Bags, Baggage and Luggage

This image has an unconventional composition and viewpoint that may not appeal to all, but I find it a striking shot that certainly draws the attention. The large bag dominates the foreground, but looking beyond the eye is drawn to the lone figure and the line of the carriage receding into the distance. I like the black and white conversion, with good tones and bold contrasts. Well done on your top ten placing.

Great use of high contrast black and white ensures the white large bag is a key focal point of this image. The light reflecting on the wet pavement brings the image to life on what looks to be a rather dismal day weatherwise, and also makes the two figures stand out more clearly against the brighter backdrop. Well done on your top ten placing.

This was a late entry into my top ten, and is an image I appreciate the more I look. Composition and framing are spot on, with the bag centre of attention, but with the added interest of the bag being casually held, elevating the shot beyond a simple still-life composition. The conversion to black and white has been especially well handled with a good range of tones and contrasts. Choice of shooting aperture suits the subject, with sharp focus on the bag and hand, with the rest of the scene falling softly out of focus. Congratulations on your third place finish.

What a great image of some fabulously bright and contrasting bags. The jumbled arrangement adds intesest for the viewer as there is plenty for the eye to explore. Focus is crisp, allowing for lots of textural details in the weave of the fabric and the straps etc. The square crop works well for the subject, as the bags sre closely contained, filling the framd and creating a rather abstract look. Congratulations on your second place finish.

A bold and striking still-life image of a rather elegant bag. The set-up is great, with the red ribbon casually laying across the bag, highlighting its shape and providing a lovely pop of colour. The lighting really makes a great success of the shot, and looks to be natural, coming in from the side to highlight the little bead details and creates a lovely mood. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

A super still-life image, giving this stylish leather bag centre stage. The set-up and composition looks simple, but I am sure has been very well considered. Lighting is great, coming from the side to emphasise the shape and form of the bag, along with details of the folds of the leather and the texture of the surface. The little golden details lift the image further. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

A great detail shot. Although relatively little of the case is visible, the subject is clear from the little snippits of print on the label. The image really tells a story as the viewer is invited to create a narrative around the travel history of this piece of luggage. Good textural details to complete the vintage look. Well done on your top ten placing.

Entering a multi-photo image into a general contest can sometimes be a bit of a gamble, and for some reason such images often do not score too well in the crowd vote. This image however is a perfect example of why multi-shot images should not be overlooked. Each of the nine small studies stand up in their own right, but all assembled together the image is elevated further. I think where you have been especially successful is that there is real harmony, with all parts having similar tones and colours, and each representing a similarly-sized detail. The tones and colours are however sufficiently different to be interesting and well worth exploring with the eye. The only down side of presenting nine images in one is that each is only relatively small to view on even a large screen, so some details and textures etc. become less obvious. A fabulous study of an old leather case. Congratulations on your winning image.

I cannot know that this is a busker making their way home after a long day, but that is the story this shot seems to tell to me. The very large case (probably a cello?) adds a slight comic touch as if dwarfs the musician, creating an interesting shape too. Great capture of the light, with the platform and train contrasting with the black backdrop, and the bold yellow, blue and red giving lovely pops of colour. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.