Weekly Competition No. 30 "One of My Best Photos"

Hardraw Falls, Yorkshire Dales





Howard

Robin at Dusk




K10D with Sigma 135-400 Handheld @ 360mm F5.6, 1/750sec, ISO 200

Not a best, they are all on slide film stored away in a dark cupboard, but I was quite pleased with how this one turned out.

The Rain in Spain





GX10, 1/60 at f5.6, ISO 100, kit lens at 18mm and cropped to avoid extraneous details. Converted to B&W using the Andy plugin in Bibble, set to use tonal characteristics of Kodak Tri-X.

One of my first macro shots with the K10D, only resized for the comp, no adjustments

Some may recognise this as part of the pyramid in front of the Louvre in Paris -

hi.

Well my dear friends, here in Argentina is midnight and in the UK is 3AM, so no having more entrants I, declare the #30 weekly competition CLOSED.

Tomorrow evening I will have the judging uploaded.

Good look to al the entrants. The images uploaded really are “One of My Best Images”

I think the competence expectation was completely satisfactory. I confess I feel me deeply satisfied with the very high images quality. I never show before so huge quantity of excellent material. For these (like me) who learn photography in this competitions, have enriched a lot the experience and found good stuff for recreate the creative inspiration.

Notice for Mr. Ist: Your image has problems with the hosting server. I couldn’t open your image yet. I will wait for you until Monday midday 12AM in Argentina or 3 PM in the UK.

Thanks for the entrants images.


Best regards.
________________
Dirk TROTTEYN.
K10D+ Sigma 18-50 1:2.8 DC; DA 10-17 fish-eye.
Image counter: 4736.-

Competition # 30 “One of My Best Photos”.

This competence is a bit different than the previous ones, because the images presented here had passed across a rigorous selection done by the respective authors. Too much negative critique must not be expected here, but in counterpart a lot of praise commendation and compliment will be the common denominator of this competition judging.

Remember that we are viewing to the best work of all us whit the exception of the entrants who don´t want be winner, but second or a little bit down, perhaps for avoid being the next judge.

And now, the white smoke from the chimney…


1-Malo 1961_ Bravo Martin for be the first! 1961 is you birth year?
A great shot! The diagonals work perfectly well here. They put your eyes in the middle of the scene, then the eyes are invited finely to climb up to the first water drop where you can delight with the optics laws of reflection (in a biconvex glass the image appears inverted). What I am not sure is that the droplets are water or any vegetal liquid secretion (looks more viscous than water).

Mounted in PS I found in levels a 5% of highlights was empty. Martin, do you feel comfortable with the sRGB colorspace?
The image fits in the weekly theme “One of My Best Photos” as the ring in the finger.

Don´t forget to tell as when you get one of your best images (not made yet).


2-AdamP_A very good executed composition. The image has a sweet mystery. I ask me what is so gripping for both there down. A little improvement with the DOF for put the focus in the most interesting part of the image will help.

Mounted the image in PS I can see 40% of the highlight area of Level is empty.

I counsel you deeply, to participate in any weekly competition you can. Is one of the best ways for learning photography. This forum is privileged because has a Staff of members with a great and professional photography knowledge. I am sure you will feel as in home making questions you need for bettering your photography skills.

Please read Note#1.


3-GaryMoffat_ What a great and very opportune shot! What a precise landing, what mastery in doing this! As aviation pilot I envy this bird doing so perfect and precise approach. I can see the landing gear, sorry, the extended bird legs and the claws ready for the touchdown. The wing flaps, sorry again, the plumage, the feathers in position for fly in the slowest air speed. I love this photo.

I mounted the image in PS and adjusted a little in Levels the shadows and in the highlights, improving a bit the foreground fog.

This image is a clear example of “One of My Best Photos” theme. HIGHLY COMMENDED!


4-Nimitz_ What gorgeous little girl. Is she your daughter? What enormous and beautiful blue eyes.

The crop looks a little claustrophobic and the black thin frame in my opinion don´t helps. Very good DOF.

I am sure you and all you family will enjoy this image for many years.

Please read Note#1.


5-amilner_ Now in clear where we are stand, will follow with this beautiful image. Yes, as you say, the basis of this picture resides in his simplicity and also in a very nice composition. It is like there are natural and peaceful balances of forces contained internally in the two main erected stones. I like the composition. The complete landscape in the lower third of the image works marvelously good, imprinting the foreground an incredible majesty.

As I say to Lenscape; really is a pain the image size restriction in the WEB. With just 483x774 pixels is difficult to make justice whit so an excellent photo.


6-ikillrocknroll_This landscape is one of the most beautiful I ever show! The colours are great, well balanced, very good tonal range, the symmetry is awesome, and all that matters written about the mast reflection in calm water are perfectly observed in this magnificent photo.

My only but not very important observations are; the right lower water drainage and two jets trails in the sky, one in the upper left side flying out the mage and the other in the upper right third of the image exiting near the upper right photo border (for clone out). HIGHLY COMMENDED!


7-MX veteran_This is “One of My Best Photos” with all the words! Awesome composition, very rich in colour gamut in spite of made in the sRGB colorspace. This kind of composition makes me want to look deeper into the photo. Therefore I loaded it upon my PS CS3 and did this: changed to Adobe RGB colorspace and sharpened a bit more. The results make an interesting difference; a lot of hidden details appears now, and what is important, desaturate some exaggerated colours. The colours of the after building (church?) are much more natural (The gothic arcades looks more brownish as a ceramic brick looks).

Dramatic, the mendicant with his dog near the antiques store! I like the imprint of the cleaning duster in the upper right main window corner.

A cons. The highlight at the right side of the business label brush off the characters sharpness.

In conclusion an excellent photo.


8-justgetoutandride_Thechnically has all the attributes for an excellent photo. The composition is superb. The atmosphere in this image makes a deep impression in my feelings. It is like an invitation for be there, step the sand with naked feet...No more words for my THIRD PLACE winner!


9-pnjmcc_What a colourful image. I can see a not very usual colour gamut in this photo. The dominant colour is the light violet and for my taste a little saturated with. If the bee suctioning nectar form the flower where a bit violet tinted I am sure more than one observer would confuse both.

This semi-macro images (if I may call so) in my opinion, don´t let express the photographer in all his capacity and creativity. The amazing aspect of this kind of photos resides greatly in the lens work.

The DOF is too narrow for keep the complete bee body which is (I supposed) the “numen” of the image. The sharpness a bit low, but considering the lens is not a native macro it becomes more acceptable.


10- Gwyn_No much to say here, because this photo jumped straight in my eyes and I don´t want leave it.

I don´t have a great knowledge in the guitar terrain, but deducting from the reposed fingers position of the artist I am sure this is not an super electrical guitar for play modern music (rock´n roll and other). In return I can hear Joaquín Rodrigo playing “The Concierto de Aranjuez”

This image has a great black dominant area, but this is perfectly and absolutely well employed for dramatizing the scene.

No more words for this masterpiece, because this is my FIRST PACE winner image!

With your permission, I will hang in my living room wall (in “A” size) this magnificent photography.

Tanks in advance.


11-Prieni_Finally you decided to maintain the original entrant image. I had said this in another tread in this forum; All the Perini’s photographic work has a particular and a distinctive style in both aspects of his work; the composition and the colours gamut. In my not very long time in the forum (8 months) I learned to recognize his images without any difficulty.

And this time is not an exception to his rules. A brilliant “beginning of the autumn” image.

Looking at the oak tree blade I can see the physics laws in disputing who the winner is; the surface tension against the Archimedes principle of flotation against the law of gravity, but all of them in an invisible but inexorable competence. Who of us maintain floating the foil or who of us make sink it to the very deepness of the lake, the laws comment. But in counterpart of the physics laws disputation, what beautiful colours and shapes we can see around the oak foil. The reflection of the tree foliage explains that the autumn is not yet here, that his foils even are green and this lonely entrapped in the water is just an advice that is coming...

Of course I climbed Prieni´s image upon my PS looking for any fault for demerit it in any misstep. But I found none; I just got impeccable PS information!

For all the above eulogy, I will impose this image with a VERY HIGH COMMENDED!


12-Johnriley_ A not very diffused abstract photo style, but very interesting to explore in it. John, I like these abstract creations because I know of his great artistic possibilities, in where you can let your imagination explore in a very deep way in any subject. (“The limit is your own imagination”).

Making a critique to an abstract image requires a great knowledge in art. The abstract photography in difference with other visual arts (painting, sculpture and others) have not a well defined concept of what you must understand exactly for “abstract photography” I couldn’t find yet the definition for it. In counterpart the other art disciplines mentioned has a very clear concept of the abstract meaning; more or less is like this: the representations of an existing person or object which exist in the nature using for representing it elements that don´t exist in the nature. You must express yourself with shapes and colours. I remember have read something you written in the forum about this theme.

In your composition I can see the following: the out of horizontals is because a deflated tyre? I see the car a little bit banked to the right, this mismatch with the elegance of the front car side. So a beautiful and shining painted in a recently recycled car with these new chromed bumpers and with deflated tyres don´t work for me (or perhaps is part of the creation).

In my opinion your idea is good for this theme “dissolution”. I can see that the disintegration begins in the head, begins with the ideas advancing inexorably to the secondary elements.

Success with your very interesting experience. Let us see your progress. I am sure you will have a lot of abstract images fans.


13-Deccy_This is a very pleasant image for contemplate and let go out of us, the stress load of the everyday life. Is a real balsam for the sight!

Your image has a good gray tonal range and a very good contras balance. The rightmost boat highlight act as a little magnet for the eyes. Also above the mentioned ship is a little black point I believe is a bird. Crop it out? For the things I can see in the shore is in low tide time.


14-spaceraider_”The autumn is here” picture. I always shot this same scene.

I feel in this intimate atmosphere an indescribable attraction. Perhaps because has an analogy with our life; “The decline”, the analogy of the decline of our life and the decline of the nature cycle. And the attraction is also in the ground, in the earth (our last dwelling). For this reason you, and I, both us use the same shot angle. We want be as close the soil as we can; why? The beautifully soil upholstered with the most coloured nature elements is a gorgeous tribute of nature to the going life cycle.

A little cons. For my taste, the image frame could be a bit less dominant and done with more compatible colours. (Just a matter of taste).

Another photo for the excellence.


15-lenscape_ Oh! A fish-eye. A DA 10-17 or a DG EX 10-20? I love this image. This is for my taste a great and very beautiful composition.

Really is a pain the image size restriction in the WEB. The image has so mach details for see that 800x538 is not enough for make justice to this wonderful photo. Personally I think than with a little bit more daylight (dusk, twilight) could help in reducing the exposure time (3 s) and bettering the general sharpness. But this surely will generate another atmosphere which I am not sure was in your intention. HIGHLY COMMENDABLE!


16-Tyr_ For the general purposes images I think the K10D internal develop process is completely good and totally dependable. But if you don´t shot RAW you lose the chances for arrange your mistakes during the shot. I sleep always more tranquil when I know I have the 10MB file safely stored in camera SD or better if in the PC HDD, for any posterior “change of idea” and not lose image quality.

Now the turn to your exquisite landscape. I imagined the scene without these few peoples in the background and mounted your image in PS, cloned the gents out and get a totally different atmosphere. A bit of PS slap (thanks Lilly for the explanation) for the sun helps. As is, is completely natural, but also very eye capturing.

The colours a bit warm for my taste. I remember your monitor was not good calibrated (a few months ago), is already in shape? In PS, I went to image/adjustments/photo filter/cooling filter (82) 15-25%. Doing so, the sky becomes more realistic, more bluish; also the seaside sand looks more natural. The photo has a very good composition. I like it very much. Really is for me, like for you, a “One of My Best Images”


17-niblue_The 4 plane levels give the image a very good 3 D appearance. The background mountains are dominant by his imposing size and semblance. I like the foreground trees (in shadow) but the others in the lower left side are a bit minimised. I think they must look with more importance or drastically be cloned out. I think the cloud shadow in the second mountain looks a bit aggressive, majorly the contrast of his crest and the back mountain. It breaks a bit the general light balance.

Intrigued for know what species are the fore trees which his foliage copy the mountain slope.
Another great “One of My Best Images”.


18-gartmore_ A very good achieved Italian semblance. The diagonals works perfectly well dissimulating the otherwise no wanted water drain pipes, electrical wiring etc.

Very interesting colours balance. Perhaps some clouds in the sky could help. But like as is. The intense blue of the sky works as a link with the other colours. Nobody in scene, just 2 small sculptures in the windows on the magenta coloured building. A bit disconcerted about what I see in the lower left image corner; a man hat perhaps? Good shot Gartmore!


19-Clarky_ The upper (male?) is the only sustenance of the couple. For me this kind of insect macro photos works so good as the sharpness are. Considering is hand held and with 1/90 s curtain speed the sharpness is unique. But there are not any alternative for do this so. You can´t ask they posses for you. The white hole in the left lower side of the image annoys a bit the eyes.

A very good example for “One of My best Photos”


20-amoringello_ Your image is impacting. Go straight to the eyes (in a good manner).

This back lighted (monochrome?)is a real tribute to the art and the beauty of Venice. I am sure the Venetians will fill honoured with this version of the Palace of the Doges (Dux?).

Simple and brilliant. HIGHLLY COMMENDED!


21-chirpy_Personally I am not a big fan or enthusiastic of insect macro photos (perhaps I have no a macro lens yet).The same as for Clarky; the macro image quality = picture sharpness + precise moment. Who has the merit? The photographer or the lens? I think both; a 50% for each one.

I think there is not a wide possibility for the photographer for be creative or express some kind of art in this category of the photography. Nevertheless I appreciate this very good capture. Technically unobjectionable. And I am sure that this image is “One of My Best Photos”


22-simonkit_ Images like yours make me envy all these beautiful scenarios you have in the UK. This near-monochromatic image is really gorgeous. You are right, this is one of those place/right time kind of photos and I will say also, a talented photographer too.

An excellent light balanced image. The sun shining among the clouds and the brightness of the wooden floor, adds power and vigor to this visual delight. I love the bluish color of the sky. HIGHLY COMMENDED!


23-sussexsurfer_ I think this image not only make you smile, it also makes any devilry within your feelings too. I am also a dog lover, so I can perfectly perceive what you express with this image.

Very good captured. What´s the odds if 99% of the image area is moved, if the “numen” or the “core” is in good shape?

For me, your work is not for win “this” competition, but have my applauses and a big “bravo” to the real and big amount of tenderness the image has.


24-McBrian_A real paparazzi shot. With a focal length of 200 mm. and a so sharp image the obvious question is; how far away where you? Of course were tripod mounted. I think impossible a hand held shot with just f/2.8. The image captured (or stolen?) here, are really gorgeous! The most impressive of this photo, for me, is this excellence in the gray tonal range and the perfection in the light balance. The DOF is more than good. Unobjectionable in the light manage.

Is also a confirmation of the meaning of the acronym “EX” of the Sigma lens.


25- Daniel Bridge_Very interesting pseudo (or near monochromatic) image. I feel very pleased with.

What happened with the entrance stair? The banister end sinks into the sand. Perhaps was sand flooded during a high tide, and this is the reason of the abandon of this hut? The man foot print in front the door breaks a bit the enchantment of this intact time preserved scenario, but in return the animal’s ones don’t disturb.

The angle of the shot, I think, don´t helps (or are responsible) of the image flatness appearance.

Nevertheless, the image is well deserved for be “One of My Best Photos”.


26-hefty1_This is a great and rich scenario (in photographic possibilities). In my opinion you could exploit this exciting place with more advantage. Here are disputing the sight, and with tenacity, the beautiful Amazon of the foreground with the very active background.

Perhaps a better DOF handling (f/2.8 or better if lens is able) could help for isolating this stunning first plane. I think the daylight you had this time was good for an ISO 200, for get a better capture and best general sharpness.


27-Keith Grant_First at all I will give you a very “hot” welcome to the forum, especially in sight of your entrance theme.

Well done Keith for take the plunge, and my sincere congrats for your excellent image what with you made the competition debut. Believe me, I feel honored in being the judge of your first weekly completion entrance. These words can sound a bit demagogic, but I feel that is an enormous responsibility with you, thinking in your future wishes and zests for continuing in competition.

The image composition is great. I like how the water is suggested in the scene by letting see only this small upper water band. This tiny line creates a kind of mystery atmosphere. If the image was cropped, this was done in the very correct place. The DOF is well handled bringing the buoys these vivid appearance. I can´t find any distracting element in it.

An excellent image, Keith.


28-Galoot_The second fish-eye image of the comp and is done whit the same lens I have from a week ago. Is a good experience for both us (sorry, for all the competitors).

As I can see, you acquired very well the control of this shape slippery lens. Someday, anybody must take the lead and write a Decalogue of the most important things to take in care using these magnificent lenses (please, the most advanced users are noticed…).

For my actual knowledge with the slippery fish, you did magic’s for get so a spectacular photo.

The experience teaches me that the horizon must be so near the middle of the image as possible. But how you did for obtain these very good shaped (straight erect) lateral trees? Cropped out something of the image? Y also learned that is better select natural objects of unrecognizable shape (stones, water etc.) for the laterals, as you did. But still intrigued with the rightmost very straight pine trees.

The composition is really gorgeous and the symmetry spectacular. All technical’s in perfect order.

This is one of the best landscapes I shown. Thanks Galoot for the ideas you give me for…

And for all the above mentioned, you win the most coveted completion podium position; this is my SECOND PLACE photo!


29-promhandicam_ Whow! What impacting image. A dual impression photo; terrific at the first glance and at the same time, sweet and loveable!

The first question comes alone: What is her/his size? A shame not finds any reference for compare. The vertical line under Agama´s head confuses a little if the image is in the correct position (rotated 90º CW?), but not, as you see is the good way. Nice colors and mostly a very opportune shot!


30-HowardJ_This is other good candidate for “One of My Best Photos”. The first impression was that were taken whit a fish-eye lens (but with inverted curve distortion), but is not, are the rocks curvature and the position of the photographer who did the trick.

For the composition I think that is not enough showed the upper throat where from the water falls (needs open a bit more the zoom), at the first glance is a little confusing. And as with Promhandycam (above), not a reference for size. I estimate the waterfall height is between 5 and 10 meters (the double or the half). What is your appreciation? Otherwise, an excitant image!


31-GlynM_ A very nice image. Simple and very well executed. The sharpness is awesome for a handheld and at a focal distance of 360mm! (how far away was the Robin?).

But as with the insect´s macro fan´s, in my opinion, you share the image success in a proportion of 50% for each (half for the photographer and half for the lens). Probably when I have my own tele lens I will have another perspective an opinion about this kind of images.

Congrats for your arm firmness.


32-Hyram_ The third fish-eye image of the comp and also DA 10-17mm! I am curious (and sure others are) about the shot settings. Mounted the beautiful image in PS I see in the File Info that the aperture was f/3.5; the ISO 400 and of course the focal length at 10mm, but don´t say nothing about the exposure time. This last one, for me is just the key of the image success. How long the curtain stands open for take so non-moving ship´s masts? As I can see in the water surface, the shooting time was considerable (3 sec´s?).

Really the new toy (fish-eye lens) gives the photographer a great range of creative possibilities. You did a very good use of this lens attribute.

The composition is really creative and technically unobjectionable and makes me want to look deeper into the photo. Gripping image!


33-karma mechanic_ From the title (with good rhyme) to the last image detail your photo has nothing for the waste.

As all your image´s I show, this one is not an exception of the high quality of your work. As you know, the main purposes of this competition are for fun and mainly for learn or improve the photographer’s skill´s. I say this because your photo is an example of good taste and for see what is really a correct composition.

The scene is of Barcelona? (almost the atmosphere are impregnated with). A very good utilization of resources. The reflections in the wet sidewalk and streets contributes a lot with the image deep, also the angle of the shot gives an impeccable 3D appearance.

I have a doubt. The daylight wasn´t enough for get vivid colors? Or you are also a B&W fan (or IR)?

This picture captured my sight at the first glance and the eyes can´t abandon this wanting to stand into the image. HIGHLT COMMENDED!


34-Utopia Popy_First at all tell me who is the owner of the lens; is yours or from Unlocker ? .

Fiona, personally think that a macro image for compete must have a very good reason for be in this mode. I think also the macro is better oriented to the scientific area than for express art or creativity. As with Clarky and Chirpy entries I must say that the merit of a good macro image is the combination of the half contribution of the photographer and the lens.

The sprout I see in the foreground really don´t tell me too much. Just I can see is young and healthy, but not much more. I could say that the background has the same attraction than the fore. The sharpness is a little poor (in my monitor) and lastly, this little highlight in the root of the sprout is the eye magnet.

Sorry Fiona for be so hard critique with your work. But listen to me; I learned much, but much more from my mistakes than from my successes. So don´t discourage and continue into your very steep learning curve.


35-Mr. Ist_ Geting your image at home was a little laborious. Fortunately I got!

This is really a magnificent image. A very good diagonal manage. They works perfectly fine for me. Although the arrow shape formed by the fountain borders tries to push the eyes out the image, the museum building with the French flag has enough forces to keep your attention inside the image.

A gorgeous effect achieved in the rightmost curved fountain outer border. Very good angle of shot (the light from this position did the magic´s).

The composition is, under my point of view, superb. Technically unobjectionable!

An image for the excellence. HIGHLY COMMENDED! (The last commendation in my bag)


36-Zach Abubeker_ An abstract image that I will baptize with “The Now, the After and the Nothing”. Zach, as I commented above with John Riley, for make the critique to an abstract photography, you must have a great knowledge in contemporaneous art, which is not my case (sorry for this).

But I will tell you what I modestly can see in the image, or in better words, what I feel looking at.

At first place there is a fence who establish two well defined areas; the “Now” and the “After”. Making an analogy with life, y can see the fore-fence side as the beginning of life. All here are easy (at least appears to be so), all is at reach of hands; the ground surface is plain and warm (comfortable). Then becomes the fence, representing (for me) all the obstacles the man must surpass for grow and be he. And after this, the peaceful shadowed sand that can be in some manner, the mature stage of the man. A black curved line, a gray and a white band talks about difficulties of your everyday life and finally the decay of the man. After this, the inexorable extinction, represented here with the deep black (pure black R=0; G=0; B=0, PS info).

In PS, I also can see an overlap of the black area with the sand area which has different values in the RGB colorspace.

A guiding, directing image subject could help elucidate this very intriguing photo.

For my particular taste, this, and the surrealism, are two very attractive photography areas for explore in.


37-absent...


Gwen is my clear winner, so it´s over you Gwen for the next one!

Congratulations to all the winners, and big thanks to all the entrants. The images shown here was really an example of “One of My Best Photos”.

Sorry for this little or great fine details you elaborated in your image and I didn´t show… and for the big mistakes I didn´t noticed.


Note#1. Family photos are not always a good idea for a competition.

Remember that you as photographer maintain a great emotional-affective relationship with the persons in scene you go to shot. A third person can´t see or feel equally you do. For you, a thing that represents a great moment in the involved people life can be just a sympatric or funny expression for others.

You can see what happens in an after-weedy familiar party made for see the videos and photos of the recently celebrated weedy. It is very common that after 10 minutes the 70% of the guests are bore and looking to the ceiling, and those who remains attending is just for see him in the video or photos asking himself: where am I? Hope I don´t see ridiculous (closed eyes, disarranged hair, yawn, how looks my slap etc). But the ex-bride, his brand husband and the fathers and mothers of the couple are the only remaining people who stand attending with great emotion the presentation. See de difference?


Note#2. I noticed the great number of users that shot and post-process in sRGB colorspace. Perhaps because this is the Pentax camera default and never modified this settings? Or is the user decision?


At this time I don´t know very well if I wrote my testament or the judging notes.


Thanks for read so far.

EDIT: A firstname mistake.



Best regards.
________________
Dirk TROTTEYN.
K10D+ Sigma 18-50 1:2.8 DC; DA 10-17 fish-eye.

Well done Gwyn, you know what to do next!

And well done also to dirk1000, many thanks for such a thoughtful and detailed appraisal.

Congratulations Gwyn and well done Dirk - that was a tricky one to judge!

I almost switched off my computer as I intended to finish for today. However, I was too curious of your detailed appraisals, Dirk. So I read through it.

Respect for a stirling judging job! Thank you, it's much appreciated.

And thanks to all the entrants, some really stunning pictures (as you would expect with such a theme ). Many "winners" this time again, well done everybody. Congratulations Gwyn, one of the many great shots here!

Looking forward to the next competition...

Oh my goodness! I've won

Thankyou for your wonderful comments Dirk. It is a photo of my husband playing the blues, his favourite music style.

Congratulations to everyone else, there were some brilliant photos this week.

Now to think of a subject...hmmm

Very worthy winner, congratulations Gwyn

Superbly judged Dirk, well done

Hand held at about 80yards and no shake reduction as it was taken with an *istD

Great judging Dirk and congratulations to Gwyn.

The answer to your question is 1.5 seconds and the shutter button was pressed by hand as I had not been able to purchase a remote control for the camera !

I now have two.