All Forum Comments
Comment by Hyram posted on Another pointless thread at 15/04/2011 - 20:24
...........and have been brushing up on the views of an expert
Comment by Hyram posted on Another pointless thread at 14/04/2011 - 20:35
Lit the woodburning stove this evening
Comment by Hyram posted on Another pointless thread at 14/04/2011 - 20:23
JudithAnn wrote:
............Congratulations to all the winner especially Utopia Poppy on his first win!............
JA
Utopia Poppy is female (Unlocker's better half) ............Congratulations to all the winner especially Utopia Poppy on his first win!............
JA
Comment by Hyram posted on Entries for Fortnightly Competition # 65 - "Through a Door" at 14/04/2011 - 08:22
Good to see that you have been enjoying yourselves
Comment by Hyram posted on Discussion for Fortnightly Competition # 65 - "Through a Door" at 13/04/2011 - 20:01
I will start with the usual disclaimer :-
“What follows are just my personal thoughts and I hope that nobody will be upset and perhaps a few might agree with some of what I have said”
When choosing the subject for this competition, I thought that it would not be a difficult competition to enter but that it would be difficult to enter with a really good image and this seems to have been borne out by the relatively low number of entries (12).
Many thanks to everyone who entered.
Now on with the comments, largely written as the entries came in.
DrOrloff – The Photographer’s Shop, Bourganeuf
An impressively early entry, submitted just a couple of days into the competition.
At first glance this appears to be a montage of three photographs and then on closer inspection is obviously just the one image but unfortunately I found myself continually seeing the image as two! This is because the ‘end on’ view of the door neatly splits the picture between the front and back areas but, to my mind, detracts from the whole thing!
Unfortunately ‘through a door’ (one third of the image) disappears a bit too much and the focus is on ‘beside the door’ instead (two thirds of the image) with its homely array of photographic ‘props’ and paraphernalia and general odds and ends, which makes a nice jumble with good focus and colours.
Lighting was always going to be difficult with an indoor shot and is good for the outer room but ‘through a door’ gets a bit too lost in gloom and the reflections on the glass of the final third are slightly distracting.
Nonetheless an interesting choice of subject matter.
PentaxExpert - Through the Door
Unfortunately for you, my least favourite photographic subject matter is sanitaryware, in particular w.c. pans and urinals.
I am struggling with this entry and do wonder why you chose this room?
I am also struggling to find anything in the photograph that is in focus.
Light or rather lack of light is a big problem. Even at ISO 400, the shot required 1/5 second and f2, both of which would not have helped your quest for a sharp image. Perhaps soft focus was the intent.
Composition wise, the only thing that I really like is the juxtaposition of the pull cord weight with the door frame.
Unfortunately, the image gives the impression of having been taken in a great hurry.
Sorry to be so negative but it is difficult to find many positives.
Utopia Poppy – From a door, through a door, to a doorway
Firstly welcome back to the world of PU competitions.
Secondly, I am impressed that you travelled all the way to South Africa in order to get the right shot for this competition.
Even in a small field, this is a class photograph and is the sort of thing I had in mind, when setting the subject. The eye is lead on a journey from one point to another in which the monotones work well. The darker rectangles (one appears to be a manhole cover and a mat) and the patch of light at the outer (?) door also help pull the watcher into the picture and asks ‘What is through the final door….?’
I have not seen the colour version, but I am sure that black and white is the right choice, adding to the sombre tone and avoiding the distraction that the introduction of colour might produce.
Sandinista- Entrance door to Capesthorne Hall
The photographic ‘journey’ from one door to another (or more probably a French window) works well here too. I do find the gold on the door knobs a distraction, but appreciate that you could not have cropped any tighter. They are points of brightness that are echoed in the chandelier in the background but do they stop the eye before it completes its route to the French window?
The composition does make me want to move further into the photograph.
Again, interior lighting is so difficult: the statue is just a little too dark and indistinct but can’t be ignored in the composition because it and the fairly bright blue base is picked out by the lighted chandelier.
Overall, very nice, mellow colours.
TOZZA27 – Cockpit View
Attractively different perspective on ‘through a (car) door’ here! And not just any old car but a classic with really nice details, colours and ‘feel’. I really like the image but find my gaze drawn to the flare off the house window and slatted blinds in the near background. This is unfortunate because it takes the eye off the real, interior subject.
In an ideal world, the background would be other classic cars but failing that some innocuous foliage would work better.
A good, original idea though, only let down by the background.
JudithAnn – THE DOOR MAN
Almost late Judith – I was wondering when your entry might appear.
An entry that is up to your usual very high standard and one that I really do like.
I like everything about it, composition, lighting, overall tone but to me it is all about the person standing in the doorway and there is no information about what is through the doorway.
In fact the person in the doorway is very much a barrier to anyone metaphorically wanting to look or pass through the doorway.
A very good image but not quite right IMHO for the subject matter of “Through a Door”.
cardiff_gareth – Behind closed doors
This is a saucy little make-believe world you’ve created here!
The very sharp focus on Mrs Elephant (who also gives the impression of slightly rearing back in surprise at what she has discovered) is very good, her fur touchable, and the colours and soft focus on the ‘miscreants’ work well. Mr Elephant will be in trouble when he gets home but thankfully, we know it’s just fantasy - whoever heard of furry elephants?
Glover - Carisbrooke Castle, IoW
I think that this one might have been taken (29-03-11), before the competition started and therefore does not qualify, but I am happy to be corrected on this point.
Absolutely lovely stonework, brilliantly captured in this B&W, sharp and very satisfying image.
The texture of the stonework is great and use of B&W enhances this; colour would be a distraction.
My only slight niggle is as follows; I can see why you've taken this slightly obliquely because the ironwork on the door is too good to miss. But it is not quite 'through a door' and therefore does not really meet the criteria for the subject matter.
Johnriley - Becky through a door of a derelict telephone box. Use it don't abuse it
No EXIF data supplied, so I dragged it into Photome!
I cannot argue with your choice of settings but then again I would not dare
Nice composition of colours, John. Blue eyes and matching jacket; red lipstick and red phone box and lovely, natural skin tones.
Becky's dark hair fades into the background just a little bit but you have avoided my slight criticism of Judith Ann's submission - you can see through the door and beyond.
That plastic bag (is it?) by Becky's left shoulder is a bit of an irritation for me.
I am now intrigued as to who Becky is?
Darkskies – through our triple glazed front door
I am impressed that you have a triple glazed front door – there are not many of them about!
An original idea and having taken a look through your TGFD I am impressed that you managed to get anything out of it.
Having said that, I assume that the centre diamond is a clear glass and the remainder an obscured glass?
I like it as an idea, bordering on the abstract and I am not sure what I am looking at in the centre portion (sheep?).
I am unsure about the symmetrical crop and wonder whether a one third / two thirds composition in both directions might have worked?
But overall a very good entry.
geordie01 - Time for a tidy up
I was trying to decide what you do for a living and eventually ruled out brain surgery.
Is there a kitchen sink in there somewhere?
Another slightly different take on 'Through a door', eschewing anything artificial or 'posed' for the camera, this is a sort of still life 'cinema verite' shot, simply reflecting all your daily gear! I wonder if the top were cropped a bit, it would focus even more on the contents of your van and concentrate the colours? I also wondered about cropping a bit more off the sides but then you largely lose the doors.
Nice & sharp and the shaft of sunlight adds interest but equally causes exposure problems.
aliengrove – Rickshaw
I am not too familiar with rickshaws but I guess that they do not have doors as such but just an opening?
The focus on this, the side of the face with its red chequered bandana and little pair of glasses is very good and the red glow – perhaps from a car breaking in front of the rickshaw - makes it all seem a little surrealistic.
The ‘through a door’ aspect is less clear; I wouldn’t have known there is a door in this image unless you had told me so in the little bit of text provided.
I think that I would have cropped a small amount of both sides.
So, now for the results :-
With only 12 entries (slightly below par for this competition) I will not go beyond the first three places, but you should all consider yourselves winners for having taken the trouble to enter a difficult subject.
1st Place - Utopia Poppy – From a door, through a door, to a doorway
2nd Place – Sandinista - Entrance door to Capesthorne Hall
3rd Place - aliengrove – Rickshaw
Special Award for the Most Humorous Entry - cardiff_gareth – Behind closed doors
Thank you all for entering and now over to Utopia Poppy for the new competition.
“What follows are just my personal thoughts and I hope that nobody will be upset and perhaps a few might agree with some of what I have said”
When choosing the subject for this competition, I thought that it would not be a difficult competition to enter but that it would be difficult to enter with a really good image and this seems to have been borne out by the relatively low number of entries (12).
Many thanks to everyone who entered.
Now on with the comments, largely written as the entries came in.
DrOrloff – The Photographer’s Shop, Bourganeuf
An impressively early entry, submitted just a couple of days into the competition.
At first glance this appears to be a montage of three photographs and then on closer inspection is obviously just the one image but unfortunately I found myself continually seeing the image as two! This is because the ‘end on’ view of the door neatly splits the picture between the front and back areas but, to my mind, detracts from the whole thing!
Unfortunately ‘through a door’ (one third of the image) disappears a bit too much and the focus is on ‘beside the door’ instead (two thirds of the image) with its homely array of photographic ‘props’ and paraphernalia and general odds and ends, which makes a nice jumble with good focus and colours.
Lighting was always going to be difficult with an indoor shot and is good for the outer room but ‘through a door’ gets a bit too lost in gloom and the reflections on the glass of the final third are slightly distracting.
Nonetheless an interesting choice of subject matter.
PentaxExpert - Through the Door
Unfortunately for you, my least favourite photographic subject matter is sanitaryware, in particular w.c. pans and urinals.
I am struggling with this entry and do wonder why you chose this room?
I am also struggling to find anything in the photograph that is in focus.
Light or rather lack of light is a big problem. Even at ISO 400, the shot required 1/5 second and f2, both of which would not have helped your quest for a sharp image. Perhaps soft focus was the intent.
Composition wise, the only thing that I really like is the juxtaposition of the pull cord weight with the door frame.
Unfortunately, the image gives the impression of having been taken in a great hurry.
Sorry to be so negative but it is difficult to find many positives.
Utopia Poppy – From a door, through a door, to a doorway
Firstly welcome back to the world of PU competitions.
Secondly, I am impressed that you travelled all the way to South Africa in order to get the right shot for this competition.
Even in a small field, this is a class photograph and is the sort of thing I had in mind, when setting the subject. The eye is lead on a journey from one point to another in which the monotones work well. The darker rectangles (one appears to be a manhole cover and a mat) and the patch of light at the outer (?) door also help pull the watcher into the picture and asks ‘What is through the final door….?’
I have not seen the colour version, but I am sure that black and white is the right choice, adding to the sombre tone and avoiding the distraction that the introduction of colour might produce.
Sandinista- Entrance door to Capesthorne Hall
The photographic ‘journey’ from one door to another (or more probably a French window) works well here too. I do find the gold on the door knobs a distraction, but appreciate that you could not have cropped any tighter. They are points of brightness that are echoed in the chandelier in the background but do they stop the eye before it completes its route to the French window?
The composition does make me want to move further into the photograph.
Again, interior lighting is so difficult: the statue is just a little too dark and indistinct but can’t be ignored in the composition because it and the fairly bright blue base is picked out by the lighted chandelier.
Overall, very nice, mellow colours.
TOZZA27 – Cockpit View
Attractively different perspective on ‘through a (car) door’ here! And not just any old car but a classic with really nice details, colours and ‘feel’. I really like the image but find my gaze drawn to the flare off the house window and slatted blinds in the near background. This is unfortunate because it takes the eye off the real, interior subject.
In an ideal world, the background would be other classic cars but failing that some innocuous foliage would work better.
A good, original idea though, only let down by the background.
JudithAnn – THE DOOR MAN
Almost late Judith – I was wondering when your entry might appear.
An entry that is up to your usual very high standard and one that I really do like.
I like everything about it, composition, lighting, overall tone but to me it is all about the person standing in the doorway and there is no information about what is through the doorway.
In fact the person in the doorway is very much a barrier to anyone metaphorically wanting to look or pass through the doorway.
A very good image but not quite right IMHO for the subject matter of “Through a Door”.
cardiff_gareth – Behind closed doors
This is a saucy little make-believe world you’ve created here!
The very sharp focus on Mrs Elephant (who also gives the impression of slightly rearing back in surprise at what she has discovered) is very good, her fur touchable, and the colours and soft focus on the ‘miscreants’ work well. Mr Elephant will be in trouble when he gets home but thankfully, we know it’s just fantasy - whoever heard of furry elephants?
Glover - Carisbrooke Castle, IoW
I think that this one might have been taken (29-03-11), before the competition started and therefore does not qualify, but I am happy to be corrected on this point.
Absolutely lovely stonework, brilliantly captured in this B&W, sharp and very satisfying image.
The texture of the stonework is great and use of B&W enhances this; colour would be a distraction.
My only slight niggle is as follows; I can see why you've taken this slightly obliquely because the ironwork on the door is too good to miss. But it is not quite 'through a door' and therefore does not really meet the criteria for the subject matter.
Johnriley - Becky through a door of a derelict telephone box. Use it don't abuse it
No EXIF data supplied, so I dragged it into Photome!
I cannot argue with your choice of settings but then again I would not dare
Nice composition of colours, John. Blue eyes and matching jacket; red lipstick and red phone box and lovely, natural skin tones.
Becky's dark hair fades into the background just a little bit but you have avoided my slight criticism of Judith Ann's submission - you can see through the door and beyond.
That plastic bag (is it?) by Becky's left shoulder is a bit of an irritation for me.
I am now intrigued as to who Becky is?
Darkskies – through our triple glazed front door
I am impressed that you have a triple glazed front door – there are not many of them about!
An original idea and having taken a look through your TGFD I am impressed that you managed to get anything out of it.
Having said that, I assume that the centre diamond is a clear glass and the remainder an obscured glass?
I like it as an idea, bordering on the abstract and I am not sure what I am looking at in the centre portion (sheep?).
I am unsure about the symmetrical crop and wonder whether a one third / two thirds composition in both directions might have worked?
But overall a very good entry.
geordie01 - Time for a tidy up
I was trying to decide what you do for a living and eventually ruled out brain surgery.
Is there a kitchen sink in there somewhere?
Another slightly different take on 'Through a door', eschewing anything artificial or 'posed' for the camera, this is a sort of still life 'cinema verite' shot, simply reflecting all your daily gear! I wonder if the top were cropped a bit, it would focus even more on the contents of your van and concentrate the colours? I also wondered about cropping a bit more off the sides but then you largely lose the doors.
Nice & sharp and the shaft of sunlight adds interest but equally causes exposure problems.
aliengrove – Rickshaw
I am not too familiar with rickshaws but I guess that they do not have doors as such but just an opening?
The focus on this, the side of the face with its red chequered bandana and little pair of glasses is very good and the red glow – perhaps from a car breaking in front of the rickshaw - makes it all seem a little surrealistic.
The ‘through a door’ aspect is less clear; I wouldn’t have known there is a door in this image unless you had told me so in the little bit of text provided.
I think that I would have cropped a small amount of both sides.
So, now for the results :-
With only 12 entries (slightly below par for this competition) I will not go beyond the first three places, but you should all consider yourselves winners for having taken the trouble to enter a difficult subject.
1st Place - Utopia Poppy – From a door, through a door, to a doorway
2nd Place – Sandinista - Entrance door to Capesthorne Hall
3rd Place - aliengrove – Rickshaw
Special Award for the Most Humorous Entry - cardiff_gareth – Behind closed doors
Thank you all for entering and now over to Utopia Poppy for the new competition.
Comment by Hyram posted on Entries for Fortnightly Competition # 65 - "Through a Door" at 13/04/2011 - 19:45
Competition now closed
The results should be ready mid evening, once I am home from work
The results should be ready mid evening, once I am home from work
Comment by Hyram posted on Entries for Fortnightly Competition # 65 - "Through a Door" at 13/04/2011 - 17:59
A fairly rare beast link
Comment by Hyram posted on Shift Lens at 13/04/2011 - 13:59
Unfortunately I only have two Auto 110 lenses
Comment by Hyram posted on there are still rumours about Pentax Evil Cameras.. at 12/04/2011 - 08:40
There is a Breitling Photographic Competition that some of you aviation enthusiasts might be interested in
just follow the link
just follow the link
Comment by Hyram posted on Breitling Competition at 12/04/2011 - 08:23
...................Fiat 500, but it would dent my machismo to drive one.