Best Photo Essay

[Red Rabbit]

The photo essay is a story being told through pictures. There should be a sequence of good, varied photos that support a well-told story of the Coues hunt. No winner has been chosen yet, but your vote will help select the top photo essays for the contest. The results of this poll will be just one of the factors the judges will use determing the winner(s).

 

Links to Stories below:

 

The Wife and I Go on a Date

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...st&p=126267

 

The Lucky Bean

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...c=11172&hl=

 

My Unit 27 Oct Hunt

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...c=11127&hl=

 

CW.Comers Invade Sonora

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...st&p=137493

 

Back to Mexico

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...st&p=137834

 

Stand on yer Hind Legs and Shoot

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...st&p=126093

 

2008 Father/Son Success

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...st&p=125152

08 AZ Coues

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...st&p=133163

 

2x4 Down!

http://forums.coueswhitetail.com/forums/in...st&p=128115

[AZP&Y]

All of these stories are excellent reading for sure. I particularly liked Cramerhunts (phils) story. It is superbly put together with hyper-link text. That is just way to cool. I think even someone who is a novice hunter reads this story and has a greater appreciation for what it takes to be in the field and harvest one of these elusive ghosts.

 

The pictures also tell a great story- from field to campfire.

 

Hunting is not always about success and it seems after reading his post and story- that is why it gets my vote.

 

Great job - CWT guys (and gals). This category should be around for a long, long time...

 

AzP&Y

[Hunterjohnny]

I am thinking with the age of my kids this is why the Father Son story strikes a deeper chord. All great choices no boubt. And with Christians smile how could you not vote yes!

[COOSEFAN]

I sat down and re-read all of the stories and they are all great! I would like to encourage everyone to check out each story before voting and base your decision off of the story's support photos, quality of photos, and content....the kill photos will be judged in a different part of the contest and isn't a major part of this one. This is about the quality of the story with the use of support photos or videos which help give the reader a better feel for the experience that is being shared! I think this is a great part of the contest this year, it was appearant that folks were taking more time to get better support photos and add more content which makes for a better story.

 

Thanks to everyone who did share their hunting experience with us this past season, it definitely helped me cope with the fact I didn't have a coues tag myself (that'll all change this year!) JIM>

[WFGinNM]

Doug & Amanda,

I sure appreciate the effort you folks go through every year putting your time and effort into this contest. I'm glad I don't have to try to narrow it down, it's all good.

 

Thanks,

--Bill

[cramerhunts]

All of these stories are excellent reading for sure. I particularly liked Cramerhunts (phils) story. It is superbly put together with hyper-link text. That is just way to cool. I think even someone who is a novice hunter reads this story and has a greater appreciation for what it takes to be in the field and harvest one of these elusive ghosts.

 

The pictures also tell a great story- from field to campfire.

 

Hunting is not always about success and it seems after reading his post and story- that is why it gets my vote.

 

Great job - CWT guys (and gals). This category should be around for a long, long time...

 

AzP&Y

 

 

Thanks Doug,

I'm starting to like to get home and write the story almost as much as the hunt....just to relive it and try and share the experience that I was able to have.

 

I also agree that there are alot of great stories this year!

Phil

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

 

 

Man it is tough... I have read them all and just can't come up with one that is better... They are all great!!

 

Congrats to everyone on great stories!

[SO I HUNT]

Cramerhunts gets another vote from me They are all nice as well how about 1ST. Place for all

[Hunting6]

Very hard choice to make, all are nice to read.

[cosninocanines]

OK I'm a sucker for Father, Mother, Sons and Daughters. My vote to the Father Son hunt. I thourghly enjoyed reading them all and felt every one was deserving of a vote but unlike the Presidential vote we only get one here Thanks everyone for posting up the pics and essays.

[WadeNAZ]

It was a toss up for me between the Father and Son hunt and the Lucky Bean. I liked the way RR presented the story of the hunt even though a Kill was not the outcome. The hunt is so much more than the kill for many of us. the Lucky Bean got my vote...

 

All great stories though! Thanks to those that submitted them.

[Red Rabbit]

Photo Essay Comments and Criticisms

 

A photo essay should be a well-written story fully supported by a variety of good photographs that support the story and help tell the tale. Below are some comments made to help improve our photo essays. The following comments should have a positive effect, long-term, in making better photo essays. Most will seem negative, however, because strong points need less work.

 

Some comments about the photographs:

 

1) Blurry pictures do not help a story, ever. Objects and animals that become dots on distant hillsides are every bit as useless. Crop a photo to eliminate excess background around the object of interest to make it a more dominant object in the photograph.

 

2) Photographs that show the local flavor and terrain are good.

 

3) The same picture from six angles is still the same picture. Showing horn details is one thing, but posing with the same animal several times does not add to the story. Pick the best shot and go with it.

 

4) Photos of deer in the back of a pickup are ghastly.

 

5) Have more well-chosen photos to tie in a little more of the story. The photos should support the written word, and vice versa. Avoid photos that stand alone and are not part of the tale.

 

6) Place the photograph next to the paragraph to which it corresponds.

 

7) The photo should be more than a snapshot. A hiker stopped and posing for the camera would be better if he was shown walking from the side. Don’t center a moving person or animal, but place him to one side so there is space in the photo for him to move into. The same with people shown glassing; have space ahead of them in the photo that they are glassing into.

 

 

Comments about the written stories:

 

1) The “well-written” story should be clear and concise, and not contrived. It makes the subject come alive with a minimum of words without drawing attention to itself, and contains no errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation.

 

2) Be sure the writing is cohesive as an essay, and builds the story to a climax. Don’t ramble. Don’t give up the end of the story in the first few sentences.

 

3) Paragraphs! When the topic changes slightly, start a fresh paragraph with a space between the paragraphs. Lazy readers lose track easily in long, tedious paragraphs over 100 words. Short paragraphs make it easier for them to maintain themselves in the story.

 

4) People are funny about the words I, me and mine. Eliminate “I” every possible time. "I awoke to a cold rain" is more comfortable to most folks when it reads "A cold rain was falling when the alarm rang." Do it for the entire story and folks will like it better.

 

5) If a handle creates a confusing set of words, use either the proper name or put the handle in quotation marks or italicize... something to reduce readers' errors. Readers are lazy and seldom give you very many chances to keep them hooked.

 

 

[NRS]

Thanks for the advice Doug I am sure it will help people up the ante for the contest next year. :D

[Red Rabbit]

NRS,

Most of the comments/suggestions were made by one of the judges who is not associated with cwt.com to offer areas that each of us may improve our photo-essays.

I did not know I had so many left feet because too many of the "shoes" fit.

 

Doug~RR