Yeah, good call on cropping it up a bit. I'm not thrilled with the dude carrying the bag at the right edge, but I think to crop him out too would lose too much of the action and uncenter the bride, so I'll jut let his arm and his package be part of the mystery. ;-)

I’m in love with Saturday in NY: composition and perspective and the trees that look bent from wind.

I like Chapel or Window.

I agree on going to the chapel as the top choice for NYC. Both window and turf church are great. It would be hard to pick my fave but I guess it would be turf church. The other Iceland photos are great too though I like the last two the most, probably lupines would be my choice among those. The turf church is very unique though so probably my overall choice for Iceland. You are very talented!

Since Turf Church is a top pick, I have to also throw "Turf Houses" in for consideration. It's probably not quite as interesting as the church, though -- is it?

And just for comparison, here's the church again:

I so appreciate the kind words, but honestly I take so many photos and most of them are pretty crappy. Occasionally I've gotten lucky and a handful are decent. I haven't even downloaded the pics taken with my Canon yet. All of these were Samsung S8 phone pics.

Not reading the replies because I don't want to be influenced. My picks: Going to the Chapel and Icelandic Turf Church. All your pics are great, IdaClaire. Good luck!

While turf house is an interesting subject (and nice photo), I don't think the composition is as compelling as the church.

I like the Chapel uncropped...there is something about all that sidewalk that adds to the image of a "trek" from wherever she was to where she is going.

I think the turf church is much nicer than the turf houses.

Wow, great photos!! I think many of them are winners.

I have loved the Going to the Chapel since the first share, agree on the crop and slightly upped color.

The Icelandic Jewel has great composition and color...

I also like the Window.

Iceland 1 and 3 would be my picks.

I need a good but free online photo editor. I cannot for the life of me recall what I used last year and it's making me crazy! I may have played around with a series of editors, although that can be rather messy. So far I've managed to clean up the sidewalk in this one just a bit. I like the grottiness of it in the original, although the sidewalk spots (of who knows what -- I mean, it's a NYC street, so eww) detracted a bit from her pretty dress. I also played around with blurring the other people on the street slightly, but I didn't like how that "removed" them as players in the scene.

I really like the pond.

When I took photography, they emphasized the "rule of thirds," so crop away.

My favorite is the window. The shadows cast on the windowsill make me feel like I'm sitting just inside the room.

Definitely ‘Going to the Chapel’ but I wouldn’t over-crop in this case as it removes too much interest from the scene. Some heightened color or contrast might improve it a bit though. I also like the window and the turf church.

Turf church is my favorite.

I don't think you need to crop Going to the Chapel. The subject is well placed and all the varying greys and textures focus you in on those two figures -- but they also give your eye more to move around and notice. Like I said, there is a lot of color and texture -- but also part of the story in there. If the arm on the right bothers you, I think you could trim the shoulder but leave the arm and bag. With the completeness of the city street scene, your brain will be able to fill in that there is another person there but that they are unimportant to the story and it will de-emphasize them. That's the one thing I would play with. The one above is too severely cropped and loses interest.

Is this more photo contest or more art show? Turf Church is obviously popular and the landscapes are all nice photos of lovely scenes, but they don't offer a unique perspective or moment. I'm not saying I don't like them, only that anyone in the same area at the same time of year could take virtually the same photo. They could win a popularity contest -- you see that here. But if they are being judged on artistic merit, I would pick photos that show your unique perspective -- like the window or the pong. If you don't know and want to hedge your bets, enter Going to the Chapel.Turf Church and either the window or pond,

My favorite is the window on iceland...reminds me of Wyeth...

Thanks so much for the continued input. I GREATLY appreciate it! I played around with photos some more last night, and have pretty much decided that I agree with lascatx's take on things. This is an art show, with entries in numerous categories (painting, drawing, fiber arts, written word, etc.), so I believe the judges are more focused on artistic merit and unique perspective. I agree that the landscapes are more in the "dime a dozen" category, so I'm leaning towards entering Chapel, Turf Church, and Window.

As for Chapel (which is the one I'd like to complete first), I've played around with cropping and don't really like what that does to the overall "story." As nutsaboutplants points out, I'm also not sure I like the cleanless of the sidewalk with the spots removed. Which do you prefer?

Grotty sidewalk:

Clean sidewalk:

I'm thinking the dirty sidewalk helps "authenticate" the piece. Gives it sort of a "beauty and the beast" detail. Also the clean sidewalk pic has been whitened up a bit from the original, but I think I prefer the yellowish tinge.

I'd leave the sidewalk alone. The image is about juxtaposition.

OK ... I think this is what I'm going with. I keep fiddling with it and don't think I'm making it any better, although I souped up the colors ever-so-slightly. I tried cropping "bag man" just a bit, but then I lost his bit of blue jeans, which seems to add contrast to her dress.

Keep the raw edge of the pavement and the man to the right for your piece of fine work. The judges look for originality and your photo of the wedding walk is spot on showing the rough pavement and the desperate bride on their way to the chilly day wedding.

You know what's kinda funny is that I think the story this picture wants to tell is a bit different than the reality. See the guy walking up ahead with the camera and tripod? I'm pretty sure he's her photographer, and the two women are on their way to a photo shoot. Out of the line of sight were a couple of other folks all dressed to the nines in wedding finery, including a child. Still, I like that people can take in the whole scene and create their own reality here.

I've also just been told that my photos should be sized for impact, so at least 11x14 framed to 16x20. Eeeps. That's big.

I love the original Chapel shot, grodiness and all! And the guy on the right adds interest. The perspective is really perfect for the subject and title!

I'm just gonna throw ONE MORE Iceland pic out there. I don't suppose there's any love for a rainbowed waterfall, is there?

If you're still taking votes for the sidewalk, mine is dirty sidewalk. The large bottom right spot detracts a wee bit but not enough to warrant removal, imo. The rest are essential to the NY story.

Your rainbow is lovely and that's one I would crop from the top. I think I prefer Icelandic Jewel to it though.

Those photos are wonderful. You have such a great eye. Can you tell a little more about how this contest runs in your workplace? I think this could be a great thing to do where I work.

Thank you, sas95! I just sent you a link via private message. :-)

I prefer Saturday in New York for composition.

Lupines at Faxi Falls - I like the way the purple/mauve seems to be picked up in the waterfall and in the left side of the sky with the sage green anchoring the picture and being picked up on the right side right above the falls. There is unspoken movement in that picture with the falls and the clouds.

But what do I know.

Thank you Ida!

Most welcome, sas!

blfenton, my dad also favors Faxi ("horse" in Old Norse!), and he has an excellent eye. Great observations!

All of the Iceland photos are GREAT! I have to admit that the going to the chapel one is my least favorite of them all...sorry...

Thanks, arkansas girl -- and no problem at all about the Chapel! I appreciate all of the opinions.

I'm still at it, and just enhanced Faxi Falls for color and detail.

Gosh I love that picture. I know it's in Iceland but I don't know where. But it feels isolated and natural.

Re Going to the Chapel - What is the story or what is it you are trying to convey in that picture. Don't try to tell a story that doesn't exist. I really wouldn't try to downplay the New Yorkness of the picture (does that even make sense), you have a bride running to the church, trying to get to her groom amidst the busyness of the city with her best friend at her side.

Icelandic 1 and 2. Are they regular photographs? They look like paintings! Amazing!

Great pictures! I love the color and composition of the windows picture. Going to the Chapel has the color a little blown out around the chapel itself - most likely because you were in the shaded part when you took it, so I would adjust the color only. BTW - so many of my photos suffer from this because I haven't taken the time to study exposure and lighting techniques. You'd think that would be enough for me to pick up a book...but no...I leave that up to DH! :)

1929Spanish - can you explain a little more about what you mean re the color being "blown out" around the church? Just want to be sure I understand what you're saying should be adjusted.

This was just a matter of pointing my phone and taking pictures, although with my "real" camera (a Canon), I'm still pretty clueless about technique. Still, I'm surprised at how much better my phone photos consistently turn out than the ones taken with the Canon.

I'm late to the party, Ida, as I've been on vacation and have just returned, but I wanted to say how much I love all your photos. They are truly unique and well thought out. I do have to say, though, that in my mind "Going To The Chapel" is the overall winner for uniqueness. I would not be surprised if it won first place in your contest. If there are any other photography contests anywhere, I would enter it there as well. Absolutely wonderful!

I like "Going to the Chapel" and "Icelandic Turf Church." The first is so NYC (I wouldn't crop it much because I like the triangle formed by the building overhang and church) land the other is just a spectacular landscape shot. It is practically a color field painting with the grass and sky. I think the small white cross is what sets it apart, too.

Thank you all SO very much for the wonderful support! I have made my final selections and will be entering the three photos below. (I've tweaked them as much as I think I'm going to be able to, given the very limited tools I have.) I've ordered an 11x14 enlargement of each, and will now need to start thinking how to best mat and frame them. (Any suggestions?)

I know it's predictable, but I find it hard to get away from the simple crispness that a plain black frame and white mat provides!

This one, however, is going to be problematic.

Lastly - what about a distressed black frame with gold accent mat for this one? Too much?

I wounder if the window could be displayed with no mat or frame? Seems like the frame is actually the window frame.

That's what I'm wondering, Oly. I wouldn't know how to go about presenting it for exhibition unframed, but I suppose I could always leave off the mat and put it in a very simple black frame. If I do that, I'll probably size it up a bit.

Here's a simple black frame, no mat:

Do you have time to get it printed on a canvas wrap - although you would need to be careful about that changing the composition. It might have the effect of dropping out the window frame, which could create the frame, but lose the effect of the photo itself. Whatever you do, I think the window should be done without a mat or possibly try a dark mat. The white mat kills it. Is that an option?

Just realized you did show it with no mat -- I think that is better, but would try a black mat too. I think it needs something -- the no mat looks a bit severe or off. Trying to figure out what the fix is.

Can you try a little less mat on the NYC photo? If not, it is a classic look and works, so don't fret over than one. I like the way turf church looks framed. Good choice with the double matting. I bet the lupines would look great too. The landscapes really are lovely and I hope you find a way to enjoy them at home. Does your .TV have a screensaver? You could display them all!

The vertical rainbow is really unusual, and I like that about it, but the idea of a fallen rainbow makes me sad at the same time. It's interesting the impact that image has.

I’m running in here late, as usual . Maybe you’ve already decided, but I am overwhelmingly in favor of ‘Saturday’, though that’s far too whimsical and summery feeling title for this almost slightly eerie viewpoint. Brides and buggy rides have been done so often. I want to study my fav over and over . There is a mood and timelessness about it that intrigues me. I’ll go back up now to see if you’ve decided. They are all fabulous!

Aw shucks...I am too late, but at least I was able to express my admiration for all your photos. Do not cast off ‘summer’ to the photo morgue...it IS special.

For the window picture - if it has to be framed - narrow black mat with a narrow soft white frame?

I would consider framing the window in plain glass with clips, like this. They are inexpensive and allow the art to be the center of attention.

Think about how most modern photo galleries display the art. Often it is a very thin straight lined framed with either no mat or a simple white bevel edge cut mat. Nothing to distract, but enough to focus the attention.