Weekly #575 - Framed Competition

hanks for some superb entries which makes judging quite difficult. Any one of them might win a competition but I have to choose a winner and this is made harder by the different styles people use. Others will no doubt have their own preferences but they don;t have to formally select the winner! I can asure you all the result hasn't been 'framed!'

So comments first:

Autumn On The Canal - timcx500e

A lovely canal scene to start the proceedings off with some autumnal overhanging branches which do add depth to the photograph and helpfully obscure a pretty bland sky. Given the lighting conditions, which appear to have been brightened from what they would have been, this has produced a reasonably successful image.


Venice Bridge & Canal - davidstorm

Yes it is a 'bit of' a frame but it isn't framing anything obvious at all. In its own right it is a good shot of the detail but the frame has become the subject and nothing is 'framed!' Being a frame on its own so doesn't really meet the brief despite its other excellent qualities.


Modern Woman - johnriley

This is quite a clever shot. At first glance it looks like some Photoshop wizardry has taken place but that isn't the case at all. Given the chain it might be the lady has been framed in more ways than one and it isn't there to hang her on the wall! An interesting portrait.


Saying ta-ta to TATA - tyronet2000

This is a good idea but not sure it has come off on this occasion with the weather being so dull the steel works is lacking contrast. What's puzzling is why the view around the mirror would be out of focus so I'm presuming this has been blurred in post processing. I'm not sure it needs that blurring but increasing the contrast of the steel works would help enormously (Just my opinion!)


The Girl In Pink - Nigelk

At first glance I wasn't sure about this one as 'the girl in pink' doesn't really stand out. She might have had she been in the sunnier spot several paces forward and to her left. Notwithstanding, the foreground arch provides a well placed frame for the scene as taken and one is led through the photograph to the girl. So on a second glance this photograph works better when understood. Kudos for not letting the highlights become burnt out and keeping th shadow detail intact.


Staines BC Power Boats - Aitch53

I note this was taken and uploaded on the same day so guessing it may have been taken specially for this competition? If so thanks for doing that. It's certainly an interesting frame with a rusty steel structure built into the top half of it. At least you have a subject to take through the frame but in this instance that steelwork in the framework creates something of a barrier rather to the scene rather than enhance it. If a pattern in the exterior scene could be matched to the frame it could have been a special shot. Keep looking and you'll come up with a stunner!


View To Dun Sgathaich - noelm

This is the sort of entry I was looking for, a photograph where the frame adds to an otherwise pretty flat scene. Well not really flat, it'd be a good photograph without the nearby foliage but having it helps with give the photograph depth. My main 'niggle' is the branch on the left is overly intrusive to the extent is is hiding some of the mountain backdrop. I take it you don't carry a pair of loppers in your gadget bag?!


building in building - Antony

A good idea here using the windows of one bulding to frame the reflection of another building nearby. It's a shame it wasn't 'framed' very slightly to the left to keep in the bottom left hand corner window complete and you could easily loose some of the bland frame on the right hand side. Otherwsie it's a pretty good shot which is so nearly there but just not quite! Well worth another go if possible.


Footbridge Framing - GlynM

Railway fans will love this and eveyone else wonder why it was taken! Here we have the train framed within various railway structures, the bridge, the fences and wooden crossing. So the framing is subtle but is there non the less.
I can appreciate from the railway point of view it's an unusual pairing of carriages and given tbese are due to be phased out shortly a great record for the archives.


Cleveland Evening - andymat

If I said Roseberry Topping some might think that is a sauce to put on your steamed pudding, but no, that is what this is! It is well framed between the trees and a very successful photograph accordingly. This is how to get a good photograph of a more distant scene without the need for a telephoto lens. I'm sure I won't be alone in thinking this would make a good relaxing scene to hang on the lounge wall.


Tintagel, believed to be the birthplace of King Arthur - retsoor

This is a photograph where the foregroud frame gives depth to an otherwise fairly plain scene. In this case though, despite 'the frame' being a very interesting rock formation in its own right, with this as presented the frame seems to overpower the overall scene.
My suggestion for this would be first to level the horizon, then crop off something from both sides to bring out the detail in the scene beyond. The result might be fairly square or even upright but ought to look better balanced. Basically though this is a good photograph and those tweaks are just my personal opinion.


Only way to do bruge - Abraxaz

A teriffic location where there are some great scenes just waiting to be photographed! I appreciate this might technically fullfill the brief but I have to say the frame looks to be more accidental than intended, especially the disembodied hand on the right hand side. The cyclist would also be better if the shutter had clicked a moment before so he was appearing to enter the scene rather than depart from it. I realise you didn't take this to enter a 'Framed' competition.


The Shard - Mag07

I'm sure there's a winning photo here but not sure this is it... yet! What I take to be the foreground frame looks very indistinct so it isn't really framing the subject, but that's a minor consideration. It might be me but I'm not keen on buildings falling over backwards! The whole row of buildings is suffering. Yes I appreciate the Shard is very tall but with sensor shift available if need be (I'm not sure that is was) and judicial perspective shifting in PP it can be corrected. I also find the the bright lamp is pretty distracting and I'd prefer it to be cloned out. So this doesn't quite work for me as it is but there's a great picture to be made from it.


Natural framing - Noelcmn

That's really lovely. I've no idea what the succulent is but the framing is fantastic. The lighting is just right too and technically excellent. Really well done.


Allison Street - Simonmac

Thanks for the info about the three image HDR-ing. It doesn't really have that overdone look some HDR photos have, it all looks reasonably natural. You say it's your home turf, hope not too literally as I can't see sure where you'd plug in your computer! As an entry for this particular competition one might argue that the right hand side of the frame is missing which leaves that side of the arch unanchored but visually it is saved by the brick building just beyond. It's an area that will likely get developed so is an interesting record of how it is now for the future to compare notwithstanding a well photographed town/cityscape.


Folley Frame - Tyr

That's worked well. There's some odd angles and it's hard to see if the folly's skew-with or if the landscape is. That's the appeal, it ceertainly makes you look twice. Judging by the distant horizon the folly is straight and the local landscape is on quite a hill. Technically no issues, well done.

And the result:

1st: Modern Woman - johnriley
2nd: Cleveland Evening - andymat
3rd: Natural framing - Noelcmn
HCs: Allison Street - Simonmac & View To Dun Sgathaich - noelm

Well done to the rest of you too and thank you all for entering.
Over to John for the coming week

Congratulations John! I had that down as the winner.... congrats extended to the other podia and HCs.
'Pologies to John K.... I had a brilliant "well I thought so" entry... then checked the Exif... Fuji 602Pro... just after I got the *istD and I was running both whilst getting back into cameras with lenses that you can change.... grumble!!
No time this week to look through the archives... and, as it panned out, to go and take a photo for the comp either.
There are some really lovely ones here....

Congratulations to the Winner and other places. Yhanks to JAK for the interesting subject, the judging and the comprehensive comments. I'm not sure about the blurring either. I was in the passenger seat of a small car and just saw the closed steel works in the mirror and shot the image. You were right about the horrible weather the flat gray sky didn't help any shots taken that day 90% of which were deleted

What a good competition and technical discussion about framing. Many thanks Mr JAK!

Many thanks for the win! And congratulations to the other podium places and entries.

I'll have a think and post a new competition in a short while.

Congratulations to John and his fellow podium places. Thank you to JAK for the successful competition and the well thought through comments.

Well done JAK for an interesting competition and your comprehensive comments. Congratulations to John for his winner, to the other podium places and HC's and especially thanks for my HC..

Many thanks John for a great competition.

Congrats to our winners, a fantastic winning image.

Lots of fun.

Brilliant .

Glyn

Thank you John.

A great competition with great entries and your always valued and insightful observations.

Well done to the medal winners and fellow HC. Chuffed!

All the best

Well done to all and particular congratulations to John on the winning image, My first competition entry in a while, must post more entries!

Regards
David

Congratulations JohnRiley, excellent shot with some potent social commentary added to the mix! I like it! ANd extended to my fellow Podium placed Andymat, and not forgetting the HC's Simonmac and noelm. Thanks for the 3rd Spot, a bit surprising in such a tough challenge, And of course for the comments and critiques, always appreciated!

I cropped as suggested-a definite improvement thanks