Amateur Photographer Magazine

Amateur Photographer monthly forum competition results for June 2009

Friday 3rd July 2009

Damien Demolder

So, it seems there are nearly 100 people on this forum determined that I should not have an easy life. I had expected a very high standard for this month's competition, but to honest I thought the theme was one of the more challenging. I'm glad, though, that you've all risen to the occasion. The quality of work is outstanding.



Just to remind you, the forum competition is kindly sponsored by Nikon. The top prize each month is the delightful Nikon Coolpix S560 10MP compact camera. Our second and third prize-winners get an 'Amateur Photographer Loves My Pictures' mug.



The man-made landscape is an important theme and I'm glad that you have reflected its meaning in a sensitive way. There are obvious signs and the clichéd dead fish type picture – man's destructive force – but these images are often removed from our own realities and fail to connect with the viewer in a direct and effective way. The majority of images in this month's competition go a lot deeper, to show how man's influence can produce beauty as well as visual horror, but I especially like the images that show how man either clashes with or emulates the natural world. Individual images here are really excellent, but actually it is the combined effort, and the massed view-points, that make this month's entries so interesting. Go back to the forum and format the post to 'view all' to get a clearer idea of how these pictures work so well together.

Accordingly the shortlist fails once again to live up to its name, with a total of 35 images making it into the 'could-have-won' category. Of these the pictures I had most difficulty choosing between included 'Blast Furnace' by Tonycro, 'Gates to Heaven' by Maris, 'Dad's Dilapidated Dig's by MartyG, 'Early Morning in the City' by GBVisuals and 'The 13th' by lan_A.

So, on to the winners.

Third place: - AnnieM for Industrial Sunset



If you described the contents of this industrial picture to a friend it would sound like the standard 'industry v nature' type shot, but when you experience it first hand (or first eye) you can see that it is far from 'usual'. The colour of the sky has a massive impact in the scene, but it does not 'make' the picture by itself. Annie has really worked the contents of the subject to create something that is only complemented by the sky. By keeping the camera dead straight she has produced a formal atmosphere, and the stillness of the water reflects perfectly the structures on the land. This is obviously a gift of a scene, but it is Annie's treatment of it that has made a great picture.

Second place: Jchrisc, for Slate



It takes a second or two to see what it is we are looking at here. The streaking tracks with their wobbling turns could equally be either a racing circuit or a tumbling river. The visual and mental shapes and twists make this a fascinating scene, and I know that had I seen it I would have rushed to get closer to photograph all the components that make it special. Jchrisc however, did the sensible thing and stayed back to photograph the whole scene. The resultant picture has great depth, great composition and a wonderfully understated message portrayed in understated colours.

First place: AJUK, for The Temple of Shopping



This photograph reveals in some spectacular fashion the deception used by the modern architect to convince us that there is something natural about shopping centres. We get the 'family friendly' message on the sides of buses and in the local press, and when we get there we find sweeping dales, lakes, cliffs and a wonderful sky – all created in a plastics and stone. This is a very grand illustration of the sort of staircase one feels important walking down, and the splendour of the open meadows below give us the sense of airy space.

I think this is a great photograph. It not only feeds the eye with its composed structure and dramatic tones, it also feeds the brain with its suggestions and revelations. First class.

What a great set of pictures! Once again I've really enjoyed this competition and I'm really proud to have you all as readers – or at least as 'webbies'. Thanks to everyone that took part and special thanks to the moderators for their help and guidance with picture sizing and first-time posters.

Damien

I hope you can all find the time to enter the July round too.

Click the links to see all the Amateur Photographer forum photographic competition entries for June and here to read the June forum photographic competition discussion thread

This is where you'll find all the rest of the year's Amateur Photographer forum photographic competitions and discussion threads.

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