SSB_021_THREE HEADS ON A SHED.jpg

Achieved. A good idea that has been let down a little by the execution. In my opinion the two left sheep appear to have more light than the first, the right hand one with more than the centre one. I also feel that the layers would have been lined up a little better at the top so there was a seamless dark line instead of the stepped line that is in the image. I believe with a little more work this could be a stunning image.

OPB_021_OUTSTANDING IN HIS FIELD.jpg

Honours. I love this image, the beautiful soft pastel colours of the sunset or sunrise, the silhouetted foreground with the cow definitely out standing in HER field. Well done!

SSB_021_HOAR FROST REFLECTION.jpg

Honours. I can really feel an intense coldness in this frosty scene. I felt all the elements from the tonality in all areas, the fog rolling in from top left the frost settled on the ground, the widespread frost across the entire image, all contributed to making this such an excellent image. In my opinion a well composed and presented image.

OPB_021_WINTER STORM AT COSY NOOK.jpg

Honours. I enjoyed the context, the placement of the main elements and the tones of the image – from the horizon line to the surge of the waves and the dark brooding tones on the rocks, the sky and the sea in the background. All this combined to give me sense of the drama of bad weather. In contrast I found the bright tones on the breaking waves to imply a sense of hope for something better to come. I thought this image was well conceived and constructed as it gave me a strong emotional connection to the story.

SSB_021_DO THESE STAIRS GO UP.jpg

Honours. Effective use of black and white to simplify the image. I enjoyed the way the diagonal line of the stairs help to lead my eye to the brightest part of the image on the left. Well balanced, well exposed and super simple. There is nothing in this image which doesn’t need to be there, including colour. I also enjoyed the slightly smudgy look which contrasts well with the hardness of the stairs. Congratulations.

OPB_021_FIORDLAND_REFLECTION.jpg

Merit.

SSB_021_DEER PORTRAIT.jpg

Not Achieved.

SSB_021_YESTERDAYS HOLIDAY.jpg

Honours. Great title, telling a strong story. The panoramic format works at featuring the three structures. Lots of wonderful textures to explore. Excellent tonal range. Good Job.

OPB_021_LIKE A BIRD ON A WIRE .jpg

Merit. The inquisitive look on the silver eye is so cute. He is lovely and sharp and sits well in the circular frame. Just looking at him makes me smile.

SSB_021_THE FIRST OF MAY ESCAPEE.jpg

Honours. A good story…a happy story, and one well shot! The mallard's blue speculum adds interest and contrast to the subject, and the monochrome palette of the background ensures there is no distraction. The water colour compliments the colour on the duck and it gives the whole image an interesting base. I also like the way the background darkens on the right which helps to keep the eye within the frame. This would not have been easy to capture. Well done.

OPB_021_ZIGZAG STAIRS.jpg

Honours. An interesting pattern and I think monochrome has been a good choice because it simplifies it and to some degree abstracts it. As is often the case in pattern shots I think that a focal point was required because the eye simply has nowhere to rest. My suggestion would be a bottle of spilt milk...oops I know that's out of fashion...perhaps a can of coke. Not only would something like that be a focal point, but it would also create a story which would elevate it above being a straight recording. It's good to see a border being used, but black ones have no positive effect if the screening background is black. Perhaps a very narrow white one to mark the border's edge would work. Technically this is well handled.

SSB_021_I SEE A SILHOUETTE OF A CAT.jpg

Achieved. An alternative process for a sihhouette Scaramouche. An option that works.

OPB_021_BONEY.jpg

Not Achieved. A very grey flat image that needed contrast and better perspective or creative treatment in post production.

OPB_021_WHIRLPOOL.jpg

Honours. I like the use of the curves here which has resulted in a pleasing composition with lovely colours and good lighting. Well captured and simple. I like the slightly abstract nature.

SSB_021_STILL FRIENDS.jpg

Merit. I like the thought that has gone into this. It tells a nice story. A pleasing composition, with subtle, natural lighting. In this case I don’t mind the lady’s face is slightly soft, for me, it is keeping in context with the baby photo. My only comment would be to try and make the edges of the baby photo less sharply defined, fading them more into the other

SSB_021_STANDING BLOCK CHOP.jpg

Honours. His concentration, strength, his grimy trousers all add to the story telling. And you’ve got the wedge of wood airborne. I wonder if your crop is too tight, seeing more of the area could tell more of the story. Well done though.

OPB_021_RUFFLED FEATHERS.jpg

Merit. This made me smile once I worked out what it was. Excellent focus and sharpness on the tail softening nicely to the exterior and good use of DOF. A little more room around the bird would be good, but overall done very well.

SSB_021_NO IDEER WHATS FOR DINNER.jpg

Merit. If this image was meant to be shocking it has worked – for me anyway. Content wise, I am left speechless. Technically and compositionally there are a couple of things that irritate; I find the clipping of the right ear annoying in what is an explicit graphic style image - every part of the subject needs to be visible. The desaturation affect is well employed, apart from around the right eye of this unfortunate animal, where an element of the pink remains. A confronting image.

OPB_021_CHAMOIS HEAD ON A SHED.jpg

Honours. What to say….? I don’t really understand why mankind likes to chop heads off animals and hang them on walls; at least we have stopped doing the same with people! A shot that has been well managed; there are no distractions, the background is soft an unobtrusive and a story is well told. Do I like it, would it hang on my wall; definitely not – but well done anyway!

OPB_021_GREEN OWL.jpg

Acceptance. This made me smile. What a great imagination. I can see an owl shape there too and the title tells me what is going on. I find that the teeth, I think, are a bit distracting as there is a lot of detail in them that takes my attention to them. I feel that either cropping them or darkening them would bring the attention back to the “owl”. I do like images where someone has thought outside the box.

SSB_021_THE EYES HAVE IT.jpg

Achieved. They certainly do. I love all the detail in the eyes. It is really interesting for me to see eyes like this - so close up. I like the way there is nothing but the eyes too. I feel that was a b old move and it has paid off. The only recommendation I have for this author is to put a small frame around an image like this as most images are viewed against a black background especially when you enter outside competitions - just 2 or 3 pixels are enough. That holds the image together and others can see where the image ends although in this case it could have had lots of black around it. Great work.

OPB_021_HANGING AROUND.jpg

Achieved. There is good colour and the Tui has been caught in an unusual pose. As you have the head rather low in the image, I would recommend a small crop off the top to balance the image. This image is not quite sharp.

SSB_021_WAX EYE POSER.jpg

Achieved. The branch is angled nicely from the lower right and the background is nicely blurred. I feel the wax eye is rather too central and small within your image, and as this subject is ‘in camera’, you would need to get closer or use a longer lens to remedy this.

SSB_021_SEALION_.jpg

Merit. Interesting almost high-key treatment that makes this look like a studio portrait against a blank background. The angle of the head is interesting and there is nicely focused detail in the fur, though no light in the eye. Very well suited to the BW treatment, nice design and framing.

OPB_021_WHITE EYE.jpg

Honours. What a lovely little bird, sitting on its long red twig against a muted background. The exposure, focus and simple composition all work well together to make a very satisfying image. This bird looks so real, especially around the face and breast, that a slight loss of focus on the wing and tail tip is barely noticeable.

SSB_021_AUTUMN RED REFLECTION.jpg

Merit. Well seen and captured – I like it! The blues add impact but don’t overload the red [orange?] tones.

OPB_021_POSEIDONS REALM.jpg

Merit. You have conveyed the power of the water wonderfully. I have no idea how the title relates to the image but you have stopped me, a viewer, to wonder how the upsurges have been created and that is great – stopping the viewer is the goal!

OPB_021_BOARDWALK TO A DREAM.jpg

Honours. I enjoy the journey that this image takes us on and I wonder what I may find as I make my way into the woods at the end. The colours on the grasses blend nicely with the greens of the bushes and trees. The boardwalk so bright is a good contrast against the golden grass. I wonder if the image may have been stronger with a person on the boardwalk. Something to think about for the next time maybe. Well done.

SSB_021_PIGEON PERCH.jpg

Merit. One of the many birds that I ike to photograph and I am lucky enough to have them in my garden. Be careful not to lose details in the white feathers in the chest. Watch out for litle things on the borders of the image (bottom right hand side) This is possibly the tree but once I saw it, my eye kept being dragged back to it.

021_OPB_ TAKE IT IN TERN.jpg

Non Acceptance. Incorrectly titled. I do like the way you have presented this image, and like shallow depth of field works well, it is a shame the sharp bird in the front has the one right behind it as I find that one distracts from the front bird.

021_SSB_ MOUNTAIN LENTICULARS_-2.jpg

Non Acceptance. Incorrectly titled. Great clouds and gives the feeling of movement. Having the 3 works well. Good black and white image.

OPB_021_ WHATS THAT OVER THERE.jpg

Merit. This image would present better if you had cropped off the top and the bottom. Full marks for technicality, a great shot.

SSB_021_FLAMES OF FEATHERS.jpg

Honours. A nice image could be further improved by using the unsharp mask to sharpen it.

SSB_021_ART GALLERY.jpg

MERIT Another well seen image. I would increase exposure by a third of a stop and increase the contrast by about the same amount. I like the panoramic cropping to this image. Maybe you could have moved back to include all the painting on the right? If the subject is the paintings at the sides, then I feel that they need to be more prominent. My eye is drawn into the picture along the road towards the car and person in the background. There is nothing wrong with this, however I feel that then the title is wrong. Either way it’s a great picture.

OPB_021_HE COULD HAVE BEEN MINE-2.jpg

ACHIEVED I think the fact that you have decided to convert this to black and white is a good one, as usually you end up with all sorts of colours at a wedding. I am assuming that the title may be referring to the woman on the right. I feel that the wedding couple are too small in the image to be relevant as this image is presented. To improve this, I would crop the left between the two people on the left and the rest of the group. I would also crop the bottom off to just above the horizontal gap between the concrete pavers. This will make the wedding couple more dominant. I would also straighten the image, so the building doesn’t look as if it is falling over.

OPB_021_SPARROW.jpg

Merit -- I’m enjoying our little friend here. A much under rated photo subject. Great feather detail and the rock behind him ( or her!) works with the colour palette. I am not sure the texture over the rock helps. Certainly not permissible in Nature but this is open so that’s OK.

SSB_021_WAIPAPA LIGHTHOUSE.jpg

ACHIEVED -- OOOH! I like the rounded corners. Again this image is a wonderful record shot and well co mposed. However I’m looking for drama or wow factor. Can you return at Sunset?

SSB_021_WILLIAM AND HIS FAVOURITE HAT

MERIT I feel as if this chap is staring me in the face and I want to take a pace backwards to provide a little separation. William is a great subject and the well-worn hat really seems to be apart of his everyday life. What a pity that it has been cropped by the frame. I wonder if there is a little more of the hat on the original image which could be included. Or possible on a subsequent photo taken at the same time. There is good separation between the subject and the background and every detail seems very sharp. I recommend reducing the highlights on the left hand side of his beard which, being lighter, draw the viewer away from the eyes. This chaps personality also shine through the image.

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.

ROBIN IN THE SHADOW

MERIT - I feel happy to be viewing one of our endemic birds. I very much enjoy the composition of this image and I find the negative space emphasises the subject. There is great detail, with just enough context, - a little more might be helpful, in my opinion. I find the light to be rather harsh and I believe that a softer source may reveal a larger range of the beautiful feathery detail around the tail and on the back. Congratulations on the catch light in the eye as it really brings the bird to life.

BAILEY WAITING

MERIT - A lovely animal transformed! The full frontal treatment and the even lighting give the viewer the opportunity to examine the face in great detail. I feel that a Topaz style filter or similar, has been applied to the image. Viewed on my screen at normal viewing distance I find the textural overlay somewhat overdone especially on the eyes and nose. However when viewed as a projected image from a greater distance it may well become a much stronger satisfying image as the textures blend in. Nice control of tones and magical manipulation of the textures. The intelligent eyes certainly grab my attention. This may well make a great portrait to hang on the owner’s wall.

I WILL CROSS IF I WANT TO

ACCEPTED - Yes, it’s common in a country where pedestrians rule. Lots of hints where this is and the environment of the place too. Would this work better as a B&W image? With the haze/population from the place, maybe turning this into a B&W might help cut away the hazy look, if it is something you do not like? But as it is, it does well in telling the story of this moment.

REFLECTION IN NYHAVIN COPENHAGEN

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

SPRINGTIME IN THE WOODS by ALISON METHERELL

GRADE - MERIT A feeling of joy, beauty and excitement all come to mind when I look at this image. Fits the set subject very well and fills the frame. The author has captured good detail in the flowers and textures in the trees. I find the image very colorful and I wish I was there walking amongst it all. I feel the sun is quite strong on the center trunk and could be toned down in post processing. The black border compliments the image and keeps my eye in the frame. I think if the right hand trunk on the edge of the image was removed in post processing the image would be much stronger.

RED MOPED by ALISON METHERELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE The author has chosen to crop this image as a graphic panorama that takes my eye straight to the subject with no distractions. The red moped has been well placed on the third to be the center of interest. Unfortunately the image is out of focus and the author could have used a faster shutter speed to achieve more sharpness.

ROOF ABSTRACT by ALISON METHERELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE I enjoy abstraction as it gives me permission to indulge in my own responses to colour, tone, texture and shape. Abstract image must have composition and a focal point of some sort. Even though the focal point may not be recognisable it needs to draw your attention and generate a response. In this image my focal point is the ochre patch on the lower third. I do not get a sense of relationship between the focal point and any other elements. I also do not get a sense of feeling generated by swirls of texture. Instead I find myself jumping from spot to spot and never really being satisfied. Please do not be discouraged by my comments as abstraction is hard and I have spent years working at it. You will get there too. It takes a brave person to embark on this journey as you are expressing your feelings/emotions through these images and it takes time to connect. Some suggestions for you to consider – this image is “flat”. With a little additional contrast you could make this image pop. Try putting it into Photoshop and follow the process below and see what you think of the result: Press control+L together and choose auto to get the levels a bit better Duplicate the background layer (layer/duplicate layer/ok) Invert the image – turns it into a negative (control+I or image/adjustments/invert Now desaturate your layer (shift+control+u or image/adjustment/desaturate) Choose filter “gaussian blur” (filter/blur/gaussian blur) and set radius to about 150-250) – you should be ablse to still see some blurry detail – it should not all be one tone and it should not be sharp either. Choose your blending mode as “overlay” If you now need to lighten or darken you can do so by shifting the centre of your curve tool up or down (control+M) This method does not always work but it is a tool I often use to help my images pop a little more.

CHEWY THE GOAT by ALISON METHERELL

GRADE - MERIT Ha! This image oozes personality. Simple head and shoulders portrait. Beautiful composition against the light background is complimented by the treatment that makes this feel like a pencil drawing. This character looks cheeky and mischievous. To enhance this a a little more life in those eyes would go a long way.

HIGHRISE by ALISON METHERELL

GRADE - MERIT A very classical interpretation. I love the texture and and tonal contrast. Oblique lines create a very dynamic composition. I feel this need something to break the pattern as it lacks a strong focal point. Nevertheless good job!

GREAT SKUAS DISPLAYING by ALISON METHERELL

GRADE - MERIT This is a very nice image sowing skuas blend in in their environment. Nice dramatic pose. I feel taking them from a slightly different camera position would help to avoid "a tennis effect". A different camera angle would also creates more depth as at the moment the image is quite flat. When the light is soft you need to use other elements of design to create more 3D effect and separation of the elements.

OAMARU WHARF by ALISON METHERELL

GRADE - ACCEPTANCE A very simplistic image where the three lines of the land, breakwater and wharf draw the viewer to the centre of the image. All those shags on the historic wharf remind me of my visit there during the 2008 PSNZ National Convention... I was amazed by the number of birds, and your image from the higher viewpoint accentuates their number. The rounded corners are interesting, reminding me of the old transparencies in the cardboard mounts.