We are almost 48 hours from the latest Critique the Community photo contest. The theme for this month's contest is "Unique Lighting" and the prizes include several new products from the lighting company Profoto.
Each month Fstoppers has been running a photography contest for our readers, and for the month of May we are asking for your best images featuring unique or unusual lighting. These images can feature any subject matter and can span across a wide range of genres, so don't think your submission must be a portrait or landscape photo. You can enter anything from product , macro, architectural, headshots, and street photography. The only requirement is that you share an image with lighting that isn't common or stands out in some way.
The top 10 images from this contest will be featured on our Critique the Community Youtube series. As with every one of these contests, we have some amazing prizes for the top three placing images, and this month Profoto is rewarding first and second place with a variety of their brand new "Profoto softboxes." You can read about the prizes further below.
This contest is open to anyone, and each member of the Fstoppers Community can upload 4 images for consideration. Once you upload your best images, make sure you include a few sentences on how you captured the photo, what was the process you used to make the image, any technical information that might be helpful to another photographer, and perhaps the most important detail, how you created or stumbled upon the unique lighting featured in your image.
All submissions need to be received by May 24th, 2024 before 11:45PM Eastern Time. We will pick our favorite images to critique and announce the next Critique the Community as well as the top winners.
Here are the prizes for May's contest:
First Place - One grand prize winner will receive a set of Profoto's 3' Octa and 1x4' silver lined Softboxes. Each of these three softboxes comes with a 1.0 f-stop diffuser, but the first place winner will also include both the 1.5 f-stop and 0.5 f-stop diffuser kit to help further alter the softness of these softboxes. If that isn't enough, Profoto is also throwing in their Edge Mask systems for each of these softboxes which allows you to completely change the size and throw of the softbox as well. Finally, you will also receive the matching Softgrids to help contain the spill of both of these softboxes. Total value of $1999
Second Place - Second place will one Profoto Softbox 2x3' silver as well as the 1.5 f-stop and 0.5 f-stop diffuser kit. This softbox will also come with the accompanying Edge Mask and Softgrid as well. Total Value of $666
Third Place - One third place winner will receive a free tutorial from the Fstoppers Store. We have full length tutorials on a wide range of genres such as architectural photography, headshots, landscapes, product photography, and of course portrait photography. Valued at $299
Added Bonus!
And finally, to help celebrate the month of May and get everyone excited about unique lighting, Fstoppers has made a massive sale on Peter Hurley's Illuminating the Face tutorial. It's normally priced at $300 but for the entire month you can get it for just $49.
Peter Hurley is known as one of the world's best headshot photographers. In his other tutorials, Peter explains everything he knows about creating perfect headshots, but in Illuminating the Face, Peter explores every possible light modifier you can use to light a portrait session. So if you are interested in lighting with a single small softbox or bringing out the huge 43" Mola Mantti out for a session, this tutorial is going to help you understand what each modifier does and how you can best use it to light your subject's face.
Good luck to everyone entering and we look forward to critiquing your best images images featuring "unique lighting!"
Featured Image by Sam Portraitsbysam
