Monthly Competition #23 – Around Midday Competition

Many thanks to all of you that entered. Perhaps not a huge entry this time but still a great collection of completely different styles and subjects that have been well crafted. Once again 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.


South Shields Market 1215hrs – tyronet2000
A nice start to the competition. I like the inclusion of the clock, which along with the title, clearly defines the time of day. The bright lighting and hard shadows definitely create a challenge and perhaps the contrast has suffered a little. It is though a great capture of an obviously busy market at midday and I particularly like the patterns in the paving. A good image to set the scene for the competition.

Boot Fair – ken2390
Another busy entry. This time of a boot fair. I think the lighting has worked well to bring to lift the colour in this image and I love the red spotty dress of one the foreground subjects. I have a friend who is a retired sport photographer and he keeps telling me how important it is to photograph peoples’ fronts so you can see their faces. So perhaps I have been conditioned in that I feel that it would have been better for the foreground subjects to be coming towards us. However, having had a week of wet and overcast weather it is great to see all these people enjoying a good day. Many thanks.


21st Century Water Rats – johnriley
We seem to be so much more protective and worried about our children than I remember about my childhood that it is good to see this shot of young people having fun by some water in the woods. What better way to spend a bank holiday in May. A very nice sort of Arthur Ransom, Swallows and Amazons style, capture.


Guide Dog Puppy Klint – gartmore
A very nice portrait of this animal and another example of your excellent competence with the Pentax Q. I love the sparkle of catch-lights in the eyes and details like the whiskers. Perhaps it feels just slightly soft along the edge of the ear on the right but probably only because I have been staring at it too long. I am sure most viewers will concentrate on the wonderful capture of the facial expressions of this dog at rest. A fantastic image.


Corfu Beach – paulb531
I really like this image. A bright sunny day on an empty beach and certainly the shadows indicate that it was shot around midday. The distant hills and clouds help balance the bright sand and the lightly breaking waves add a lovely feel of calm. I think it is nicely composed with the three sets of sunshades. There is also some distant activity on the water which adds a little extra interest and uniqueness to shot. A very well perceived picture.


Between the showers – walkeja
While it has not been particularly cold May seems to have been largely damp and overcast so I think this shot is particularly topical. Composition wise I love the diagonal formed by the path and crossing which I am sure draws the viewer across the image. The foliage has obviously benefited from the rain lifting the green colour. If the exif data is correct then perhaps, shot at 15:08, it is pushing its luck for “around midday” but it is a good, topical and well composed image.


Out of the mid-day Sun – mudge
Certainly one of my favourite images in this collection. First seeing it as a smallish image in the competition gallery it is like a dark balloon with a splash of colour that drew me in to view the larger image to find out what was going on. It is a great shot. An interlude during a beach holiday with a small child. I love the sort of inverse highlight created by the shadow. Initially I thought perhaps the shot was a bit untidy but after a while I realised that the paraphernalia was part of the story as well as adding colour and detail for the viewer to explore. A great image which I really enjoyed seeing.


Jubbah – aliengrove
Another of Jon’s wonderful, signature, aerial images. In this instance an interesting picture of what must be a very hot place at midday. There is a terrific amount of detail for the viewer to explore from the patterns in the sand, rocky outcrops and intriguing paths and patterns of human intervention. I think it is a really well-crafted image to provide so much detail from what must be quite a height. Brilliant, well done.


Gannet in flight – Perspicador
A nice picture of a sea-bird in flight against a clear blue sky at midday. Shot with a long, 300mm, lens where I guess that there was some panning involved. We get some good detail of the head and body of this bird but the wing tips are perhaps a little soft, possibly because of movement. If the exif data is to be believed the K-r was running in a landscape mode and I wonder if a different, faster mode, might have just given that extra bit of sharpness. However there is still a lot of wonderful detail in this image and I am sure that a lot care and skill was required to achieve this. A very nice picture to see.


Earth's Star – Noelcmn
What a lovely macro shot. While the narrow depth of field concentrates the viewer onto the tip of this plant in the centre of the shot there is enough detail of the rest of the plant, going off to the left, to tell the viewer more about the plant as well as creating a very nice composition. I think the soft dark background also works really well to concentrate the viewer on the plant. I think it is a very well perceived and executed image – well done.


Pied wagtail – geordie01
I think this little wagtail makes an excellent picture. I like the way the depth of field has been controlled to create a soft background to lift the very sharp subject which might otherwise have been lost in the similar colour background. You have certainly made good use of the sunshine and have picked a very good spot. I think the composition is great with the bird slightly offset and I like the way the green foliage adds some nice colour creating a good leading line effect. I think you have demonstrated excellent skills with such a long lens combination. Very well done.


Results
Even with a smallish number of entries the range of subjects, all well-crafted, made it difficult to choose the winners but after some careful consideration this is it:

1st – paulb531 for “Corfu Beach” – Because I loved the calm emptiness of this well composed image.

2nd – geordie01 for “Pied wagtail” – Because It is such a very well-crafted long shot of a little bird in the midday sun.

3rd – mudge for “Out of the mid-day Sun” – For a great shot from a beach holiday with a small child that, unusually, works really well having the subject in shadow.


Highly Commended, in no particular order, to:
gartmore for Guide Dog Puppy Klint.
Noelcmn for Earth's Star.
aliengrove for Jubbah.

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

Glyn

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

Thank you Glyn, for a thorough adjudication and congratulations to the victors. As one of the vanquished, its back to anticipation for what flaming June will bring by way of a follow-up contest and the continuing enjoyment that our Pentax equipment affords us. Well done, everyone!

Thanks Glyn for a good competition. I feel chuffed to win it - congrats to other placings. I had an advantage with this competition as I was on holiday in Corfu at the time. I saw quite a few middays and plenty of time on my hands.

Regards

Paul

Oops, didn't realise it was that late, we set off for the walk just after a pub lunch.

Thanks for the comments.

Thanks for the coveted 2nd spot Glyn and congrats to the winner a great image

Congratulations Paul, It is indeed an evocative image, well worth the win. Crumbs, don't you just wish you could be there, and occupy those chairs? Congrats too to Geordie01 (with a shot of one of my favorite birds) and Mudge. I am honoured to be amongst the HM's, so congratulations too to my fellow HM's.
Lovely and unusual shot-so wide open and producing a wonderful range of interpretations and interests- great job in judging too, and therefore a hearty thanks to GlynM for all the hard work! As usual, much appreciated that you took the time to comment on each entry.

Congts Paul, Geordie and Mudge! Thanks for the HC, and for setting the comp. It's a shame these monthly comps aren't a bit better subscribed.