Local camera club comp. entries.

[kernowbhoy]

These are my entries for my local camera club monochrome competition. Any thoughts ?

Orchids by Andy Martin, on Flickr

Forlorn Farm by Andy Martin, on Flickr

Faded Industry by Andy Martin, on Flickr

[mknittle]

I like them all Andy But the Faded Industry works best for me.

[LePetomane]

Andy, I like them all with the second one as my favorite.

[Mike Buckley]

All of them are quite nice. Very nice compositions and conversions. The slight negative vignette in the second image works very well as does the toning.

The image of the flowers would be improved in my mind if you had created softer shadows. That can be done by using a larger light source positioned where your smaller light source was positioned, by moving your light source closer to the subject, and/or by placing diffusion material between the light source and the subject.

Before submitting the last photo, be sure to eliminate the slight halos that occur where the land and building meets the sky. Those halos might exist only in this version downsized for display on the web rather than in your full-size original.

[pnodrog]

You should consider pulling down the curve for Forlorn Farm to darken it slightly and upping the contrast a bit. A judge will probably spot the slight halo that has crept into the sky at the top and right hand side of the building in Faded Industry and once spotted will find it a little distracting.

Overall I like the set, good luck and let us know how you get on.

Does the club use a data projector or a TV/Monitor to view them on? I have noticed at a couple of clubs I have visited the images turn out on the bright side and some of the highlights can looked close to burnt out. For my local club I always darken the image a bit to compensate. Mind you I prefer darker full toned images anyway.

[rpcrowe]

Nice set. I am tossed up which I like best #2 or #3. I am leaning towards #2 but might suggest ever so slight of a closer crop on image right; ending the image on the bush...

[Geoff F]

I'm rarely a fan of vignettes so, for me, that spoils #2 and makes it look too artificial and contrived. Without the vignette, they all look fine.

[madcrow]

Very high standard on all three images. #2 my favourite.

[MrB]

Although there is a bit of halo around the tall ruin in #3, that is still my favourite image. A square crop of the right hand side, resulting in the archway view being on the left third and the dark doorway on the right third, also works for me.

Cheers.
Philip

[Shadowman]

Nice series, any reason you are submitting so many? Processing wise, the first my favorite, composition would be 3rd image. 2nd needs a bit more contrast.

[Cogito]

+1 to Shadowman. Although, be warned, #1 is only another flower shot.... #2 is very bland without contrast. #3 may have the most interest.

[tao2]

Ah don't think an opinion can be formed as the photos are very small, even in Lytebox. Ye can't tell whether the textures come from the subjects or are (over)sharpened, HDR'd etc. #1 looks best tae me, there's not enough tones/shades in the others (IMO). Ah always tell friends who do conversions tae use the B+W camera setting for viewing a scene, before they decide on a conversion.

Ah'm unrepentently old school, with B+W conversions...in the main - ah don't like them, as folk never seem tae know when tae leave well alone. The beauty of any black and white photo is either stark, abrupt light and shade, or soft, smooth, even flowing tones transmuting from dark, tae light, tae dark ...

[Saorsa]

I like number 3 faded industry but it needs to be leveled. There are strong verticals in those walls and all lean a bit to the right since they all lean by the same amount, it doesn't appear to be subsidence. I would use the vertical on the wall above the arch as it is most central.

[Mike Buckley]

Once you have some competition-quality photos, the best chance of winning will be to submit photos that are similar to photos the judges have selected in the past as the very best.

[Wavelength]

Excellent set of images; in the first one, i wanted to include a time piece by the side of the flower vase

[Werner]

With a bit more contrast added #2 is the winner (to me).
Btw. all are good.

[bnnrcn]

All very good