Weekly contest results
My thoughts on the shots just in order that they were submitted. I’m offering only my opinions and others will see these differently I’m sure. I hope everyone takes the comments in the sprit of learning and just getting someone else’s impressions.
So:
smf: I like the subject and I think it’s well placed in the frame. My immediate thought when viewing this was, I wish I couldn’t tell what the background was. It seems to be leaning against a steel building and my thought was it would look nicer if the DOF were limited to maybe the rust on the front of the wheel and blurr the background.
NaClH2O: Again a great subject. I love the conversion and the derelict look of the steps. Nice shooting angle as well. Like the shot from SMF, I sorta wish I couldn’t see the more modern siding on the building. I think you could have gotten in tighter and created an image with more impact. But well spotted and shot.
Ash: Well now. This is some shot. I like the low angle, the timed exposure, great sky, colours etc. Nice PP work overall. Minor thought and this really only applies to the theme here, my eye is drawn to the wispy clouds in the sky almost more than the truck. These t2 elements compete for my attention. It’s a great bit of work overall.
Bramela: Very nice scene and very nice work. I like the sepia conversion and it adds to the image. Overall a very good image. My impression immediately was, would this have been better as a ‘landscape’ orientation? The fence post in the foreground may not be that important and it creates a “line up the middle” connecting with the dead tree at the top. If there was an open field on either side of the house, this would be even more interesting with some blank or “negative” space on one side. Sort of the “lonely house on the hill look”. This place is worth a second visit.
mickeyobe: Nice subject that offers a lot of possibilities but the image lacks impact. This doesn’t have to be wild post processing but maybe an angle or use of light to give the subject pop. Here it comes across as somewhat flat looking. Like maybe getting in close to the font left (flat) tire, busted bumper and grill. Go back there and challenge yourself.
bluespearbone: I like it. In this case the juxtaposition between the old and new works. Since the colours are so similar from the old and new, this image screams to me “Black and White”! But I like the shooting angle and the capture. Nice work.
mdaaug58: I see you are new here and welcome. I’m glad you joined in. We ask for only one shot and I chose you first submission to judge. It’s by far the better image. I love the diffused (over-exposed) light coming down through the rafters and all the criss-crossing angles. Nice conversion but I think it could use a touch of restrained curves adjustment. It’s maybe just lacking some contrast.
bbluesman: That’s a wild shot. More tires (Tyres??) than wheels. This is a scene that asks a lot of questions and offers very few clues, I like pictures like that. Nice B&W conversion but I’m not sure I like the grain in this case. I think you were going for a gritty look and maybe grain wasn’t the best choice. Maybe more contrast and a bit darker as the whites are close to gone and overpower the image. The grain doesn’t show up in the whites.
Mark Morb: Well what can I say? Very good image. The sky nails this one. I’m torn over the horizon with this shot. It’s almost in the middle and sometimes that’s fine. But the risk is that it creates an image that looks like 2 images. The sky being very different than the foreground. I love the shot and I think I would have considered shooting it in portrait mode as wide as possible. Keeping the horizon closer to the rule of 3rds and tons of open sky. But really that minor and it’s an excellent shot.
fractal: Soon as I looked at this, I thought “Full Metal Jacket”. I like the subject and shooting angle. I think I would do more with PP in this and maybe some split toning or similar. Give the image a bit more grit and impact. Maybe tighten the crop as well since the blown out sky doesn’t add much to the shot. Overall a very good depection of the decay of a city that again asks many questions.
goddo31: Nice scene and well exposed. My first thought was I want the old van to stand out more or be more separated from the background. I sorta wish it wasn’t so much in the middle. But that’s a small issue with this shot. The foreground grass is bigger than it needs to be. But this shot offers a lot of possibility and I want to show you a couple of edits I did that could apply to some of the other shots here. I hope you don’t mind. Just using a filter in CS4 called Sumi-e in a separate layer and then adjusting the Opacity to suit the scene, then a small crop and finally darkening the background with the Burn tool. This puts the subject more importantly in the shot and gives a more 3D effect to the image.
Yours
PP Version
Now maybe the adjustment isn't exactly what you want but I think you get the point. Make the van stand out more.
PFH: I’m a stickler for straight horizons and this is off just a touch. Minor issue. As soon as I saw this I liked the possibilities. But get in tighter. This is a “frame within a frame” shot if there ever was one. Well exposed and nice and sharp. But there are 2 subjects here. Old and new. The stuff outside the large rectangular metal work really doesn't add to the scene and you should crop it almost to them. Nice shot and well seen.
VaughnA: Very nicely done. Something we all have to watch out for is the Pentax crooked VF’s and like PFH you shot is off by about -1 degree. Again minor. But overall I love this shot. Well done! Gritty, the sunlight coming makes it work.
eccs19: I like the idea and think you wanted the black iron to be the subject, isolating the rest of the scene. That works almost. The flash used didn’t really hit that spot. So the brighter part is mostly OOF and our eye's are drawn there. The shape spot is darker and we’re not quite sure where to look.
wllm: Well done. Nicely seen and captured. Love the PP work. Nice desaturation here.
xs400: Nice. What I love about this is that the power is still hooked up and there are curtains in at least 2 windows. But at the same time, you expect the thing to collapse right in front of you. Well shot, maybe a bit too “smack dab in the middle of the frame” but very good shot overall.
Class A: Not much I can say, I think you nailed both the shot and I like the PP work. My only comment is the “grain” added to the background on the right side. Only my opinion but maybe a bit too aggressive. Mostly because there’s no grain in the black hole and those really contrast each other. Very good work though.
sealonsf: I like the shot and the scene. It also asks a bunch of questions about the use of this place. Looks like it was beautiful once. I might have shot this a little differently. A portrait shot using the 2 pillars on the right side with the palm tree in the background. Sort of straight up and down or old derelict and new life. The wider shot here seems a bit flat.
reeftool: Nice shot. Fits the theme well and I like the fact the bulding is still somewhat sound and the porch is about to collapse. The crop maight need some adjusting IMO. The porch is the subject and it’s a bit too much in the center. With the conversion, add a bit more contrast. It needs some black and less gray.
seacapt: Interesting, I’m not sure what I’m looking at but I think this is another subject I’d get in closer to. Show off some of the old details of the subject.
StevenVH: Good documentation of the scene. Like a few others, I’d only suggest that the black doorway is too much in the center. Otherwise a nice capture.
casil403: Yeah I agree and it is an interesting shot. I like that you used a lens fairly wide open and it’s hard to tell that there are cars everywhere. It makes the tree look like an isolated situation. Well done.
Xsalfior: Great love the shot and way you converted the B&W and shot it. Is that a vignette added to the image? If so that doesn’t work. It looks like a flash shadow on the right side. I think this image is strong enough to do without that.
Rense: Nice. I like that the scene is a bit confusing. It could be something small and kid sized or something big and house sized. I’m still not sure. I like the pastel colours and look but think it could use a bit of contrast. Well taken shot.
OK so who's hosting next week?
Hon mentions in no particular order:
NaClH2O, Bramela, Wllm, xs400, Class A, casil403 and Xsalfior
So 3rd place Mark Morb. Nice work.
Between first and second it really boils down to personal taste. Darn thing is, I love them both for very different reasons.
2nd ASH
1st and next weeks host: VaughnA