Chimneys

What made this image stand out for me initially was the wonderful clarity of the image, captured on a bright cloudless day, enabling the architecture to stand out against the plain backdrop. The setting is relatively ordinary, but the way it has been captured makes for an image full of interest, with plenty of details for the eye to explore. There are an abundance of chimneys, all slightly different in appearance, which helps create the interest. Lighting has been well handled, with no harsh highlights or areas of deep shadows to distract. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

This image was a late entry into my top ten, but is one I liked the more I looked. Although relatively small in the image, by being positioned centrally in the frame, the chimney remains the focal point of the shot. Captured from a great viewpoint, we see the chimney and smoke perfectly reflected in the water, but by including a good amount of landscape in the foreground, the reflection does not become clichéd. Looking to have been captured on a chilly wintery morning, the soft pinky purply light is a contrast to the harsh industrial landscape it contains. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

There were a fair number of entries in this contest capturing the Gaudi chimneys, but this one stood out for me. Lighting is great, capturing the warm sunlight and creating some good contrasts to reveal the shape and form of the chimneys. Composition works well, with this cluster of tightly huddled chimneys clear of any surrounding structures. Good clarity and crisp, clean focus. Well done on your top ten placing.

A great rooftop view looking over some characterful little chimneys. Focus is clearly on the near chimneys, but we still get to see a little more of the setting, which falls into softer focus in the background so does not allow the scene to become too confusing on the eye. Lighting is good, giving some nice contrasts, which works well in this conversion to black and white. Well done on your top ten placing.

This image is all about the fabulous capture of the light, presented in a monochrome image so the subject takes on a rather abstract form. The way the light falls on the chimneys and roofs is just right, to pick out and outline the shapes. Also working well is the relative position of the cloud formation and the buildings, that allow the brighter chimney tops to stand against a darker backdrop, giving them more prominence. Congratulations on your second place finish.

I love this view looking down on the rooftops of what looks to be a typical northern England industrial settlement. To some this scene may seem quite dull, but I find it fascinating, full of interest and details. The chimneys stand out well against the brightly lit rooftops, possibly no longer emitting smoke but a strong reminder of past times. The conversion to black and white works well, with a good range of tones. A great architectural documentary shot, well done on your top ten placing.

I often find the rather grim and mundane rather appealing, and I think that is what drew me initially to this shot. The subject is simple and the composition uncluttered, so the eye is immediately drawn to the chimneys standing out against the plain white sky behind. The height of the telegraph pole and wires adds good balance to the composition. The contrasty black and white works well with the subject. Maybe not to everyone's taste, but a great shot I think. Congratulations on your winning image.

What I especially like here is the compressed perspective from use of a relatively long telephoto lens, which has the effect of stacking all the elements of the composition closer together for a different dynamic to the scene. There is no obvious focal point, but that does not matter here, as wherever the eye settles there are many interesting details to explore. I also like the composition, using the line of chimneys to draw the eye across from right front to left back, then the row of houses in the distance to take the eye on a line in the opposite direction to the top right corner. Congratulations on your top three placing.

This image is full of impact and conveys a rather dramatic mood. The vast chimneys are fascinating to see, and are an indication of the size of these houses with, presumably, each chimney pot corresponding to a room below. I like the close in view, which adds to the impact, but also gives a little hint as to the architecture of the rest of the buildings. The grey cloudy sky adds to the mood of the shot, which I imagine would have looked quite different captured on a bright sunny day. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.