom I took using two mirrors facing each other. I took it last week for the reflections assignment with my Nikon d5100. It’s a bit grainy and I wish that her expression was a bit brighter, but I still love it because I love my mom.

Alex D- Sunset Reflection

The title of my image is Sunset Reflection. It was taken at a red light on Highway 150 and the images was taken January 12, 2016 at 4:47 PM.It was taken with my iPhone 5S I didn’t edit the image. The image could of been better if the sun was not behind the trees. I should of edited this image so it won’t look so dark, I should of turned up the brightness a little bit and made the image better. I was driving down on 150 and i was at a red light and then i wanted to capture this sunset behind me. I wish the sun wasn’t behind the trees and still in the sky. I like the sunset glare on the side of my car making it look shiny and gold.

Chris C - Downtown

I named this photo “Downtown” because I’m cliche. This photo was taken at Railroad Park during the break. All I did to edit this was adjust the curves a bit and bring out some detail that the curve removed. Over I’m extremely happy with the way this came out and there isn’t much i would change beside maybe the title.

Ben D- Home

I took this photo at an abandoned skyscraper downtown last weekend. I shot this on a Canon T5i with an Opteka 6.5mm fisheye at f/8. I used the fisheye to create some dramatic lines within the building and to show off the person’s entire living space. I feel like this photo shows how poor the living conditions can be for those who are homeless around the world, being forced to live in a deteriorating skyscraper with no head or real shelter.

Bella M- Midnight Epiphany

This picture was taken at Moss Rock preserve and the star long exposure was taken in Mentone, Alabama both with a Cannon T3i. Considering this is a composite image, I placed the stars in place of where the trees and sky were. Also I played with the hue and saturation to give it more of a purple and green feel. This could be much better in many ways. The coloring and lighting could be better as well as how realistic it looks.

Sara W- Elderly

I took this picture for the Elderly Children or Reflection assignment. I used different filters to get a film effect. I don’t really like the angle but I think it’s a decent picture.

Hannah S- Untitled

This picture was taken at the Botanical Gardens. To edit it I just raised the contrast and darkened it a tad. I also went back and re-painted all of the white and gray so that the branches in the background didn’t distract as much. Overall I’m very pleased with this photo.

Nicole T- Sunset

The name of this picture is Sunset and it was taken at Santa Monica Beach in California on New Years. It was taken with a Canon Powershot Sx 150 IS. I edited it by turning up the vibrance and the hue. It could be better if the water wasn’t so dark.

Briley S- Willow

This picture is called Willow. I took it back in October at Old Baker Farm with my Samsung SL720. To edit this picture I used the burn filter and then lowered the intensity and then added more contrast.

Jacob H- Composite

The title of this picture is composite because it is from the composite assignment. All 3 layers of this photo were taken in Kampsville, Illinois a couple months ago. They were taken with my Nikon D90. I layered them and used different filters and stuff an colored in the handle to contrast with the red background. It could be a little neater, but other than that love it.

Jacob C- light up the sky.jpg

I entitled this picture “light up the sky” and it’s my favorite composite. The sky in the background was taken at the beach last spring break. The flame was taken at my house a couple of week ago for the night and day assignment. Lastly the image where the flames meet is of a gun laser that I shot looking straight down on. The flames and the laser where taken with my Nikon and the sky background was taken with my iPhone. I edited the sky a lot by adding a filter and the exclusion blending mode. I left the flames pretty much alone and then for the laser I added the linear dodge bending mode. I also played with the contrast and vibrance in the entire photo. I like how it turned out and I don’t think I would change anything else.

Blakely W- Lights

I named this picture lights. I took this on my deck at christmas time. I was playing with my camera and shutter speed and got this. I like this picture because of the shape of the lines and how it is all dark behind the lights. I like how the lines overlap. I could ma this picture better by taking it at another angle and focusing it more.

Zack C - Brain Damage

I called this picture Brain Damage, named after the Pink Floyd song of the same name that I quite enjoy. The song feels like a psychedelic trip, complete with insane laughter spliced in with the music. Here I am trying to replicate what I feel when I listen to that song in a visual way, or at least that was my intention at the start. Now, its different, but I’m still pleased with it. Three pictures, each taken with different cameras (iPhone, Fuljifilm SLR, and Mr. Rigsby’s camera), were interlaced in this image. One of kind, old Rajiv dazed and confused in the top corner there, another of an orange lampshade with it’s colors blow out, and the background of a rain-covered windshield on the interstate. I made this picture with the intention that what you are looking at its tough to surmise without being told what each element was. Not much editing was done beyond selecting and positioning elements in the shot, adjusting opacity per layer, and cranking the master saturation all the way to 11. True story, to this day, I don’t know where the pink splotches came from; I can’t figure it out. But regardless, this picture is cool and other than adding some glow to his eyes, there isn’t much more I would change to this picture. I’m willing to take suggestions, though.

Willie R -Joey

The title of this image is “Joey” , i took this on halloween at a music festival in new orleans, i took this with my iPhone 5c, i added exposure to this and played with the colors, it could be better if the photo was just more clear

Oryieon M- Sunset

The Name of this image is called sunset. I Did put any filters or anything on the picture it is the original picture.

Brody G- Hung's GTR

The title of this photo is “Hung’s GTR” because it is a picture of this guy named Hung’s GTR. I took this photo at Sparks of Insanity in October. I took it with my Sony a6000. It could be better if i had edited out some of the imperfections on the car.

Zohra P- Giraffe

I took this picture a long time ago, as seen at zoo. I edited this in iPhoto itself. I used contrast, saturation,exposure, definition, highlights, shadows and sharpness. I enhanced it too. Overall I like it but I wish there was’t any blackness on the grass in the background.

Jakelyn R- Dreams Left Behind

I took this picture on my way back from Mexico this Winter break, I’m not sure where i was at the moment. I brightened this image and made brought more color to the blue and some red. I also threw some stars in there to add detail-ish but yea. I believe this would be a whole lot better if it was brighter and if the smudge on the left wasn’t there.

Zoey E.- Brockway

This is a composite of three different images. I took a picture of my friend, Jake, in front of the school and replaced the school with a different background and added another picture of him. I adjusted the opacity on the second image of him and added a black and white filter. I also posterized the image. I took this around noon, I think.

Alex D- Deer Plot

The title of my image is deer plot behind my grandpas house. It was taken in Camden, Alabama on November 24, 2015 at 9:56 AM. It was taken with my Nikon D3100. I didn’t edit the image. I see in my image that some parts of the image are clear but other parts are blurry. I wish the whole entire image was clear. Sometimes i look to see if there are any deer in the plot eating. Not long ago when i went down to my grandparents house i went and looked and i saw 4 deer in the plot eating and then they were walking around. Something else is that my grandpa did some clearing out and before you couldn’t see the pond from their house but now you can see it pretty far away.

Matthew O- Black Sun

This photo is called Black Sun because its black and white and the sunset is present and that made me feel something so I shot it. I took it at about 4:30 when the sun was setting around the Piggly Wiggly near a church. I edited the lighting and made it b&w so yeah.

Zoey E- Red and Blue

 This is a composite image. I combined a self portrait and a part of a sparkly Christmas ornament. It’s not the best quality, but I really liked it. I did not do much editing. I just used the dodge and burn tool and adjusted the contrast a little.

Chris C- No Cliche Sunset

I called this photo “No Cliche Sunset” because when began taking this photo i was trying to capture a reflection of the sunset on the building, it didn’t really work because the sun’s too low. I took this with my Canon t2i during our first week back at school. I think this photo could be better if i would captured the entire building instead of cutting off that top left corner.

Lupita G - Crash

I took this over the summer in Panama City, Florida with my Nikon D3200. I added a filter to it and brightened it a little bit more. I think it could be better if I got more of the sky in the background

Grace H-James

  I took this photo with my Canon T3i using the manual mode. I used my tripod and studio lights for the photo. I wanted this image to be very bright and vibrant so I adjusted the vibrance just a tad. I also added a red tint to his checks to make them appear more red. I wanted the background to be blurry so I used the quick selection tool and added a blur filter to the background. That way the “subject” pops outs more.

Kristin S- Slightly Focused

I took this with my Cannon s Rebel, at Buck Creek in Helena. I just sort of held it closer to the ground and shot blindly. To edit the picture I messed with the brightness and contrast and added a black and white gradient.

Kate M.- Japanese Gardens

This photo is titled Japanese Gardens. I took it at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in October. I took this picture with my canon rebel t3. I had fun editing this picture because I highlighted and darkened certain areas to make the picture more dramatic. The final picture has very different lighting than the initial image. I think this picture could be better if it had more of a focus on the bridge.

Nick A- Outlook on Bham

This photo is called,”Outlook on Bham.” It was shot downtown on the top of a building around sunset with a Canon EOS 7D. The lighting was crucial because it gives the photo a lot of color and warmth. If I could change one thing about the photo, it would be the take it while I wasn’t standing so I could get more of the horizon and the sun in the photo.

Sabrina S- Untitled

I took this photo of my sister. I didn’t know what to call it- but I wish I could have edited it more. Not much to really say about it, other than I like that its simple.

Crossan R-Hideout

The title of this photo is Hideout because it’s my room and I pretty much spend all my time in there. I took this last night with my Nikon d5100 (this was one of the first shots I took with it). I edited it by brightening it some, but that’s about it. There isn’t much I would change about this. I really like my room because it’s something that represents me well and I’ve added to it over time so it also shows somewhat of a timeline of different times in my life. Also, my laptops the homie.

Justin C- Candle

I took this picture of a candle. I took it with my Nikon D3300. I edited it by lowering the vibrance and slightly upping the saturation and also cropped it in. I took this photo for the reflections assignment trying to get the lights reflexion off the melted wax under the flame.

Jeremy L- HDR AF

I took this during the football season whilst shooting for yearbook. I like that it captures those high school football vibes in a different way. I used my d5100, 50mm f/1,8, and a touch of photoshop. God bless and go Bucs.

Davis D- Viper

The name of this photo is “Viper”. I took this the last day over the Christmas Break on I-65. I took this with my Canon 7D mark II with a 11-24mm attached. I shot this at ISO 100, 18mm, f/14, at 1/50. I originally edited this lightroom and played around with the color/brightness of the photo. I also played around with the detail to bring out the lines in the car. This photo could have been better if I would’ve turned my AF to SERVO mode to track the car better.

Evan F - Before The Show

This is an image i took before a concert i photographed at Iron City. I like it because the fog on the stage looks very cool with the lights. I edited it in camera raw, changing the intensity and vibrance of the tones a little bit. It’s a decent photo.

John Michael A - Flower

I took this photo of a flower with my Canon 6D and 50mm f/1.8 lens. I shot this photo at f/2.8 and iso of 640 in a dark room with a shutter speed of 1/125. I darkened it slightly and increased the vibrance slightly. I used a glowing edges overlay filter and high pass overlay filter to sharpen it and improve contrast and color.

Madeline V.- A Simple Leaf

The title of this picture is “A Simple Leaf” because I just feel like that describes the picture. I took this picture last semester with my Nikon D3200 with the shutter speed at 1/60 and the aperture at f/4 and I took this picture in my room. I edited this picture by blurring the background a little bit then messing with the brightness and contrast, then adding a black and white layer and I did some different things with that. I’m not really sure what I could do to make this picture better, so thats it.

Grace C- Audrey

This image is titled ‘Audrey’. this was taken at sloss furnaces. I used my 50 mm lens with f/1.8. to edit, I just drained the saturation.

Ben D- Ghetto Banks

The title of this photo is “Ghetto Banks.” I took this at the famous Ghetto Banks spot in downtown Birmingham last weekend when I met up with some local and out of town riders to have a session for the day. We decided to go and try and ride this sketchy spot towards the end of the day, and this is one of the photos that I managed to get of my friend Andy before the day was over.

Bella M- Shadows

This picture was taken in downtown Birmingham in the abandoned American Life building about a week or two ago with a Cannon t3i. When editing this picture i made it black and white and also had to straight it a bit. I bumped up the contrast, lowered the exposure, and played with the shadows. This photo could be much better. I could take out some of the distractions and background noise and also the angle.