Monthly Competition #1 - Night Shots Competition
Competition Details
Closing Date: 31/07/2012
Judge: johnrileyThis competition augments the Weekly Competition. The difference is that the images submitted must be shot during the month of July 2012. Just one image please, shot at night by available light. The normal rules apply and more detail is found in the forum compettion section, where there is the chance to discuss this competition. The winner will set the next theme and be the next judge. Happy shooting, have fun and let's see what you can come up with!
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 00:10
The first monthly in the new system was off to a slow start, but picked up pace very nicely and has ended up with an excellent response. It's true that not every photographer read the rules, so there will be some disqualified entries that were not taken in July 2012. No doubt this will settle down as we all get used to things and generally this first run was trouble free.
Running Water by jburf1: Unfortunately neither in date nor at night, at least as far as I can tell.
Tyronet2000: Two alternative titles there, but in time and technically at night, so all is well. An interesting take on the theme, with good composition. I'm not convinced the horizon is entirely straight, nor am I convinced that the black and white conversion has added anything to the image. If monochrome was wanted, possibly blue toning might have been interesting, but in any event more contrast I think.
Rietvlei Dam by Noelcmn: Very good sense of colour in this and again good composition. This was a bold shot and has been exposed very well. The sky is quite noisy, but the texture this adds is not unpleasant.
Galway at Night by dineennp: There is a huge difference in light levels between foreground and background on this and as a result the background lights are totally washed out. This is one instance where an HDR shot from maybe 5 or 7 exposures would have been just about the only way to succeed with natural light. The alternative would be to expose for the background and then light the boat with fill-in flash. It's a shame it doesn't quite come off as it is, as there is undoubtedly potential in the image.
Sorrento at Night by milamber: This is a quality shot, with fine detail and superb colour. Totally convincing.
Chatting in the darkness by phoenixgl: There is a wonderful image in this, just hiding in the background because we aren't close enough. Have a look at the background figures in the large version and imagine that area blown up and lightened enough to see it better. That would be fantastic. As it is, the foreground scene overwhelms it and is blurred almost out of recognition. If you can recreate that background effect at some point it would be well worth it.
The Italianate Towers of Holbeck by Frogherder: Elegant and magnificent. This beautiful image is perfectly exposed and has been shot at the ideal time of day, before the light in the sky dies into a solid black. The solitary stars add more than their size would at first suggest. This is exactly what night photography excels at, making use of light , form and texture.
The Sun Goes Down by kosh: Sadly, shot in June according to the EXIF data.
Midnight Sun by whactel: A very well handled shot which is not easy to get right. Looked at large its quality becomes evident. An excellent record of this wonderful sight.
Deserted by bforbes: In this instance the conversion to sepia does add something to the shot. It becomes reminiscent of a 1950s street scene and you could consider adding a man in overcoat and hat lighting a cigarette and it would be totally in the same theme. However, no figure here, but as it is we have a powerful and interesting shot. The subject is deceptively simple, but making it look as good as this needs a fine eye.
Home James by bettyswollocks: A chauffeur is indeed necessary it seems. Very wise. This does, combined with its title, tell us a story and it shows some imagination. Technically the exposure is right and compostion is whatever it is under these circumstances. It's a valid approach, even if it doesn't make the winners list! Well done for thinking outside the box.
Centenary Firework by dougf8: Another finely made image that works very well. There is a good spread of fireworks here and the way they are arranged makes for a great composition. I also like the smoke and I can almost smell the cordite in the air.
Sleemans Brewery by arrondee: You have handled the lighting well, making sure there is plenty of crisp detail in the structure. The blue of the sky is fantastic and sets off the building. I think I would probably have corrected the converging verticals, but otherwise a fine night-time architectural shot.
Holmesfield Church by paulb531: This is a really good subject. It makes for a deliciously moody shot, potentially full of mystery. The lighting coming in from the side is probably a bit of a downfall for it, pulling our attention to the left of the image and taking us away from the church in the background. Just as an aside, although it doesn't change the judging, the title isn't really accurate. Gravestones at Holmesfield Church might be closer. This doesn't matter here, but it might in some other competitions, especially in camera clubs. I would experiment with moving round towards the left and changing the balance between the lit stones and dark church. There may be a better viewpoint.
Midnight in Moscow by ArsenAl: Sadly, not shot in July according to the EXIF data.
Sunset at Widemouth Bay by carlindley: What colour in that sky! Amazingly sharp as well. If you look at the composition of this shot, there are large black areas that I would think about cropping out. The timing is slightly off in that the foreground has no detail and I think you're probably a bit late taking the shot. If you want this point in the sunset, then I'd suggest cropping almost all the foreground. There's no detail in it, so it isn't helping your image.
Dream of Victory by Frankie: Yes, I get it, very clever thought! We can forgive the noise in the image as it adds to the mood. Slightly better sharpness would help, but a good idea and you've done well in presenting it.
Silent light by simonarron: There are choices here and the alternative would be to choose tungsten white balance to change the colour rendition. It would be interesting to see this alternative, but perhaps you have and have chosen this wonderfully golden shot. And it is a wonderful shot as well. The wacky angle adds to it and the sharpness and exposure are spot on.
London 2012 by JamieT: I wouldn't be surprised if this was the nearest security would let you get with your camera, but that's another story. You've done a great job here, utilising a good lead-in that doesn't overpower us as it's relatively subdued. You take us then to an interesting bit of architecture and it's well exposed and has good detail. A job well done.
night fuel by annieogg: Good colour in this and you've gone for a more traditional technique that we don't often see now. I like the balance between lit and dark areas and all in all you've done a fine job.
The Golden Ball and Some Golden Balls by JAK: No, I'm not going to....and jokes aside this is a clever shot, making full use of what's available. Technically fine, although I might have pulled a little more contrast out of it and probably darkened it slightly as well. My eyes tell me this is slightly leaning to the right, so maybe a slight rotation CCW?
St Martin in the Bullring by Pentaxophile: Brilliant image, there's good exposure and some very interesting components to it. Looking at it closely, I have a feeling that you've been very precise in framing this and in fact it's not an easy subject to get the best out of. But you have got it and it's very impressive.
Norwegian pink by malcolm leader: A pleasant sky picture, the only thing being that I feel we need something more as a foreground interest. Technically fine, colour is good and it will make a good addition to a collection of skies for other landscapes. Just not strong enough on its own for a competition.
A Taste of Isle of Wight – UK by wzorektom: No EXIF data, so for next time do please remember to provide this. We do however have a very powewrful image. The colours absolutely leap off the screen and the overall effect is quite dramatic. The one compositional element I would look at is the top right, where showing the complete post could be a good idea, if it's possible. You have made an excellent job of this.
save me by geordie01: A nice bright image, with a bit of humour thrown in. The colours are very dramatic and the sharpness is excellent too. Pretty good, and this is one judge who is happy to take on board humour. After all, photography is supposed to be fun.
In summary, I thought this was a great selection of images and everyone who was motivated to get out and make something should feel satisfied that they did a great job.
Winners are as follows:
First place: Italianate Towers by Frogherder
Second Place: St Martins in the Bullring by Pentaxophile
Third place: Deserted by bforbes
Commended: Silent light by Simonarron
Commended: A Taste of the Isle of Wight by wzorektom
Over to Frogherder for the August competition! Don't forget to change the end date as it defaults to a weekly cycle.
Running Water by jburf1: Unfortunately neither in date nor at night, at least as far as I can tell.
Tyronet2000: Two alternative titles there, but in time and technically at night, so all is well. An interesting take on the theme, with good composition. I'm not convinced the horizon is entirely straight, nor am I convinced that the black and white conversion has added anything to the image. If monochrome was wanted, possibly blue toning might have been interesting, but in any event more contrast I think.
Rietvlei Dam by Noelcmn: Very good sense of colour in this and again good composition. This was a bold shot and has been exposed very well. The sky is quite noisy, but the texture this adds is not unpleasant.
Galway at Night by dineennp: There is a huge difference in light levels between foreground and background on this and as a result the background lights are totally washed out. This is one instance where an HDR shot from maybe 5 or 7 exposures would have been just about the only way to succeed with natural light. The alternative would be to expose for the background and then light the boat with fill-in flash. It's a shame it doesn't quite come off as it is, as there is undoubtedly potential in the image.
Sorrento at Night by milamber: This is a quality shot, with fine detail and superb colour. Totally convincing.
Chatting in the darkness by phoenixgl: There is a wonderful image in this, just hiding in the background because we aren't close enough. Have a look at the background figures in the large version and imagine that area blown up and lightened enough to see it better. That would be fantastic. As it is, the foreground scene overwhelms it and is blurred almost out of recognition. If you can recreate that background effect at some point it would be well worth it.
The Italianate Towers of Holbeck by Frogherder: Elegant and magnificent. This beautiful image is perfectly exposed and has been shot at the ideal time of day, before the light in the sky dies into a solid black. The solitary stars add more than their size would at first suggest. This is exactly what night photography excels at, making use of light , form and texture.
The Sun Goes Down by kosh: Sadly, shot in June according to the EXIF data.
Midnight Sun by whactel: A very well handled shot which is not easy to get right. Looked at large its quality becomes evident. An excellent record of this wonderful sight.
Deserted by bforbes: In this instance the conversion to sepia does add something to the shot. It becomes reminiscent of a 1950s street scene and you could consider adding a man in overcoat and hat lighting a cigarette and it would be totally in the same theme. However, no figure here, but as it is we have a powerful and interesting shot. The subject is deceptively simple, but making it look as good as this needs a fine eye.
Home James by bettyswollocks: A chauffeur is indeed necessary it seems. Very wise. This does, combined with its title, tell us a story and it shows some imagination. Technically the exposure is right and compostion is whatever it is under these circumstances. It's a valid approach, even if it doesn't make the winners list! Well done for thinking outside the box.
Centenary Firework by dougf8: Another finely made image that works very well. There is a good spread of fireworks here and the way they are arranged makes for a great composition. I also like the smoke and I can almost smell the cordite in the air.
Sleemans Brewery by arrondee: You have handled the lighting well, making sure there is plenty of crisp detail in the structure. The blue of the sky is fantastic and sets off the building. I think I would probably have corrected the converging verticals, but otherwise a fine night-time architectural shot.
Holmesfield Church by paulb531: This is a really good subject. It makes for a deliciously moody shot, potentially full of mystery. The lighting coming in from the side is probably a bit of a downfall for it, pulling our attention to the left of the image and taking us away from the church in the background. Just as an aside, although it doesn't change the judging, the title isn't really accurate. Gravestones at Holmesfield Church might be closer. This doesn't matter here, but it might in some other competitions, especially in camera clubs. I would experiment with moving round towards the left and changing the balance between the lit stones and dark church. There may be a better viewpoint.
Midnight in Moscow by ArsenAl: Sadly, not shot in July according to the EXIF data.
Sunset at Widemouth Bay by carlindley: What colour in that sky! Amazingly sharp as well. If you look at the composition of this shot, there are large black areas that I would think about cropping out. The timing is slightly off in that the foreground has no detail and I think you're probably a bit late taking the shot. If you want this point in the sunset, then I'd suggest cropping almost all the foreground. There's no detail in it, so it isn't helping your image.
Dream of Victory by Frankie: Yes, I get it, very clever thought! We can forgive the noise in the image as it adds to the mood. Slightly better sharpness would help, but a good idea and you've done well in presenting it.
Silent light by simonarron: There are choices here and the alternative would be to choose tungsten white balance to change the colour rendition. It would be interesting to see this alternative, but perhaps you have and have chosen this wonderfully golden shot. And it is a wonderful shot as well. The wacky angle adds to it and the sharpness and exposure are spot on.
London 2012 by JamieT: I wouldn't be surprised if this was the nearest security would let you get with your camera, but that's another story. You've done a great job here, utilising a good lead-in that doesn't overpower us as it's relatively subdued. You take us then to an interesting bit of architecture and it's well exposed and has good detail. A job well done.
night fuel by annieogg: Good colour in this and you've gone for a more traditional technique that we don't often see now. I like the balance between lit and dark areas and all in all you've done a fine job.
The Golden Ball and Some Golden Balls by JAK: No, I'm not going to....and jokes aside this is a clever shot, making full use of what's available. Technically fine, although I might have pulled a little more contrast out of it and probably darkened it slightly as well. My eyes tell me this is slightly leaning to the right, so maybe a slight rotation CCW?
St Martin in the Bullring by Pentaxophile: Brilliant image, there's good exposure and some very interesting components to it. Looking at it closely, I have a feeling that you've been very precise in framing this and in fact it's not an easy subject to get the best out of. But you have got it and it's very impressive.
Norwegian pink by malcolm leader: A pleasant sky picture, the only thing being that I feel we need something more as a foreground interest. Technically fine, colour is good and it will make a good addition to a collection of skies for other landscapes. Just not strong enough on its own for a competition.
A Taste of Isle of Wight – UK by wzorektom: No EXIF data, so for next time do please remember to provide this. We do however have a very powewrful image. The colours absolutely leap off the screen and the overall effect is quite dramatic. The one compositional element I would look at is the top right, where showing the complete post could be a good idea, if it's possible. You have made an excellent job of this.
save me by geordie01: A nice bright image, with a bit of humour thrown in. The colours are very dramatic and the sharpness is excellent too. Pretty good, and this is one judge who is happy to take on board humour. After all, photography is supposed to be fun.
In summary, I thought this was a great selection of images and everyone who was motivated to get out and make something should feel satisfied that they did a great job.
Winners are as follows:
First place: Italianate Towers by Frogherder
Second Place: St Martins in the Bullring by Pentaxophile
Third place: Deserted by bforbes
Commended: Silent light by Simonarron
Commended: A Taste of the Isle of Wight by wzorektom
Over to Frogherder for the August competition! Don't forget to change the end date as it defaults to a weekly cycle.
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 00:34
Congrats Frogherder, the the others. Thanks for judging John. I like Tyronet2000's but its taken me 3 weeks to work out how they got up there 
Annieogg's makes me feel like I'm walking to the all night garage in the 90's, on the way back from the pub!
Pentaxshhhhhhh
Annieogg's makes me feel like I'm walking to the all night garage in the 90's, on the way back from the pub!
Pentaxshhhhhhh
Last Edited by dougf8 on 01/08/2012 - 00:36
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 07:34
Congratulations to Frogherder a worthy Winner and well done the runners up. Thanks John for the interesting subject and comments.
Regards
Stan
To My Snaps...
PPG
Regards
Stan
To My Snaps...
PPG
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 07:54
Well done FH a great image and to the placing's
Thanks to JR for the fast and informative judging
I am now sittIng in motorhome in York nursing a bad head and it is raining
Thanks to JR for the fast and informative judging
I am now sittIng in motorhome in York nursing a bad head and it is raining
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 08:42
That could be a future competition theme: hungover view from a motorhome on a wet day in York...
Compliments to Frogherder on a fabulous winning entry, ditto to those who ran him closest. Thanks, too, to John, for his rapid, thoughtful analysis (and the kind words).
Compliments to Frogherder on a fabulous winning entry, ditto to those who ran him closest. Thanks, too, to John, for his rapid, thoughtful analysis (and the kind words).
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 08:56
Well done Frogherder. Also thanks for your recent expertise on my guard frog!
Thanks for the judging John. Nice to see all those well thought out images. Congratulations to the very worthy runners up.
K5 + 18-135mm kit lens
Thanks for the judging John. Nice to see all those well thought out images. Congratulations to the very worthy runners up.
K5 + 18-135mm kit lens
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 09:33
Congratulations Frogherder a very classy winner. My thanks to John for getting this first monthly off to a flying start with his excellent theme and thoughtful judging. Oh and my third spot!
Barrie
Too Old To Die Young
.
Pentax K5x2 K20D Q I-10 01 02 DA*300 A50/2.0 A50/1.7 FA50/1.4 FA100/3.5 K55/1.8 M40/2.8 M200/4.0 FA135/2.8 FA35 DA70/2.4 FA28-70 DA10-17 DA18-55WR DA16-45 DA17-70 DA55-300 DA50-200WR DA*50-135 Sigma 24,50,105,180 8-16 17-70 24-70 150-500 400/5.6MF Tamron 70-200/2.8 17/3.5MF 28/2.5MF 90/2.5MF 300/2.8MF
Barrie
Too Old To Die Young
.
Pentax K5x2 K20D Q I-10 01 02 DA*300 A50/2.0 A50/1.7 FA50/1.4 FA100/3.5 K55/1.8 M40/2.8 M200/4.0 FA135/2.8 FA35 DA70/2.4 FA28-70 DA10-17 DA18-55WR DA16-45 DA17-70 DA55-300 DA50-200WR DA*50-135 Sigma 24,50,105,180 8-16 17-70 24-70 150-500 400/5.6MF Tamron 70-200/2.8 17/3.5MF 28/2.5MF 90/2.5MF 300/2.8MF
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 09:37
Well done Frogherder and congrats to the runners up.
I was supprised to learn Frogherder's photo was in Leeds looks to be a far more exotic place. Living not too far away will have to hunt the place out sometime.
Oh I was on the way to the Pub but yes I know what Doug meant lol
All roads roam to Leeds
linklink
Pentax K-5 18-55mm Tamron 70-300mm
Pentax 35mm
a few filters Manfrotto tripod and monopod Silk tripod and a bumbling approach on how to use them
I was supprised to learn Frogherder's photo was in Leeds looks to be a far more exotic place. Living not too far away will have to hunt the place out sometime.
Oh I was on the way to the Pub but yes I know what Doug meant lol
All roads roam to Leeds
linklink
Pentax K-5 18-55mm Tamron 70-300mm
Pentax 35mm
a few filters Manfrotto tripod and monopod Silk tripod and a bumbling approach on how to use them
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 10:57
Congratulations Frogherder. I like it, those towers of Holbeck. Excellent image. Congrats too to Pentaxophile, bforbes and those commended. Thanks John for setting up this first and successful monthly challenge, and of course your fair comments and choices of winners. Great job.
Now expecting a frog connected August challenge.
Now expecting a frog connected August challenge.
Link
Posted 01/08/2012 - 11:55
Wow - to say I'm pleased is an understatement.
Thanks for all the well wishes
I would also add my thanks to John for setting the competition and congratulate the silver & bronze winners.
I just hope I can do justice to the next edition of the competition.
Annieogg - the photo was taken from Canal Wharf, just off Globe Road/Water Lane. See also my topic 'A Weekend Away' for a view in the other direction.
regards
Bernard
Thanks for all the well wishes
I would also add my thanks to John for setting the competition and congratulate the silver & bronze winners.
I just hope I can do justice to the next edition of the competition.
Annieogg - the photo was taken from Canal Wharf, just off Globe Road/Water Lane. See also my topic 'A Weekend Away' for a view in the other direction.
regards
Bernard
