Weekly #401 - Seaside Postcards Competition

Sorry folks, I have a problem with the computer, if I can get it to work again later I'll upload comments......fingers crossed.

It's working at the moment so I'll leave it on till I come back later, stay tuned...................

First off, thank you all for your entries.....excellent!
I can see choosing a winner is going to be difficult.
Of course as usual it will only be my choice and any criticism will only be meant constructively.

Well..... there are some crackers here! All could be wonderful postcards.

BALI-A STATE OF MIND – conexus: A good start and a classic beach scene without the over processing we often see, lovely reflections on the wet sand and gorgeous colours . Having lived for the past two and a half years by the Indian Ocean this is exactly the kind of scene I love! Just one point .......I’ve become very conscious of sloping horizons (having taken so many beach shots now) and this one has a very slight lean to the right but otherwise a beautifully atmospheric shot.....and I like the writing too.
SCARBOROUGH-John riley: An unusual shot showing us not just the beach but we also get to see some of the town too. A very busy image with so much variation of architecture, I would like to have seen just a little more of the left side showing more sea and beach though
DINGHY-Perspicador: It certainly is a beautiful craft, I like that you’ve included the trees and grass in the background (slightly sloping though) It seems to have been taken in midday sun and I wonder how it would have looked with some nice evening sun. Perhaps a slight move to the right would have included more tyres as a ‘lead in’ toward the boat?
UMBRELLA – darlene: Lovely pastel colours in this! The composition is good with the umbrellas leading us towards the buildings in the distance – or are they emerging from the distance? A lovely layered shot, the people foreground, the umbrellas leading to the buildings and on to the distant trees. This would make an ideal postcard
A BEAUTIFUL DAY – Talete: A nice sense of scale with the figure against the rainbow, one feels she’s embracing the rainbow. It’s a shame the surf seems to be ‘blown out’, at least on my monitor
JAMAiCA BEACH FEBRUARY-arrondee: I like the idea here with the two craft, one large and the smaller one like a mirror image, lovely summer colours too, it really makes you want to be there (which is what postcards are meant to do aren’t they?) But......that sloping horizon!
EMERALD ROCKS-edumad: Wonderful colours! And what light on those rocks! This is definitely a ‘wish i was there’ shot. I tried viewing it with a fraction of the top cropped but still retaining some blue sky and for me it improved it. Lovely shot
OH I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEESIDE-pipinmels: Ok so it’s a lake, but it looks like a beach (with snow) and I like it. I’m not sure about a postcard but the snowflakes add that little extra interest
SUNSET-velimir: A difficult subject exposure-wise and you’ve done well here. I would be inclined to crop a little off the bottom to bring the horizon down away from the centre and concentrate attention on the sky more. I like the simplicity of this too
BAMBURGH CASTLE-tyronet2000: According to my monitor....there is a strong magenta cast to this but other than that a very nice shot with the reflection giving it a nice symmetry. Again another postcard that would make me want to visit
SEASIDE PARADE-ken2390: I visited Margate as a kid with my parents and this is just how I remember it, bright coloured buses, lots of people and sunshine....and of course the Union Jack flag. Can’t fault it as a postcard
CROMER PEIR-stephen-s: How can we not have a pier shot, they make such wonderful silhouettes too and this is a great example, especially with the sky and the small row of lights breaking up the large dark area on the left.
WELCOME TO SOLITUDE-Noelcam: Great simplicity, this reminds me of that ‘Most expensive photo in the world’ (2 million pounds!) from last year, except this is MUCH more interesting. The boat of course makes the photo and the horizon is straight!
CLEAVEDON P IER RETROSPECTIVE-david trout: This is a great shot of the pier, lots of detail, excellent composition but I don’t think the vignette quite works here....maybe a touch of sepia instead?

Well these are just my observations and so the placings are:

1st - UMBRELLA DAY by Darlene
2nd - BALI-A STATE OF MIND by conexus
3rd - SEASIDE PARADE by ken2390

No HC’s because all the others equally impressed me in their own way
Thanks for a great collection of entries
Over to Darlene...............

Regards
Michael

Wow! Thanks Michael for my placing. Never thought I would ever get a place. Well done to Darlene for winning and everyone else.

I need a holiday, and Darlene is pushing me to spend, spend and spend on one of those. What a lovely shot, lovely atmosphere, lovely line of umbrellas. Colorful and inviting. Congrats Darlene, fab shot, great for a postcard. And congrats extended to Conexus and Ken 2390. And everyone else, certainly a batch of delightful images. Just don't send me any postcards-rather send me some moolah for a holiday

Thanks to Michael for an interesting topic for last week's competition and detailed judging. Congratulations to the podium winners, Darlene, Conexus and Ken 2390.
David

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

So sorry for the delay..... I took sick unexpectedly , just open my email there was private message from pentax....run as quick as I could to open the site and WOW I won last week competition. Thank you

Hope you're feeling better now Darlene - your win must have cheered you anyway!