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WINNERS - 65th show & tell comp - shapes, patterns, text

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:00 am
by niekirk
Here is the list of finalists for the 65th show & tell contest, on the theme of shapes, patterns and textures.

Thank you, all who entered. I have looked at many very varied images. You have introduced me to some very interesting galleries. I have enjoyed looking at them all, and have now drawn up the final short-list. I will choose one of these images as the winner, but I genuinely do not yet know which.

Click on any picture to take you to its original site.

Image
A staircase (untitled) by Stuart JR
This really does work. I was delighted to see it here. It's simple and restrained. It's not symmetrical, and much stronger for that. It pulls my eye around the spiral and into the darker rectangle at its core (but positioned off-centre).


Image
A structure (untitled) by Peter Eklöf
This did not appeal when I saw the medium-sized version. But it rewards study as a larger image. The specks at bottom left - previously just a minor mystery - resolve themselves into birds flying past an enormous structure. Now the picture has a story and I find myself asking what the structure may be. The two birds at the top are perfectly positioned. The composition is intelligent and creative.
(I'm limiting myself to a maximum of one picture from each person who has entered in this list, but do look at http://www.pbase.com/pse/image/66603811 too!)



Image
by Ralph Whitten (or was it Kylie Whitten?)
I really like the fire image. it's unusual, yet it's clear what it is. I like the range of colours and shades. Finally, you have a very pleasing 'S-curve' in the dark centre of the image.



Image
'Bridge 75th' by Thomas Fredriksen
I like the lighting on the domes, the tonal range from highlight to shadow, and you were right to put it on a diagonal, and place the seam where you did.



Image
by Enrico Martinuzz
'Blue Steel Wave'. Shapes, pattern, texture. This picture has them all, in a deceptively simple composition too. It also has intense colour, and great lighting. A memorable image.
(And if I could, I'd short-list http://www.pbase.com/ee66/image/83437808 too!)





Image
by Chris Kirk
I wonder if 'St Annes Pier Mono' is an HDR image? You have controlled the tonal range very effectively. The symmetry is very pleasing. The structure in your picture is impressive, mysterious, massive yet delicate also.


[url=http://www.pbase.com/katiebarnes/image/61620857]Image
[/url]
by katie barnes
'Sand patterns'. This is a very strong image. The foreground dominates. The patterns are in your face, but the picture needs more than that. It has it with the figure in the background. The figure could be the main subject and it takes confidence to put her so far away. It would not have worked without that lighting on her. That adds a slight air of surrealism and makes me start to ask questions. Now you've grabbed my attention! Who is she? Why is she there? What is she doing? Finally the texture in the rocks, fading to black completes the image.



Image
by Jeroen Bosman
I particularly liked 'hommage to Gursky'. I like the simplicity of it. I like the repeated shapes to make a pattern. I like the single figure to add interest. It is a very strong image. But I have a couple of critical comments? Firstly, I'd prefer to see the lines of tables perfectly parallel, rather than converging. Secondly, I wonder how it would look if the person at the table were slightly nearer the bottom of the picture.



Image
by Kirkby
'Bic' is a simple composition, but strong. It's not quite monochrome; a very restrained use of colour. The sky is burnt out in places, but you've chosen to do that to stop it dominating. It retains enough texture to add to the image and contribute to the narrative. The hint of a book on the right of the desk also adds to the story. The reflection of the sky on the table brings out its texture. The depth of field is minimal. All that is in focus is part of the pen. The composition is flawless. I can't think how you might try to improve this photograph.



Image
by Mary E. McCabe
'Caged'. I like the simplicity of this. What is it? The range of tones are good. The difference in light and dark between top and bottom is good. This works despite the lack of any main subject.



Image
by Sam Bliss
'Mystery Paws In The Snow'. I decided to put this on the short-list right away. I'd like to see a it more definition in the paw prints, and perhaps have them placed a bit further from the centre of the picture, but that's all I can criticise about this. Who ever said snow is white? This snow is blue, golden, slightly purple. Each crystal is crisp and sharp throughout the picture. It's hard to go wrong with a clear 'S' curve in a picture like this. And you have all three themes in this. The texture of the snow, brought out by the lighting. The shape of the 'S' curve, again, a product of the lighting. The pattern of the paw prints.



Image
by Ken Zaret
'Fall leaf studies'. This shot, of a back-lit autumn leaf is close to perfect. The highlight at the bottom edge balances the brightness of the top. The style is economical. Everything in the picture needs to be there. Nothing has been left out. The colours are glorious and the lighting brings out the pattern of the veins.



Image
by Joy Buapromma
'Pattern' is excellent. I had hoped that photographers would use this theme to bring out texture, shapes and patterns with the lighting on their subjects. This does exactly that. It is not an abstract, but it is an image stripped to its simple essentials of light, shadow, colour and form. The model's head is just visible in the shadows and gives that crucial clue to interpret the rest of the image. [This image was entered by the model rather than the photographer, but, as the judge, I'm quite happy to consider any entries posted on PBase.]



Image
by Xavi Moya
'gotes'. I like the colours in the water drops. I like the difference in tone from top to bottom. I like the different shapes and sizes of the drops. I like the contrast in the image. It is very striking. There is no central point of interest, no single subject. But I think this image does not need that.



Image
by Mike Conroy Jnr
'Boarded Home in Logan County WV.' I feel this is the strongest of your three entries. I enjoy the texture of the peeling paint, the subtle shades of the walls and roof and the greens of the trees. The composition is nicely balanced across the roof, with the pale walls below and the darker more intensely coloured trees and chimney above. There's a mystery too about the air of neglect. I wish I knew how you got this effect!


Image
by Shawn Kraus
'Wood' Your picture is 'on-topic'. It is absolutely delicious! It looks simple, and is the sort of subject that many photographers enjoy, but is surprisingly difficult to make into an effective and memorable image. The lighting brings out the shape and texture of the metal and wood. The tones are controlled with detail in highlights and shadows. The colours are very satisfying, with many tones, even a hint of blue from the sky. I really can't find anything I'd suggest you consider changing, so ultimately it comes down to my subjective emotional experience of the photograph.


Image
by Claudia Schweizer
'Vienna-detail of the monument for the Jewish victims 1939-45-reversed books without name' is a brave choice of subject, Each of those books symbolises a tragic loss to humanity; wisdom, experience, learning, knowledge, poetry, all gone forever, not valued. Your picture is very powerful ,showing the texture of the stone pages, the pattern of the books, and hinting at the shape of the monument as a whole. The composition is excellent, and the lighting and tonal range are perfectly controlled. The pages of the books seem almost to glow.



Image
by Joost Bossuyt
'Holocaust Memorial - Berlin'. A similar subject. The composition and lighting are flawless.


So there you have it. I'll now decide who has won, and post their details, but I'd like to think about it for a day or so.

Thanks to Srijith, Brian and Slug at PBase for their help in sorting out technical difficulties as they arose during this contest.

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:13 am
by terrybowker
Congratulations to all, great job! Looking forward to the results!!

Shapes, Patterns and Textures

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:55 am
by thayer
Well done all! Beautiful and inspiring images!
Thanks!

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:42 pm
by artguer
As far as I'm concerned you all are winners. Great work to all.
http://www.pbase.com/profile

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:39 pm
by hiero
This one is very special. Apart form its obvious photographical quality, look what happens as you scroll this message up and down. It lives!

Image

And the winner is...

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 11:22 pm
by niekirk
I have now decided.

In setting the theme of patterns, shapes and textures, I did not know what I would be judging. It was a deliberately wide theme. Almost all photographers would have some images that would fit.

I have had a tremendous variety to judge. I had to exclude some excellent shots when I chose the finalists. I feel that I could choose almost any of the pictures above as the winner. I have to select just one, to run the next contest, if for no other reason!

Thinking back to the theme of shapes, patterns, textures, as I look at these images, and carry them around in my mind, I found that I was looking for simplicity. The pictures that impressed me the most were the ones of the least unusual objects. The ones where the picture was an end in itself, not merely a means of showing me an unusual object or place.

I discovered that what I was looking for was lighting and composition to make a memorable image from something that, of itself, might be fairly insignificant.

And then I realised that I have to award the joint third prize to each of:

Image
A staircase (untitled) by Stuart JR

and

Image
by Sam Bliss
'Mystery Paws In The Snow'.


And I have to give the second prize to:

Image
by Enrico Martinuzz
'Blue Steel Wave'


And the winner is:


Image
by Ken Zaret
'Fall leaf studies'

Because I am impressed at how Ken has managed to create so much out of so little. I hope the sun will shine this weekend because I want to take my camera out into the forest!

Congratulations to Stuart, Sam, Enrico, and our winner, Ken Zaret.

And congratulations too to all the other 'honourably mentioned' finalists. And thank you to all who entered.

Do have a look at all of the finalists' pictures at full screen. And why not vote for your top three, whether you agree or disagree with my choice.

Ken - over to you for the 66th contest now...

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:50 am
by andrys
I need to post to say how much I appreciated the care with which you did
this, giving quite expanded reasons for your personal responses to the
pictures you chose for the short list.

As you say, so many of the other images submitted were really excellent.
It had to be very tough.

This was a fantastic set that was submitted for the contest and I still
remember being struck by many that weren't chosen while appreciating the
ones you chose even more than at first glance after reading the reasons
you gave for why they struck you.

Great job by everyone.

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:40 am
by kzaret
Malcolm deserves enormous credit for so carefully discussing each of the images. This kind of thought and work really elevates pBase! I am honored to have the torch passed to me here, as there were so many outstanding photos in this session. I have ideas in mind for the next round but need a day to sort them out; will post the next contest tomorrow.

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 2:18 am
by downsouthstories
Congrats to Ken for a winning photo where ya can "feel" the texture in the leaf - excellent shot.

Well done to Stuart, Sam and Enrico for makin the places - all real worthy shots.

And many, many thanks to Malcolm - not just for the mention (honored!) but for a real good competition where he has taken the time and effort to explain his reasons for choosin his finalists and offered constructive criticism through the message system.

Ah'm sure ah don't just speak for myself when sayin that was a great job, Malcolm, and much appreciated!

Take care, now

Mike :)

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 3:14 am
by photomary
Hey Malcolm, just wanted to say thanks once again for a great contest and taking the time to comment on the entries. I'm honored to have placed among such wonderful images and look forward to the next go-round.
Mary

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 3:36 am
by sbliss
Thank you Malcolm for choosing my image. I am somewhat surprised by this as there were a lot of very good images to choose from. Congratulation to Ken for his winning entry. It is a good choice. And congrats to Stuart's and Enrico. One should take the time to look at all of the images that were submitted. They are very good.

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:22 am
by stuartjr
Firstly, I must echo the comments in previous posts, praising Malcolm for his immense effort and professionalism in hosting this particular competition .... kudos to you Malcolm.

I was surprised (and of course thrilled) to find I was being considered in the short list for winners as there were some extremely strong entries and I am humbled to find myself awarded joint third place .... thank you to Malcolm and congratulations to Enrico and Sam and of course Ken for his deservedly winning shot!

Excellent contest"

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 8:18 am
by c_schweizer
Dear Malcolm,

I can only agree with all the other posts on your constructive and objective-as-can-be-way of selecting the photos. Alone being honoured to be selected for your final meant much to me, and I have learned a lot by your careful criticism and help! Thank you again, Malcolm!

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:41 am
by ee66
Thank you Malcom!
I really appreciated all your comments: they ware extremely useful and I would really like to receive more, challenging me to do better photos, cropping, post processing etc.

Congratulations to everybody (not to mention the winner!): all entries were beautiful and some of them were stunning (I would really liked to have them in my portfolio)!

Looking forward to the next contest!

Cheers
E.

PostPosted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 4:48 pm
by gallon
Agreement here with the above expressed sentiments. Salute to all winners and entries. Malcom you have raised judging to a new level with your superb critiquing. Good Job.