Weekly Competition #183 - Public Sculpture Competition

Wow, didn't expect to win this one. As there were such great entries by by Prieni, Aliengrove and AxelLuther. And with a deeper DoF that shot of Womble's would be an award winner IMHO. I will get my thinking cap on for the next comp'.

Can't wait to see your judging Conexus - Thanks

You will find the comments here, in the wrong place by accident

Congratulations VonBatCat, davidtrout and Isdky.

Many thanks to conexus for the detailed comments.

Here is the judging from Mike (Conexus) very detailed many thanks.

FEEDBACK FROM CONEXUS (JUDGE)

Hi Guys - This my first stab at judging a competition and I have realised how much you learn from giving comment to other people’s work. One last thing before you read the comments aren’t we lucky to have so much public art that creates controversy, love passion and hate! I hope that in this time of cuts the future of public art continues
Conexus
1st place Von Bob Cat – I love the way the frost has made the statue live and the angle you have taken the picture at creates a really personal contact between the viewer and the image

2nd David Trout - Great Image and it proves no matter how often pictures are taken you can always be original – fantastic angle of shot

3rd Isdky I like a bit of photoshop when it works – you have really created a canvas shot here that would look great large and on a wall well done

Womble your fairy really captures 70’s hippy feeling good capture

Geordie 01 like the fact it makes you think, maybe a bit more contrast against the sky

Tomo – I love this statue against the building, it’s a great place to visit, I think the stue needs some more light to create a bit more impact

royd63uk – I spend a lot of time in wales so I know this sculpture well, I thonk it lacks adepth in the detail of the sculpture and the background is a bit busy I might have tried to Bokeh’ out the background in Photoshop

Time – I like Anthony Gormley he is good for Togs. Great shot just could do with more interest to make it an image you can live with

Andyales – Lack’s a little detail and sharpness and again That certain something that creates longevity and interest (sorry I do not what it is, but when I find out I will share it!)

Solas I really like this picture did you ask the jets to deliberately give you the x Factor!

Malcom Leader – really love the texture of the carving, but felt the background was neither in focus or out of focus so sort of distracted the image

Mudge – lovely light on the sculpture sort of cropped short (hand missing) and again it needs the background toning down a bit I felt

Nonur – This what I like about public sculpture people use it great for getting street shots

Alanj255 – I really want to go and see this one in real life – you could have some fun with them great textures a bit of work in photoshop would help the composition and the background

Trubshaw –- Fantastic shot of the statue, the lights perfect, it really gets the emotion but the background distracts

Priani this is a lovely shot it should be on postcards and make you a lot of money!

JudithAnn – not sure about this one but I can see it would be fun to with a model I think it is the contrast between the black and modernity of the girls clothes and the classical marble of the statue

TOSSA27 great focus on the sculpture but the background just gets in the way and the flag cropped just draws the eye away from the picture

ArsenaAL – wow what a great statue (there is a similar style of a group of famine victims in Dublin) background nicely out of focus I felt the statue itself needed some light to the eye ( oh to have an assistant with a reflector)

Alexfilipov – you know sometimes on second and third look images grow in impact – this one has on me – it just looks sexy light and detail - well done

BAJ – I love this one, it has humour, colour, shape and texture – it’s a great piece of topiary and God bless the council for paying for it!

Axel Luthor – less is more – I want to see the rest of the horse! I really like this picture - well done

JohnRiley – another great shot - the lichen adds texture, the background is muted to allow the statue to find it’s space, the arms grab attention- nice shot

Wzorektom – Lovely shot, great depth of fields and I like the crop it makes you think what are they thinking?
Bill-And I love the angle of this shot, poised to dive, for me the statue is not quite vibrant/light enough against the deep blue of the sky

Dr Orloff – Wow what a picture, I love it and it would make a great art print – I have been a bit harsh on you as it is not ( in my opinion) public art -but you have made it so well done

GlynM lovey sharpness great colour, just a little static may be if you had created space for the p[lane to be flying into or on the other side flying away from it would some interest to what is a technically very good shot

Alien grove – really like this one, with plane flying through hoops – creates a great sense of space

Darlene – well done this is sharp and this would make a great art photocard

Sandinista – very creative, as with all art the beauty is in the eye of the beholder – I think if the image was slightly more face on it would help crete a sense of depth

Gartmore Wow the detail and emotion in this picture is superb – I like the way the shot is composed to give space and freedom for the sculpture to move

Mike Court
K200 d, K7, 18-250, 18-55,50-200,50mm1.7,metz flash bowens 500 and studio stuf

Just deleted my previous comment, thanks Sandanista!

Congratulations Von Bob Cat, David Trout and isdky, all lovely shots. There were a lot of really good entries, must have been a hard one to judge! I especially liked isdky's shot of the water fountain, and Womble's shot is one of my favourite ever on the site, but I can see how the statue being OOF removes it from the theme somewhat.

Many thanks for a great subject, very good comments and terrific judging.

Congratulations to John for a stunning winning shot, the runners up and everyone else for a fantastic set of images.

Glyn

Congratulations to the winners and thanks for the competition (nice to see a decent entry count) and good judging.

Congratulations Winners! And many thanks for a fine judging - I've done a bit of reformatting on your comments to make them easier to read.

Thanks for the 3rd place and well done to VonBatCat, well deserved win.

The water fountain is a nice piece of art in Oldham, but in an awful place (for photos anyway, fine location if your just after a drink), hence the photoshoppery, as it just doesn't stand out otherwise!

I really need to go and take some photos of the angel of the north, with being a northerner and never actually been to the thing!

Brian.

Thanks for the competition Mike and your excellent judging and of course thanks for my 2nd place. It was a good subject and attracted some really good entries. Special congratulations to VonBatCat on a well deserved win and to Brian for third place.
I've only been to photograph the Angel of the North twice, once last spring and again last Friday when I took my picture for this competition.
Since it was erected about 12 years ago I must have driven past it on average twice a week but have been put off photographing it because everyone else seems to have done it already . Then I gave it a go at last.
It was good to see a reasonable number of entries again.
David

Congratulations everyone.

No entry from me.

I could not decide whether to push the boundaries or stick with convention and in the end entered nothing

Well done every one and especially VonBatCat - some brilliant shots there and I was `umbled by the quality.Great judging by Mark Connectors ( well you did call me Tossa !!! LOL )interesting challenge.

Tony

Well done VonBatCat on winning its a great photo and David Trout and Isdky for 2nd and 3rd places, my wife mentioned the angel of the north to me but never got up there, yours is a great angle. Thanks for the comments on my entry conexus, I am still learning but I am sure i will get it right soon.