Nothing says Christmas like a robin in the snow, and this is a particularly fine example. The eye is lovely and sharp and it’s also clear of snowflakes, while the background works wonderfully with the shock of colour from the bird’s breast. What’s more there is plenty of space for the cover lines.
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Sometimes photography is about communicating atmosphere and there is no denying that this shot sums up the warmth and garish colour of Christmas. It’s a celebration of bokeh and proof positive that sometimes throwing a scene out of focus can lead to unusual and extremely effective results. It doesn’t just shout Christmas, it positively screams it.
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The Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye in Scotland is a popular location with photographers and, as such, we see an awful lot of pictures of this landmark. But capturing the Storr under a blanket of snow, and with such an interesting sky, is much more unusual. It’s a great shot, but the impact of the main pinnacle would be lost once the cover furniture is applied.
All too often photographers are told that a successful portrait must have strong eye contact, but this image is an exception to the rule. Crisp, wonderfully exposed and full of detail it’s a magical shot with more than just a hint of the White Witch in Narnia about it. Sadly once the cover furniture (masthead, cover lines etc) is applied the shot will lose its purity and become overpowered by the typography.
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The photographer has entitled this shot ‘Another Singing Robin’ but despite the tongue-in-cheek description it’s a pretty good example. The background colours complement the subject, while the large expanse of ‘negative’ space to the right gives the bird plenty of room to sing/fly into. Unfortunately the focusing is not quite right and, while the subject is a robin, it doesn’t exactly scream Christmas. What’s more it would be hard to crop the shot for the cover.
Brief
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The holiday season is almost upon us, which means it’s time for Stir-up Sunday, sentimental TV adverts, and THIS year, the Amateur Photographer Christmas cover contest, which is being hosted by Photocrowd. Here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have your work featured on the front cover of the world's no1 weekly photography magazine over Christmas! You are free to interpret the theme in any way you choose: naturally we are happy to see shots of baubles, trees and lights, but we also want pictures that show the creative potential of the season in general, so feel free to submit winter landscapes, indoor portraits, frosty flora and fauna etc. If you think you already have something on file, great, if not try and shoot something specifically for the competition (see 'The brief in detail' tab for our insider tips).
