Amateur Photographer Magazine

Dear Forumites

< down on knees mode > Firstly this month I have to apologise, say sorry, throw myself on the ground before you to beg for your mercy. I love to be a record breaker, but taking the longest time ever to judge the monthly forum competition is not an achievement I will wish to remember – or indeed be remembered for. Over the last couple of months I have been locked in a special development process that has occupied every waking (and sleeping) moment. I have hardly had a moment to even look at the forum, let alone set aside the time required to assess this competition. I can’t tell you that we are about to relaunch the magazine for the 25 October issue, because it is supposed to be a secret. So I also can’t tell you that I have been working on setting up new features, a new test structure and working more information into the magazine so we can all improve our photography. (You didn’t hear it here first) < /down on knees mode >

I have been looking forward to this round for ages, as it presents the dual challenges of shooting a great picture while using a focal length many do not associate with landscapes. When we step away from the things we are used to (our ‘comfort zones’, as cool people like to say very loudly) one of two things happens. We either discover something new, or we cock things up completely. I was interested to see what would happen here.

I am glad to say that you have all risen to the challenge very well, and the pictures on show demonstrate well-developed imagination. The theme of familiar scenes photographed from an unusual viewpoint is diluted by the fact that the angle of view used corresponds quite closely with that of our own eyes. We are faced with the unusual that looks oddly usual – or, perhaps, real even.

The shortlist once again is hardly short, but it only reflects the general high standards of the submissions. There are a lot of really great images, but I’d like to draw your attention to Panda’s ‘Cloudy Beacons’, ‘Tetons, Wyoming’, by miked and the wonderfully Athena, but appallingly named, ‘The Lost Buoy’, by El Sid. I hope your piers judge you kindly.

Just to remind you of the prizes: the first placed image wins a wonderful Nikon Coolpix S210 compact camera – kindly donated by Nikon UK, and second and third placed pictures win a highly coveted ‘AP Loves My Pictures’ mug.

So on to the winners:

3rd place: OneTen

I love the atmosphere of ‘Jokulsarlon’, by One Ten. The mountain is so imposing and its height seems doubled by its reflection. The sharpness of its rough jutting edges is brought out by the contrast of the black and white, and the bleak scene is finished nicely with a heavy sky. It’s a scene many of us could only imaging in colour, but it works so well in this harsh monochrome

2nd place: john_g

John_g’s ‘The Tripe Dresser, Smithfield Market’ is a remarkable picture. I love the composition, the colours and the shadows. I also love that first impression that there are a couple of East End Mafia thugs walking by on their way to collect some protection money, until you realise they are probably just a pair of accountants out to get a new pencil. The figures really make the shot, and demonstrate the worth of waiting for that extra element to come along to complete the picture. It’s really great.

1st place: jonopye

There is so much going on in Jonopye’s ‘Land, sea, sky’ that it is hard to know where to start. The colours are probably what we see first, and the mirror line of the horizon that reflects the puffy clouds in the waves of the long grass. The winding path leads to the falling-down life ring stand, that then crosses with the knife-edge straight line where the dark blue sea meets the light blue sky. It’s a lovely scene too, that I’d really like to be in now, rather than sitting here at my desk. I can feel the wind on the right side of my head, and feel the faint warmth of the sun as it fights the coolness of the sea breeze. If I had a bigger version I’d blow it up full screen and sit and look at it for the rest of the day – so it’s probably best we stick to web resolution for now. I’d get even less done!

Conclusion:

Thanks to all of you that took part in this round, and once again I apologise for the delay in getting it judged. I just hope that when you see the new-look magazine that I can’t talk about, you will feel that the wait was worthwhile.

Damien Demolder