Circles

There have been quite a few competition entries with similar scenes of this staircase. And what a staircase it is, perfectly lending itself to a circle themed competition. Excellent composition of the swirls and the handrail in relation to the edge of the frame create a pleasing and tension-free movement of the eye throughout the scene. The circles of the lights and their cables add an extra layer and depth that creates an incredible 3d feel to the image. Also, well done for not getting your legs in the shot. Well done on a deserved 2nd place. This is how abstract architecture photography is done!

This photograph instantly caught my eye. An everyday scene from a laundrette telling the story of the person doing their washing, interacting with the wall of circles, forming a strong leading line taking the viewers eye through the image to the focal point. She's probably been there many times, following the loops (circles) of her weekly routine. A great circle story nicely captured. Well done.

There are some very interesting colours and tones in this photo, a real balance between cool blues and warm oranges, swirling around to form circles The small, bright circle on the floor forming the main focal point. The eye is really led on an orbiting journey through the photograph before resting on the strong circle. My only suggestion would be to rethink the framing of the handrail to the left and bottom image edge. Being very close to the edge creates a little too much tension in those areas, detracting from the powerful circling swirl. Just a little more breathing space in these areas would have given a stronger composition and a possible top 10 position. It is still an excellent photo, well done and thanks for sharing.

A stunning combination of light painting and star trail photography. This really hits the spot on the subject of Circles, using the biggest circles in the universe. Perhaps if the boathouse was position slightly further to the right, using the ramp as a balancing leading line to the building, the image would be a little stronger. Currently, it feels a little off-balanced with the lean to the left adding to this. Aiming for a smoother light painting effect will increase image engagement too. The image really stood out to me and you should be proud to have it in your photography portfolio. Well done.

A clever interpretation of the theme 'Circles'. The drone helps to gain a perspective that is much harder to see from the ground and the addition of the person incorporated into the scene adds a layer of playfulness and story. Somebody clearly had fun in the snow, and so did the photographer. A great capture, well done.

Wire wool spinning always makes a great photograph. I've experimented with it myself many times. You certainly have plenty of circles to fulfil the competition brief, but I always feel such photographs need more context as to where the location is, some outline of the surroundings to create more interest. Perhaps adjusting the exposure the allow more ambient light to enter the lens could be enough. Something to play with on future spinning endeavours maybe. Thank you for sharing the image.

The photograph shows an interesting composition with great colour and shadow combination. Think about timing when capturing a scene like this, the image would have been much stronger if there was someone walking through the last circle at the second of capture. Choosing that 'decisive moment' can elevate the image to great heights. Well done.

A great photograph that really stood out from many others of the same staircase. I think the thing that makes this image stronger than most is the woman climbing the stairs, adding an extra layer of narrative. I think the one thing that could elevate this image even more, would be to consider who's feet are in the frame. Avoiding stray feet at the edge of the frame makes shooting much harder, but in this case, it would have been worth the effort. However, it is still a fantastic capture. Well done.

An interesting and unearthly image with some beautiful light illuminating the scenery. The multiple swirling circles certainly fulfil the brief of the competition, I wonder however if a simpler, more defined spinning of the burning wire wool would have created a stronger image. Maybe something to experiment with on your next photography adventure. Thanks for sharing your image.

Circles are in so many things we encounter in everyday life. From the moment we wake to the evening hours, there are circles in one form or another in almost everything we see. They're so common they almost become invisible, blending into a sea of circles. The fact they are so ubiquitous makes them a challenging photography competition subject. What does a winning Circles photograph need to stand out from the crowd and deserve the winning spot? It needs photographic intent and to fulfil the brief; it needs depth and a layer of story to engage and entertain the eye; it also needs movement, emotion, colour and composition. This winning photograph excels at them all but also has more. It isn't just a boy sitting in a wall of round baskets; there are inner circles that make up the weave of the baskets, and indeed the primary focal point itself, the boy's eyes, are also circles, sub-framed within the circle he sits it. All in all, this photograph is genuinely outstanding and a deserved winner of the Circles competition.

What a way to nail the competition brief! Simplicity, tonal balance and texture are the key elements that make this such a strong image. The contrast of the blocks in the final circle adds an interesting dissonance that captures the eye. A great photograph, well done.

A moment of joy captured in time. A great entry into the Circles competition and fulfils the brief superbly. The silhouette effect against the golden sky is stunning and I absolutely adore how the child on the left still grasps onto his circle while the others have thrown higher. A splendid entry. You should certainly be proud of this photograph and your 4th place position. Well done.

I've photographed similar round ice formations myself in front of the mighty Kirkjufell mountain, caused when ice lumps spin in the water current and get their edges worn smooth into circles. The scene's colour and tones are attention-grabbing, expertly shot, and coupled with the crisp foreground and soft long exposure clouds, create an excellent photograph. My only suggestion for improvement would be to be careful of strong main features getting too close to the edge of the frame. Compositionally, the arcing edge of the ice has no space, which causes too much tension at that spot when the eye should instead glide smoothly through the picture. It is still a beautiful photograph, though. Well done, and congratulations on a top 10 position.