Weekly Competition #270 - Still Life Competition

Very close. Here are my thoughts. As usual they're not necessarily right, they're just my thoughts. A bonus B for entries shot during the week:


Apples: Andrew A

They look good with the water but I feel a smaller group would have worked even better.

Brass Cat: Tyronet 2000

Simple and effective, I like the melancholic air. Reflections are always difficult to contropl but I do like the little starbursts.

The Gunsmith's Lair, Alexfilipov

I like the grey tones and the vignette works well. I'm not so sure about the bits of tools on the right, it may have been better to include or exclude them.

Four tomatoes and a leek.

The main subject is very well photographed. I'm not keen on the reflected look, it's just not for me. A single leek and two tomatoes however might not have been a good idea. The black background is good but requires cleaning up.

If You Call me Big Nose: Bettyswollocks

Promising subject matter. A little rearrangement behind the optician's back might have been desirable though as I find it a bit cluttered, particularly the foreground specs. A shallower depth of field might have been in order too to isolate the subject.

2012 Onion Crop: GlynM

A more classical looking still life. Nicely arranged. Simple, nice backdrop and the glass of wine is the right way to celebrate the crop. I've just calibrated my monitor and I am hopelessly colour blind, so I might be completely wrong but the whites look a little blue. B

The Christmas Table: David Storm

My kids are already pestering me. Nice arrangement, real christmas card stuff and the tree bokeh is just great. Move the chair? I'm not sure, probably.

Golden Eagle: Doctor Jeff

This image is far too small for me to judge fairly. The shadow looks good but I really need to see the subject larger. The background needs more precision, since the edge is evident in the top left corrner.

Cats Alive: Kosh

My daughter's favourite. An amusing arrangment, but camera shake is evident and the background is a bit higgledy piggledy. Just rigging up a simple white sheet (for example) would make a big difference, as would a tripod to cope with a slow shutter speed. B

Coker: The Race

Egg & Spoon. Clever, I had to think about the ambersand for a while. Good composition. Overhead reflections on the spoon are very difficult to control and that's my only wee gripe. B

White Vase And Red Glass: BForbes

A very nice combination of colours and a simple, effective scene. I like the lighting. I think the arrangement should be centred though, it looks a tad imbalanced.

Colours In Daylight: Judith Ann

A striking arrangement, very well thought out. I think a bit of fill in light would help with the detail on the blue seed heads. Also I think the camera should have been placed facing the central point of the arrangement. Just to the left leaves a bit of a slant which looks not quite right in an otherwise precise shot.

Barely There: Clarkey

I really like this low key idea and the simplicity works well. But the image quality doesn't seem there though. Was this handheld, hence ISO1600? I think a tripod is essential for this set up. A diffuse reflection would work better to, difficult to do. Definitely an idea to revisit.

Praying Angel: Kemopop

Good subject, the shallow depth of field is a good choice, the background looks very good. A side on view so the base is horizontal would have been ideal for me. Again it looks a bit too blue to me. That may be my monitor's settings (or mine). B

How Low Can You Go: Bassman

Hence your name I guess. Striking colours, acid bass maybe. Overall a good looking study. I do think a little more space is required above and below. Shooting in the middle of the objects would have meant a horizontal skirting board. I might have also disguised that shadow creeping in on the left with a vignette, but extra space is required for a vignette to not encroach on the subject.

)))): ArsenAl

Amusing, I like it. Could do without the while blob above the apple?

Redgum: GaryJohn

A nice subject, nice colours and textures. The light seems to come from the left and lights the side of the carving rather than the face. More light on the face of the object would have brought out the weathered detais more. B

Deux Tetes: Geordie 01

Works well, light, colours, composition and depth of field all work very nicely together.

Better Days: VonBatCat

Very fitting for the time of year. A well though out and striking set up, nice tones, well photographed. Classic still life and a dollop of eccentrcity. B

The Old Codgers: Drofmit

Great little characters. It's an interesting piece of garden design. It makes for a good scene but I feel a tighter composition with the face top right and the two pebble face things towards the bottom left would improve this further. B

Orange and Green: Malcom Leader

Very well photographed indeed. Lovely diffuse look, simple and effective colour combination. Good attaetion to detail. I think there's just a little too much space on the right and the border doesn't grab me, but everything else about this does.

Why Are We Waiting: JAK

Another shot that brings a smile. Good expression on the frogs. The image quality doesn;t quite look there to me but that could well be the scanning process. A little fill in for that shadow on the right would have been welcome but I like the fun factor here.

1 VBC
2 Malcolm Leader
3= BForbes, GlynM

HC's Geordie01, DavidStorm, Coker, JudithAnn

Thanks to our Judge for all his adjudications...and for great advic eas well as my HC.

Congrats to VBC and all winner.

Regards;

Judithann

Many thanks Adrian for another great choice of subject which attracted a very good number of entries. Thanks also for your excellent set of reviews and judging, plus, of course, putting my onions on the podium as joint third .

Congratulations to VBC for a beautifully crafted winning image and everyone else for such a great set of pictures.

Glyn

P.S. I suspect the slight blue tint was probably caused by me mixing up my lighting sources as can be seen here.

Thanks, DrO for your time thinking up and judging a different theme for this competition, also for my place.
Congratulations to VBC and the other winners.

Many thanks to Dr O for the judging, the placement and most of all the theme.... as it gave me chance to use the rotting fruit and drying flowers that have been hanging around waiting for a project until yesterday.

Some great entries well done to all.

Well done everyone!

Well done VBC a great shot and thanks to DR O for the HC and the competition theme.

Thanks for the 'commended' Dr. O and for a really interesting theme. Your judging comments are pitched just about right (IMHO), all in all a very good weekly comp.

Regards
David