Monthly Competition #21 - Diagonals Competition

Many thanks to all of you that entered. It was great to see such a good range of interpretations with such exceptional quality of craftsmanship and it is has been a privilege to review all your work.

Just a reminder that I'm no expert at this. Everything here is just my personal opinion and the results reflect my personal tastes. I have tried to make useful comments for each entry and hope that I have not upset anyone as this was definitely not my intention. As always it is a terrific collection of pictures.

spring is in the air – wendy
I am very fond of close-up shots of flowers so it really nice to have this as our starting image. I think the composition works very well with the subject offset to the left and a nice diagonal stem to draw the viewer in. Perhaps the depth of field is just a tad too shallow. I like really soft backgrounds but I would have liked to see all of the foreground subject in focus and I felt the slightly blurred stem was just a little distracting. However a very topical spring inspiring picture to start this competition off.

Electrifying – brown142
Wow, diagonal overload. I thought this was an inspiring and well-crafted image for this subject. I like that you just slightly offset the vertical, creating depth and also introduced a little rotation. A brilliant and original take of a traditional pylon shot.

Meadow Pipit – coker
I like the composition particularly the way the main branch goes diagonally across the shot which also creates a sort of divider between the foreground and the nice soft but context reinforcing background. I think having the bird set down and off to the right works really well. I also like that the bird’s vertical standing tells us that main branch is also captured at the true angle. A great shot, many thanks.

Cold and Beautiful; Northern Canada – JudithAnn
Judith, what a tremendous picture. I am too far south to see the Northern Lights but I have been out at night recently trying to capture images of the moon and Jupiter in what I thought was cold enough weather but nowhere near the low temperature you had to put up with to capture this fantastic image. I love the combination of the soft greens with the pinpoint stars. I think having the bit of the roof apex and snow adds some wonderful context. A brilliant shot, very well done.

Selfridges Birmingham – conexus
I really love this image. It reminds me of the time, long ago, when I was working in the west-end of London and could pop-out to shops like John Lewis in Oxford Street during the lunch break. I think it is a wonderfully perceived and captured image that works well in this perhaps slightly tinted B&W mode. There is perhaps a little distracting splash of white light or reflection on the right hand second escalator down which I think I would have been tempted to clone out but this does not really distract from this brilliantly composed image. Fantastic – Well done!

Motor Bike – billyspad
A really nice composition. I like the way the curb and the aspect of the bike creates a strong diagonal leading line across the shot. I also like the colouring with a lot of black and white detail reinforced by the three red columns, green bushes and red plus yellow details on the bike. I have to admit that I have not tried doing any HDR but I wonder here if it is creating a sort of graphic art effect resulting in a sort of detail-overload and granular effect. A great image though, very sharp across the whole shot with a terrific amount of detail to explore.

Museum of Transport, Glasgow – gartmore
A wonderfully observed and executed shot. I am sure that many people never look up and would have missed this opportunity. The lighting obviously works really well reinforcing the diagonal white zig-zag and the two separate roof elements create an interesting combination against a nice deep-blue sky. There are some interesting bits of detail to explore, like the white tiles and the reflection in the glass. There appears to be a couple of what look like water drops in the blue sky and, being very over-picky, I think I can see the results of at least two specs of dust on the sensor (in the middle of the blue sky just in from the right-hand edge and a similar distance in on the middle of the left hand side). However I think it is an excellently composed and well perceived image delightfully bordering on the abstract.

Whose line is it anyway? – simonarron
I think this image is a great combination of leaning bikes just coming up from a dip in the track so that we also see a wonderful complimenting line from the edge of the track. I also like the way you have captured the front rider looking around the bend to create a sort of additional, implied, rider’s line of vision, diagonal almost at right angles. The little bit of second bike that we can see behind the main subject certainly tells us that there is a race going on. It is definitely a brilliantly executed shot of the pair of bikes which must have been moving at some speed. If it was mine I would be very proud of it.

Tree Fencing – BAJ
I think you certainly get a bonus for an unusual subject here. I love the “how-did-it-do-that” intrigue created by this image. The wire fence obviously creates a nice set of diagonals and I love the detail on the sawn-off end on the branch reinforced by the nice bright lighting. I think the composition is also nice with the branch set off to one side dissecting the top left corner. I also like the way the foreground is reinforced by the soft background. A wonderful intriguing image.

Roll of Honour Sculpture. – Jim-w
Many thanks for telling us what we are looking at in this shot. Stand-alone it certainly is a lovely composition but I think your explanation lifts the image onto a higher plane. I have family roots not far from site and for me it makes a very poignant picture. I think it is a very well-crafted image. Here I think the central symmetry works well and the lighting is used well to highlight the different colours. I love that it is pointing up into a nice blue and cloudy sky lifting our respect and appreciation to those it commemorates. A heart-warming image.

What's up? – Prieni
It is so good to see you again in one of these competitions Ralf and with such a fun image. I love it. It is brilliant! I think the red and the green work really well together and the texture in the leaves reinforces the diagonal nature of the shot. However it is undoubtedly the gecko that makes this shot. Fantastic, many thanks for entering it into the competition.

Beneath the surface – CMW
This a great image of another place that is familiar to me where instead of having the escalators enclosed in tight corridors they now descend and rise in a great big open pit creating a great feeling of space. I think the image works really well using black & white to capture this aspect, reinforce the hard lines and lift the surface detail. It feels like a combination of both old and new creating a terrific industrial landscape. Excellently perceived and crafted.

Glass – kh1234567890
I certainly like this image which with this predominant blue and grey colouring is almost a duotone. A great depiction of lots of diagonal lines with well managed verticals. I love the detail in the fixing heads holding the glass panels in place and the hints of light reflections, creating the two nicely positioned splashes of white detail. Very nicely perceived, crafted and presented.

24 ROSES – darlene
Many thanks Darlene for showing us your lovely collection of roses. The unusual looking straight down approach certainly gives the image an interesting edge and the shadows are intriguing. I often have trouble shooting red and pink flowers that end-up looking over saturated. Here, although I guess you did it on purpose for effect, it feels just a little over-exposed to me but I think it is still a good, different, approach for the competition.

Spokes of the Green Wheel – johnriley
A great detail of an obviously very large wheel. The green ironwork is nicely complimented by the red brickwork and the hard shadows create an extra level of detail. I think it is well composed with wheel just off to the left and the angle of the shot creates a good feeling of depth. The bright lighting is well managed and we even get to see a little of the rust detail in the centre of the wheel. A very well crafted image.

Afternoon light – philhaskins
An interesting silhouette, boarding on the black and white, giving some lovely detail in the water and retaining a hint of the structures in the background. We not only set the structure of the breakwater but also some interesting stuff along the top where I like the little hint of red or orange colour. A very well managed exposure and a good composition come together to create this well perceived and visualised image.

X marks the spot – tyronet2000
A great wide-angle shot looking straight up to the ceiling of an old church or cathedral.
I love the detail we see in the walls and windows on both sides. The long exposure has been excellently well managed to balance the internal warm lighting with the light coming through the windows. I guess the small aperture was to provide the good deep depth of field. I also think the shadows of the roof beams add even more depth to the image and that the texture detail of the plaster is fantastic. A really well-crafted image.

Just a hat – Oppenheimer45
It took me a while to work out which way we are looking although once I had worked it out it appeared obvious. I resisted the urge to rotate the picture to make sure I reviewed it as-presented. So an interesting angle which for me created a puzzle and possibly achieves some conflict in the viewer. I think the light background works well to highlight the bars of the shelf and the green hat and red reflective jacket provide some good colour. An unusual approach is used to create an interesting abstract concept with this image.

DiaGonal Alley – drofmit
I think this is an unusual approach and certainly gets the brownie points for being a unique interpretation. Ok so in the background we have the bridge probably slightly rotated and cropped to get the bridge to run diagonally across the image while in front of this we have a smaller version of the same image rotated back to what I guess was the original aspect . It certainly creates multiple diagonals in both images reinforced with the edges of the front image. It is almost like seeing a couple of postcards apparently randomly (but probably very carefully) placed although my mind might be thinking that just to negate the madness that this image might otherwise induce . A great approach to create something different that defiantly has an edge.

Dune Fence at Night – Northgrain
I am glad you put this image up because I recently got given an astronomical telescope and have been trying, none too successfully, to shoot bits of the sky at night. I like the warm glow that you have achieved in the foreground and the way it merges into the darker sky with the sharp pin-pricks of stars. It is good see Orion and bright starts like Sirius so well picked out. I think you must have carefully chosen the point of focus and worked with a smaller aperture and of course a longish exposure to have got such a good depth of field to have both the foreground grass and the stars so sharp. Perhaps the diagonal aspect is a little subtle but I am happy that there are plenty, along the horizon, with the fence posts and along things like Orion’s belt. A great night-time shot which I was really pleased to see.

Hiding among the Aloe leaves – Noelcmn
What a great shot of this handsome bug. It might well be trying to hide but I think you have done well to bring out the subject in this image. A lovely sharp focus on the bug giving a lot of very fine detail to explore complemented by the soft foreground and background leaves. Certainly a lot of diagonals in this image. Well done.

Dune – aliengrone
What a great idea, shot on the last day of the competition, creating some fantastic wavy diagonals from this obviously wind-blown sand. I think it definitely boarders on the abstract and I can imagine it being the sort of think that Windows might offer-up as a desktop backdrop. Another great original idea for this competition. – Very well done.

Wattle Awaiting The Daub – Lifespicer
A great image but unfortunately disqualified as the exif data indicates that it was shot well outside the date constraints required by the monthly competition rules.

At the playground – paulb531
I think this is a nice family image that certainly works well in black & white. We get lots of detail like the chunks of missing paint and scratches hinting that this apparatus has come in for quite a bit of use. I guess your grandson is moving quite fast (don’t they all!) causing a little bit of movement blur particularly with the right leg. The image certainly contains a lot of diagonals yet maintains good control of the vertical aspects. A good composition with the young lad traveling up and into the shot although I think perhaps it would have been good to have seen his face. I thought though it was a good picture to have in this competition.

Metro Bridge – davidtrout
What a great image to close this competition. A close-up of a train on the Queen Elizabeth 2nd Metro Bridge. The composition has been very well chosen to highlight the diagonals and I think the colour combinations work really well. There is some great detail of the bridge with the rivet heads and the slightly softer train tells us there is some movement going on. The very slight sideways angle of the shot provides nice depth and just reveals white inner surfaces of the beams. A fantastic shot – Very well done.


Results
With such a diverse set of high quality entries it has been quite difficult to choose the winners but after some careful consideration this is it:

1st – CMW for “Beneath the surface” – Because I thought it was a great combination of old and new architectural elements that worked really well in black & white.

2nd – davidtrout for “Metro Bridge” – For the fantastic colourful diagonal detail from this Newcastle bridge.

3rd – conexus for “Selfridges Birmingham” – For the wonderful diagonal zig-zag of escalators in this very well crafted image.

Highly Commended, in no particular order, to:
simonarron for Whose line is it anyway.
gartmore for Museum of Transport, Glasgow.
aliengrove for Dune.
Prieni for What’s up? Which made me smile .

A special mention, with extra brownie points, to dromfit for the unique approach adopted in DiaGonal Alley .

I think this completes my responsibilities here and hand over to CMW for the next round.

Glyn

Excellent, many thanks and well done all you winners!

It's great to see such a good response to a monthly project, so hopefully that will continue with the next one.

CMW, when you post your competition I'll correct the end date for you.

Thanks for the brownie points...
but..
the diagonal was the original picture...
straight from camera...
only cropped at the bottom to get rid of an intrusive crash barrier...
but it felt a bit boring , so...
that picture was then copied and pasted back, resized, rotated and re-aligned to go straight across.
I did copy the final combined image...
again pasting it in as for the first...
but got too dizzy looking at it!!

What's up & Dune ticked my box...
my first thought with a picture is always...
"Can I live with that?"
Yup...

Great comments on the pix...
always make me look again at pictures...
how they've been taken & cropped...
and will they act as inspiration?

Congratulations to the Winner and other places. Thanks to Glyn for an interesting subject, the judging and the comprehensive comments.

Great competition. Some really imaginative images, really enjoyed seeing them all and reading Glyn's thoughtful comments.

Well done the winner and all the placings

Thanks, Glyn, for the first place and for your interesting, thoughtful remarks on all the entries. You had some hard choices to make.

I haven't yet given any thought to April's subject, but shall do that in the course of the day and will set the new competition shortly.

Chris

Thanks for the kind words, Glyn, and the detailed judging. My compliments to those at the sharp end.

Glyn, thank you so much for 2nd place, it was more than I expected as I only entered at the every last moment.
There were some first class entries, in particular I loved Conexus' Selfridges and Prieni's frog, but there were many others of great merit. Congratulations to all the award winners.
As always Glyn your choice of subject and comments on all the entries were excellent.
David

PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout

Congratulations to the winners and HC's, and thanks for my HC! Great comp, and great judging!

Good competition, well judge and with constructive feedback. Congratulations to the winners and other places.

Regards

Paul

Thanks for that. It was the lamp posts that influenced my comments. I assumed that they would have been vertical in the original shot .

I still think it was a great unique way of tackling the subject .

Glyn

Was fun taking part again, nice variety of images.
Seeing a b/w image win does seem right and it is a very good example of diagonals!

Well done to CMW for the win and congrats to the other mentions. Thanks to Glyn for the great comp and judging.

Jim.

Well done to you guys, some really strong pictures!

A big apology from me, sorry i forgot the rules for the monthly competition. I won't make that mistake again

Thank you to our judge, and congrats to all winners!!!

JA

Thanks for the comments. The photo was supposed to be viewed as presented.