Weekly #510 - Transition Competition

Initially I had doubts as to whether I had set too quirky a subject and I was relieved to see an unusual number of entries appear quite early on. I think you have all done really well and your efforts are very much appreciated.

Just a reminder that I am 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 an excellent and well-crafted collection of pictures and it has been fun and a privilege to review your work.

We have lift-off! – Perspicador
I think this is a great picture to start off this competition. While I usually prefer to have my subjects traveling into a shot I think in this example you have achieved a perfect composition. Having the goose almost on the edge of leaving the shot works really well to show the splashes where its feet have been. I am also fond of seeing diagonals in pictures and here we have some great diagonals. I love the way one foot and the wing that is furthest away form a diagonal pointing into opposing corners. I also like the way the colour of the reflections in the water form three bands and that goose’s head lines up exactly on one of these boundaries. The wing tips are a little blurred but actually I think this helps reinforce the fantastic feeling of movement. A well-crafted water-bird image that depicts a good example of transition.

From Positive to Negative – mudge
This is certainly a fantastic image and I impressed by how well it works as a negative. I am not so sure though if it really captures a transition. I think what we are seeing is the result of a transition rather than the transition itself. However it is a beautifully composed striking image and I was impressed that it was achieved using a little Optio L70 compact.

like father like son – pipinmels
I think this is a brilliant idea and certainly captures a transition. I had noticed this picture as your avatar but not known what it was showing. I think you have done really well to line up the two parts of the image. The hard boundary between the two halves certainly gives a good hint about what is going on but I do find the disturbance in the centre of the forehead a little distracting and wonder if a softer merge of the two pictures would look better. However it remains an inspirational photograph and I am really pleased that you entered and explained it.

Metal Work – JAK
A very nice image showing some metal work in progress and well captures the transition of raw materials and effort being turned into something useful. I think it is a well composed shot and I like that you have captured the hammer traveling before it strikes the workpiece allowing us to see more of the workpiece. I think there has been good control of the focus and depth of field revealing a great level of detail. The hammer is a little blurred but for me this indicates that it is moving and that this is real work in progress and had not been staged for the photo. I suspect from the exif data that the lighting conditions were quite a challenge and think you have done really well to achieve such a good result. I also love that the image contains such an excellent touch of red.

Transition: From the Living to the Fallen – i-Berg
I think this is a very good capture of a poignant moment. A good depth of field and the strong lighting has been used well to highlight the architecture and I think that sepia tinted monochrome look helps reinforce this emotive moment. I am happy that this is a transition. It certainly captured the movement from one level to another but a good use of a title helps the viewer concentrate on a much more serious transition. A very nicely crafted and presented image.

Sun in a jar – davidwozhere
I think this is a really beautiful colourful image. I like the composition that relies on the reflections to provide an offset to the otherwise central position of the lamp and think the dark background works well to focus the viewer on, and reinforce, the subject. You have given a sequence of five transitions but for me this is simply a transition of light energy into beautiful colours and patterns. The web-page exif looks a bit weird but the exif tool add-on in my browser reveals that this image was shot using a Pentax K-5 so is fully compliant. A beautiful well-crafted image.

Morning light – davidtrout
David has provided a beautiful image of dawn over the Severn Estuary which captures a triplet of transitions. I love the combinations of blues and pinks in this picture and the way both the water and sky change to create multiple textures. For me it generates a wonderful peaceful and calming feeling. A really well observed and well-crafted image.

From Winter to Spring – Nigelk
A nice detail of some trees awakening in the spring. My first impression was that it was probably shot at dawn but the exif tells us it was shot in the early evening. So the selective lighting of the setting sun has been well used to highlight the foreground trees against a darker background which I think works really well. The sunlight also reveals the structure of the trees making some look a little transparent which adds some excellent detail. Shot using a fairly long lens which has been used well to compress the perspective and provide a good depth of field. I think it all comes together well to provide a very nice and well observed image.

Duck by day elvis by night – wozfromcov
This is a very nice, well-composed and executed image of a pair of crested ducks which, with the addition of the title and comment, has been used to add a great sense of fun into this competition. Perhaps not really a transition but it certainly made me smile.

Between Inside and Outside – Mag07
My first impression was that this image was a clever manipulation of two images but actually I think it is an even cleverer use of the dual reflective and transmissive properties of a window to combine both the inside and outside views to create this almost ghostly image. I like that it has been converted into tinted monochrome which I think adds a timeless element to compliment this auspicious place of learning. A well observed and conceived image that creates a wonderful transition.

The transition from fibres to yarn – go4IT
Although this is a conversion from analogue the original is probably one the oldest pictures I have seen in these competitions. It is a lovely image, using natural light coming through a window to selectively highlight the subject. I think it works well in black & white where the dark shadows create a wonderful backdrop. It is certainly a picture to be proud of and hopefully the conversion to digital will help preserve it for future generations.

The Dissolution of Man – johnriley
John has provided a fantastic manipulation that creates a portrait of a dissolving man over the passage of time. I think it is a wonderful piece of photographic art. Good use has been made of both texture and colour and it is obviously a well thought out and well-crafted image.

Ancient and Modern – AndrewA
I think this is a great image capturing the transition of the modern world into an older one. I think the composition works very well and love the leading in effect of the curved pathway. The verticals are well maintained and I also think it works very well in black and white which is used to highlight the ancient stone work, modern railings and paving slabs. A very nicely observed and implemented image.

It all went together last time..... – Antony
This is a great transition shot and the title adds a good sense of fun. A group of people are assembling the sections of a model railway layout probably in preparation for some sort of exhibition or event. It is a busy picture but well captures the activity. I think it has been well framed and like the way the track comes out of the bottom right corner and then helps draw the viewer across the image. The camera settings have been well managed providing a good depth of field revealing lots of details. I also think the shot captures a sense of urgency with four people busily working to assemble the layout. There is a fifth head just appearing over the shoulder of one of the others showing a single eye which for me is just a little disturbing. I think I would have been tempted to have cloned that head out in post editing but of course then it would probably no longer be a faithful capture of the moment. However I still think it is a great record shot and certainly works well for this competition.

Millie Dropping Off - Transition from Awake to Asleep – MikeInDevon
I wondered when I set this competition whether we would see any multi-shot sequences so I was pleased to see this excellent vertical triptych.

It is a great idea and works really well. Each of the three portraits have been very well composed and shot. I like that we get a well-controlled but narrow depth of field to give sharp detail of Millie’s head complemented with a soft background. The triptych has been nicely assembled and I like that each image is framed and separated by a narrow black boarder. Put together like this it tells a great story. A wonderful, well thought out and constructed image.

Where the magic happens ! – laupd
The colours captured in this image immediately drew me towards this entry when it first appeared. It certainly has impact and I think you have done really well to manage the colour balance and exposure with the multiple different light sources. The composition works well. I like that the operator is off to one side and the verticals are well managed. There is a good depth of field revealing a whole host of detail to explore. It is a machine and it is making something so there is defiantly some transition going on here. I was also impressed to see that it was shot this week possibly with this competition in mind. An unusual but striking picture creating a fantastic record of your working environment.

Leading to civilisation – mikeprotts
An interesting picture of the march of pylons across some very dry moorland. I think the image employs a fairly loose transition interpretation of a boundary between nature and man. The use of the 300mm lens has done well to compress the perspective making these pylons look much closer together than they probably were which provides a nice compact image. I also like the way this compression helped highlight the loops of transmission line. The composition works well with a nice offset in the foreground pylons. The immediate foreground at the bottom of the shot is a little soft and I think I would have been tempted to have cropped a bit of it off to reduce its impact. Perhaps it also feels just a little over exposed. However it remains a very interesting shot and is great to see here.

From Darkness into Light – Simonmac
Simon has given us another of his signature black & white images. Here he has used the strong lighting and shadows to provide a very good transition interpretation. I suspect that it is some sort of bridge pier. We get to see some fantastic texture of illuminated brick work which is then shaped and framed by the hard shadows. I think it works really well to create a fantastic striking image. A very well observed and implemented picture.

I'm here and not here – Noelcmn
Noel, you have some interesting visitors to your home! I hope it did not out-stay its welcome. The image is an interesting concept and interpretation. I assume you achieved this partial invisibility using a very narrow depth of field. The strong lighting is used well to bring out the colour and provide good contrast with the hard shadows. I think the composition works well with the beast traveling into the image and like the way its head is turned towards the camera. I think the image, reinforced by your description, also provides a nice sense of fun. As usual you have done something imaginative and different!

full trot – stu62
It is not to clear what transition is being depicted here but I assume that it is some sort of movement transition. It is certainly a nicely composed shot and I like the way the subject is traveling into the image. The bright lighting has been well managed with good control of the exposure. The movement has also been well captured and I love the kick of dirt between the wheels. It is a pity that the rider is looking away from us otherwise it is a very nicely executed shot.

La danse macabre – drofmit
A very interesting picture that Tim explains contains three transitions. I think looking into a corner works really well illuminated with soft lighting to reveal a host of detail without introducing any hard shadows. I think with an ISO setting of 3200 that the lighting conditions were probably quite a challenge which has been very well managed. There is also a good depth of field providing sharp detail across the whole shot. The crack in the wall certainly captures the viewer’s attention and leads up to some great detail at the top of the image. Although it appears to be in quite a poor state it certainly gives good hints of what it must have looked like in its prime. A very unusual image that is great to see here.

Old and New – ken2390
Wow, this must be a cutting it fine record. This image appears to have been posted up at exactly midnight as the competition closed. This image depicts the two bridges that connect the Isle of Sheppey over The Swale to the Kent mainland. The foreground image is the older Kingsferry lifting bridge which carries both road and rail. The other bridge on the right of the picture is the much more recent road bridge. I think the composition works quite well but it is a little disappointing that we have lost very top of the lifting bridge. I think it also works well in black and white where we get good contrast between the architecture and sky. The verticals are well maintained and we get a good selection of detail across the shot. A nice image to close this competition.


With more than 20 entries to choose from I concentrated on the ones that I thought had best combined the interpretation of the transition subject with a quality image. Even then it was still not easy so after some careful consideration here are the results:

1st – MikeInDevon for “Millie Dropping Off - Transition from Awake to Asleep” – For such a good transition presented as a well-crafted triptych.

2nd – davidtrout for “Morning light” – For a beautiful calming image that captured a triplet of transitions.

3rd – davidwozher for “Sun in a jar” – For a fabulous transition of darkness into beautiful colourful light.

Highly Commended, in no particular order, to Perspicador, drofmit, Mag07, laupd & Simonmac.

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

Glyn

Well done Glyn - you've managed to attract a ripper field of entries. Seriously good comp.

Congrats to Mike and both Davids, and the HCs.

Quite agree with i-Berg's sentiments, seriously good comp with wonderful entries, a veritable feast for the eyes. So much to learn here about techniques and interpretations here! Thanks Glyn, for all the comprehensive and detailed comments and critiques, as usual, a learning curve that is much appreciated. Congratulations to MikeInDevon, wonderful on the button image, transition we are all familiar with, but wonderfully presented. And extended to Davidwozhere and Davidtrout, and not forgetting the HC's Perspicador, drofmit, Mag07, laupd & Simonmac. And, yes, I do get regular interesting visitors in my home, and can count Dragonflies, Spiders, wasps, bees, flying termites, Crickets ( the King cricket being rather terrifying) plenty of birds, rats, mice and lizards. OH, and humans too

As I-Berg might have said - a Bonza entry. Thanks Glyn for the wonderful subject you set and your speedy and detailed comments.
Congratulations to Mike on his fantastic first place and to davidwozhere and all the HCs and thanks for my 2nd place, that's always a very satisfying one to achieve.
.

Congratulations to the winners as always and thank you for a fabulous topic and judging. Much appreciated.
You are right, my pic is a single shot. Walked away from that window with more then a handful of unusual shots. Sometimes the stars align just right.

I love the variety of interpretations in this comp. A feast for the eyes

Thank you Glyn!

An intriguing subject. Great entries, a lot of them, and insightful judging and comments.

Really enjoyed this.

All the best!

Mac

ps My image is shot in a lowly car park in Brum!

Wow my first win, thanks!

I always enjoy these competitions, which I watch even if I don't have anything suitable to enter. I find the amazing variety of topics, images and interpretations inspirational.

Thanks Glyn for your comprehensive critiques and congratulations to the two Davids and HCs.

I'll set off the next competition soon.

Regards
Mike

And well deserved! I love your shot, and your dog!

Great subject and winning image!
Congratulations to podium winners, and to Glyn for speedy, well considered, comprehensive feedback

Can someone kindly point me to the rules of this competition? It has often been stated "the usual rules apply", but I don't know what these are.

There were many excellent entries in this competition, and the judge's comments were well thought out and very quickly delivered. I look forward to this week's competition and congratulations to all entrants in last week's contest.

Good question, have a look here for the weekly rules:

https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/weekly-competition-rules--amp--guidance-6...

and here for the monthly rules:

https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/monthly-competition-rules---guidance-3568...

Mike, I looked at your first link, but I note it doesn't even mention Pentax cameras! Let alone that it is a no-no to enter a repro of your own photo. There surely is an "official" list of the rules, which I would certainly like to read before I enter the next competition.

Hi Go4IT, I see what you mean so I've just PM'd John Riley asking about the rules.

Great to see Millie so relaxed, and a well deserved win.
Mike

As far as I know, it has to be a Pentax or recognised clone (e.g. Samsung) for all contests; the monthly must have been shot that month; the weekly can be shot for the purpose or one you took ages ago. Those are the rules that I use for my own entries (now I'll discover I've got it wrong).

What a wonderful collection of interpretations this time round ! Glynn had his work well and truly cut out for him. Well done Mike on your "first" podium and David on a second. Thank you Glynn for a third place and for working so hard on this one.

You ask about the rules. The guidance is mainly covered in the links provided. The specific mention of Pentax cameras is in the first place we go when entering competitions, marked in bold. https://www.pentaxuser.com/competitions

It says:
The rules and guidance have been built up over a period of time but the essence of it is to keep it rules light and simple. Any questions, please ask!

Thanks to Mike, David and John for pointing me to some items dealing with competition rules. But I must say I still haven't learned if editing the text (as opposed to a photo itself) after first posting it is a no-no. Nor do I know if it is kosher to photograph a subject, print it, then enter a Pentax-shot digital photo of the print. I did this in the Transition competition, and wonder if I inadvertently broke a written or unwritten rule. What say you, gentlemen?

The rules are simple and don't generally need to get into masses of detail. The more detail we go into the more questions arise and it can become a bit silly.

I'm not sure what the question is, but if it means shooting an image using, say, a Nikon camera, printing it and then copying the print with a Pentax then that's really against the spirit of things. The photography has still in this case been done with a Nikon.

The opposite may also be true. Very early on in these competitions I made a copy of one of my early black and white images, all done on Pentax cameras and lenses, but copied it with a Fuji S7000 bridge camera. To avoid this being seen as a free-for-all, I withdrew the picture. These days I would scan the print instead, avoiding the problem. But the actual image should be shot on a Pentax, which I would have thought was common sense for a site called Pentax User?

Hope that helps to clarify things.

Hi Go4IT, I did something similar in the weekly competition #501 'Old' when I photographed a very old photo see here:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/comp-707/circa-1850-hand-coloured-daguerrotype-...

and I've photographed old negatives and slides and put them on my gallery e.g.:

https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/user-27921/dried-hydrangea-flower-head-96548

https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/user-27921/innocence-96916

https://www.pentaxuser.com/photo/user-27921/york-city-scape-with-minster---june-...

anyhow I really liked your photo.

Regards
Mike

Thank you Mike and John for your responses. It seems my entry was within the rules, because it was shot with a Pentax 6x7 film camera and copied with a Pentax KS-2 camera. We can put this issue to bed.