Weekly Competition #261 - Wide angle Competition

Clearly photographs taken using film will not have any EXIF data included

Comments to follow asap.

Many thanks to those who entered this comp i have enjoyed watching the images come in.It has been a hard job judging this as there are some great shots here.So here are my thoughts and it is just that i do not know if they are right or wrong as everyone has a different opinion.


House Of Fantasy.
I am not usually a fan of fish eye shots but I do like HDR shots and I like this one.
I love the vivid colours and the shadows and it is tack sharp. It reminds me of the cover of a book I had years ago, it almost looks like animation. I suppose HDR is a bit like Marmite.

Celcus Library.
An unusual view of some where I have been to a lot of years ago and I did not think of photographing it from that angle.I like the way my eye is drawn into the image by the pillars to the detail on the ceiling.The sky looks to me just A tad over exposed but that could well be my monitor.
It may be improved if it was a little straighter as the left hand pillar is higher up the frame than the right.

Stream At Cragside
Nice colours and light considering the time of day it was taken and got some good motion blur to the water..It does not look like Rothbury but more like an Alpine forest. I think it would have worked better if had been taken in portrait mode rather than landscape as it would have got more of the tops of the trees in shot as they look a bit chopped off and the left hand side is not really doing much

On the way up
A nice record of a good day out by the looks of it.Classic rule of thirds landscape with the misty sky and the path in the valley leading you into the back of the photo.

Monte Pietra Grand.
Great landscape and b&w conversion I like the way the slope cuts through the photo and the ski track leads you to the back ground of the mountains and the sky with the vapour trails. Certainly conveys a sense of coldness. Plus it is shot with a K-r

The Last Hill
Again another great landscape with the rocks giving good foreground interest and the lone weathered tree looks as if it is straining to get down into the valley and out of the worst of the weather. A good Lake District winter image

Twr Mawr Lighthouse.
Super image I have soft spot for seascapes and light houses from my sea kayaking antics and living on the coast all my life.Great viewed large with that sky and the texture of the walls and the path leading to the building and good pp in the conversion to b&w.
Well done

Peak district
Good foreground with the sloping rocks and the shadows and then the sky and background terrain giving it a sense of emptiness and almost a 3D Effect. There may have been a bit more depth of light if it had been shot a few hours earlier.
Good effort

Windfarm
An interesting shot with the line of the turbines taking my eye into the background of the photo
And some nicely captured motion on the turbine blades and a good sky . I find that the tree in the bottom left is slightly distracting though

University Tower
Great shot with lines,angles and curves all over.Good light and shadows and good composition.
I like this one a lot

Market Day in the Rain
What can I say a typical British day in the rain, I think I would have cropped out the folks on the left and right and also the distracting diagonal paving stones in the foreground.

Peak District
Another good landscape with good foreground interest in the large boulders taking you to the horizon and an interesting sky and a good b&w conversion.Gives a real sense of space and ruggedness.

Sea Snake
A good seascape and interesting subject . I like the way the long exposure has smoothed out the water and given the sky a really nice effect and it is tack sharp where it needs to be and again a good conversion. I might be tempted to crop a little off the bottom of the frame where the dark part
is next to the pier.
Good work.

Stone me
WOW this shot is superb it has great composition great foreground and background and a brilliant
sky with the suns rays coming through.It shows what can be done with this lens in the right hands.
Great work.

Deserted Pompeii
Another great shot with the sigma.I like the way the walls lead you down to the view of the volcano that caused all the bother well seen.Lovely colours and textures in the foreground stones.
Well done,

Trollfjord
Good seascape best viewed large. Great composition with the rock walls funnelling you eye to the
Background. Nice exposure I like this.

Zoo Lake
A good example of taking a landscape in portrait mode with the reflections in water setting ot off for me. I do find the colours to be over saturated though.

At the top of the hill
A well taken shot with nice light on the building and some good colour in the sky although I do find the telegraph pole in the bottom right distracting.

Battersea Power Station
An unusual view of this London landmark and very well taken with beautiful colours and light.
The spikey guard seems to add a dramatic feel to the image . Great shot.

Skips For Hire.
Very striking image could almost be used to advertise the company.Could do with a slight straightening though.

Lindos Acropolis
A good shot accentuating the perspective I like the low angle of the shot but it seems to be slightly over exposed but that could be my monitor and one of the day trippers seems to have sneaked in on the wall at the left side.

Driftwood on the Seashore.
Another low angle shot of which I am a fan I have tried this my self but never seem to nail the shot.
Plenty of textures and shapes going on but not sure about the large piece of wood in the foreground

Winner
Stone Me/ Sandanista
2nd = Battersea Power Station/Dr Orloff
House of Fantasy/John Riley
HCs to David Trout and Stopher for their fine entries

Thanks for an interesting subject and your detailed judging Geordie. Congrats to Jim, Adrian and John, a good choice for the podium and thanks for my HC.
David

PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout

Congrats to Jim, a superb image, and to all the other podium placings/HC. Many thanks for my HC also!

Tanks very much for the first place George, I feel honoured to be chosen among this great set of strong entries. Well done Dr O and JR and HCs all great images.

Great comp! Well done Jim, a well deserved win. Great prompt and thoughtful judging.

Well done to all.

Shows you if you open the door to the possibility of landscape shots on here your invariably gonna get a strong field. Very well done everybody and a element laden stand out winner me also thinks.

Love the Judging!!!! Congrats to all our winners!!

JA

Congratulations to the Winner and the Runners up and not forgetting the HC's. Good judging too.

Hats off to Jim, a clear winner. Thanks George, really good subject and judging.

Many thanks for the judging and the placement! An interesting competition.

Thanks for the judging and Congratulations Jim it was a Very beautiful so photogenic capture.

Many congratulations Jim, a deserved win in a field full of gems! I think this particular comp has attracted the highest overall quality in many a week. Great theme Geordie and well judged.

Regards
David