DPI Competition 20 May
Open Mono and Colour, Themed section “Life in our country”
Colour section Results
First Place
St Mary’s at Oldberrow
by Robin Elms
Second Place
Florence
by Jayne Hutchings
Third Place
Fasten your seatbelts
by Martyn Blair
Highly Commended
ICM From dark shadows into beautiful sunlight
by Dianne Hazel
Commended
Sugar Rush
by Jennifer Box
Commended
Autumn leaves
by Robert Watts
Colour section all entrants
Click a photo to open gallery
Monochrome section
Results
First Place
Leaf on table
By Robert Watts
Second Place
An eye on the stars
By Penny Simpson
Third Place
Silver Elegance
By Amanda Graham
Highly Commended
The foggy silence
By Oksana Khomytska
Commended
Electric
By Faye Melhuish
Commended
Pensive in the dark
By Ryan Swaine
Monochrome Section All entrants
Themed section “Life In our Country”
Results
First Place
Countryside Pursuits
By Sophie Sweatman
Second Place
The Rhythms of My Ukraine
By Oksana Khomytska
Third Place
Sun, Sea and Cornish vibes
By Lee Butler
Highly Commended
2 Tone Unity
By Martyn Blair
Highly Commended
Badger
By David Parker
Commended
It’s All About Communication
By Jayne Hutchings
Commended
Here. Catch this
By Peter Wrighton
Themed section “Life In our Country”
All Entrants
Judges Comments
John Haines Judging
Open- Colour
Amaryllis beautifully sharp, good depth of field. Like the space around the flower. Not keen on distraction at the bottom of the image.
Red Kite in Flight Challenging subject to photograph, especially in the dive, so the sharpness is good. Works well on the diagonal, good composition. Background nicely out of focus, but would have been slightly better if all sky or all trees. Light on the head is well timed. Held.
Determined to get that last skittle Like the idea, perfect timing. Gives power and movement. Background characters add to the story. Light not ideal, but have to use what is there. Point of view is good. Editing could be used to remove distractions on the wall.
Time to Reflect Like the setting, bridge and reflection. Tree on the left frames the image nicely. Slightly lacks impact. Light areas draw the eye, the one on the wall on the left could be darkened to help lead the eye to the bridge.
Spring at last Good strong leading lines, very photogenic setting. Leading lines take you to the trees, which could have been more in focus. Sky could be better to improve the photo, by using levels in editing.
Florence Love the look of the model in the picture, and the setting is good. Very well posed to keep head within the dark area of the image. Hands are always a challenge, and dealt with well here. Tilted angle of the head, gives a slight diagonal, and it’s good to have a single catch light. Second.
Who is counting the Buddha’s Diagonal is very good, always make images more dynamic. Used the available light well. Top right hand corner needs to be cropped or cloned out, as that is what draws the eye. Needs to be slightly lighter overall. Viewpoint is strong.
Canal Life Angle of the shot is good, and composition is good with the bridges behind. Connection with the model is good, but needs slightly more light in the eyes. Use the dodge tool to lighten the right hand eye slightly. Highlights on the hand could be darkened a little. Held.
Modelling the Bad Hair look for Ponies Nice quality in the coat, as is the wind in the hair. More of a portrait than a landscape shot. Shallow depth of field is good, as is negative space on the right, as the pony is looking that way. Held.
Fasten your seatbelts Slight angle on the puffin is good. Out of focus background is good, but still gives impression of the habitat. Good detail under the wings. Maybe clipped some highlights on the puffins shoulder. Third.
Spittal Lighthouse Quite tranquil, slow shutter to flatten the water. Subdued lighting. Lighthouse just off centre is strong and stands out well. Horizon is managed well, as should not be at half way. Detail in harbour wall is good. Held
November Mist is great in pictures- hides all sorts! Feels cold. Birds coming in to the image are good, especially that they are isolated. Could have cropped tree on the right hand side.
Proud Pigeon Super detail on the bird, central in the image, possibly crop on the left, and give the bird more space on the right. Some slight highlights in the background that could be toned down.
Fun on the beach Great character in the dog. Too much repetitive cloning on the sand, needs to be done gradually and with more attention to detail. Eyes need a bit more brightness and detail.
What time is the next train Like the composition, and the way it has been edited. Bottom right hand track would be better if it exited at exactly the corner of the image. This would need to be done at the shooting stage, not editing, as would impact other areas of the shot. Depth of field is good, as is cloud detail. Held.
Autumn leaves This image has more impact on the big screen, good quality. Spotting details like this is a skill. Colours are good, and the tree reflections in the puddle are good story telling. Lighting is well done to draw the eye round the image. Commended
The charm of morning light Light on the bank on the left is great. Ivy covered tree on the right is good. Light shafts are excellent. Crop the top of the image to remove the overly bright sky, or mange the light a bit better.
Stools with a view Patience to get the shot and the framing is good. The people add to the shot and help draw eye to the building across the water. Crop the foreground slightly, and level the top of the stools. Stools being level is more important than the other straight lines. One person would have given a stronger shape. Held.
Look at me handsome drake mallard. Good detail in the feathers, but loses slight detail on his back. Catch light good in the eye. Look at corners- top right needs cropping or cloning. Mallard could do with a bit more space in the frame, not so centrally placed. We read images left to right, so could try flipping the image.
Old Light Lundy Lighthouse Image is well done, and makes you look twice. Natural light used well, and has good detail. Window highlight is well handled. Remove highlight on banister at bottom right. Held.
Stop and smell the bluebells Dog has to be the subject, rather than the bluebells. Central to the image, with the eyes on the half way line. Crop from the top to make the dog have more impact. Good detail on his chest, but some clipped highlights on the right. Bluebell on the right is well framed.
St Mary’s at Oldberrow Mood is very good in this image, light is lovely. The open gate draws you in really well. Strong image. First.
Sugar rush Well executed. Slightly strange mottling in the background, could be over-processed. The idea is great, to catch the sugar falling from the spoon. Commended.
Mirror Mirror Love the reflection and the plumage on the bird. One foot up adds movement and is good. Lighting is quite nice. Too much space behind the bird. Crop to take the bird off centre, and give the bird space to move into. Quality is great. Ripples break the reflection and adds realism. Held.
Darcie and Hugo Love the connection between model and horse. Setting is slightly strange, but less important than the relationship between horse and rider. Needs a bit of fall off light at bottom of image, so that the eye goes to the centre. Held.
Performing Captured action nicely, good and sharp in available light. Name card at bottom centre needs cloning out as too distracting, the others are ok. Some of the distraction highlights could be removed.
I’m Watching You Eyes have got the wow factor, paws stretched out is good pose. Doesn’t all need to be in focus. Background could be tidied up slightly, either before the shot or in editing. Good detail in the blacks of the fur.
Iris Subdued lighting, arrangement of the flowers is good, and has a strong diagonal. Key line echoes the colours of the flowers nicely. Background is nice. Held.
Nature through the ball Like the idea. However, it needs something to catch the eye within the reflections. Like the setting. Darken the area at top right to keep the eye on the ball.
ICM From Dark Shadows into beautiful sunlight Creative technique, could have been done as shot or in processing. Lighting good, and the path is good. Trees almost form a triangle which is strong composition. Highly Commended.
Open Mono
Alfie- Lighting works well. Slightly more fall off light at the bottom would improve it. Held.
Elegie- watch the edges of the frame. Make it more central so the paper folds are the same on both sides.
Shall we have Lunch- good candid shot, the idea is good. Tree on the left is good, darken the foreground to not distract from the subject. Simplify the image to make it stronger.
An eye on the stars- love the shape and pattern. The blackness works well. Whites in the corner work well this time. Second.
Small Steam- needs more steam in these type of images to give drama and movement. Point of View is good. Needs to play with levels as there is too much in the midtones.
Reflection of Life- a little bit different, good candid shot. Viewpoint is good. Good choice for mono, as really wouldn’t work in colour. Held.
Three geese in a row- Love the separation. Threes work well, as do the matching poses. Image is a bit too flat, use levels to improve and boost the image.
Electric- Abstract and patterns work really well here. Shape is still distinct. Great sharpness throughout and the brightness in the sky gives good contrast. Commended.
Entranced- Light is quite contrast-y. Subject is framed well, and exposed well. Slight blown highlights on her top. Held.
Reflections on a chrome ball- intriguingly abstract. Use of the thirds is good. Slightly flat lighting, could be improved. Held.
The foggy silence- Small details, such as dog appearing to only having three legs matter if you’re considering entering into external competitions. Use of three subjects is good, as is the pathway. Highly commended,
Beauty in slow decline- good detail and bold background with good separation. Some areas might have lost detail in the highlights. Good use of space.
Jolly Roger- great character. Eyes are well-lit with good catch lights. Bottom of outfit needs darkening to give image more focus and power.
Handsome boy- long noses such as this makes it hard to get depth of field right, this is just about there. Shadow at bottom of image is good. Highlights on the right need managing to keep detail.
Side-eye- Slightly high key, light on the eyes is good. Detail has been managed well. Held.
Fantasy Forest- pathway is good as is the light. Stump in the centre of the image draws the eye and is a bit distracting. Could be cropped tighter on the right to give more emphasis. Held.
What is he laughing at- lighting is ok, not quite as crisp and sharp as it should be. This could have been improved in editing. Should he be central or could it be cropped tighter on his right?
In riding a horse we borrow freedom- well captured candid shot. Diffused background is good.
Leaf on table- creative, interesting. Good framing with strong vignette which draws the eye exactly where it should be. Use of threes is good. First.
Sunset by the sea- Light is good and detail in the landscape is good considering the low light. Crop the image half way through the clouds to keep the focus in the right place.
Bathroom of Old- sepia toning works beautifully. Exposure is critical in this image and works well. Highlight on left hand side of frame is distracting.
Look to the Skies- nice pattern shot. Exposure works well with good detail in the sky. Held.
Piano room- lots going on, but manages to make the piano the main focus. Detail in the piano keys is good with good separation. The highlight on the stool could be brought down and more detail needed in some of the shadows. Good composition.
Silver elegance- super detail on the pony and good use of high key. Third.
Pensive in the dark- this type of lighting works well on male portraiture, it adds mystery. The use of light is very deliberate, as is the crop. Calm down the high spot on the end of his nose. Needs a key line as you lose the edge of the image on the right. Commended.
Collecting your thoughts- the pathway leads you in, but the brightness throughout the image makes it hard to pick a focal point. Possibly stronger composition in portrait format. Darken the near foreground down.
Mono portrait- There is Just enough of the eyes to make the image work. The crop and pose are good. Needs a little more care- too bright at the bottom edge of the image- either crop or darken. Held.
Who are you looking at- like the lighting. Needs a bit more space on the right hand side.
In the light- the lighting on the face and catch light are good. Needs a reflector on the right to throw a bit of soft light in order to bring detail into the hair. Needs a key line.
Hi Grandmar- bold shot, very interesting angle and close crop. Good catch light, gives a different portrait. Some of the background needs management, as does the highlight just to the side of his head. A slight vignette would help.
Life in Our Country
Under the Boardwalk- brave shooting in to the sun. The composition needs to be more even/symmetrical, to make the most of the pattern. Bring back some of the detail in the shadows.
King Charles III Coronation Celebrations, York- great action shot, the diagonal angle helps. Sky could be taken out.
Reading the paper- the person behind the focal point is unfortunate. Light a bit too bright on the right hand side of the table. Crop on the left to remove the extra space, and help get focus on to the subject.
London Calling- converging angles which are usually a negative, but they kind of work in this image. Good composition and exposure, with the bus and the taxis. Good detail in the sky. Held.
In an English country garden- well caught moment, makes you laugh! Could be cropped on the right to take the wall out.
The End of the Trail- leading line is good. Watch the edges, stray details on the left hand side. Not much focus on at the end of the leading line. Sky is a bit bland. Would have benefited from golden hour light.
2 tone unity- looks a bit menacing. Strong mono image, helps to draw eye to the focal character. Good street photography. Held.
Beside the seaside- well spotted- with the gentleman in the dark outfit and the door open to help him stand out. Shadows are good. Held.
In England we do tea in the afternoon- like the detail in the picture, given the harsh lighting. Good point of view by getting lower, well exposed and good colours. Held.
Countryside Pursuits- very bold. Just about controlled the highlights, but some texture gone in the back of the dog. Well cropped to frame the shot, with half of the person. Background works brilliantly. First.
Part of the Severn- good angle and good detail. Left hand side tree adds to the image. No real focal point. Some visible detail under the water works well. Held.
Time for a Rest- great use of light, with good quality in the foreground. Low angle is good.
Life on the canal- good jigsaw puzzle shot! Gentleman on the right hand side adds to the image. Good to wait for the boat moving along the canal. Sky at the top left could be managed better. Quality of the light is good, as is the detail. Held
Starter at Brixham Seafood restaurant- a bit too busy, need to get closer to the subject. Hard to focus on the subject due to all the surrounding stuff.
Sun, Sea and Cornish vibes- great picture, good use of timing to blur the sea and child whilst keeping foreground sharp. Could take a bit off the sky to give more emphasis to lower half. Third.
Quintessentially British- good tree, great shape. Works nicely, could be stronger if the tractor/trailer were to one side of the tree.
Ploughing competition- letterbox format works well as does the point of view. Yellow jacket gentleman needs taking out, to make the image more powerful.
Badger- super quality, very well done to get the eyes to stand out. Dark background fits well. Highly commended.
Keeping the old ways alive- good setting, could be cropped to help draw focus. Want to get closer- could use a longer lens. Shows the action well.
Girl in red- good pose, eyes are good. Highlights on the scarf are a bit too bright, as is the light on her shoulder. Well-lit face and hair, with good separation. Edge of backdrop needs tidying up.
Country stile- good composition but let down by the flat light. Good exposure and detail.
On the news tonight- street photography, good candid shot. Would be better if you could also see the camera man, to add to the story. Have a bit more patience to capture the shot. Background adds to the story.
The rhythms of my Ukraine- well photographed, good separation. Works well within the image. Lighting works well, as does the slight movement in the feet and clothing. Second.
Land of culture and colour- harsh light means the image lacks detail. Background not helping the image. Crop to remove the light area at the top. Too bright on the subject.
Here, catch this- well caught moment in challenging lighting. Good detail, 3 subjects work well. Commended.
It’s all about communication- great, well seen and caught moment. Commended.