Weekly competition - Reflections

Thank you all for your entries....29!
I thought this would be easy to judge....how wrong I was!
There are so many great shots I will include some 'commened' as well.
So, randomly here goes:

Pond life by John Riley: I tried some shots like this but never really succeeded, I think you've done a better job here John, exposure is spot on and a nice composition
New Reflecting Old by mudge: Love the title, very apt. Interesting patterns of the old building contrast well with the new window and the colours go together well.
Lake reflections by Blaze: Great use of black and white and fantastic reflection! Just the sky (for my taste)seems a little over processed.
Night marina by Ellida: I think you've done very well here exposure wise, just caught the masts without burning out the white building.
Those masts really make the photo for me.
Calm by bforbes: Lovely image depicting calm perfectly, the position of the boats is almost as if someone anchored them specifically for your photo.
Bently and me by Jim-w: This has really interesting reflections. As well as the main one with the sloping grass, I like the patterns in the bottom right
Ullapool by davidtrout: I never tire of this type of shot and here's a great example. I took one similar in Wales and only had a 'window' of time enough for two shots before the calm disappeared for the rest of the day, so I know they're not easy.
Rome by paulb531: Another one that's 'been done before' but is always interesting. Two photographers in the glasses...which one took this?
Come fly with me by Hiddendragon28: You have to look close but it's there.
Would like to see a closer crop though
Pylon by AndrewA: I like this, lucky to have a decent sky too.
I would have tried a squarer crop perhaps, taking off some of the left side?
Let's ride by Sean282: Another nic B+W shot, the high contrast just adds to the feeling of cold snow and bright sun.
I'm fascinated by the reflection top left
Narrowboat by kevinroy: There's some strange blurring at the top here making the boat look almost 'toy like' nevertheless I like it and a great reflection
Who's afraid of virginia woods by RNVasco: Similar to John's and again better than my attempts. I love these kind of places so this is a favourite.
Without mirrors by Perspicador: Clever! ...and it works! I know you've tried to include the animals tails but I'd like to see a close crop concentrating on their expressions.....just me of course
Grey glass - Grey day by GaryJohn: This is great! Not too keen on the HDR/shadows-highlights effect though. Would love too see a more subtle version! I really like the image!
Soap Bubble Reflections byGlynM: One word...Brilliant! This caught my eye immediately, bubble and reflection both in focus, nice rainbow and great impact.
Plus - it was taken specifically for the comp.
Digital fontain by michdoom: Fascinating, I would have cropped a little of the dark sky at the top and maybe a touch off the bottom to give a more panorama effect....and who is that ghostly figure???
Tea room by tyronet2000: How come I hardly ever see water this calm? I get up early(ish) Full marks for spotting this, just imagine it without the lifebelt. Lovely shot
Dali's Monte Carlo bysimonarron: Wow! there is so much going on here, I would love to have seen this. Well photographed and good to see 'people' to give it scale. Like it
"C" by ChuckE: This is another favourite, I love the simplicity and composition is excellent. For me, I feel it just needs a little tweak in 'Levels'
Dom Platz by walkeja: Nice atmospheric shot and good reflection of the building, just a shame the man is walking OUT of the picture instead of INTO it....for me anyway.
No fog on the Tyne by geordie01: Love the buildings reflection here, I would like to see ALL of the arch and a less tight crop at the top though. Still a geat shot!
Autumn by coker: Another 'C' Great this, just like the other 'C'. I think I prefer this one for the mirror-like water contrasting with the small area of green, although both versions are excellent
EcineV - Venice byJustmypix: I've been here....twice, and am still trying to figure this one out, clever, creative and puzzling...I like it. Even the flare seems deliberate..like a shooting star. Very strange!
Loch Clair by CMW: Another one of those 'classics' and a great example it is! Brilliant use of the foreground stones and the lighting is perfect...I'm guessing 'morning'? Just love it
The world in a dewdrop by davidstorm: I find these kind of shots very difficult to do well, so 'hats off to you David. Those little ripples deserve a tighter crop though I feel, lose some of the darkness on the left and right
Japanese garden by JAK: Not one but two reflections! I like the contrast of the circles and the straight lines at the bottom and you've done very well with difficult lighting
Symmetry by ArsenAl: Wow! A really striking image. Just two small points: some foreground interest would have added to the picture and (unless it's my monitor, in which case ignore me) I see a magenta cast in the clouds and sky. A lovely shot all the same
Disco dancer reflections by drofmit: I stared at this for ages trying to work out what they are, before looking at your description. It's a fascinating shot and I think you've succeeded in showing the 'Dancing'

Now the difficult part.....

So many deserving shots here, but here's my choice anyway:

1st. Soap bubble by GlynM
2nd. New reflecting old by mudge
3rd. Japanese Garden by JAK

Also I would like to give:

'Highly commended' to Autumn by coker
'Commended' to Ecinev - Venice by justmypix
'Commended' to Bently and me by Jim-W

Phew! That was difficult, so many great images to choose from.
Thanks to you all for joining in and making my decision so difficult

On to the next one GlynM.......

Many thanks Michael for a great competition that attracted a lot of entries, the very nice set of comments and, of course, the judging .

Lots of thanks also for the first place. This was very unexpected as there are a lot of fantastic reflections in this collection. I really liked simonarron's chaotic reflection of Monte Carlo.

I certainly had a lot of fun blowing, capturing and photographing soap bubbles and definitely learnt something new.

Congratulations to my fellow podium members mudge and JAK, those highly commended and everyone else for such a beautiful set of well crafted images.

Glyn

Thanks for the third place; with so many excellent entries it came as a pleasant surprise. Congrats to GlynM and mudge in particular and to everyone else, it was great to see so many entries this time. Also a very well done to michael, the judge - it must have been very difficult to choose!

John K

Well done the podium and the judge. A very good competition this week.

Congratulations to the inner and other placings. An interesting subject well judged and commented.
Sorry about the life belt, I'll send a letter to the authorities asking for it to be removed.

On the contrary Stan, you misunderstood,
I meant the lifebelt adds that extra interest and completes the picture, just put your thumb over it and see the difference