Tim's entry in the weekly competitons (jet plane flying over an historical house) would have fitted equally well in the juxtapositions comptitions.
david

Stefan,
The way I interpret this is juxtaposition=contrast in the visual sense and not in a photographic context.
For instance poverty/wealth; beauty/ugliness; happy/sad; youth/age; modern/historical etc. Dr Mhuni may want to correct me if I misunderstand, or enlarge on his thoughts.
david

As the others have said picture No. 1 is the most impressive. For me the black and white conversion is far better than the colour original. I think Graham is on to something with the policeman picture, there is potential there for a great image.
I also like your more abstract themes, which you posted later.
david

Hi Loweswood, so you live in Durham too. I'm up at Newton Hall. Have you considered joining Durham Photographic Society, we have around 100 members and quite a few Pentax users.
Keep in touch over the Hartlepool trip.
david

Thanks Mike for setting and judging an excellent competition. Its a pity the fortnightly competitions don't attract more entries, this should have been a good subject for everyone.
Special congratulations to Dr Mhuni for a stunning picture in every sense. As Mike says the photo just oozes quality.
david

According to his own statement Grant Smith refused to give police an answer when they asked him what he was doing and who he was. In some circumstances that in itself may be an offence.
david

But you haven't kept quiet. You've told us all about it.
david

Its preposterous that security guards imagine they have the power to stop and prevent photographers going about their lawful business or hobby. And its inexcusable that police officers attempt to do likewise, expecially after guidelines issued by their bosses (ACPO) have made it quite clear that under normal circumstances it is not an offence to take photographs in public places.
However some photographers don't help themselves, or the rest of us for that matter. Several times police forces have issued statements in response to complaints such as this that the photographers concerned have become aggressive in defending their rights. In this case the architectural photographer appears to have refused to offer an explanation for his activities to the over officious security officers who called the police as a result. A good mannered explanation would probably have avoided any unpleasantness and the waste of valuable police time.
Earlier this year I was stopped by a security guard while photographing modern architecture at a business park on Tyneside. He was polite and when I told him what I was doing that was the end of the matter (He did say his bosses had told him to erase any images of photographs taken but when I pointed out that in law he couldn't do this he agreed.) We parted on good terms.
Quite recently I was photographing a preserved steam train at Hellifield station on the famous Settle and Carlisle Railway line in Yorkshire. There were dozens of photographers and British Transport Police had sent two officers to supervise. The police chatted with the photographers and it was all very friendly and well behaved. There have however been times on the railway when photographers have trespassed on the line and caused a danger to themselves and others in pursuit of their pictures. Common sense is needed all round here.
david

They are very dramatic. My favourites have to be the bouncing Porsche and the portrait of the fire marshall.
david

I think the picture is fine as it is, I don't mind the partial door on the extreme right edge of the frame. Aiki's crop looks OK but it leaves the bench, which is essential to the picture, too close to the edge. The crop can't get rid of all the canopy above the door without clipping the bench. Don't crop the aerial, its part of the contemporary scene - that is unless you are trying to create a period piece. I like the textures on the wall and the slight tint. And the figure is so important.