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.

PLAYING WITH LIGHT

MERIT - This type of image is becoming more frequent around the camera clubs I have recently judged. In this image I feel the author has chosen a good location with a pleasing subject and a combination of complementary colours of blue and yellow. The warm tones in the grasses provide visibility to the model’s stance. I do find her arms are in an odd position and I wondered if she should actually be holding something. Overall I feel this to be an effective image although the model seems rather tatuesque and disengaged with the action.

SEAGULLS SCREAM

ACHIEVED - Seagull’s Scream. They certainly do. The shrill of their voices both individually and collectively can be frightening at times. I feel the author has tried to depict the noise of that repetitive squawk. Whilst this is a good attempt, I feel the placement of the mouths and the consistency of the size of the beaks to be somewhat fragmented. Possibly increasing the size of the mouths from left to right would signify an increase in volume as they approach the main bird. As shown they seem suspended and isolated. Maybe having the whole bird depicted from a semi- translucent to a fully visible bird might be another suggestion worth trying. The oil paint effect is complementary to this image.

UNNAMED

MERIT - There is a strong artistic presentation to the pose created by the author within this frame. Because of the angle of the capture, I sense a feeling of fear or anger coming from the model. The monochrome treatment works well and there is a good range of tones. The whole image is rather soft and to a degree this effect works well. However, I believe that if sharpness had been retained around the eyes the image would have taken on a more pleasing effect, if not a more sinister look. This, I believe, is one of those images which when shown against a black background may benefit from a very thin boarder to delineate the edge of the image.

COMMITMENT

HONOURS - This is an impressive capture. The moment was decisive. Good exposure and shutter speed have stopped the action and captured two great expressions by horse and rider. The depth of field has retained sharpness to the main subjects whilst neatly blurring what might have become a distracting background. A little more space between the rider’s helmet and the frame would have been useful. The pony seems to have every confidence in the rider, even if that does not seem reciprocated at the time the shutter was released.

CATCH OF THE DAY

ACHIEVED - The emotional elements associated with this image range from elation at the size of the catch to sadness for the life of the specimen. I felt them all. Without the human hand in the background there would be nothing to enable the viewer to measure the size of this fish. The image is sharp where needed but I feel the composition is bland and ‘in-your-face’. Possible allowing the viewer to see more of the specimen might have improved the composition.

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.

SCAUP AND CHICK

MERIT - What a delightful capture of mum and chick. She seems to be smiling with reassurance that her chick swims quite well for his/her age. I find the composition to be pleasing even though the main subjects are rather central. The white blaze on the forehead of the adult is blown out. You may be able to recover a little of that in PP. The colours of the chick are well documented here. I would ask the author to check the bird species, as I believe these are actually Australian Coots. I may be wrong and if so, I unreservedly apologise. The reflections add detailed interest to the scene.

POPPY SEED HEAD

HONOURS - I wonder how many of you will start offering your hands up to try to visualise what this image might look like had it been presented in a portrait format. Well, for me the negative space really adds to this image and I commend the author for leaving the background in place. The colour palette is very pleasing and totally supportive of the main image. The focal point and centre of interest is perfectly sharp and really demands attention. I find the twisted stem to be complementary and provides the base for the poppy.

MY MOERAKI TOURIST SELFIE

MERIT - This author has a very creative mind which is clearly demonstrated within this image. The landscape is a perfect choice for the interpretation expressed. There are many things to be admired here and viewers are invited to consider their own story relative to what they see. In this instance, I fail to see the relevance of the scratch-mark layer. I find that layer to be a little too intrusive and I constantly want to retouch or clone out the affected areas. I think they are more of a distraction than an aid in this instance. The techniques to place the hands within that notorious rock formation have been very well dealt with.

MEN AT WORK

ACHIEVED - I think this is a question of feeling the need to stand back for safety reasons. When the final stroke of the chain saw hits it’s mark that branch is going to be crashing down to the ground with a thump. I find the white sky to be distracting and I think this could be reduced by cropping in from left, right and top. Such a crop would also increase the action depicted within the frame. Whilst the blade of the chainsaw is nicely blurred due to it’s task, the engine could do with having a little more sharpness. The man’s helmet is also a little blurred. I like the ropes and safety equipment strapped to the lumberjack which add nicely to the story.