Photo Hold'em ::: Round 3 ::: The Sweet Sixteen!

Back atcha with the 3rd round of Photo Hold'em -- The Sweet Sixteen -- which begins our head-to-head games. With this round, we thought it would be fun to bring some fresh "heads", so to speak, into the judging of the images. So I went through the tRL rolodex and considered using folks like Steve Jobs, Al Gore, & Jay-Z -- who've all been naggin' us to get involved with the blog, by the way -- but decided that maybe some other people would be even better. So we went with a panel of image analyzers who are not necessarily veteran photo editors, but who are definitely veteran WW industry players with an innate sense for what makes a kayaking shot pop. Here's who will be deciding which shooters advance into the next round:
Mr. Clay Wright
Mr. Ken "Hobie" Hoeve
Mr. John Grace

Each judge's comments will be preceded by a little judge-head icon so you'll know who said what:
Clay Hobie Grace

We think these guys will bring some much needed credibility to this junkshow. You can be the judge of that when you read their comments & decisions on the NEXT tRL post (probably Sunday .. or as soon we receive their final decisions.)

Gotta shout out our industry partners who'll be providing the prizes for the gamblers:




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HERE ARE YOUR ROUND 3 SUBMISSIONS (with photog's comments):
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1. John Fulbright vs. Chan Jones

John Fulbright

John sez: "One of my favorites ... Its a double exposure of Aaron Rane surfing Skookumchuck in '96, my first trip w/ him. The title is Higher and Lower Self. A visual example of how all of us have a higher and calmer self, as well as a more radical, aggressive self (foreground image). Double exposure info: upper image was a 3-second natural light exposure w/ Aaron surfing still; the second exposure was focused closer set at 1/125 w/ fill flash to capture the ferry onto the wave."

Chan Jones

Chan sez: "This is a guy paddling around next to some gnar in an old school boat. What you might not know right away is that this is Hurricane Falls on the Tallulah River. I managed to snap this shot just before I put on for a noon run and the sun peeking over the corner of the gorge made for a cool shot. There are a few other shots to take a look at on MY BLOG"

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2. John Boone vs. Erik Boomer

John Boone

John sez: "This shot was taken on the Mamquam River in BC, and my subject is Matt Gaudette of Bingen, WA, with Stan Prichard of Telluride, CO, looking on."

Erik Boomer

Boomer sez: "Decisions decisions... Going to Thailand on Turkey Day. You should hug your parents, eat alot of turkey then take a big nap for me. Billy Jones on Qualicum Falls."

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3. Lane Jacobs vs. Atom Crawford

Lane Jacobs

Lane sez: "Dan 'skippy' Simenc on Blanket Creek, BC - July 2004."

Atom Crawford

Atom sez: "A shot on the Upper Upper Cispus River, Wa. The camera used for all my shots is a Canon 3.2 megapixel point and shoot."

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4. Darin McQuoid vs. Brian Vogt

Darin McQuoid

Darin sez: "Because half of it's really about friends on the river."

Brian Vogt

Brian sez: "Mitch MacDougal drops through Goblin Gates in Rica Canyon, Elwha River. This was the first overnight creek run I'd done in WA, and this image best captures what stood out most to me about the Grand Canyon Elwha: the solitude of watching a lone boater commit with no upstream egress possible. Boating through this canyon one is transported far beyond the concerns of daily life. It's amazing how a confined space of only a few dozen yards between sheer walls can offer such varied delight. Around each corner was a new world, and every pool offered wonders. For those all too brief hours, life was so sharply in focus and every moment lived to the fullest. Oh yeah, and the whitewater was top-notch. To trot out a trite truism, to know the Elwha is to love it."

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5. Evan Ross vs. Shawn Robertson

Evan Ross

E-Ross sez: "First go HERE and get your own helping of joy. Then scroll on down to further amp your senses with joy. Warren G getting his joyfulness on O B Joyful."

Shawn Robertson

Shawn sez: "Here's my next photo to blow you all away. This was shot of Jon Meyers gettin artistic during the "Best of the West" competition last year. Jon was tearing it up in the "Comp Hole" on the Alberton Gorge section of Montana's Clark Fork river. Those of you paying close attention may find a certain pattern developing in my photos so far... trust me, its all part of the plan. Camera info: Canon 20D 1/1600 at f/8, ISO 400."

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6. Evan Stafford vs. Hale Hanaway

Evan Stafford

Dotcom sez: "This here photo is of (Hold'em competitor) Kyle McCutchen. He is lucky that I am such a snap happy triggerman. I make him look good. He is an ace though when it comes to timing that perfect boof for the camera. The light was shining down on us this day, smacking this picturesque water falling right in the lip. Where is this, you ask. Polished granite in BC? No. Micro-creeking in the lush rainforests of the Northwest? No. Semi-arid desert mountains of Colorado? Ding! Weminuche Wilderness, Pagosa Area, CO. (Hold'em competitor) Evan Ross is visible snapping away, as well, from the underbelly of this falls, and though he is a stellar photographer, I am going to crush him in the next round... if he makes it."


Hale Hanaway

Hale sez: "Eric Shertyl on Mineral Falls, Silver Creek, Skykomish drainage (WA). It was Shertyl The Turtle's idea to hike an extra 4.5 miles up the Silver to check out these falls. The hike in was well worth it, including what was below these falls and the regular run. One of my favorites now!"

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7. Kyle McCutchen vs. Mark Basso

Kyle McCutchen

Cutch sez: "Few pictures capture the explosion of white that we so often find ourselves in. Although many great shots capture the expression of a paddlers face, few capture that same intensity of water exploding and engulfing a paddler in even the smallest of creeks. This was the first drop of the Treasure Canyon stretch of the Alamosa River. Twelve hours later we concluded an epic day at high flow — complete with two swims, a hike out sans paddle, and then a 5-mile walk back to the put-in after failing to hitch a ride."

Mark Basso

Basso sez: "Let's see how we do on the head-to-head format when we replace the sea-yak pose with some Rocky Mtn huck. This here is the man, Joey Flossmurgh, back on his home turf before he fled town and became that Jefe-Delica drivin', TRL shitlistin' Squamptite friend of yours. Location: Cataract Creek Albertessee. Happy Thanksgiving"

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8. Kennet Belenky vs. Barbora Hollan

Kennet Belenky

Kennet sez: "Here's my photo for round 3. I call it, "Beatdown Begins." If you give me any crap about submitting two pictures of Ben in a row, I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND KICK YOU SQUARE IN THE FIGS. 'Sides, your mom likes pictures of Ben."

Barbora Hollan

Barbora sez: "Just to put things a little more in perspective."

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Remember, we'll be posting the photos again with judge's comments in a day or two, so check back for that. And as always, feel free to voice your opinion in the comment box .. but please, try to keep it at least somewhat clean.

Also worthy of note is our friend Effigy's blog post yesterday with side-by-side comparisons of Jacuzzi (the 20-footer at the bottom of Ernie's Canyon) at 13,000 cfs & at 1,300 cfs .. badass. Click HERE.