DAISY by JO BOYD

GRADE: HONOURS For me this image conveys the softness of the flower with the blurriness of the image. The flower is clear enough to see what it is yet soft with this treatment. The combinations of subtle colours that harmonise well works for me. The texture adds strength to the background, in my opinion and acts as a foil for the softness and delicacy of the flower. I also like the way the flower has been placed to one side with lots of negative space which draws my focus to the subject.

BARRELL RACING by GILL KINGSTON

GRADE: HONOURS The action in this RACING immediately grabs my attention. Being this close feels like I am in the action and the fast shutter speed has, in my opinion, added to the sense of speed by catching the dust and bits of dirt in the air. That as well as the angle of the horse conveys the speed of the action. I feel that the grey day has helped with this image as there are no harsh shadows or distractions . I especially like the way the rider stands out against the colourless sky. For me this gives added depth to the image and more emphasis on the horse and rider to making them standout from the background. Well done.

STEWART ISLAND ROBIN by YVONNE ASSIE

GRADE: HONOURS I like the way the photographer has captured this alert, curious little bird in his natural habitat. The depth of field has been well handled so that the background is muted and blurred which helps the Robin to standout clearly on his tree. My suggestion is to crop the right hand side of the image so that the tree forms a stop at the edge and a frame which, I feel, would strengthen the image even more and also put the Robin more to one side. Well done.

WINTER FESTIVAL by KATRINA HUGHES

GRADE: HONOURS I love this image. The clarity of the fireworks combined with the lights of the town below give a balanced and harmonious composition, for me. I feel that the high vantage point has been an added advantage for the success of this image. I like the way the author has positioned the fireworks on the third and has the lights of the bay curving round to the right which to my eye, brings the two together into a cohesive image. It is not easy to take images of firework so the author has done an excellent job.

LET THERE BE LIGHT by TONI CALDWELL

GRADE: HONOURS The title tells the story and what the viewer is to look at. In this case, I feel, the image reflects the story well with the candle lighting the dark and being reflected by the bokeh making a harmonious whole. The candle flame is on the half way line and I feel that cropping some off the top would give a better balance and the circle of light above the flame would show more clearly thus creating even more emphasis to the flame. I like the way the zig zag of the decorations on the candle are added to by the reflection. Well done.

GRASS SEED HEAD by YVONNE ASSIE

GRADE: HONOURS I still find it amazing that something as simple and common as a grass seed head can become such a great image. For me this is simplicity at its best. There is definitely great bokeh with the points of light in the out-of-focus background showing the circular pattern which, for me, typifies bokeh. It is subtle and adds to the overall composition. The grass head itself is sharp with clear details and the drops of water add to the story. In my view, the depth of field helps the grass seed head to stand out from the background making this a very strong image. The sweep of the grass adds a lovely flow to the image. Great work.

A TOUCH OF RENAISSANCE

HONOURS - Beautiful treatment used to capture this flower. I think it has been done very well in its simplicity and framing.

REFLECTION IN NYHAVIN COPENHAGEN

HONOURS - Congrats for seeing this reflection and capturing it. It is almost like a water colour painting. Well done.

OPN_114_DRIP DRIP DRIP.JPG

HONOURS - A stunning image of this amazing bird. Well done!

REFLECTING ON LIFE, SINGAPORE

HONOURS - Fun and playful. You did well seeing this from afar.

CAPTIVATING INDIA

HONOURS - Good title for this image. It is captivating. India is such a colourful country and it would have been lost if this image was presented in B&W. The photographer have done really well in also capturing the beautiful design of this magnificent building.

CAMEL RIDE, NUBRA VALLEY, INDIA

HONOURS - Magnificent – every line leads to the bright structure on the left, even the camels – I’d change only one thing, if it were mine – I’d crop off at least half the very dark foreground – I think that would be more balanced.

THREE BROOM PODS IN A ROW

HONOURS - Glorious lighting, which shows not only the seeds inside the pods, but also those fine hairs – the colour is superb and the background is wonderfully blurred – I like the diagonal of the stem, coming as it does from right in the corner.

SCENTED ROWS

HONOURS - The high horizon emphasises the drama of the glorious rows of colour – I appreciate the only large strip of grass visible between the rows, curls around on the third – the sky could be a bit more dynamic – the lavender is so sharp one can nearly smell it – excellent work – keep going this way, and you’ll be an A Grader before you know it.

SSN_114_RAINDROP LINEUP.JPG

HONOURS - This is not the easiest picture to take, but you have done very well – you’ve kept it simple and used a good plain background – the one really sharp drop is plumb on a third – the object from which the drops are hanging is simple and grey rather than white – it’s also on a slight slope, adding some movement – terrific image.

RODEO COWBOY

HONOURS - The figure itself is pin sharp, making it stand out against a slightly blurred background – if it were mine, I’d subdue that white triangle at the top edge, and maybe the washed out area on the sheepskin – terrific lighting shows every crease in his trousers, but all the detail remains, with no heavy shadows – he is on a strong third, making for a very balanced composition.

RIVER OF GOLD

HONOURS - Just one suggestion, I’d crop off, or tone down, the light streaks at the top right – otherwise it’s dynamic, colourful, and pin sharp – very creative title, which adds to the overall mood of the image.

LOCKED & LOADED

HONOURS - I feel transported back to the future by this image. I find the composition leads me through the body to the head and then to the gun. I enjoy the sartorial elegance of the gent and the way in which the exposure has been handled on his form. Plenty of crisp detail to find! The background serves to underline differences in the image. Without the space gun this could be a social commentary on Victorian times. I do wonder if the face is a little over exposed, especially around the near eye. Nicely set up and made.

MAGNOLIA

HONOURS - Such a lovely soft image. Strong composition which draws the eye in and around. In my opinion the lack of critical focus is an advantage and adds to the ethereal nature of the image. I enjoy the pastel colour palette which helps to draw my attention to the centre of the flower. I do find the yellow at lower left to be distracting and I wonder of the photographer would consider changing the colour to the greyish-green of the top left. A beautiful creative shot.

RED CHAIR

HONOURS - Wow this image grabbed my attention. Its composition and stark simplicity make an effective piece of art. The cracks in the concrete help to provide depth and context. A great image to display in large format!

RODEO MAYHEM

HONOURS - I feel a lot of sympathy for this beast. The photographer has certainly caught the action in a skilful manner and treating the hangers-on as part of the spectacle has created an engaging image. There is detail in the highlights as well as in most of the blacks. The animal’s face is the focus of attention and the highlight in its eye is a nice touch An extremely well executed and effective image.

WAKATIPU STORM

HONOURS - Congratulations for making this nice composition which utilises the power of the triangle to good effect. My eye is drawn to the dark clouds of the storm which are framed by the line of contrast and the sloping hills. You have done well to capture the bands of rain (or sunlight shafts?) and to retain detail in most of the cloud and in much of the darker tone below. The area that I find distracting is the light on the lake in the bottom third. This appears to be blown out. A raw image exposing more towards the highlights and then adjusted in post-processing may well help in this regard. I enjoy the way the lake gives context without overpowering the composition.

DREAMING BIG

HONOURS - I do feel as if I am in a great place to dream! Congratulations on excellent composition which leads us strongly to the figure at the end of the wharf and then on to the lake and mountains. I enjoy the cracks and grain in the timbers of the wharf floor. Perhaps a little less exposure applied to the middle floor would provide more detail. Because of the smooth nature of the water I feel that you may have used a relatively long exposure. If so congratulations on a nice effect. A lovely classic scene with just a little over exposure through the centre. Well done.

BEDRAGGLED

HONOURS - This little chap has just emerged from the water which can be seen in the background. He looks every bit of the ‘cheeky-monkey’ that he is. The facial area is sharp and the overall composition is good. The author has provided sufficient negative space for the animal to look into which is very pleasing. The hand resting on and the stone structure draws attention to a carving. In turn that enhances the image by providing an indication of the possible location.

THE PRAYER

HONOURS - An excellent low-key image. Although predominantly dark tones are used, these give way to the subtleties of the mid and light tones in the areas which the author wishes the viewer to concentrate on. Eyes are not needed in this portrait, whereas the clasped hands are an essential ingredient. The hairy arms and tattooed shoulder add another interesting element to this story.