Weekly Competition #341 - Blue Competition

Fletcher8: This is so beautiful, with its deep blues and calming composition. The foreground could have been monotonous, but there's detail there and this helps to lift the image. A splendid start to the competition.

Sean282: Another entry strong on the blues, and a really fascinating and unusual subject. However, the different shades of blue in the background and the offset composition do feel slightly uncomfortable.

Kh1234567890: A nice diagonal composition makes the picture, as does the interesting subject matter. This one is a bit less blue though, tending more to a blue-green shade. This is pleasing in itself, but I feel doesn't perhaps hit us between the eyes as being blue.

Darlene: I do like the low light feel, the overall blue cast and the feeling of isolation. Snow deadens sound, and this image reinforces in my mind that concept of silence. The composition has left a bit of a blank area at the bottom of the frame. I'd be inclined to lift the camera to place the bush more strongly, lower down in the frame.

cardiff_gareth: We have blue here again, lots of lovely dramatic blue, but most of all a great subject. It's been handled well, although I would have preferred to see all the ripple at bottom right, if at all possible. Very good technique though.

Weinelm: The format is perfect for this elegant, well controlled image. How perfect and serene. The small rock bottom left breaks up the foreground and adds scale. The warm glow of the buildings gives us a superb contrast between the blue and the warmth of habitation. The horizon is also dead level, which is essential for this sort of shot to succeed.

AndrewA: When blue toning works on a portrait it can be highly attractive, as it is here. This is a very sensitive choice of subject and pose. Hands are often a problem, but in this case it works anyway. A highly original and accomplished shot.

Tyronet2000: When I look at this I feel as though I should be looking at the curvature of the earth from orbit. There are two things that distract me though. The first is the warm something that clashed bottom right. The second is the blown out highlight where there are reflections in the fluid. Interesting, but the subject does perhaps need to be less ambiguous.

JAK: This is a pleasing composition and fulfils the brief with lots of blue boats. I like the way the picture curves upwards, pulling our eye through the line of boats.

Simonarron: More vivid blue, which is just what was wanted. The arrangement of the image is very good, just let down I think by the camera being pointed upwards. This has resulted in the buildings all leaning backwards, something that, for me, I would be wanting to modify.

Mowser: I like quirky small buildings and doors and this shot is just the sort of thing I would photograph. It's simple and effective.

Lifespicer: A good arrangement and a great idea to introduce some foliage into the shot. It isn't critically sharp, which I feel the subject would benefit from. A tripod is almost essential for the subject matter.

Davidtrout: A great composition, with a lovely feel to it. It speaks isolation and images that evoke a feeling are all the more worthy for that.

JudithAnn: There's a saying in the UK that “blue and green should never be seen”, but don't believe a word of it. If it were true then the green of the land and blue of the sky would be in big trouble. That intense blue in the vehicle is wrapped in a carpet of green and for once it's a shade of green that is absolutely believable. Adding human interest clinches the fine quality of the image.

Davidstorm: I thought this looked familiar and I've indeed done a similar shot a while ago. It's a captivating subject and I doubt that many photographers would miss it. Here a great job has been done and results in a really good image. Doors always leave us with the unsatisfied urge to know what lies beyond.

GlynM: Primulas are a fantastic shade of blue. These are also pin sharp, which is great, although I wish the plane of sharp focus extended all the way through to the back of the flower group. I really like the composition.

Drofmit: This is a great idea, only slightly spoilt for me by the large area of white in the centre of the frame. This tends to attract the eye to the centre of the frame, which is blank. I do however applaud the ideas within the image.

Gravelrash: I presume there were more bikes around, so you have done an excellent job of showing us a clearly defined subject whilst eliminating any extraneous details.

Geordie01: Light colours attract our attention, so top right a darker button would probably have been better. It might also be advantageous to not have the main button so centrally placed. Notwithstanding those comments we have here another original idea, well planned and executed,

Noelcmn: An unusual bud, enhanced very nicely by the water droplets. Perhaps a more diagonal composition would have been more dramatic, but as it is we still have a relaxing and satisfying image.

Jim-w: Very good idea, just spoilt slightly by the lighter coloured band of light, top right. It is certainly unusual and has that WOW factor in terms of blue.

So, to the winners in a moment, but first a big Thank You to all who entered. Not everyone can win, but I have selected various awards, based purely on image quality and adherence to the brief.

My winner is Fletcher8, with a brilliant and definitely blue landscape. Super work.

Second place goes to weinelm. What a gorgeous image, we could believe that distant fortress to be able to survive for ever, cosseting its inhabitants in a warm glow.

Third place goes to AndrewA for his splendid and innovative portrait.

Highly commended awards to Darlene, JAK, davidtrout and JudithAnn. Really well done to you all, your images were strong contenders for the top placemenmts.

And so ends another Weekly Competition. You guys can pull real quality out of your cameras, it's great to see. Keep up the good work!

Great judging, and just like the judging should be, thank you so much John.

Congrats to our first and third place winner, lovely shots....but I have to say...I must say... I was passionate about AndrewA portrait...it was a professional and stunning piece of photography! (Whoee, got that off my chest).

Thank you for HC.

JA

Many thanks for the vote John. I also really like AndrewA's portrait and wish it was in my portfolio.

Thanks to John for an excellent competition and expert judging. Congratulations to Fletcher8, weinelm and AndrewA who occupy the podium and thanks my for HC along with Darlene, JAK and JudithAnn.
David

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

Congratulations to the winner and other places. Thanks to John for an interesting subject and comprehensive comments.

Thanks for the HC John and well done to the podium placements and other HC's. I was surprised how few photos I had that I thought would actually meet the brief, so pleased I found something suitable.

Thanks for an excellent competition and expert judging. Also for HC , note well taken. Always like to learn , for more improvement . ( composition has left a bit of a blank area at the bottom of the frame. I'd be inclined to lift the camera to place the bush more strongly, lower down in the frame. ) Congratulations to the winner and other places.

Great competition, many thanks John.

Congratulations to our winners and everyone else for a fantastic set of images.

Glyn

Well deserved winner and 2nd placer. Thank You for my 3rd place too.

Great compo this weeks, thanks John.

Thanks for the thorough judging John. I'm loving Fletcher8's pic. Great images all round, well done all!

Thanks to John for comp,some cracking images. well done to Fletcher8 for the win and to podiums and HC's.

All the best.....Jim.

Great images in this comp...
congrats the winner...

Thanks for the judging, John...
take a look at this version of Four Bluebottles which I almost entered, but went with the "straight" version.
The link above takes you to a Redfield Fractalius version that creates a batik effect.