Weekly #477 – Wide Angle Everything Competition

We have a strong selection of photos this week for which I thank you. These competitions are always difficult to judge as there is no definitive scheme to go by; it all boils down to personal preference.

I eliminated several photographs for technical infringements, i.e. they were taken with a telephoto lens. I then looked for photographs that were clearly taken with a wide angle, show good composition, originality and inspirational use of a wide angle lens. Wide angle photography certainly isn't straightforward because it is easy to include unwanted distracting elements and make the subject insignificant if it is too far away. So one has to get close and having done that the subject becomes quite bold in relation to its background.


Edinburgh skyline - Perspicador

A prompt entry from Perspicador before most realised the competition even was up and running! It's a lovely silhouette of the city skyline with an interesting cloud formation to boot and super sharp too. But alas, a 100mm+ lens on an APSC camera is not wide angle so despite its merits, it isn't going to be a contender this week.


Workshop at Bolton Steam Museum - John Riley

A good test of the lens at 20mm. Looks like what would normally be a busy place as there's lots to investigate in this photograph. Some parts of the photo look rather dark, perhaps these areas could be enhanced in post processing? Regarding the composition there is a route through the image leading to the green door which happens to be on a third, a strong location in an image. That however tends to lead one through the photo to wonder what is through that door! I do suspect the door wasn't meant to be the subject though. If something was more prominent in the foreground to provide a subject with the scene depicted behind I feel it would have led to a stronger image with the feel for the location enhanced.


Kafka by David Cerný - kh1234567890

When I fist saw this it was a real puzzle picture to me. Was it a building designed like a face? was it a mask covering someone's face? Heck, one would be huge, the other tiny! This is the sort of trick that can be played with wide angles, distorting perspective.
A bit of research on my part has led me to find out it is actually a rotating sculpture in the City of Prague, so neither of my initial impressions was right but something in between. Without a descriptive title I would still be puzzled! This photograph seems to me superior to those that I found in in my research about it showing the Pentax 16-45 can more than hold its own in wide angle photography. Some may object to the converging verticals but to me it emphasizes and frames the 'face.' Well done indeed.


HC Clock Workings - GlynM

Technically a really good record of the clock workings (not that I understand it!) and the wide angle lens has proved good for the task.
This one too looked a bit dark at first to me and initially I thought it could be helped with a shadow boost so I copied and pasted it into Elements to see if it would help and voila, all was revealed without doing anything further! So I put the viewing problem down to the bright white surround on the web page making the image look darker. So now I can see all the detail and everything looks fine. An excellent record shot but perhaps missing the creative wide angle use I was looking for.


E-type - bforbes

A case of near side front impact here (in a good sense!) I was half expecting a fish-eye front of car image, unusually this one concentrates on just one headlamp. It's very effective and the sort of inspiration I was looking for in the competition brief. If you look carefully you can see the reflection of the photographer in the bumper over-rider! To be critical, one point of note is that the off-side over-rider on the extreme left has been partly pruned out which is a shame.


Some fell on stony ground - davidwozhere

There's a lot I like about this shot. I think it's the simplicity of the colours. The orange in the foreground and the greens receeding out of focus behind. But after that there's something I'm not to keen about. Towards the back though there's a distracting element, namely the out of focus diagonal. I feel if you crop the photo between the top of the orange succulent and that diagonal into a letter box the photo would be improved (at least for me!) I have a slight reservation about considering awarding a podium for this shot though as there is nothing to suggest it was taken with a wide angle lens. Normally with wide angles practically everything is in focus but that isn't the case here.


Early morning, Clevedon - davidtrout

A lovely capture David, long before I normally think about getting up! Perhaps I should try. The composition is the classic subject on the thirds which works well here. The lighting is smashing, the sky fascinating and the foreground interesting. It all makes a really lovely photograph. My only little niggle with it is the horizon doesn't seem quite level, otherwise it is a strong contender. Certainly an inspirational photo as I was after (but not keen about the getting up before 6am to take it though, I'll have to work at that!) Thanks.


Whitby Harbour - timcx500e

Around midday in the middle of August and Whitby harbour almost deserted. Another good piece of inspiration and amazing that it was taken on a compact (the MX-1) and not a DSLR. It's an obvious subject, often photographed, yet this time well photographed. I think what has helped here is to shoot from a fairly low level to ensure the capstan dominates the photo, yet the location is clear, everything is in sharp focus. I suspect most wouldn't have thought of getting low to take it. There's nothing not to like!


Post Mead Rievaulx Abbey - jofford

A fish-eye photo of the abbey ruins where I had to pick myself up from the floor after falling backwards looking up at that arch overhead! I do like the fact the photo has been given a solid base and a sense of scale with the figures at the far end who are dwarfed by the building. The lighting was not helpful yet it has been handled well. It's a shame that the sky wasn't more interesting as there's that large expanse of empty sky which dominates the area where the roof would have been but that couldn't be helped. All in all, you've made a good interesting photo which is certainly wide angle everything, probably worth taking again when the lighting is more dramatic.


QEII Bridge Dartford - stephen-s

You're right about the variety of colours and it makes an interesting picture. The letterbox format suits the subject and 18mm was wide enough to get the bridge and approaches in. It would have been easy to over or under expose it but you've nailed the exposure.
My reason for not awarding a podium is that the subject is too far way away and nothing dominates the foreground to complement the bridge. It's well taken for what it is but hasn't got that pictorial something I'm looking for.


Boat @ Zoo Lake - Noelcmn

A photograph of two halves, in more ways than one! The left and right are approximate mirrors and the 'other side' is mirrored in the water.
The lighting is also in two halves with a very light area and a very dark area. I'm wondering if an HDR approach may have balanced the contrasty lighting out more. It was certainly well thought out and using the fish-eye has given an unusual take on it.


Binibeca-Menorca - paulb531

This too is very contrasty and looks to have been a really tricky subject with extreme highlights and I presume intense shadows, however it has all been balanced out quite well. It almost looks like a negative. The composition leads you along the alleyway making you wonder what is round the corner. Personally I'm not keen on the subject matter but it gets a commendation for its technical handling.


Durdle Door to Bat's Head - MikeInDevon

A classic UK seaside view with lovely sky, sea and cliff colours. We have some steps taking us down to the beach where the bay curves round. It is well taken and would make a good postcard of the bay. I'm judging this photograph against the Whitby and Clevedon shots, it's a close run thing!


Digbeth - Simonmac

This is a good record shot of the street which is exposed well with detail in the sky, but it seems to cry out for something of interest in that almost empty street which by its postion in the photo looks the be the photograph's subject. The street doesn't lead to anything special to look at either. In fact the strongest part of the photograph has the traffic lights in which I doubt were your intended subject. One is also led to read some of the signage. I'm sure there's a picture or two here but I don't feel this is it. For instance the chap on the left or perhaps or the coach station which with its signage would have made a subject to 'focus' on. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong in taking a street scene to archive for posterity, and for that it is really good, but not for a pictorial competition.


The Rescuer - Daronl

This photograph is well taken and the wide angle has provided a good bold image and the subject is well placed in the frame with no distracting elements in view. The contrasty lighting hasn't helped though and While the highlights have been well handled I feel we need to see more detail in the shadows. Your jpeg can stand a shadow boost and if you have a raw file of it more detail could definitely be brought out. It could however be suffering from the web page white border syndrome I described earlier so this will be making the podium for it's boldness, tight cropping and lack of other distractions. I am aware that the horizon isn't exactly level here, but it isn't a photograph of the scenery, it is making the most of the statue, so Well done, a good wide angle photograph.


Red sail in the distance - ken2390

Hey, yes that red sail is the only non blue/grey in the photo. Unfortunately a 70mm lens isn't wide angle, rather a short telephoto so won't be in the running. However, if you wish to try and make more of the photo, if it were mine I'd trim off most of the lower half (just below the land jutting out into the water) which would put more emphasis on your red boat and while your about it straighten the horizon as I feel it has a lean to the left. Given it has a teriffic sky and with the letterbox cropping it would make a great photo to hang at home.


Well it has been really hard to decide on the podium positions. I would like to award several first places, but alas I can't. All the podiums are equally good for different reasons!

1st goes to 'Kafka' by David Cerný by kh1234567890
I like the fact it had me puzzled, the wide angle effect!

2nd goes to 'Whitby Harbour' by timcx500e
There were several seascapes and related photographs and this to me was close to perfection.

3rd goes to 'The Rescuer' by Daronl
This is making good use of a very wide angle lens and has been judged against the other photographs taken with an extreme wide angle.

HC's to:
'E-type' by bforbes. A good inspirational photo but let down by cropping off the offside bumper over-rider.
'Early morning, Clevedon' by davidtrout. A super photo but let down by that noticably slopey horizon.
'Post Mead Rievaulx Abbey' by jofford for its wide angle inspiration.
'Binibeca-Menorca' by paulb531 for trying to take an almost impossible subject and getting away with it!

Thank you all. So it's over to kh1234567890 to carry the baton for the coming week.

Congratulation to our winners and a big thank you for my HC. A well thought through competition subject and well thought out judging, I had not noticed the too close crop. I'll have to go back and try again.

Well done to the worthy podium photographers. Happy with a HC for my image and thank you, JAK, for helpful feedback

Thanks JAK for the competition and comments. Congratulations to the winners and HCs. Thans for my HC.
David

Many thanks JAK for a very interesting and well managed competition.

Congratulations to kh1234567890 for an Intriguing and well deserved winning image, the runners up and everyone else for another grand set of pictures.

Glyn

An interesting competition indeed,

Well done to the winner and places and thank you for the incisive comments.

Cheers!

Simon

Jak ,Congratulations to the winner and many thanks for the judging and my coveted second place , the MX is a super little camera , Thanks again, Tim.

Congrtatulations kh1234567890, that is indeed an intriguing image, lots to explore, worthy winner imho. And extended to timcx500e, Daonl and hte HC's bforbes, davidtrout, Jofford and paulb531. Loved this challenge, and all the images here. Such varied techniques. Thanks JAK for that, and the judging, commenting exercise, always appreciated.

Well judged, insightful critiques, all in all very interesting.
Thanks
Mike

Congratulations to David for a very striking and well crafted winner and thanks (John K) for a well judged and usefully critiqued competition.

Best regards to all entrants

DaronL

Congratulations to David - a worthy winner amongst some strong competition. Well done to JAK for providing the competition and feedback.

Regards

Paul

Fantastic photos. Congratulations to the winners

Great winning photo and so many other excellent shots for a really interesting category.

The winner is a most worthy one. Quite an amazing shot. And well done the other two (and the other contenders) Good competition.
To answer the "not in focus all over" question, the Hoya 25 - 40mm has two options at the wide end - normal and macro, with the macro being a true, limited d.o.f. macro.

Out of interest David - or anyone - what lens would get everything in focus in your subject? Wrong place I know. And how big are those plants?