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We need to post in the rules that if the contest starter won't be around (or can't remember) to come back and judge the contest, he needs to say so upon accepting the 1st place prize and hand it off to the 2nd place winner.
 
After reviewing the photos on the other page, I don't think I would have won anyway! so, unless anyone has any objections, and in an effort to move this on...I volunteer to judge this evening when I'm home from work (likely to be after 7pm UK time)

I'm only a noob to this forum so understand if people would rather have another judge, but unless I hear otherwise, I'll post my opinions up here later this evening? Is that ok?

Rich
 
After reviewing the photos on the other page, I don't think I would have won anyway! so, unless anyone has any objections, and in an effort to move this on...I volunteer to judge this evening when I'm home from work (likely to be after 7pm UK time)

I'm only a noob to this forum so understand if people would rather have another judge, but unless I hear otherwise, I'll post my opinions up here later this evening? Is that ok?

Rich

Thank you for stepping up Rich. Go for it. Being a newbie does not exclude you. My only advice: it is always appreciated when the judge comments on all of the images and gives constructive feedback.

I am sure some of us will do the C&C on your image after you have posted the results.
 
Perhaps as an alternative to having a volunteer judge, everyone can vote on the photos (using the up or down arrows at the bottom-right of each post), and then the 1st/2nd/3rd place winners could be determined from that after 48 hours? The voting could start as soon as the judge no-shows for a day (or now considering it's been longer than that). Then folks could comment about the photos after the winners are announced.
 
Perhaps as an alternative to having a volunteer judge, everyone can vote on the photos (using the up or down arrows at the bottom-right of each post), and then the 1st/2nd/3rd place winners could be determined from that after 48 hours? The voting could start as soon as the judge no-shows for a day (or now considering it's been longer than that). Then folks could comment about the photos after the winners are announced.

This has been discussed before - I was in favour initially but see the complications out weigh the benefits.

I don't think we should change the system.
 
Running Late

Just home from work..give me a couple of hours and I'll get this done!
 
The Results

Here goes...
Ravaroo - I really like the colours on this one, the lightness of the mon really stands out against the colour pallet of the sky. I also like the composition. I can imagine this as a poster.

Strdale33 - Good technique and well done freezing the motion. I like the composition. Only criticism is the background - the van doesn't seem to ad much to the picture as a whole is the crop just doesn't quite work for me

And - I think this is a really good subject for b&w. I like the overall effect, but I think perhaps the cropping could be tighter

emorydunn - A nice choice for this topic. The horizontal lines seem a little off to me, not quite straight, but I like the hint of blue at the bottom - sets the rest of the picture off well

AlexH - nice control of aperture here to restrict the depth of field. Only comment would be that some of the details are distracting to me, for example, there is a dark spot near the top that my eye just keeps getting drawn to.

Master-D - great colours and an evocative picture

JAWJr - great composition and a lovely scene. For me though, something doesn't quite look right, perhaps the colours are a bit washed out?

Fireman32 - Nice lighting, did you use a flash to get the rope to shine out like that? It stands out nicely against the background and there was a risk that it could fade into the mist, but you've captured it well.

Deep diver - I'm glad I clicked into this one. The thumbnail looked quite uninspiring (a risk with this topic!) but when I saw it full size, the details in the sand and on the wing stand out. I would have liked the bird to be more to the right - but perhaps I'm being picky

NicholasDec - Nice interpretation of the topic. Simple and effective use of colour. I'd like to have seen the corner of the building be more vertical, but i do like the way the rest of the building slopes away to the right.

Razeus - really nice. The blue and orange complement each other well and the building's balconies add the bit of detail that is needed to stop this being boring.

Chappers - Nice way to end the competition. The white/yellow flower facing down the lens draws the eye, but the green leaves look like perhaps they moved during the exposure? At first, I thought this was taken in a light box, but on closer inspection, I think this was taken in the wild?

Anyway - comments are all my opinion only, and intended to be helpful. Now the serious stuff:
1.NicholasDec - I think you've worked well within the constraints of the topic
2.AlexH - Again, well done within the constraints of the challenge. nice use of shading - enough to keep the eye interested without being too much detail.
3.Ravaroo - simple, effective. I'm sure this has been done before, but I like it.

Close call in the end but well done to all who took part, some really nice stuff here. R
 
Congrats to NicholasDec another good shot from you.

Rich-212 thank you for jumping in to do the judging and very good it was too.

I was going to volunteer myself to judge and I loved your shot. It would have been on my list for a win. I hope you stick around for more contests, they're not always disorganised.


Mine was in the wild - a peach tree blossom.
 
Rich-212 Thanks for taking the time to judge. I did not use a flash for my shot but I focused on the rope when I took that shot.

Congrats NicholasDec you deserve the win for this one. Very nice shot along with everyone else's. I use everyones pictures here as inspiration to become a better photographer.
 
Rich -- thanks for stepping up. I have been a volunteer judge and it is very hard.

I did not have the benefit of framing this shot. The bird was standing on the beach and started to fly as I was raising my camera. I was pretty lucky to get what I did. I did crop a bit off of the left side. I thought the sense of flight was better served by playing up what was behind the bird.

As for your photo -- I like it a lot. There is a great contrast between the hard dark square bricks, and the soft bright round blossom. There is a tendency for the eye to scan an image from bottom left to top right, and my eye kept going in that direction. This might have been a bit more dramatic if the flower were in the upper right quadrant. I tried rotating the image, but the perspective was wrong and it just did not work. Overall, it is well done and I would have put this in the top 3 or 4.
 
Huge thanks to Rich-212 for stepping into the judging duties. Great critiques. Your shot was one of my favourites- I've taken many interesting pictures directly at the ground and yours is truly unique.

For my photo I tried to add a bit of an antique finish. It was a brilliant moment and setting. I could have gone a bit too far however with the effects- most of my shots are just plain naked and natural so I experimented a bit this time. Thanks again for taking the time to lend your thoughts and critiques this week!
 
Thanks guys! I just put up the new contest. I loved emorydunn's shoot, It has a minimalistic old feel to it that I personally love.
 
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