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Weekly Photo Contest Challenge: B&W (October 21 - 28, 2020)
- Thread starter redshifted
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
31 entries - well done everyone!!!
I advise everyone viewing the pics to click on the image and view them without the harsh white default background and at the larger uploaded sizes
You may see the pics very differently than the smaller versions in the thread
My comments and opinions on your pics are just my impressions based on my preferences in photographs - you know your work better than I do, so don't put too much stock in what I have to say
The pic subjects and style and skill level of all the photographers was so diverse that judging was a bit challenging
On to the comments ...
mollyc:
I appreciate you being primarily a color photog
Thanks for being brave enough to enter first!
An interesting pic of decaying leaves
The hotspot on the upper left side and the in-focus leaf on the right are distracting compositionally
The most visually interesting part of the pic is the decaying in-focus portion of the center leaf
I would’ve concentrated closer on this element by either cropping or getting in closer in the first place
This pic probably looks better in color
tizeye:
I like the light - crepuscular rays are always fun in landscapes
This is an interesting landscape pic featuring a lot of varied textures
I don’t care for the blocked up shadows in the treeline or the central grasses
Some brightening of these features would make this a stronger pic
The large bird perched on the tree branch on the left side of trees is a fun bonus for the careful viewer
oblowmow:
An interesting nighttime landscape pic featuring a large artificially lit sculpture
The light on the face seems a little bright with some blown out hotspots
Mixed light pics like this can be challenging to expose precisely
The left eye seems weirdly off in terms of grayscale - even though it might be correct
Darkening the left eye hole seems like it would help
The pic seems to be leaning a little down to the right - even though it might be level
Rotating it slightly up to the right would result in a stronger pic with the face looking up more to the right
I like the texture details on the sculpture and the sky but the granularity in the sky doesn’t seem to match the smoother texture of the sculpture
This could be a consequence of the b&w conversion and the mixed lighting you had to deal with
The city behind the face adds a nicely surreal size contrast
Hughmac:
I like the tracks leading off to the horizon
The sky has some odd artifacts that bug me visually
There seems to be some banding/granularity and rays and cloud edges that seem like processing issues in the sky
I would consider cropping this interesting pic to a 16:9 or panoramic format from the bottom edge of the frame to have a better visual balance
Eliminating some of the sky would give you a better feeling of “flow” into the pic
Steven-iphone
Lines indeed!
I like the contrasty light through the slats giving you that zebra-stripe effect
There’s a subtle asymmetry to the pic
I would consider cropping the left side of the frame to the next slat
This would minimize the dark patch in the background trees and the left side ground shadow
The asymmetry be a little more subtle but still effective
Elbert C:
Ccccold weather shooting done well
The composition is a little unbalanced to me
The solar halo and sun pillar are very well captured
Gloved hand thumbs up!
OldMacs4Me:
Nice sense of atmosphere in this pic
I would’ve liked more details in the highlights to add texture to the water, sky and snow
Well done
akash.nu:
Nice textures and well composed
The fence in the foreground doesn’t really addd much to the scene
Shooting right at the fence might’ve made the castle feel visually accessible
The sky suffers from some mottling artifacts
The figure in the central opening looking slightly askance at the next layer of stone formation is a great bonus
stillcrazyman:
Nice textures
I’d like a little more depth-of-field maybe to the brakes on the second wheel
An interesting low-angle shot
anotherscotsman:
A wide range of luxurious tones and textures well composed
The long exposure smooths out the sky and water nicely contrasting with the hard fixed objects
Wish it was a bigger file
Nicely done!
kenoh:
A fine moody rugged landscape panoramic
I like the patchy light leaking though the clouds onto the ground and highlighting the various textures
The visual flow across the hills leads the eye nicely
I’d consider darkening that bright central cloud area to bring it more in line with the overall tonal range of the pic
Nice pic
Apple_Glen_UK:
The texture of backlighting works very well with the texture of Digby’s whiskers and fur
I wish Digby’s eyes were easier to make out
A happy cat!
someoldguy:
A well composed architectural/travel pic
The range of tones and textures provides a nice tactile quality to the scene
The airy goldenrod in the foreground adds a nice natural contrast to the solid manmade structure
I’d consider darkening the hot parts of the bottom corners to help keep your eye in the frame
Makes we want to visit it
inkmich:
We’ve seen pics like this before
This one is exceptional
The slight asymmetry works really well here to strengthen the composition
The tones are good throughout
A treat for the eye!
deepdiver:
A slightly creepy scene in time for halloween
I feel like there’s too much going on in this pic visually around the brightly lit central frame
I’d consider a crop up from the bottom to above the floor grate/drain to the light gray walkway
Add to that a crop down from the top to include just a few rows of bricks above the opening
This would emphasize the various linear textures more vs. the human form nicely placed off center
And just about to disappear
Susurs:
Takeoff!
The water drops and posture of the bird give a nice feeling of motion
Texture and details work well to separate the bird from the background
The small patch of ground on the right could be cropped out to add to the feeling of flight
Nice capture
r.harris1:
Tricky light
There’s a nice visual balance to the scene from the generally linear horizontal flow in the pic
The trees punctuate the horizon and shoreline nicely
Wish the highlights were a little more detailed particularly sparkling on the water
Nice pano
Clix Pix:
A dark abstract
The textures of the tire and wheel are very tactile
I’d be inclined to go a little more minimalist with this subject and not include the pavement or darken it
That would make it a little more mysteriously abstract
Vroom!
LiE_:
A hardscrabble life for a survivor tree
The composition and textures are effective
The contrast of the organic form vs. the manmade structure surrounding it make it seem like it’s imprisoned or in a zoo
The hotspots at the doorway on the left and on the cobblestones on the right are a little distracting
Generally, I’d think about darkening the highlights overall or just lowering the contrast a little
I feel it would still seem harsh enough to maintain the feel of the pic
The person on the upper wall is well framed
An interesting pic
Namara:
Very airy
The bright highlights in the blown out ceiling and windows give you a sense of impending ascension for the grounded boat
Well composed
Nicely done
Janichsan:
Nice Urbex scene
It’s tough to get a good b&w of various paint colors in graffiti and you’ve done a great job here
The window adds a sense of depth to the pic
I wish the top edge detail continued across the whole pic or the perspective was corrected for the top edge
It would kind of frame the paintings
The textures and details work together to give you a strong sense of place
Well seen
koolmagicguy:
Ahhh snow!
Nice range of tones, details and textures
Snow scenes can be tricky to expose and you’ve done well
I think it might’ve been a little stronger visually as a horizontal pic
This would’ve added some more compositional detachment/isolation to the bike’s situation
Nice pic and stay warm
AllergyDoc:
Escape from the alley to the house on the hill
It’s a nice contrast of architectural styles using the framing of the foreground buildings
Maybe a little darker in the lower tones would add some more structure to the overall feel of the pic
The well-rendered textures give you a sense of being there
Ukiyo Evenings:
I do appreciate the perspective correction and the conversion tones
All the straight lines add to angsty detachment of travel you’ve captured here
I might crop it as a vertical in the same format with the left edge just to the right of the Wi-Fi antennas
In a perfect world, a longer exposure to blur the other travelers would be a dream
Well seen
lharvest:
Making a splash with sepia
Nice volcanic rock textures and a very well-timed exposure
I might darken the hottest part of the water next to the splash/spray so that the drops have more prominence
Nice pic on the edge
kecklund:
Classic mountain portraiture
Wispy and solid, dark and bright
Great composition
I’d clean up the dust spots in the sky
Refreshing
cupcakes2000:
One of the few portraits
Interesting pose, eye contact and composition
Textures and details are good
The shadows seem a little dark on my screen but lends a retro b&w feel reminiscent of the ‘70s
Nice portrait!
Laird Knox:
Appreciate the on-time entry
Kooky lighting and technical execution give the pic a wacky feel
It seems the Ladies are toasting liberty
I instinctively like it a little better rotated 90º CCW
I can imagine photoshopping either drinks or handfuls of cash in place of the torches for some reason
Well done!
dmb8021:
Like the tint
The tonalities in the sky and the detail of the skyline at full size work well
The composition seems unbalanced to me
I might crop just past the three beach rocks on the left - but I do like the rays in the sky on the left side
Nice spot to see the NYC skyline
mrs. deepdiver:
Holy wall mount telephone batman!
It makes me laugh to see the always twisted coiled handset cord
Darmok N Jalod:
Your donation is appreciated
I like the tone and texture of the vine and leaf
The selective focus works well in this pic and adds to the sense of growing off to the right
I might darken the out-of-focus leaf to the left of the sharp leaf to keep the spotlight on the star of the pic
Hope you’re doing okay!
Winners:
3rd place shared by: everyone that took the time to enter their pics!
2nd place shared by: susurs, anotherscotsman, Namara, Laird Knox, tizeye, kenoh and cupcakes2000 in no particular order
1st place goes to: inkmich - well done!!!
It was a visual treat to get to see all the pics - so thanks again everyone,
Ed
I don't know if anyone is interested but I had the idea to add a "Peoples Choice" option (it being a big election in the US next Tuesday) because of the large volume and variety of entries
In that spirit, I'm thinking folks could add a mention of their favorite pics and maybe say why they liked them
Just thinking out loud after not getting enough sleep lol ...
I advise everyone viewing the pics to click on the image and view them without the harsh white default background and at the larger uploaded sizes
You may see the pics very differently than the smaller versions in the thread
My comments and opinions on your pics are just my impressions based on my preferences in photographs - you know your work better than I do, so don't put too much stock in what I have to say
The pic subjects and style and skill level of all the photographers was so diverse that judging was a bit challenging
On to the comments ...
mollyc:
I appreciate you being primarily a color photog
Thanks for being brave enough to enter first!
An interesting pic of decaying leaves
The hotspot on the upper left side and the in-focus leaf on the right are distracting compositionally
The most visually interesting part of the pic is the decaying in-focus portion of the center leaf
I would’ve concentrated closer on this element by either cropping or getting in closer in the first place
This pic probably looks better in color
tizeye:
I like the light - crepuscular rays are always fun in landscapes
This is an interesting landscape pic featuring a lot of varied textures
I don’t care for the blocked up shadows in the treeline or the central grasses
Some brightening of these features would make this a stronger pic
The large bird perched on the tree branch on the left side of trees is a fun bonus for the careful viewer
oblowmow:
An interesting nighttime landscape pic featuring a large artificially lit sculpture
The light on the face seems a little bright with some blown out hotspots
Mixed light pics like this can be challenging to expose precisely
The left eye seems weirdly off in terms of grayscale - even though it might be correct
Darkening the left eye hole seems like it would help
The pic seems to be leaning a little down to the right - even though it might be level
Rotating it slightly up to the right would result in a stronger pic with the face looking up more to the right
I like the texture details on the sculpture and the sky but the granularity in the sky doesn’t seem to match the smoother texture of the sculpture
This could be a consequence of the b&w conversion and the mixed lighting you had to deal with
The city behind the face adds a nicely surreal size contrast
Hughmac:
I like the tracks leading off to the horizon
The sky has some odd artifacts that bug me visually
There seems to be some banding/granularity and rays and cloud edges that seem like processing issues in the sky
I would consider cropping this interesting pic to a 16:9 or panoramic format from the bottom edge of the frame to have a better visual balance
Eliminating some of the sky would give you a better feeling of “flow” into the pic
Steven-iphone
Lines indeed!
I like the contrasty light through the slats giving you that zebra-stripe effect
There’s a subtle asymmetry to the pic
I would consider cropping the left side of the frame to the next slat
This would minimize the dark patch in the background trees and the left side ground shadow
The asymmetry be a little more subtle but still effective
Elbert C:
Ccccold weather shooting done well
The composition is a little unbalanced to me
The solar halo and sun pillar are very well captured
Gloved hand thumbs up!
OldMacs4Me:
Nice sense of atmosphere in this pic
I would’ve liked more details in the highlights to add texture to the water, sky and snow
Well done
akash.nu:
Nice textures and well composed
The fence in the foreground doesn’t really addd much to the scene
Shooting right at the fence might’ve made the castle feel visually accessible
The sky suffers from some mottling artifacts
The figure in the central opening looking slightly askance at the next layer of stone formation is a great bonus
stillcrazyman:
Nice textures
I’d like a little more depth-of-field maybe to the brakes on the second wheel
An interesting low-angle shot
anotherscotsman:
A wide range of luxurious tones and textures well composed
The long exposure smooths out the sky and water nicely contrasting with the hard fixed objects
Wish it was a bigger file
Nicely done!
kenoh:
A fine moody rugged landscape panoramic
I like the patchy light leaking though the clouds onto the ground and highlighting the various textures
The visual flow across the hills leads the eye nicely
I’d consider darkening that bright central cloud area to bring it more in line with the overall tonal range of the pic
Nice pic
Apple_Glen_UK:
The texture of backlighting works very well with the texture of Digby’s whiskers and fur
I wish Digby’s eyes were easier to make out
A happy cat!
someoldguy:
A well composed architectural/travel pic
The range of tones and textures provides a nice tactile quality to the scene
The airy goldenrod in the foreground adds a nice natural contrast to the solid manmade structure
I’d consider darkening the hot parts of the bottom corners to help keep your eye in the frame
Makes we want to visit it
inkmich:
We’ve seen pics like this before
This one is exceptional
The slight asymmetry works really well here to strengthen the composition
The tones are good throughout
A treat for the eye!
deepdiver:
A slightly creepy scene in time for halloween
I feel like there’s too much going on in this pic visually around the brightly lit central frame
I’d consider a crop up from the bottom to above the floor grate/drain to the light gray walkway
Add to that a crop down from the top to include just a few rows of bricks above the opening
This would emphasize the various linear textures more vs. the human form nicely placed off center
And just about to disappear
Susurs:
Takeoff!
The water drops and posture of the bird give a nice feeling of motion
Texture and details work well to separate the bird from the background
The small patch of ground on the right could be cropped out to add to the feeling of flight
Nice capture
r.harris1:
Tricky light
There’s a nice visual balance to the scene from the generally linear horizontal flow in the pic
The trees punctuate the horizon and shoreline nicely
Wish the highlights were a little more detailed particularly sparkling on the water
Nice pano
Clix Pix:
A dark abstract
The textures of the tire and wheel are very tactile
I’d be inclined to go a little more minimalist with this subject and not include the pavement or darken it
That would make it a little more mysteriously abstract
Vroom!
LiE_:
A hardscrabble life for a survivor tree
The composition and textures are effective
The contrast of the organic form vs. the manmade structure surrounding it make it seem like it’s imprisoned or in a zoo
The hotspots at the doorway on the left and on the cobblestones on the right are a little distracting
Generally, I’d think about darkening the highlights overall or just lowering the contrast a little
I feel it would still seem harsh enough to maintain the feel of the pic
The person on the upper wall is well framed
An interesting pic
Namara:
Very airy
The bright highlights in the blown out ceiling and windows give you a sense of impending ascension for the grounded boat
Well composed
Nicely done
Janichsan:
Nice Urbex scene
It’s tough to get a good b&w of various paint colors in graffiti and you’ve done a great job here
The window adds a sense of depth to the pic
I wish the top edge detail continued across the whole pic or the perspective was corrected for the top edge
It would kind of frame the paintings
The textures and details work together to give you a strong sense of place
Well seen
koolmagicguy:
Ahhh snow!
Nice range of tones, details and textures
Snow scenes can be tricky to expose and you’ve done well
I think it might’ve been a little stronger visually as a horizontal pic
This would’ve added some more compositional detachment/isolation to the bike’s situation
Nice pic and stay warm
AllergyDoc:
Escape from the alley to the house on the hill
It’s a nice contrast of architectural styles using the framing of the foreground buildings
Maybe a little darker in the lower tones would add some more structure to the overall feel of the pic
The well-rendered textures give you a sense of being there
Ukiyo Evenings:
I do appreciate the perspective correction and the conversion tones
All the straight lines add to angsty detachment of travel you’ve captured here
I might crop it as a vertical in the same format with the left edge just to the right of the Wi-Fi antennas
In a perfect world, a longer exposure to blur the other travelers would be a dream
Well seen
lharvest:
Making a splash with sepia
Nice volcanic rock textures and a very well-timed exposure
I might darken the hottest part of the water next to the splash/spray so that the drops have more prominence
Nice pic on the edge
kecklund:
Classic mountain portraiture
Wispy and solid, dark and bright
Great composition
I’d clean up the dust spots in the sky
Refreshing
cupcakes2000:
One of the few portraits
Interesting pose, eye contact and composition
Textures and details are good
The shadows seem a little dark on my screen but lends a retro b&w feel reminiscent of the ‘70s
Nice portrait!
Laird Knox:
Appreciate the on-time entry
Kooky lighting and technical execution give the pic a wacky feel
It seems the Ladies are toasting liberty
I instinctively like it a little better rotated 90º CCW
I can imagine photoshopping either drinks or handfuls of cash in place of the torches for some reason
Well done!
dmb8021:
Like the tint
The tonalities in the sky and the detail of the skyline at full size work well
The composition seems unbalanced to me
I might crop just past the three beach rocks on the left - but I do like the rays in the sky on the left side
Nice spot to see the NYC skyline
mrs. deepdiver:
Holy wall mount telephone batman!
It makes me laugh to see the always twisted coiled handset cord
Darmok N Jalod:
Your donation is appreciated
I like the tone and texture of the vine and leaf
The selective focus works well in this pic and adds to the sense of growing off to the right
I might darken the out-of-focus leaf to the left of the sharp leaf to keep the spotlight on the star of the pic
Hope you’re doing okay!
Winners:
3rd place shared by: everyone that took the time to enter their pics!
2nd place shared by: susurs, anotherscotsman, Namara, Laird Knox, tizeye, kenoh and cupcakes2000 in no particular order
1st place goes to: inkmich - well done!!!
It was a visual treat to get to see all the pics - so thanks again everyone,
Ed
I don't know if anyone is interested but I had the idea to add a "Peoples Choice" option (it being a big election in the US next Tuesday) because of the large volume and variety of entries
In that spirit, I'm thinking folks could add a mention of their favorite pics and maybe say why they liked them
Just thinking out loud after not getting enough sleep lol ...
Congrats @inkmich and to everyone else. Many thanks @redshifted for your comments and the time you put into this week's contest. ❤️
Thanks for judging and your excellent comments. Must have been a hard job, with so many entries.
I enjoyed reading the comments for each photo and learning what to look out for, thank you @redshifted! Congratulations to @inkmich 👏🏻 gorgeous composition. This whole competition was a treat 🥳
Edit: shoutout to @anotherscotsman Smooth flow combined with hard concrete and pointy geometry; the glossy, deep black of the foreground structure, general inky dark tones contrasted with light in the sky and those reflected off glass and the water; I have never seen the Shard like this and thoroughly enjoyed this image.
Edit: shoutout to @anotherscotsman Smooth flow combined with hard concrete and pointy geometry; the glossy, deep black of the foreground structure, general inky dark tones contrasted with light in the sky and those reflected off glass and the water; I have never seen the Shard like this and thoroughly enjoyed this image.
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I saw about half a dozen that I really liked and am not at all sure which I would have picked. It was fun seeing how my early efforts from 45 years ago, stacked up against everyone else. More so as I went with an especially soft image.
Your comments did make me realize there is huge difference in how people calibrate their monitors. In order to lose highlight detail, I have to crank contrast and black levels beyond the point where my screen image will match an outsourced print. Ironically my worry when I posted was actually about losing detail in the dark areas.
Your comments did make me realize there is huge difference in how people calibrate their monitors. In order to lose highlight detail, I have to crank contrast and black levels beyond the point where my screen image will match an outsourced print. Ironically my worry when I posted was actually about losing detail in the dark areas.
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Very insightful comments @redshifted, a great mix of the technical and artistic aspects and good choice of winner. Congratulations @inkmich, thoroughly deserved in a very competitive session.
In addition to @inkmich, I’m vey taken by the entries from @akash.nu, @oblomow and @kenoh. As usual, @Lairdknox doesn’t disappoint with his big-hitting images.
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redshifted -- Thank you for all of your hard work with this one and the outstanding c&c.
I appreciate your comments on my image. I can't disagree, but I was going for something else. Cleveland has a subway that was in use until 1954. The Transit Authority opens it to the public one day a year. The place is dark, cold, and decayed. I wanted to convey the noir-ish and spooky feeling you identified. The lone person walking down the tunnel accented the loneliness of the place. This is also why I brought up the highlights a little higher than they should be. Given the comments I read ahead of my image, I was surprised you didn't call me out for that. I tried cropping it as you suggested when I first processed this, but that did not convey the story I wanted to tell.
Thank you for not punishing me.
inkmich's image is definitely my favorite. My second goes to cupcakes2000. I am not a fan of studio portraiture nor fashion oriented anything, but cupcakes200's image is just so clean and balanced. I love it.
You also took your own challenge. I only have a few images that I think are exactly on point. I would love to see you "step out of yourself" and critique your own posts. I do that sometimes and it is a fun (or depressing) exercise.
Given 2 of the license plates, it looks like your final image was in Ohio. Where are you from? ("Midwest" is a big place.)
I appreciate your comments on my image. I can't disagree, but I was going for something else. Cleveland has a subway that was in use until 1954. The Transit Authority opens it to the public one day a year. The place is dark, cold, and decayed. I wanted to convey the noir-ish and spooky feeling you identified. The lone person walking down the tunnel accented the loneliness of the place. This is also why I brought up the highlights a little higher than they should be. Given the comments I read ahead of my image, I was surprised you didn't call me out for that. I tried cropping it as you suggested when I first processed this, but that did not convey the story I wanted to tell.
Thank you for not punishing me.
inkmich's image is definitely my favorite. My second goes to cupcakes2000. I am not a fan of studio portraiture nor fashion oriented anything, but cupcakes200's image is just so clean and balanced. I love it.
You also took your own challenge. I only have a few images that I think are exactly on point. I would love to see you "step out of yourself" and critique your own posts. I do that sometimes and it is a fun (or depressing) exercise.
Given 2 of the license plates, it looks like your final image was in Ohio. Where are you from? ("Midwest" is a big place.)
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@redshifted .....You sure put some work into judging , and providing commentary for this weeks contest ! Great job and thanks for putting in the time to do so . And thanks for the .047619047619.... of a 3rd . (Hey , you take what you can get and be thankful for it !) Congrats (?) to @inkmich !
Fantastic judging @redshifted great value add commentary. Thanks for the podium.
A worthy win @inkmich
A worthy win @inkmich
Congratulations to Inkmich!! That image is indeed a winner!!
Thanks so much, redshifted, for your excellent and thoughtful judging, with helpful critique and suggestions! All of us benefit and learn from reading your thoughts on not only our own image, but others' as well.... Very helpful!
Yes, I tried cropping out the pavement from my image and that would've caused problems with the rest of the image; I didn't think to simply just darken the pavement -- that would work quite nicely and get the more abstract effect I was striving for and didn't quite manage.... Thanks!
Thanks so much, redshifted, for your excellent and thoughtful judging, with helpful critique and suggestions! All of us benefit and learn from reading your thoughts on not only our own image, but others' as well.... Very helpful!
Yes, I tried cropping out the pavement from my image and that would've caused problems with the rest of the image; I didn't think to simply just darken the pavement -- that would work quite nicely and get the more abstract effect I was striving for and didn't quite manage.... Thanks!
Thanks for the review @redshifted! I often shoot with underexposed shadows and over exposed whites. My intention with this shot was to inspire the viewer with styles common in previous decades, so glad about the comments. Excellent judging on an extremely diverse amount of entries. Well done.
Have only just starting entering this competition again (occasionally at least) after a five plus year hiatus. I’m glad I’m back!
Have only just starting entering this competition again (occasionally at least) after a five plus year hiatus. I’m glad I’m back!
Wait, what!? No, this didn’t happen did it? I truly enjoyed all of the entries so I just couldn’t imagine winning. Thank you, I think, @redshifted. Your thoughtful reviews and enthusiasm is great and will certainly be hard to follow.
Oh boy, now what do I do.
Oh boy, now what do I do.
What a great group of images from everyone and congratulations to @inkmich , superb! Thank you @redshifted for the thoughtful comments and taking the time to provide great feedback.
Cheers,
Ray
Cheers,
Ray
Thanks for the comments @redshifted and great work at judging and going through all of the pictures and deciding on the ones to like more than others. I was finding it tough myself.
Congratulations
to all the winners. 
And glad you liked my shot @anotherscotsman
Congratulations
to all the winners. 
And glad you liked my shot @anotherscotsman
New Contest is now up: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ge-shapes-october-31-november-7-2020.2264815/
Thanks for judging this week. It was quite the handful.
This was a fun one. This is the statue at New York New York in Las Vegas. It is actually eight exposures on B&W film. It took me about three hours to shoot two images. The second one had the torches overlapping in the center. They made a neat rosette but the angles were a bit off.
I setup my 4x5 camera along the fence next to a planter so that I would be out of the way and not block the sidewalk. Immediately a security guard came by and asked me if it was a professional shoot because "it sure looked like professional gear." I showed her the school tag on the bag, my printed assignment sheet and explained the class I was taking. That was good enough and they didn’t bother me for the rest of the night.
The film holder on my camera rotates between portrait and landscape orientation. I used the lines ground into the focus screen to line up the torch. Then I would close up the film and rotate the film holder 45 degrees. I would then use the lens shift to line Up the image without moving the camera. Carefully put the film back in and expose the next image. Rinse and repeat.
It took about an hour to shoot each image. I was there for three hours because a lot of people passing by wanted to know about the camera. Not many people have seen a large format camera in person.
So the kooky lighting would be due to rotating the film around. The shadows wouldn’t change even though each exposure was rotated.
"professional gear"...
Been there, done that, had the random run-in with authorities (not your exact situation - but serious photography in public) lol
Never had the academic card in my back pocket but I was often on an editorial assignment so that used to have cred lol
I figured it was either a rotating film back or a rotated enlarging easel - based on the uneven orientations and different versions of "Lady Liberty"
I used a "lazy Susan" turntable under my enlarging easel to do duplicate rotations in my darkroom (before PS)
I also figured it was "Vegas Baby!!!" - hence my reference to drinks or wads of cash in hand lol
Tripod user respect and empathy lol
O-H-N-O
Like I said in my intro - you know your pic better than I do lol
I have a pathological hatred of burned out highlights from decades of shooting medium format transparencies (slides) on editorial and commercial assignment - the only exception was a good aesthetic reason to break the technical rule lol
Your pic wasn't in violation lol
Film delivered to the AD with clear patches needed a justification in those days