Weekly Competition #67 - Evening Competition

Hi All! Sorry for the late posting of these results, been a busy day so far.

Thanks for all your entries, it's been fun looking through them and desperately trying to decide which one is the winner, but in the end there was one that stood out as being a good photo, with nice lighting, and gave me the right feeling. I was surprised there were so few indoor shots, not surprised by the number of sunsets, but I did think there may have been one or two different takes on 'Evening' - no one sanding a piece of wood...?

In order of posting:

Strawberry Beret: Nice colours in the sky with a good reflection, I like the meandering of the water between the land masses. I don't find the right hand corner well enough defined for it to be a strong silhouette. I know this is a personal preference, but I find sunsets need a good, simple, interesting silhouette to change them from being a nice record of a colourful sky, to being a great photo.

Deecy: Again, stunning colours, but too much in the way of plain (uninteresting) dark areas. I realise you were limited by the fact you were in a car at the time.

pulveriser12: Nice atmosphere, with the warmth given to the image by the setting sun and flare, but I just can't tell what the picture is, and that bothers me. I think it's some guttering and corner of a house, with another house in the background, but nothing's defined enough for me. I would have prefered some seperation between the near object and the chimney(?) in the background too.

chelseablue: A shot with atmosphere - so much of it that you can actually see it! I like that you can see depth to the picture, foreground boat, near skyscrapers, further skyscrapers, mountain etc. I find the left hand tower too close to the edge of the frame. Nice positioning of the sun though. Commended.

beebee: When I first saw this I thought it was in some far off exotic location, then noticed the title. Definitely eye-catching, with a strong silhouette. Looks as though it's been tweaked a bit to bring out the reds more, but I could be wrong, you do see occasional stunning skies like this. I don't like the leaning building (sloping horizons are my biggest bugbear), and would prefer a little less building in the shot - perhaps crop at the bottom of the smaller 'tower'? Highly commended.

Hyram: A different shot, so well done for that, and one that has plenty of things for the eye to see, without being too cluttered. I like the use of the railings to frame the shot, and then the trees giver an inner frame for the sun too. It makes me think of an evening walk, just heading home for a warm drink. Well seen.

johnriley: Am I the only one who thinks about who's judging a competition before I enter it? Okay, this is an image with impact, the sheer scale of the ship compared to the people who've come to see it makes an impression, and then there's that big sun. But this is a composite, is it not? And although there's nothing to say that you can't enter images that have been fiddled with, I am quite particular about shots that have been played around with. They've got to look right. The focal lengths have been fairly well matched here (as in both shots look as though they were done with a telephoto lens), but the faint image of the sea through the ship, and the light coming from the lefthand side, ruin it for me I'm afraid.

randall85: This is nice, I loke the way the sunlight glances the statues to give some shape, and the still water and clear sky gives everything a sense of calm. The rowers make a nice addition too. Highly Commended

PentaxAngel: Again, another stunning sky, but again that's all, apart from what looks like a windmill(?). If this was larger in the frame, I think it could have made it more appealing to me. Lovely texture in those clouds though.

Belinda B.: One day Belinda, there'll be a judge who loves the effect that you give you photos, but I'm afraid it's not me! I quite like the composition, and the elements that are contained in it, but that processing, and the sloping horizon (just because the masts are upright, doesn't mean the picture's straight), just don't do it for me. I'd be interested to see an un-manipulated version.

Mynett: A restful shot, and although it's a sunset without a silhoutte, the simplicity of it works for me. Slightly amused by PentaxAmPho's comment "I know it's Cardigan Bay... I mean, where specifically?" - er, does it matter, there's nothing here to make a difference, surely? The very low quality of the jpeg marrs it somewhat, and I'm also a little unsure why the reflection of the sun seems out of line with the sun itself.

hefty1: I'm hoping this was deliberately on the lean! A good location for colourful shots with plenty of people interest, I was left hunting for faces a bit, as I didn't find there was a strong enough focus to the image. There's the girl dead centre, but half her head's hidden, and the one top left looking back (just goes to show how noisy Pentax shutters are ). But I'm not too keen on the compostion over all - the drastic lean, the people in one half and then very few in the other...

davidtrout: Looks like the mountains are on fire! Dramatic lighting, looks like some dodging to bring out the trees in the foreground, which also increases the noise but I can live with that. Very strong image, SECOND PLACE!

paulw: Now I know I've said I like silhouettes with sunsets, but... Not the most inspiring shot - the sky, again, is lovely, great colours, but the foreground leaves a lot to be desired. That sky, with a clean, sharp, pleasing silhouette yes, as it is, no.

Prieni: ANother Hong Kong shot, and very different from Chelseablue's. In fact, I think I can see Chelseablue on the far shore, packing his camera away. An excellent shot, with a great balance of natural and artificial light, the water breaking up what would otherwise be an expanse of buildings. Makes me think a little more 'night-time' than evening, although I realise it was only just after sunset (with the sky still blue). Highly Commended

Keen2Learn: Again, nice sky, but that's it - really not eye catching enough to grab me. Horizon's a bit too central for me too, although that works in many situations, I don't think it does here.

Puds52: Great idea, well judged lighting, but let down but the sloping horizon. Excellent reflections, and I love the movement in the water. Straightened up this would have been in my top three, as it is you've made my job easier. Commended

josh: Like Hefty's fair ground shot, I like the idea and the potential of the scene, but here again I find my eye roaming around for a main feature. It settles on the portraits, but the lighting here, and over all really, is too harsh for me.

Nimitz: This really tells me it's the end of the day, late afternoon, early evening, with the beautiful lighting, rainbow, folded umbrellas, something about this shot best illustrates 'evening' for me. It doesn't need an amazing sunset (although there was probably quite a nice one behind the camera), just the elements in the photo tell the story. Is it an HDR shot? It's got quite vivid colours, so it might be, but here I can ascribe them to the light at the end of the day, if it is HDR, then it's been done subtly enough not to raise my hackles. Would I hang it on my wall? No, but it does fit the brief, with a descriptive shot, so it's my FIRST PLACE.

terje-l: I long to see this view without the trees obscuring the lake, I'm afraid they spoil the shot for me. Lovely blue tones, with the warm light of the reflection contrasting nicely. Commended.

Dr. Mhuni: A lovely shot of the little harbour, with good exposure and tones. I'm not keen on the modern looking boat smack in the centre of the image - if it wasn't there, you'd have more of the reflectionsm and a better sweeping view of the water. Couldn't you have untied it and floated it out of the way?

Lilly: I was hoping for more shots like this, by which I mainly mean indoors, but does this one work for me? As an evening shot, no, it doesn't. To me it looks too much like the middle of the day, and I wonder if Lilly's been a bit too over-enthusiastic with correcting the white balance and has taken all the atmosphere out of the shot? Or was it earlier in the year when the sky was lighter? Either way, it doesn't say 'evening' to me.

Rossi: Sloping horizon and beach cutting across bottom left corner spoil it for me. Otherwise a pleasant shot, which the addition of the helicopter lifts a little.

SPB: Lovely light on the mountain tops, and an almost eerie look to the deserted streets. This is an odd one, I find it improves for me if you crop the building and roof off the right hand side, but it doesn't grab me the way others have done. Potential I think, but not realised.

ganners: I can see why you were attracted to the reflections in the water, but the edge of the boat(?) on the left and lean once again detract too much. There's not enough of a focal point either for me.

taluca: A much more pleasing sunset for me, beautiful sky, added interets of clean silhouettes including the boat. Intrigued by the shapes in the water - are they rocks, or whales/porpoises...? Lovely shot with great light. THIRD PLACE

bonnipics: Another sunset, which appears to have a slight lean to it. I'm afraid, again, that this doesn't have enough interest for me.

cagneyman: A better, sharper shot than the one you posted in the gallery, this has nice colour contrast between the deep vlue sky and the sunlight reflected in the glass. Other than that though, it doesn't really do much for me, I need my cityscapes to have a little more interest in them.

Father Ted: Nicely caught sunrays bursting through the clouds, but the lower half of the pic is a little uninteresting. Horizon's straight though!

mélissa: I think more could have been made of the pools on the left and their very still water, but again I'm left with a feeling of wanting more than just a pretty sky.

pnjmcc: Now this one looks as though it needs a nicer sky , and perhaps some more red lights on the left side to balance the picture more.

Haworth: Rather like Lilly's entry, this one doesn't strike me as being evening, and without the title 'Night-night Daddy' could be seen as any time of the day. Nice shot with good movement though.

womble: Finally, an indoor entry with some late night atmosphere..., but a little too late perhaps? Makes me think of a nightcap, rather than evening. Nicely set up, and the candle light works well, although the glass doesn't look quite as sharp as it might - perhaps stopping the lens down a little would have helped here? It raises, for me, the question of when does 'evening' start and finish? I'm sorry if the impression it gives me doesn't fit with your.


So that's it, results are:

Nimitz: FIRST PLACE
davidtrout: SECOND PLACE
taluca: THIRD PLACE

Prieni: HIGHLY COMMENDED
randall85: HIGHLY COMMENDED
Puds52: COMMENDED
terje-l: COMMENDED


Edited just to put names in bold.

Nicely done Daniel and over to Nimitz for the next installment...

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Best regards, John

Congrats to Nimitz with a great shot, and thanks to Daniel with great judging.

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"Just put your eye to the camera and push the button-thingy."
Flickr page:
link

Well done Daniel,

you certainly had your work cut out here. Great competition, wonderful entries.
Congratulations to Nimitz, good shot (though I have to confess I would have chosen a different one as the winner (no, not mine )).

A fun competition all around (again).
And thanks to Daniel for the HC!

Prieni

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How inappropriate to call this planet earth when it is quite clearly Ocean. - Arthur C. Clarke
Prieni's PPG page

Thanks for the second place Dan. It was unexpected because when I saw the quality of many of the entries I didn't expect to get anywhere. Congratulations on your judging and well done to Nimitz. I've remarked previously about the rich reds Nimitz gets into his pictures and they are here again.
david.

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

Thank you Daniel - I'm a newbie to the site and was chuffed to bits to get a highly commended. The Cromer sunset wasn't tweeked at all - but it will be now. I will crop and straighten the image and place into my portfolio. Some of the images were simiply stunning. I look forward to the new competition, well done Nimitz, fab shot!!

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Everything is possible - just not today.
K7, K100d, 18-55mm kit, 50-200mm, Sigma 70-300mm, 50mm f1.4, 16-45mm f4.0, 50-135mm f2.8

Thanks for the judging Daniel and congratulations to Nimitz.!!

And my first straight horizon

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Getting there! Thanks to you guys

Pentax K10d, *istDL, Kit lens ( 18-55mm ), 50mm f1.7 lens, Tamron 70-300mm lens, Prinzflex 70-162 manual lens, Various old flashes.

Congratulations to Nimitz and many thanks to Dan.

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Hyram

Bodies: K20D (2), K10D, Super A, ME Super, Auto 110 SLR, X70, Optio P70
Pentax Glass: DA* 300, DA* 60-250, DA* 50-135, DA* 16-50, DA 70 Ltd, FA 31 Ltd, DA 35 Ltd, DA 18-55 (2), DA 12-24, DA 10-17, M 200, A 35-70, M 40, M 28, Converter-A 2X-S, 1.4X-S, AF 1.7, Pentax-110 50, Pentax-110 24
Other Glass: Sigma 105 macro, Sigma-A APO 75-300
Flash: Metz 58 AF-1 P, Pentax AF160FC ringflash, Pentax AF280T

Congratulations to Nimitz and thnaks to Dan.

Some very strong entries again this week so well done to everyone

Regards
PaulM

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All cameras are equal but.....
Some are more equal than others

It's okay, you can say who you would have picked. I'd be interested to know.


You were in third place until taluca's shot appeared, but it was a tough one to decide.

Dan

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K-3, a macro lens and a DA*300mm...

Congratulations to Nimitz and to Dan for a job well done.

And thanks for my first commended. I am very pleased, although I feel the foreground trees belong in this scenery.

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Best regards
Terry

K20D, Optio I10, DA 18-55 1:3.5-5.6 AL II, A 1:1.7/50, D FA 1:2.8/100 Macro, Sigma 70-300 1:4-5.6 APO DG Macro, Pentax AF 360FGZ

Nice judging Sir! And congratulations to Nimitz on a very pretty shot.


Yeah, I sort of wondered if I wasn't being too subtle for my own good. The original shot was straight as a ruler but looked boring to me. Just to the right of where I was stood is a pub that I sometimes frequent so my train of thought went something like: pub + friday evening + beers = falling into street at a 45 degree angle.

I'll get me coat...

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Joining the Q

Many congratulations to Nimitz and a big thank you to Dan.

p.s. I only modify some of my images

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Belinda B.

Holy cow.....did not expect that

Thanks a lot Dan and to all of you! And yes - it is a Hdr - I did very little in photomatix this time. I didn't want to make it too saturated.

The reds in the shot is all natural - this time

I have worked so damm hard to win one of these competitions. Wow - I'm happy now.....I will set the next one asap!

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www.mieritz.net

Well done Nimitz, Daniel had a great selection of entries to judge.

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JOSH.