Weekly Competition #244 - It Is Where I Am From Competition

A well supported competition with a great variety of fantastic image captures. I feel like I have taken a trip around the world. So thank-you for the honour of being allowed to judge this competition. Quite a long write up, so I shall put the placements at the top to save your scrolling fingers. Decision based upon Theme, Technique, Background, Craftsmanship and Personal Feelings.

1st - Lone Piper - BMurray
2nd - Downtown Philadelphia, PA – hman
3rd - Tower of Strength & Endurance – DavidStorm

Humour Award - LA vs Edinburgh – Dodge69

Shouting for Attention in the Gallery Award - Sorry! Hockney doesn't live here... – Drofmit

Red Arrows Over Morecambe Bay - Mudge
Fernley this is a well constructed and dynamic shot and a well crafted minimalist frame adds to its impact. The Optio has done you proud. Maybe a little sharper would have raised it’s wow factor. Lovely to see the full nine flight formation unlike the 7 we will have for the majority of this year.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.. - Steven9761
An evocative image and description unlike usual happy travel shots definitely shows strong use of thirds. The Red Row tower blocks. 7 years to build and 7 to demolish that’s a “storey” in itself.

White Nancy - Sandinista
Jim - Here's to the mountain of Nancy
That's built upon Ingersley Hill
Here's good health, wealth and fancy
And give Dod another gill
A bright well structured image with the craftsmanship we have all come to expect from Sandinista – Top Notch.

Doha – Aliengrove
I have always admired Jonathan’s arial images and this does not leave anything lacking. I would love to view this “supersized”. The big tree of Quatar treated with the craft of a true artist.

Lone Piper - BMurray
Brian, some shots just reach out and grab the imagination. IMHO an iconic image that conjours the stillness of the Glens, with a biting crispness in the air and the distant sound of the bagpipes being carried on a chill wind – Wow I need a whisky to warm me up! A pity you told us it was a statue…. I was sold on it!

Home is Where the Heart Is - Frankie
Fran has produced a great image and not the usual isolated Edistone lighthouse offer. The vignette gives the feeling of viewing through a pier type telescope. I can tell this image means a lot to you.

Colombo - Dr Mhuni
Another great atmospheric image of the Colombo rail network. (If I ever get there I would love to be able to produce even one image as classic as Dr Mhuni’s). The expressions on the “Happy Commuters” makes this image a classic.

Beginnings – John Riley
John I commend you on your interpretation of the theme, absolutely excellent, go to the top of the class. I feel I know you better from viewing this image. By the way Toby Twirls number 4 is still available and stands at Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,489,396.

Tower of Strength & Endurance – DavidStorm
This is Conisbrough Castle shown to perfection – great B&W treatment. The Sky, the shadow and that central light strip. BEAUTIFUL!

My County – Nipper
Another great image with a striking sharpness. Let down a little by the white cloud area to the left…. But I don’t expect you to be able to control the weather. I did not recognise this as one of yours Philip not kingfisher, robin or blue tit in sight.

Offshore Wind - Newbiggin by the Sea - Tyronet2000
Stan, a great moody atmospheric capture with thirds layout spot on for the content. This is best viewed large. Maybe a little detail lost in the dark forground but I am being very picky. I would love to see this printed in high quality as this, I feel, would give it true justice.

The Harbour - Geordie01
George this image grabbed me. The structure and depth are spot on. The EXiF did puzzle me slightly but not knowing the full conditions I can only go on the finished image……. And I love it!

Where I Live - Runcorn, Cheshire - Joanjbberry
Joan Nature and industry in one, your K-x has done well with this and the three bar composition gives it great balance. And…….. – I like where I live too!

Galway, Ireland - dinneenp
Patrick I can’t pronounce Cathair na Gaillimhe so thanks for calling it Galway. A well crafted image. I always like to compare images like this with shots/paintings done historically from the same spot. So I can appreciate even a transit van adds a great deal to an image like this. I would have liked a larger posting to view.

Port Elizabeth - Noelcmn
Noel "The Friendly City" or "The Windy City" in its glory. A great shot with the beach forefront. A little fuzzy and maybe a lower view to get a lead in across the beach would have added a little for this one. Probably not a 400 ISO moment as the shutter could have been slowed.

The fruitful valley – loshihyen
Loshihyen, I feel like I am stood there with you. The rolling hills falling off into the distance. The light running down the valley, the bright catching clouds…. Need I say more? Love It.

Canal - Lee55555
Lee, I just love everyday shots, and the short description with the images definitely says…. This is where I am from! Nice structure with the intersect point on the bridge corner. The reflection and naturally captured rectangle raise this shot in my appreciation.

Little house in the cliffs - lyns-green
Lynsey, this is another image that grabbed me. The house at the end of the world. The low level foreground and the lead in of the cliffs take you on a journey from the front of the frame to the back. Well done. (I hope you get that house one day)

Downtown Philadelphia, PA – hman
Harvey I love this image. The new blue, rising from the grey old and reaching for the sky. I also think that the slight lens distortion on the right adds to the feeling of height. I hope you are feeling the “Brotherly Love”, a fantastic entry.

Lazy afternoon – rufus
Linda, is this where your dancing swan was taken? There is quite a lot of variation of sharp light on the right and harsh shadow on the left which has lost you a little detail. Being a hop skip and jump from your house this would make a classic shot from the same viewpoint with stiller water and a more interesting sky. Give it a go and post it in the gallery if you manage it. A well composed image.

A Snowy Spring – nonur
Nezih, a great view point, I am standing there with you. (Or wish I was…. I will be returning to Turkey in a few months and can’t wait). Very bright light, which would wake you up with a start together with a lovely apple tea. I think the Optio has let you down a little with this one in difficult light conditions.

Homeward bound – jaygreenaway
Jeremy, a great joyous image. Together with the write up the image conveys excitement in a lovely way. The burnout on the sun maybe a little distracting. A capture of a moment in time well done.

The Hollow Chestnut tree – Frogherder
And they call it progress???? Bernard I would love to still have the Shires in this shot too. As a childhood hiding place I am actually jealous in retrospect.

Beautiful Newfoundland – Darlene
So that is where John Wayne went. An image best viewed large and purveys a lovelly atmosphere of a living community. The depth to this image really draws me in. ( I wodered where your entry was… glad to see it when it turned up)

Jack Lodge – Bettyswollocks
The symmetry of construction and vibrant colours in this image reach out and pummel the senses, which is great.
Just guessing but looks like it might have been a bit heavy on over sharpening. But I still really like this image Daz.

Sorry! Hockney doesn't live here... – Drofmit
A nice bit of Hockney panel work, which takes this image well up in the interest stakes Tim. I would love to see this hung in that way with the images on three separate canvasses. This jumped out of the gallery and screamed for attention – so I have a real great personal soft spot for it.

Maulbronn – Axelluther
Axel, you know I am a fan and after viewing your entry…. I still am. A great panoramic treatment of a beautiful subject matter has created a classic. I too love old historic sites. The stitch process and change of lighting have caused a dramatic backlighting effect. This some people may not like but I personally do. A great entry Axel.

LA vs Edinburgh – Dodge69
What can I say Sean???? Thankyou! This made me smile, which is always appreciated. A great idea well executed. It also made me shed a tear in lament as I sometimes really miss my old GX-10. On another note I often mistake your style and that of Sandinista (Jim) but not in this week’s competition.

Liverpool skyline – tozza27
Not as bright and buoyant as your usual work Anthony. As a dark almost noir view of Liverpool this works well, although I would have liked more clarity. I can’t help but think that you are really from a brighter smiling “pool”.

The Caucasus is my native land! – ArsenAl
Arsen this is an iconic image captured with true professionalism and a joy to the eye. The 645d is a “beast”. IMHO a little bit burnt out in the top sector but still beautiful for it. Well captured.

The Town Hall – dannyh
As people know I do purest and Photoshop – I love this shot well balanced with true imagination. I love it!

Home Sweet Home – Andyelliot=
Andy a beautiful final contribution to this comp, which has been a joy to judge. Lepricorns spring to mind, just great!

Thankyou all for some great captures which have been a joy to view!

John, what a great job you did here of judging. So many entries. And agree with you choice of the winners. That bagpiper certainly evokes Scotland and a longing to be there. Somehow it seems these Scots are inescapable, in a good sense of the word, with their bagpipes and all. I attend a yearly conference in the Province of KZN here in SA, and one of the fondest memories is being woken each morning by bagpipes. ANd even in some remote areas of SA you can find bagpipes, a legacy of the Free Church of Scotland missionaries that came here. Congrats BMurray, hman and Davidstorm.
And you know of the ill-but-underserved title of windy city of Port Elizabeth. Friendly city is more apt. Sounds like you have been here.

John this was a really good competition with great judging. Was interesting to see so many origins of PU members and the winning shot is just lovely (especially as this wakes-up memories for me )
Congratulation to the other winners.

Great judging! The lone piper is a great photo indeed.
However I haven't seen any comment on my photo. I know it was a last-minute entry but I still would like to know what you think about it. Thank you.

A good choice of winner.

Apologies for not entering but I moved around so much in my early life that I don't feel that I come from anywhere in particular

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone for letting us see some lovely locations. Great judging John, and I'm not just saying that because I'm Scottish!

Many thanks for the timely judging VBC. Congrats to BMurray and the others you singled out.

Normandy - Ben76

Hi Benoît - sorry for not judging this it did not show on my screen (I should have done a final refresh)

A special award for the 11th hour posting which shows as 00:00.

This image really does evoke "Normandy" it is well constructed and the meandering river takes you through the frame, passing that gorgeous building. Lovely to see such a wonderful shot from the 100D Super.

Great work VonNutCase , really like your winner too, does the site proud.
Cheers for the comedy award, actually proud have picked one up after a few attempts

Many thanks for the comments VonBC. Hearty congratulations to BMurray

I sometimes look back to the simpler life - rickets, damp/cold houses..................


Bernard

Congratulations to the winner BMurray.
Also thank you for the encouraging comments, these are of great value to beginners like myself.

Nice one John - super judging and well thought out comments - I had not thought of being "noir"
Super evocative shot of the piper and very well done Brian - great runners up too and some healthy competition this week.

Tony

Great choice and congratulations to the winner, well deserved. Many thanks for constructive comments on my Lazy Afternoon. My dancing swan was taken down at Bowling Basin just outside Dumbarton. There are some swans in Pollok Park but they have never put on quite the same performance as my Ballerina. I'll take your advice and try for that "winning shot" in Pollok Park. Thanks again.

Linda

Well done Brian on the winner, a very haunting and evocative image. Also congrats to hman and David,one of my favs, for 2nd and 3rd.

Good subject and great judging VBC and kudos for researching and finding the poem on White Nancy

Superb winning shot.... as someone with Scottish blud in my veins, that shot came with music. Great... and I love the 'almost monochrome' of the shot too....

Thanks, also, for the comments on my take on Hockney... Bradford Beer Festival is held in Saltaire so a visit to the Salts Mill complex was often a gap filler between sessions... I am currently experimenting with tryptics and dyptics... some pictures just seem to lend themselves. The area at the angle is the 'boring bit' between the two sections of the property... you can't see the two little daffodils that are poking their heads up... just all the dead/dying plants that the big freeze left ... so I decided that I would line up the two sections of the path.
I also chose the shots because the mist over the meadow hides the distraction of the trees on the far side. The initial intention was to join them into one panel.... glad I didn't.

Many congratulations Brian - a superbly evocative picture that grabbed me as soon as I saw it!! Congratulations also to John for a superb subject and excellent judging. I am surprised and flattered with my 3rd place entry, given the quality of the shots entered in this competition.

Best wishes
David