I got an email yesterday telling me one of the 3 images I entered for the World Photography Organisation awards had been shortlisted in the Low Light category. As you can imagine, I was pretty excited about it. However, when I looked, the image was not there. As there were only 9 images in this section, instead of the 10 in all the other sections, I thought they had forgotten to publish my image, so I sent them an email. They then told me they had sent me the email accidentally, and that the image was actually Commended, ie in the top 50. I am obviously pleased to get in the top 50 images in the category, but a bit pissed off that they'd sent me the wrong email. Turns out their Facebook page is full of similar stories. Bugger. Still chuffed though, but not as much as I would have been if they hadn't first sent me the wrong email.

Anyway, here's a link to the commended image

Whoops. It does look sharp today, must go specsavers. Or not look at pictures after going to the pub.

The third shot is superb. I'm not sure it needs the black frame. 5th ones not bad either.

A very nice set of shots. I particularly like #2. I'd correct the distortion and chop a bit off the left hand side to lose that slightly darker bit. The colour of the building works very well with the monochrome look of the rest of the image. I'd probably also try cloning out the foreground bench.

#4 is a beautiful shot,the colour in the trees works very well with the monochrome snow. I really like the composition. I don't think it needs the vignette.

#5 looks great with colourful brolly, but it's too central. Perhaps a bit cropped off the bottom and left of the frame, putting the brolly on a third, would improve it.

#7 is another interesting shot, with the brown contrasted withe snow, and on it's own I'd probaly really like it, but the others are so much better.

1, 3 and 6 are nowhere near as good as the rest imo, though #1 would look ok on it's own.

Nice set!

I really like the first shot, especially the foreground, it sets off the whole image beautifully.

3, 4, 5 and to a lesser extent 10 look over-processed to me. I'd guess that some version of Topaz has been used on these, and I think it's been a bit overdone on the detail. 3 could perhaps do with a bit more in the highlights.

7 and 8 the processing looks to me like it's been done just right, lovely images. 9 I think needs a bit more subject matter on the left hand side. 10 I'd like to see a colour version.

The shadows look too black, and the whole image looks a bit soft to me. I don't mind the off-centre composition because the shadow of the bowl balances it out.

I'm hoping they go the other way, FF.

The Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 is a great lens, and very well built. It is a bit soft in the corners unless stopped down, but I never tend to use it below f8 anyway. I dropped a previous one I had (which I used on an Olympus) in the sea, and then rinsed it under a tap, and it was none the worse for wear. I used it for another year before changing systems. The one I have now (or rather that my wife has) is excellent imo. However, I tend to use the 15mm Ltd. more nowadays as it's so small.

Nice indeed!

I was given a 75-150mm, though I don't use it much. As mentioned, it's prone to purple fringing, but produces quite good results. It's not a stellar performer though by any means.