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Weekly photo contest, Oct 15-22 2018: The Night
- Thread starter Donka
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
_DSC5157
A terrific theme (or topic) and some brilliant shots.
Took this at this time of year a couple of years back. Foggy autumnal night.
into the mist (explored) by another scotsman, on Flickr
into the mist (explored) by another scotsman, on Flickr
Tree_ER
Evening on the Promenade des Anglais, Nice, France. Notice the little white dog approaching the puddle. He was just about to step in it when his owner pulled him to one side and we had a chuckle together!
Yup, started regretting the win and my choice of theme almost immediately!
Still, I'm not one to shirk a challenge!
Now you know why second is the one to play for...
It feels like that could be the best approach, the standard really is top drawer.
It is a terrific topic, with some brilliant entries; actually, it is one of the few competition where I would have liked to have entered, and I'd love to be judging.
Is there a rule against subcontracting?
Okay, time to draw this one to a close and announce the winners.
I really appreciate everyone taking the time to submit an image. I took these notes at the first time of viewing each image so it was my initial impressions and I have tried to be candid about what works for me. Please do not take this as anything other than constructive though because I’m a bit of a straight shooter and we all see things differently.
I also wanted to pay my full respect to everyone on here - I knew there was a lot of talent posting on here but I was genuinely impressed with the variety and quality on offer. This was a very tough one to judge!
And with that out of the way, onto the images…
@Hughmac
Nicely captured with a lovely blend of colours. I would have been inclined to get closer and lower to the runway into the water and made more of a feature of that and the sunset with a slightly less busy composition.
@akash.nu
Another nice capture - I normally find a bird in mid flight distracting but I think it adds to this image. The desaturated look makes this stand out for me.
@malofx
I'm a sucker for a good Milky Way shot and this is very nicely exposed - I'm so jealous of the location. I like the arc creating a natural frame but would prefer just that and the Milky Way or more of the Milky Way and perhaps just one dominant tree for a sense of scale. I'm guessing you had space constraints to consider when getting the shot?
@Clix Pix
Lovely shot - it comes across as a very serene image and those tones are gorgeous. There is nothing I would change in this.
@inkmich
Absolutely nails the theme for me. Well composed and I love the high contrast look. I'm liking this shot a lot.
@Darmok N Jalad
Quite an unusual capture and it works well for me. I'm assuming this was a long exposure with you hopping in and out of frame? The lowered saturation and slight motion give it an ethereal look
@Alexander.Of.Oz
Gorgeous colours and a clever choice with the panorama showing the transition between sunset and night. The content fills the composition very well too.
@Janichsan
Interesting subject and composition - I love the angles in the building and the overall abstraction. I think I would have preferred to have seen a darker sky to really convey that night element. Great shot though.
@tizeye
A quite striking image - I love the contrast of the rampart lighting and geometry against the night sky. The only thing I would consider changing would be to crop in a little from the top to change the ratio since there is such a big expanse of nothingness on display in the sky but I'm nitpicking here.
@kenoh
A very creative image Ken - equal parts heavenly beauty and edgy dynamism. A very unique shot which I like a lot.
@freezelighter
This is a great shot on so many levels - a stunning scene with a lot to digest. It looks like a shot from an aircraft with the street lighting below and the surrounding mountains really give a sense of scale. From the foreground to the street lighting, deep sky colours and the stars above - well executed.
@someoldguy
The slightly unsaturated sky in this image really allows the bridge and lighting to stand out and give a real sense of the nighttime. For me, I think I would have preferred the image composed from the corner of the platform giving a cleaner foreground with only the water in view but that may have been forced due to available focal length?
@crf8
This is a great shot in its own right and I love the sun rays shining through the clouds. I'm not feeling the night theme so much in this shot though, it feels like there is a little too much natural light in the final exposure and that is the only criticism I have.
@Laird Knox
Wow! This is an awesome shot. This wasn't in my mind at all when I thought about the theme but it is a hugely impressive picture. Great subject and location but the lighting is superb and really makes the image. This looks more like a movie set in a studio than real life and I mean that as a compliment.
@deep diver
Minimalist, simple and very effective. I like a good light painting and this is a nice example. The ghostly face also gives it an air of mystery.
@AllergyDoc
Bang on theme. It's always harder to capture details in a full moon as you lose a lot of the shadow contrast from the surface features and this is a little over exposed for me to do it justice. Lowering the exposure a little and a quick pass with a clarity filter would make a big difference.
@cogi0490
Nice, unique image. I like the idea of looking up but I do find the branches hanging down from the top a little distracting - I think I would have preferred the composition if it would have been possible to isolate the one tree against the starry sky.
@Apple fanboy
Beautifully composed image. Lovely hues and tones and well balanced lighting while maintaining the general darkness of the theme.
@nirajbhatt7
Superb image - something like a scene out of a post apocalyptic video game. It has a bit of everything with strong colours and lighting and fits the theme very well. A very credible entry.
@anotherscotsman
Wow, what initially seems like a simple image but is anything but. This is a beautiful shot that blends contrast and subtle lighting in a very emotive fashion. Stunning.
@Susurs
A nicely exposed and sharp night shot with the trees offering a naturally contrasting frame. From a personal perspective, I would love to see more of the sky and really show off the Milky Way.
@Mark0
Fantastic! I know a lot of work has gone into this shot and it shows. Great composition with a well judged exposure on the foreground to maintain the night feel and provide that gorgeous, smooth waterfall. The clean starscape is the cherry on top.
@MacDevil7334
Another fine image. Love the quality of the night sky you have captured and bonus points for capturing a clearly defined Andromeda! I like the parallax depicted by the foreground subjects and the distant hills offering a strong contrast. My one minor criticism is the foreground lighting is a little patchy but realise I'm splitting hairs here.
@Ish
Lovely image - great use of the low angle over the puddle to capture the mirror like reflection and the full length of the promenade. The B&W conversion also works and combines well with the living, street element for this picture. Clever shot!
@oblomow
A strong final entry. A nicely illuminated subject sitting perfectly against the black backdrop. Tightly framed but I’m curious if there was any reason why the subject was off centre?
Thanks again for everyone taking the time to submit images - very much appreciated. This was a tough one and I genuinely do think a few shots are just going to miss out that don’t deserve too - the honourable mentions list would be very long if I did one.
Anyway, the podium is as follows…
3rd - @Laird Knox
A well executed shot that has a real visual impact.
2nd - @Mark0
A fantastically well presented image and a great take on the theme.
1st - @anotherscotsman
Something about this image just draws me in and I found myself coming back to it upon multiple viewings.
Thanks again and over to @anotherscotsman.
How did everyone else vote?
I really appreciate everyone taking the time to submit an image. I took these notes at the first time of viewing each image so it was my initial impressions and I have tried to be candid about what works for me. Please do not take this as anything other than constructive though because I’m a bit of a straight shooter and we all see things differently.
I also wanted to pay my full respect to everyone on here - I knew there was a lot of talent posting on here but I was genuinely impressed with the variety and quality on offer. This was a very tough one to judge!
And with that out of the way, onto the images…
@Hughmac
Nicely captured with a lovely blend of colours. I would have been inclined to get closer and lower to the runway into the water and made more of a feature of that and the sunset with a slightly less busy composition.
@akash.nu
Another nice capture - I normally find a bird in mid flight distracting but I think it adds to this image. The desaturated look makes this stand out for me.
@malofx
I'm a sucker for a good Milky Way shot and this is very nicely exposed - I'm so jealous of the location. I like the arc creating a natural frame but would prefer just that and the Milky Way or more of the Milky Way and perhaps just one dominant tree for a sense of scale. I'm guessing you had space constraints to consider when getting the shot?
@Clix Pix
Lovely shot - it comes across as a very serene image and those tones are gorgeous. There is nothing I would change in this.
@inkmich
Absolutely nails the theme for me. Well composed and I love the high contrast look. I'm liking this shot a lot.
@Darmok N Jalad
Quite an unusual capture and it works well for me. I'm assuming this was a long exposure with you hopping in and out of frame? The lowered saturation and slight motion give it an ethereal look
@Alexander.Of.Oz
Gorgeous colours and a clever choice with the panorama showing the transition between sunset and night. The content fills the composition very well too.
@Janichsan
Interesting subject and composition - I love the angles in the building and the overall abstraction. I think I would have preferred to have seen a darker sky to really convey that night element. Great shot though.
@tizeye
A quite striking image - I love the contrast of the rampart lighting and geometry against the night sky. The only thing I would consider changing would be to crop in a little from the top to change the ratio since there is such a big expanse of nothingness on display in the sky but I'm nitpicking here.
@kenoh
A very creative image Ken - equal parts heavenly beauty and edgy dynamism. A very unique shot which I like a lot.
@freezelighter
This is a great shot on so many levels - a stunning scene with a lot to digest. It looks like a shot from an aircraft with the street lighting below and the surrounding mountains really give a sense of scale. From the foreground to the street lighting, deep sky colours and the stars above - well executed.
@someoldguy
The slightly unsaturated sky in this image really allows the bridge and lighting to stand out and give a real sense of the nighttime. For me, I think I would have preferred the image composed from the corner of the platform giving a cleaner foreground with only the water in view but that may have been forced due to available focal length?
@crf8
This is a great shot in its own right and I love the sun rays shining through the clouds. I'm not feeling the night theme so much in this shot though, it feels like there is a little too much natural light in the final exposure and that is the only criticism I have.
@Laird Knox
Wow! This is an awesome shot. This wasn't in my mind at all when I thought about the theme but it is a hugely impressive picture. Great subject and location but the lighting is superb and really makes the image. This looks more like a movie set in a studio than real life and I mean that as a compliment.
@deep diver
Minimalist, simple and very effective. I like a good light painting and this is a nice example. The ghostly face also gives it an air of mystery.
@AllergyDoc
Bang on theme. It's always harder to capture details in a full moon as you lose a lot of the shadow contrast from the surface features and this is a little over exposed for me to do it justice. Lowering the exposure a little and a quick pass with a clarity filter would make a big difference.
@cogi0490
Nice, unique image. I like the idea of looking up but I do find the branches hanging down from the top a little distracting - I think I would have preferred the composition if it would have been possible to isolate the one tree against the starry sky.
@Apple fanboy
Beautifully composed image. Lovely hues and tones and well balanced lighting while maintaining the general darkness of the theme.
@nirajbhatt7
Superb image - something like a scene out of a post apocalyptic video game. It has a bit of everything with strong colours and lighting and fits the theme very well. A very credible entry.
@anotherscotsman
Wow, what initially seems like a simple image but is anything but. This is a beautiful shot that blends contrast and subtle lighting in a very emotive fashion. Stunning.
@Susurs
A nicely exposed and sharp night shot with the trees offering a naturally contrasting frame. From a personal perspective, I would love to see more of the sky and really show off the Milky Way.
@Mark0
Fantastic! I know a lot of work has gone into this shot and it shows. Great composition with a well judged exposure on the foreground to maintain the night feel and provide that gorgeous, smooth waterfall. The clean starscape is the cherry on top.
@MacDevil7334
Another fine image. Love the quality of the night sky you have captured and bonus points for capturing a clearly defined Andromeda! I like the parallax depicted by the foreground subjects and the distant hills offering a strong contrast. My one minor criticism is the foreground lighting is a little patchy but realise I'm splitting hairs here.
@Ish
Lovely image - great use of the low angle over the puddle to capture the mirror like reflection and the full length of the promenade. The B&W conversion also works and combines well with the living, street element for this picture. Clever shot!
@oblomow
A strong final entry. A nicely illuminated subject sitting perfectly against the black backdrop. Tightly framed but I’m curious if there was any reason why the subject was off centre?
Thanks again for everyone taking the time to submit images - very much appreciated. This was a tough one and I genuinely do think a few shots are just going to miss out that don’t deserve too - the honourable mentions list would be very long if I did one.
Anyway, the podium is as follows…
3rd - @Laird Knox
A well executed shot that has a real visual impact.
2nd - @Mark0
A fantastically well presented image and a great take on the theme.
1st - @anotherscotsman
Something about this image just draws me in and I found myself coming back to it upon multiple viewings.
Thanks again and over to @anotherscotsman.
How did everyone else vote?
Woah! Some seriously great images in amongst this weeks entries.
Well done @Donka for a great theme that drew lots out to play! Great job with your observations & the judging.
Congrat's to the winners, truly great imagery from you all. Looking forward to seeing what the next round holds in store.
Well done @Donka for a great theme that drew lots out to play! Great job with your observations & the judging.
Congrat's to the winners, truly great imagery from you all. Looking forward to seeing what the next round holds in store.
Thank you for the feedback.
I shot it with a 24-70, so I didn't have much to work with and that frame is a window of a something that looked like a shed, made out of bricks with four windows, I will soon go back with a wide angel lens. The location is magical, I wasn't even going for the Milky Way that night, once I arrived I saw it, it was right above Half Dome, but the lens couldn't pull it off.
Thanks again
