Weekly #419 - Stairs Competition

Thank you the better and better photos for everyone. I would like to share some thoughts about these competiton photos. First, it was very honored and joyful to me, that my photo won the #418 weekly competition, because I make photography only from the beginning of 2015, so thank you for everybody. But enough about me.

So...

I like every photos in this competition, but I must choose the winner. I tought I choose the first three photos. But before I tell you these three photos, I say something about all of the competition entries.

Meerkat Manor by Perspicador : A very lovely photo, because I love animals too. - In the backgrond I see a suspension bridge, maybe it can be a stair? If yes, then I would have liked it better, if the focus not on the Meerkat, but the bridge. But I know, that these picture not made for these competition, so for you (and maybe most of other people) the meerkat was the important theme.

Down the stairs for Mr Jones by tyronet200 : A beautiful picture. I like long shutter speed photos. The colors are harmonic, and the water is perfect to for me. On the right upper corner, there was a small piece of a fence. Maybe a little if you cut out of that from the picture, it would be perfect, because it unfortunately takes attention away.

Dr Who? by cardiffgareth : Another fine picture. Nice lights, nice colors. I can't say more about it, but I don't have, because it speaks for itself.

Not your typical set of stairs... by Mag07 : It's not typical... that's for sure. I like the fresh air in the mountains. Like on Perspicadors Meerkat Manor photo, on your photo the path can be a stair. Hmm... an interresting approach. For me, the horizon, as if it were a little skewed, and it's a bit confusing, but ignoring this, this is a good picture.

Through the woods by davidhamilton : I always like, if people are made photos specially for a weekly competition. In the Exif I saw, that these picture was made in the time of these competition. Thank you, it was very honorific. It's nice in B&W.

Sage Stairs by stephen-s : Picture of everyday life... That was my first thought about these picture. The black and white symbolize the bad and good, dark and light, night and day of everyday life for me. Other way the stair symbolize the great truths of life: Once up, sometimes down. The photo is a little bit noisy, because the ISO was high, but maybe there was few lights, and you didn't want to use a flash.

Steps - Murieston Trail by nicesparky : As I wrote above, it was very honorific, if somebody take a photo specifically for a weekly competition. This is the other. The saying is true: Sometimes less is more. As soon as I saw this picture, I fell in love immediately. It's clear, simple and thought-provoking. Where goes the stairs. There is only three words: Perfect for me.

Hotel Staircase by mudge : A more special viewpoint. As I saw earlier I like stairs in more special view, from above or below. This is on of them. I loved. Thank you.

Each to their own step... by drofmit : Very impressive. But I prefer the photos without any photo manipulation. These picture has very nice color, and I happy to hang on my wall, because it looks more like a painting than a photograph. But this is only my opinion. I dont like too much manipulation on a photo.

watch your step by siliconchippy : Interresting concept. When I saw first, i say there is a lot of mistakes. It seemed as it were puttin together from several pieces, because I see some alignment issues. But if I looks closer I realized... It's a big mirror made of several pieces. One more time: very interresting. Thank you.

Johannesburg Botanical Gardens by Noelcmn : First. Thank you for the opportunity. And thank you for honorig by made a picture for these weekly competition. I like foreground, and the background too. The foreground: The stairs symbolizes to me, as I wrote above for stephen-s, once up, sometimes down. This is why I like the foreground. The background: Those trees looks like tiny (bonsai) trees. I know those are normal trees, but they are very pretty.

And now, the first three pictures from back to front:

Third place: Through the woods by davidhamilton
Second place: Hotel Staircase by mudge

And the winner is: Steps - Murieston Trail by nicesparky

Nor the others are sad, because they're all finished on fourth place.

I hope no one is offended by my opinions, I had no intention.

Thank you for everyone!

nicesparky the week is yours!

Well done to nicesparky and the other podia...
and thanks Timo for a speedy result with very thoughtful comments.
And not offended at all... the whole thing about competitions is to try and think like the judge...
as well as create a winning picture.
Sometimes it clicks... often it doesn't...
it would be a pretty horrible world if we thought like clones!

I only occasionally use full, post photo manipulation like this...
and if you'd seen how horribly boring the original picture was...
shot for the record and not for use... you might, possibly, think differently.

But, on the way there, I discovered something else...
my first idea to use the picture was to overlay it with the same shot taken this week...
with the two remaining squash from last year taking the place of two of those above...
the title "Ghosts of Pumpkins Past", came to mind...
but...
with digital pictures, you can't just pick up a print to line yourself up correctly...
as in most before and after shots...
you need to print it out... at a handlable size...
simple A4 doesn't work... I tried that... too floppy...
the digital picture frame might have worked...
but... we haven't seen that since we moved!!
Anyone care to say what they do?

In the meantime, I'll keep trying to get the angles right to do...
"Ghosts of Pumpkins Past"

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

Congratulations Nicesparky, Mudge and Davidhamilton. A very fine winner there Nicesparky, so inviting to explore that trail, sharp and such lovely greens. Thanks Timtea the challenge and for a fine judging exercise, no offense around here. BTW, I liked that image of Dromfit, its so interesting.

Congratulations to "nicesparky"

Thanks "timt19" for the timely judging, and thought put into it. Also for my second place (my favourite position!!!!)

Thanks Timea for the subject and the judging. I always look to provide a new photo for each weekly competition - it gives a challenge for the week.

Over to you nicesparky ........ shutter finger is itching!

Thanks to all for your comments. I am overjoyed at being this weeks winner - my very first photography competition win.
Apologies for the delay in submitting this weeks weekly comp, I have been away visiting and was guilty of not checking the site. I am working on a theme and will submit it very shortly.

Thanks again a very happy.

Brian