SSA_080_The Remarkables.jpg

Achieved. I enjoyed the perspective and the repetition of the scene in the reflection– not sure if this is from Lake Johnson but it feels like it. I take a holiday every year in Queenstown, and I love the area. I like the way in which the moodiness of the sky in the Southern Lakes district is shown by the clouds rolling across and obscuring the skyline. I felt the image was a little underexposed, and the darker tones in the Remarkables range detracted from my enjoyment of the image. I wondered whether I would have had a stronger connection to the story if these aspects of the image were adjusted.

OPA_080_ BEST DAYS ARE OVER.jpg

Honours. I really enjoyed this image. As an older person myself, and having experienced a number of physical health challenges, I got a sense that this image has a story of age and usefulness that speaks across people, possessions, homes, animals and societies. I could picture this story through the use of tones to draw attention to just a small part of the scene and leaving the larger part of the scene in shadow and darkness. This aspect of the image resonated with me when I think back over a human life. For example, a good 20% to 30% is in growth before we reach the productive/useful part of a human life. This lighter tones in the image on the steering wheel, the dials and the gear stick reminded me a lot of times when we think we have control of our lives. Later we often find that what we thought was a life under control was just an illusion and turns out to me no more than a shadowy part of the whole of our life. For me this is wonderful symbolic story.

OPA_080_Gliding Over the Ocean.jpg

Merit. I live on a hill and love watching gulls gliding. I often wonder how good it would be to be a bird. For me this image captures the powerful grace of this bird. Excellent focus, pin sharp eye. The muted greyish background allows the hero to be the main thing. Good angle too, which gives the bird an implied movement. I think it would be good to be a bird.

SSA_080_Light Up the Sydney Opera House.jpg

Merit. Ah, Sydney. How nice it would be to go there at the moment. I think this image has captured the scene very well. The main feature, for me, is the colour, which contrasts strongly against the dark sky. I enjoyed the detail in the areas below the sails, with people enjoying the atmosphere. The subject is well positioned in the frame. The photographer has made a great job of camera settings, and maybe friendly elbow jostling with others to get this shot. Very enjoyable.

OPA_080_FORGOTTEN.jpg

Achieved.

SSA_080_APPLE DELIGHT.jpg

Achieved.

SSA_080_Done for the Day.jpg

Honours. Here is an excellent example of environmental portraiture. A shearer, still holding his hand-piece, is finished shearing for the day. His face shows relief and a bit of exhaustion. Great story. Beautiful image.

OPA_080_Autumn Glow.jpg

Merit. A strong, leading line takes us on a picturesque journey through a carpet of amber and gold leaves. The slight vignette holds our eye in. Great autumn colours.

SSA_080_Wagon Wheel Spin.jpg

Achieved. You have captured some lovely colour here in both the background and in the wagon wheels. I particularly like the effect on the spokes. Again, try half closing your eyes and you will see that the sky area at the top margin is most demanding. That could be dealt with by either cropping, darkening or cloning, but the last mentioned would need to be carefully done to avoid lines heading in the wrong direction. Part of the problem with the zooming is the focal point created is not always where your focal point should be. Here It would have been interesting to see it centred on the wheels. Well imagined.

OPA_080_Storm Over Deer Park Heights.jpg

Merit. Very dramatic. Unfortunately I'm completely lost on this one in relation to Deer Park Heights perhaps because of the wide angle lens, but that's my problem and nothing to do with the merits of the image. Perhaps it is taken from the lower slopes of the Remarkables. Drama has been recognised and emphasised, so good interpretation. The high lit area bottom right is balanced by the light top left, and the light over what looks like Mt Crichton is a strong focal point. I wonder if the brightness bottom right should be darkened a tad and if half of the sky should be cropped to place the light on the right in a stronger position. Very attractive.

SSA_080_YMCA_YMCA.jpg

Honours. Great choice of subject – gives the image a great mood without the confusion of faces.

OPA_080_No_where_to_go.jpg

Honours. Great action shot- nice and sharp. Well cropped. Good shallow dof.

SSA_080_Butterfly At Rest.jpg

Achieved. Really enjoyed both the harmonious range of colours in the butterfly and the contrasting colour in the background. Just as a very subtle improvement to your image, I would have shaved an inch or so from the lefthand side.

OPA_080_In the RAW B & W_.jpg

Achieved. So much to like about the image, the choice of black & while the limited depth of field etc. Do however feel the horizon and riders back should be squared up and twisted to the right. Also the heavy blacks could be lifted a little.

OPA_080_ OOP's.jpg

Honours. A good photojournalism shot with action and capture of a decisive moment. Nice exposure, lighting and colours. I would suggest toning down the bright areas and the man on the left in the background as they are drawing my eye. The sharp detail and depth of field on the main subjects works well. I love the OMG on his hat!

SSA_080_Morning Alms in Myanmar.jpg

Honours. A lovely moody portrait. I like his serene expression and that he is the main subject. The monochromatic tones and the low key treatment works well. The silver object on the right in my view, acts as a good lead in. Beautiful lighting and pictorial value.

SSA_080_Life at a Myanmar Market.jpg

Honours. His expression tugs at the heart, this certainly gives the viewer the feel, colour and goings on in a busy market place

OPA_080_Red Rag to a Bull.jpg

Honours. That bad boy means business. Your timing is spot on, showing the expressions of the brave (or silly) man. The dust, the unfortunate person hitting the ground all adds to the story. I’d love to know what the outcome was. Excellent work.

SSA_080_Anyone for Garlic.jpg

Merit. That is a lot of garlic! I enjoy the basic composition of this image, and I think that the depth of field is spot on – our eye is directed to just the part the photographer wanted us to look at – the rest is support or stage dressing. I do wonder if other angles were taken that have the open part of the bag a little lower in the frame - perhaps a slightly higher perspective would have been more visually comfortable?

OPA_080_Market Day Myanmar.jpg

Merit. Literally a ‘Bridge-Eyes-View’ which delivers rather a sumptuous palette of colour, a veritable feast of bright clothing and fresh produce. The lines of the railway add context to the scene, revealing a time and place largely unfamiliar to us from New Zealand. Whilst appreciating the difficulties in capturing this scene, especially in what to include and what to leave out, I find myself wandering up and down the line, not quite sure where to halt; perhaps a slight vignette added in post-production could be considered as a means of giving a visual anchor.

SSA_080_Gothic Lady.jpg

HONOURS. What a beautiful image. The lighting has been well done so that the features that need emphasis are well lit and the rest is darker. I love the way her hair leads me into her hand and eyes. A beautiful portrait.

OPA_080_Through a Temple in India.jpg

Merit. What an interesting image with all the detail in the temple and the lovely lady with her bright sari. I am left wondering which one of the two the author wants me to look at? If the lady is the subject then I feel that some cropping from the top would create a stronger image as at present I feel all the gorgeous detail in the carving competes with the woman and her sari with its colour and detail. Sometimes less is more. It is still a delightful image in my view.

OPA_080_Ladakh Montage.jpg

Merit. The triangles and the monochrome treatment have reduced this image to a pleasing abstract. I wonder if you really need the upper portion of the sky, as if this was removed you increase the abstract feel with a more panoramic image. I think this would be nice as a canvas.

SSA_080_Petal Rainbow.jpg

Achieved. I would like to have seen the camera moved downwards a little to eliminate the background at the top. Perhaps a multiple exposure taken in camera would have taken this to the next level but colour is good.

OPA_080_Family on Dal Lake_.jpg

Merit. I love what is going on with the people on this boat. I can just imagine the boy on the left saying the equivalent of “come on, give that to me” to the second boy. The two men are in their own worlds, with the one on the left perhaps looking at a phone, and the one on the right engrossed in paddling the boat. The reflections and mostly out of focus background add to the scene, and the boat is positioned in the frame with room to move forward. Very nice.

SSA_080_Dressed to play_.jpg

Merit. The eyes keep drawing me back in with this portrait. The pose with the finger pressed against her cheek, the clothes, and the henna tattoo all suggest some sort of occasion and cheekiness. I like that her face isn’t quite central. I would have preferred that the light wasn’t quite so blown out on her shoulder. A portrait full of character, that I think reveals something of her personality.

SSA_080_IN THE HANDS OF AN EXPERT.jpg

Honours. A strong environmental portrait of a shearer at work – this sort of subject is often done in BW, which suits this image. The sharp foreground and softer background are done well – maybe even less focus for the background would have helped. This looks as though some post-processing has enhanced the contrast and details of the shearer – I think that has worked well.

OPA_080_NAPPING AT NEVIS FESTIVAL INDIA.jpg

Merit. This image shows me an old woman asleep, and it appears she is from another culture, not in NZ. The close-cropped nearly square frame encloses her and her folded limbs, showing little background. The vertical line of the beads draws our attention to her face and hands and strengthens the design. The muted colours seem to add to the sense of stillness. Well seen, a festival is a public event, and subject was treated respectfully.

OPA_080_HEMIS FESTIVAL LADAKH.JPG

HONOURS. I find this a very effective travel shot that has also crossed into the realm of an art image. I love the way we can almost feel the atmosphere. I find the multiple exposures enable the viewer

SSA_080_AN EVENING AT THE BEACH.JPG

ACHIEVED. The colours of the evening certainly have formed a wonderful backdrop for the driftwood word. On my screen I can see fringing around the letters especially the last “A” which I find detracts from the quality of the image. I like the way the use of a long shutter speed has smoothed out the sea.

SSA_080_Pangong Lake_India_.jpg

Honours. I like the sense of rhythm you have created here with the lines blending beautifully and the pastel tones are delightful. You have created a lovely abstract image.

OPA_080_Hemis Festival India_.jpg

Acceptance. I like to see the dancer conveying movement as you have done. However, in this case it has been achieved by camera movement. I would prefer a still background and just dancer movement from a slow shutter speed. To me, the image would be much more compelling then.

SSA_080_Closed for Business.jpg

Achieved Here we have multiple gaps that all complement each other like a triptych. The top gap featuring the umbrella with the curves, echoing the same colours, but in a geometric form in the bottom gap. This leaves the centre gap where the subject lies tying in nicely with the colours. Colours are well handled and the portrait crop works well. I love the dirty frames, but just watch your edges as the lower left edge is drooping.

OPA_080_Behind locked gates.jpg

Achieved. I like the abstract look to this image. It's the juxtaposition of soft curves intersected with the stronger diagonals which is very pleasing. I like the colour palette and the mystery of what's behind the locked doors, it's all sort of ethereal. What I am trying to say is, the bars of the gate are there but it's only a ghost appearance one can't hold on to and what is beyond this is unobtainable as well. I'm not sure I'm explaining how I am seeing this image very well, it's hard to put concepts from the right brain into left brain explanations.

OPA_080_Shed_Okarito.jpg

Merit. We have some lovely old sheds and houses here in NZ. Personally for me, I find that the texture that has been applied is dominating this image. Don't get me wrong I too use textures and feel that they can enhance images. Compositionally, I feel that the image is well balanced and I feel that the colour suits the scene. However, I might suggest that the photographer reduces the opacity a little so that it is less dominating.

SSA_080_Running_Wild_.jpg

Honours. Beautiful shot of a stunning animal. I enjoy the way that the author has captured the mane flowing and the drops of water coming out of the mouth. This gives a sense of movement. Plenty of room for it to look into and a lovely DOF ensuring that the horses in the background are not the main focal point. We are not distracted by anything. Very nicely done.

OPA_080_Sunrise_On_Okarito.jpg

Honours. I really like this image and could see it large up on a wall. It is very moody great lighting and has a soft feel to it. The tree is central but with the reflection is all works. The area of the tree is also very sharp.

SSA_080_The_Lindis_Pass_In_Summer.jpg

Merit. I found this a striking image when I first saw it and gave me a feeling of being alone. There are some nice colours and the clouds are not burnt out. Would have been good to see some thing else in the image to create a focal point.

OPA_080_Wanaka Rodeo Madness.jpg

Acceptance The image is sharp from the use of a fast shutter. You should have used a wide open lens as this would have put the background out of focus.

SSA_080_Heron_.jpg

Merit. Nicely done, a great shot.

OPA_080_At_Prayer.jpg

HONOURS What an evocative image. I enjoy the way in which I can imagine the face of the worshipper. I do find that my eye is drawn out of the image to the lighter peripheral areas. Consider a darker vignette? Would the photographer also consider a light crop along the bottom which would focus the eye even more strongly on the hands etc. However this is still a thought provoking image.

SSA_080_Tulip Montage.jpg

Accepted. I enjoy the composition with its lower left entry on the angle. The complementary colours provide a strong palette and I feel that there is much to appreciate in the creativity of this image. I find my eye looking at the main bud and then travelling on to the one just behind to seek detail there. However it is thwarted by the “flare’ and bokeh which have eliminated that detail. In my opinion the photographer may consider allowing more detail into the two main buds while allowing the lovely creative treatment to do its work on the balance of the image. This is a great attempt at creativity with lovely composition, colour and texture which in my opinion needs some fine tuning so that the main elements are not quite so masked.

SSA_080_Cooking for a crowd.jpg

HONOURS This is a great angle, makes the cooking bowl larger than the man stirring the food. The black and white adds more drama to it. My eyes keep going back to the man stirring the food. The other one is a bit distracting so be good if he was also looking forward.

OPA_080_Docked.jpg

ACHIEVED Interesting double exposure. But I feel that the over laid image is too strong so makes it very distracting, if you can tone it down so it is less than the main image would help

SSA_080_Invercargill on Dusk.jpg

ACHIEVED The long exposure has enabled you to highlight this building's decorative aspects. It's highlighted for us the decoration on the balustrade, which would usually blend in to the building if the shot had been taken during the day. You have also captured beautiful lights in the sky. The dark edges around your image keep your eye into the building which is the subject. The green lights bother me a bit, only on account of the fact that it's a different colour to the rest of the scene. I would like to have seen them red, which would tie in with the scene in a more complimentary way. But that's a minor point and just my opinion. A good crop and well executed

OPA_080_Life_on_Dal_Lake_IKashmir.jpg

ACHIEVED This image is well saturated. I particularly like the angled position of the pole she is using to manoeuvre the boat. Her head sits neatly between both hands along the angled pole giving strength to this diagonal line. The shutter speed has just caught the lines of rain falling which links the umbrella and the story. There are a couple of things that are a bit distracting, one of which is the white umbrella to the right of the image which is bright and distracting I would like to suggest you could improve this image by toning down the umbrella on the right. The other area is what looks to be a leg intruding in on the left which could be darkened down along with the bright white beside her head. A vignette would also help Try these suggestions and see what you think.

SSA_080_Sunshine.jpg

HONOURS. Great high key image of a young lady, high key I believe has been very well handled with good blacks which are important to give the image depth. Love the head piece adds another dynamic to the image. Very good High key portrait

OPA_080_Flour Dance.jpg

MERIT. Creative image with good tones in my opinion. Double exposure these can be done both in camera, if it has the technology or some post processing programs allow this to be done. Good pose, placement of the legs and arms. Exposure, DOF and composition I feel has been well handled.

SSA_080_Double Exposure in Myanmar.jpg

NOT ACHIEVED There is heaps of potential here but the double exposure doesn’t work for me. The low sun image looks like it has great potential and I’d have focussed on that.

OPA_080_Shall We Dance.jpg

HONOURS The green glasses really makes this image (seriously), very well caught action shot and the image is nice and sharp.