Bricks & brickwork

I love this type of image. Some people may pass it by quite quickly, but I could keep looking at it for a long while, taking in the different shapes, and the differences between the various windows, even when the shapes are identical. If a person who was not a photographer was standing alongside, I am sure they would wonder why you were taking this shot, but I thinks it is great, and shows you have a good eye for a great shot. The black & white conversion works well too. All nicely leveled and verticals corrected, essential for this type of shot to work well. Great work.

I can't help but be attracted to this image, and your viewpoint is perfect. Whilst some degree of straightening is possible in processing, unless the image was taken from the correct angle, there will always be part of the shot which is distorted, to allow another part to be level. You have avoided any distortions (apart from the obvious converging verticals, which are key to the shot) I really like the lightness of the shot, with just enough shadow to retain depth form in the architecture, and the colouring natural. A great subject choice for this contest too. Fabulous image, well done.

This is a great example of an image which shows you do not need to travel to exotic locations to get a great shot, as there can be wonderful scenes waiting for you to photograph just around the corner from your own front door. Your early walk on a chilly morning has been well-rewarded as this is a super image. Aside from the well executed technical elements such as composition, focusing and exposure, for me the success of the image is the fabulous contrast between the rich warm colours of the brickwork, and the cool, chilly hues of the ground and vegetation. The balance between the two has been perfectly captured, to produce a spectacular image from an ordinary subject. Well done.

This image is all about the lighting which has elevated a rather mundane subject into something much more interesting. You have handled the bright lighting very well, and the strong contrasts you have captured are great. You have also lifted the deep shadows just enough to allow a little detail to be present even in the darkest parts of the image, to avoid any totally black areas. The conversion to black & white has been done very well too. A worthy second place, well done.

This shot has everything a night-time urban image should have. The lighting has been very well handled, as I imagine there were very strong contrasts between the lightest and darkest parts of the scene. You have managed to get the light areas not too bright, and neither the shadowy areas too dark, so we can see detail everywhere. I also really like the figure making their way down the narrow cobbled street, into the night. The starburst on the streetlight completes the scene. Great work, well done.

Another subject choice perfect for the theme of this contest. This is a very well exposed image, and whether by luck or planning, the lighting is great, as the overcast weather has presented a softness to the light, and with no harsh highlights or shadows, we can see detail everywhere, which you have captured well. Bring a little picky, it would have maybe been better if the tops of the chimneys had not been cropped off, but looking at the camera data, you were shooting at your widest angle possible for the lens, and your ability to take a step back was most likely limited. On balance, it was probably the wisest choice to keep as much as the lower wall as you have, at the expense of the chimneys, otherwise the wall would have looked chopped off too! Lovely image, well done on your top ten placing.

Sometimes, structures such as this fine Danish church, can look quite overwhelming or oppressive. What I really like here is how you have brought a wonderful lightness to the image, which is in contrast to the fairly stark, austere architecture. Framing is great, as you have enabled the viewer to see past the near columns through to the arches and columns beyond. The very background may look to be a little overexposed, but I don't think that matters here, as it allows the hanging lights to be clearly seen, which adds further interest to the shot. Great capture, well done on your top ten finish.

This is a very eye-catching image, and a great subject choice for this contest. It would have been nice if you could have added a brief description as to the location of this structure, so unfortunately I have no idea what or where it is. It is a very well composed shot, with the distant figure perfectly positioned on the intersecting third-lines, adding scale and a focal point. Great angle of view too, it looks as if the camera was placed on the floor (so I wonder if the figure in the shot may be yourself?) which gives added dynamic to the image. Well controlled exposure too, in what looks to be fairly challenging lighting conditions. Well done.

This is a great architectural image, very well composed, and nicely converted to black & white, which seems to emphasise the stark shapes of the stadium entrance. The figures are well placed within the shot, adding scale and a vital human element. You probably did not plan this, but I love the little solitary wisp of cloud - it would have been tempting for some to clone that out, but I am glad you didn't. Great image, well done.