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Weekly #638 - Metal Competition

Competition Details
Closing Date: 13/10/2019
Judge: Nigelk

Metals are wonderful materials, they have literally shaped our world. All sorts of household and public items along with major constructions are formed from metals. From metallic sheen to painted, from riveted to welded and brazed, metals are all around us in all shapes and forms. I'd love to see your metal themed photographs.
Competition Entries
Nigelk
Posted 14/10/2019 - 14:06 Link
Thank you to all who entered the metal competition.
I've had a really tough job choosing the winner, the entries show a great variety of metal usage as well as different styles of photography, making it tough to judge.
Please do remember I'm an untrained enthusiast so my comments are just the way I see things not some experts critique.

Famous Helicopter by Perspicador

Starting with a very modern high tech use of all sorts of metals and their alloys with this shot of a helicopter. The shutter speed has allowed for a little movement showing in the rota blades which I like, nicely positioned in the frame. It is a surprisingly noisy shot for iso 100 which does seem to have robbed us of some detail,I guess it must have been quite dull at the time of capture. Great example of metal usage to get us going.

The t'rusty can by drofmit
They don't make them like this anymore!
It's the textures and contrasts between aged galvanizing and the rusted areas that keep the interest in this entry. You maybe could have been a bit more creative with your positioning of the watering can and angle of view but as I've already said there is plenty to hold the attention in the contrast of surfaces and the textures including the slight sheen to the rust on the handle as opposed to the rusted areas that are not touched so much.

Lost at Sea Fishermen's Memorial Dunmore East by dinneenp
Love the sculpture and love your chosen angle of view, the vignette holding my eye in the frame. My one slight criticism, as this is Metal week. I feel your choice to go to B&W whilst it makes for a lovely photograph I do think it has robbed us of some of the metallic qualities of this sculpture which I'm guessing is a bronze casting with some patina, otherwise all good from me.

Steel Furnace in Steel City by PRYorkshire
A lovely industrial metal theme shot, I'm calling it "heavy metal" You can't get more metal than a steel furnace. Tons to look at in this shot.

Man of Steel by johnriley
You've not worried about showing us the whole sculpture, you've gone in to to give us some detail as well. Very well framed and handled shot, we've even got a bit of detail in the sky.

Metal Working by JAK
Good shot of someone doing a bit of blacksmithing. Well judged exposure detail and sharpness in the man and the colour of the hot steel on the anvil. I also like the bit of movement in the hammer showing that he was hitting the steel not just standing there posing. I'd probably crop some of the right side of the image to remove the bright rods leaning against the wall, there would still be plenty of bits and stuff to set the scene.

A Mug's Game by MHOL190246
Given this is metal week I can understand going in close to the enamelled mug, however it would be great (if it was even possible) to show the mug with the spring or some of the water so the image told more of the whole story rather than relying on your explanation. Good to have a bit of humour in the competition.

Copper turning by pipinmels
It is just as you say a bin full of copper swarf. I like the colour, it is bang on theme but, I do feel some more work, angles, depth of field could be explored to present it in a more interesting way. I like parts of the image but it doesn't quite come together for me.

Good View Ruined by R o b
Great spot to have a B&B, handy for the Ferry to by the looks. I really like what you have done here, for me it is a success. You've found the right angle to make that aluminium scaffolding work photographically against the background. Importantly as it is metal week there is plenty of detail in the scaffold with a good metallic sheen preserved.

The Scallop by retsoor
Love this sculpture, living not far away I have my own shots of it. Like johnriley you've chosen to go in a little closer, sacrificing some of the sculpture to give us more detail and what lovey metal detail that is on this fine piece of Stainless steel work. I don't know if you used flash, a reflector or did it in post but we can even see detail under the sculpture. The one thing I would like to see- a twist of the camera to the left to show the shell meet the sand in the bottom left corner but, great shot.

Tyred by Simonmac
Congratulations on a successful framing of part of this installation, not always easy. Lots of lovely rusty detail of what from my point of view is ready for the scrap bin but successfully made in to an artwork and photograph.

Metal Abstractions by Noelcmn
Another shot I really really like. Not fully abstract but it really does work that single yellow light picking up a pattern within the burnished pattern of the blue metal, then we have the fairly random scoring of the surface. Colour, light and texture all coming together to make a very good shot.

Heavy Metal Afloat by ken2390
Last and by no means least. A lovely steel narrow boat now a pleasure craft but reminding us of the not so distant industrial past of our water ways. For my taste I would like a little more space in front of the boat and a little more of the rather lovely reflection, just a bit tight in the frame for a boat in motion. The boat is good and sharp from front to back and nice natural colour, a good shot.

The Podium
1st Man of Steel by johnriley
2nd Good View Ruined by R o b
3rd Metal Abstractions by Noelcmn

Highly Commended:-
Lost at Sea Fishermen's Memorial Dunmore East by dinneenp
The Scallop by retsoor
Tyred by Simonmac

Thank you all for entering and making setting the winners a real challenge.
Keep shooting
Nigel
drofmit
Posted 14/10/2019 - 15:22 Link
Congratulations to John... and the sculptor! I think John's close up really shouts...
and congrats to the podia places and HCs.
Thanks also to Nigelk for an interesting comp.
Thanks also for the CC.... yes, I could have found somewhere else...
but the angle of the can would have been the same I think...
no other position really shows the grit-polished 'andles as well.
Never be afraid to talk about your techniques...
"Give a thousand photographers...
the same camera, lens and scene...
and you'll always get a thousand different takes!!"
Anon.
johnriley
Posted 14/10/2019 - 15:26 Link
Congratulations to all for a fine set of images, and many thanks for the win.

The new competition is already up and running!
Best regards, John
Posted 14/10/2019 - 19:10 Link
Some very interesting entries and well done John for a deserved 1st place and to 2nd and 3rd. Thanks Nigel for the comments and my HC
Simonmac
Posted 14/10/2019 - 19:20 Link
Loved this one Nigel.

Well done all.

It's nice to be having a go again.

All the best

Mac
macmccreery.com
www.flickr.com/photos/simac/
www.500px.com/simac
Noelcmn
Posted 14/10/2019 - 19:59 Link
Congrats John, love that -in-your-face presentation. And drama there too! Worthy Winner! And extended to my fellow podia placed R o b, and not forgetting the HC's dinneenp, Retsoor and Simonmac. And thanks for the 3rd spot, honoured really, given the high quality submissions. Thanks NIgel, for the Challenge and C&C's.
R o b
Posted 15/10/2019 - 13:51 Link
Thanks for the kind words, and the coveted second place - some of the glory and none of the work. It was an interesting subject with lots of possibilities. It must have been difficult to judge.

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