Monthly #75 - Contre-jour..(Back lighting) Competition

Thank you for your entries. As ever picking the winning images has been really tough.
My comments in order of appearance.

Medieval Jug and Bowl by johnriley
I'd call this a photographers photograph. Not many would see this lovely composition and the shapes that are defined by the back lighting of the jug and bowl, very well handled.

The Power of Light and Dark by GlynM
When you set things up and create an image as here, there is no excuse for things not being right. No excuses needed for this beautiful photograph, absolutely top draw. The use of the checked cloth, the lighting, the distortions created by the glass, the angle of view the amount of the glass sphere that break the horizon line. If I could have given joint first this would have been it.

Bird on the wire by Perspicador
A good example of back lighting of a subject with a pure silhouette. I like the composition with the wire on the bottom third and the pigeon central, the bright area leading to the bird from the left.

Purple Toadflax by davidwozhere
A more arty feel for this entry. I like the background transition from dark to light when read from the left, with the subtle bokeh balls. My one slight negative, it is a shame that the brightest part of the Toadflax is not in sharp focus. A nicely done image all the same.

Gas and Dust by Dariusz
Not something I have ever even attempted to photograph. Your different take on the subject is most welcome and interesting. As you yourself say the main subject is a very small part of the image, it does make me want to get in closer and see more. The possibilities are enormous.

La Plume by drofmit
What a great spot, nicely shot. If it were not for the distorted web strands at the nib of the feather it does appear to be floating. Both a very interesting and a nicely handled shot.

Backlight Seed pods by Noelcmn
Another great spot! These round translucent pods make a great subject matter for back lighting showing lovely details of the pod veins and shadows of the seeds within. The dark background and sharp focus of the pods makes an image with interest and pop.

Twilight Silhouette by MikeInDevon
Really like the composition and the perspective of the foreground trees. For me you have lifted the shadows just enough to give separation between the trees and the background. Waiting until after sunset has worked so well with that lovely transition of colour in the sky. Beautiful photograph.

It's going to be another cold night by Abe_Normal
Another evening sky shot this time a rather magnificent single tree and yes with that clear sky we know it's going to be a cold one. I think for an in camera HDR the image has come out very well. A lovely transition of colour to the sky. The image here for me is the sky and tree, I'd crop most of the foreground grass leaving enough to "ground the image", I think this would make for a stronger composition. A good result, better than any of my efforts with in camera HDR that's for sure.

The Podium
1st place MikeInDevon Twilight Silhouette
2nd place (unofficial joint first) GlyM The Power of Light and Dark
3rd place johnriley Medieval Jug and Bowl
HC's to:-
Noelcmn Back light Seed Pods
drofmit La Plume

A very enjoyable and well done selection of images all. Thank you for taking the time to enter.

Excellent choices for winners, I had thought GlynM's was top contender, and so it proved as well as our winner here. Agree with our judge, and those salmon pink clouds are wonderful. Congrats to MikeinDevon. ANd extended to GlynM and JohnRiley, and my fellow HC Dromfit. Happy to receive an HC in what I consider to be a massively high quality image challenge! Thanks NigelK for the challenge and judging exercise- as always appreciated. Great stuff everyone.

Many thanks Nigel for another very well managed and great competition. I loved the diversity in the submissions and particularly liked Noel's seed pods .

Thanks also for the coveted 2nd place .

Congratulations to Mike for the winning image, fellow podium member John, Noel plus Tim for their HCs and everyone else for rising to the challenge with such a great set of images.

Glyn

PS - If you have not already seen it there are a couple of pictures of how my image was shot on our dining room table in the forum comments thread, scroll down from here.

Gosh, I'm surprised but very pleased to be given the top spot against such impressive competition! So many thanks Nigel for my first monthly competition win, I'm really chuffed. And congratulations to the other podium winners and HCs.

I think this user group and these competitions are a great way to learn and to try to grow photographically, so a big thank you to all those involved.

Now it's time to put my thinking cap on for October's topic.

Best regards
Mike

I thought Glyn's had got it until the winner popped up! Super work from all three podiums - podia?