That is pleasant bokeh out of the 50-135 Mat!

Pete,

One of the contributors to the slightly 'washed out' look of the first, might be that you shot 'into the sun'. If so, that tends to reduce contrast considerably.

Oak and Iron (as caveated by John R), along with Weathered would be my picks Andrew. The latter could do with less detail in the shadows, to make them really black and featureless.

Bench and lichen would nearly be my runner up, the background detail is not quite out of focus enough. I see that you were getting up into high shutter speed territory with this, so perhaps some -Ev and get the aperture opened right up?

G'day and welcome.

Here's another take on it - not necessarily better, or even any good:
Thought I'd post this rather than try and explain what I can see...

Mike - happy to delete if you'd rather.

[IMG]http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy9/i_berg/4711799111_b38e5b7089_b1-1.jpg[/IMG]

Or this as a crop...
[IMG]http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy9/i_berg/4711799111_b38e5b7089_b1-1-2.jpg[/IMG]

Were this to be shot as Hyram suggested, with the alignment of the tiles altered to accommodate Tim's observation, then we've got a whole new image.

PS - I've added (optional) grain.

Mike,

Good glass, nice colours. The tern would be better if there was a pair? (one good tern...) sorry. I'll close the door as I go.

The fly is my personal favourite - sharp and colourful.

The linnet looks as if it may have something else in front of its face - a green leaf or branch perhaps? Whatever it is, it's very subtle. When you compare the sharpness and colour of the bird below the branch it's looking over, with the head above, there's a difference?

Piglet does look a bit despondent, but if he's near the trough, maybe he's just wishing.

I can see where Hyram is headed, Mike.

That way, you would have a whole different way of processing this image open up to you, exactly because of the industrial metaphor that Hyram has identified.

I like the crop of No 1 Andrew - it works for me 'as is' also.

No 2 seems to lack a relationship in space, time or type, that binds the three objects? I can't pin it better than that, the conversion is fine BTW.

I agree on the rendering of No 3, although the focus is in an odd location in the composition - was that the intention?

Re 4 - that shot might have benefited from Magic Hour light - assuming you were able to stay there for that time! As it is, the light is a little 'flat' for mine - personal view only.

Hear hear Matt - as above.

Well done Glyn, good comp!