Corridors and Tunnels

A simple subject, but one which works really well for this contest. The viewpoint and composition is good, as we get the right balance of wall, floor and ceiling. The corridor provides an obvious lead-in line into the image. For me, what gives the image strength is your decision to include the telephone in the frame - compositionally it is well placed, and gives an interesting focal point without dominating the shot. The addition of the digital frame effect is probably unnecessary in my view, but it is small enough not to distract. Well done on your top ten finish.

This is another successful image where there is evidence of careful attention being paid to the point of view and composition of the shot, to create maximum impact. You have managed to control the lighting well, as the image is nicely exposed, but you have avoided any harsh or blown highlights from the strip lighting overhead and in its reflection on the ground. Strong, bold colours and contrasts make this image stand out. Well done on your top ten placing.

The fish-eye lens has been used creatively here to make an interesting feature of the distortion such a lens creates. You have selected a great viewpoint, as the converging handrails lead us up the steps into the frame, and then down the tunnel beyond. Technically well executed with regard to focus and exposure etc, and the black and white conversion has worked very well. The inclusion of the figure works well too. Well done on your top ten placing.

There were a number of entries taken from this location, but this was the clear standout version for me. To give maximum impact when photographing a location such as this, the camera needs to be positioned exactly in the centre of the width of the frame to give the symmetry - anything just off centre looses the impact. A great deal of care and attention looks to have been taken over the composition of this image, and it has been rewarded in a fabulous image. I also like the darker cool toning you have given the image. A great image, well done on your second place finish.

This minimalist view of a rather stark corridor works very well. The lines draw us in to the back of the image, and the shot has a great perception of depth. The low tonal contrast suits the subject and adds to the abstract feel of the shot. I am a little uncertain about the colouring - I don't know if it was as seen, or the hue added in post-editing - but overall I think this is a very strong image, well deserving of its top ten placing.

This was a late addition to my top ten, but one I find very appealing, so decided it should be placed. The lens you have used gives us a fairly wide view without distortion, so we can get a great overview of the inside of this tunnel. The lines of the paving provide a great lead-in to the image, to take us towards the exit of the canal tunnel, then the eye can explore and linger on all the details and features you have captured. You have successfully been able to balance the exposure to capture detail in the buildings outside too, rather than showing just burnt out highlights outside, which can often be the case when photographing from inside a tunnel. The contrasty black and white processing works well for this rather gritty architectural subject. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

As explained in my general comment included with the top placed image, I included cloisters in the judging of this contest, as in my opinion they fit the definition of corridors, as they are are predominantly indoors, and have doors leading off into various rooms. So here we see a rather grand example of the corridor! Your description tells that this is composed of ten stitched shots, and I imaging it took a good deal of patience for all ten shots to be composed and captured with no-one arriving in the frame. A vertical split of the frame does not always work, but I think it does here, and it gives an extra sense of the ornate and fabulously detailed architecture of this grand cathedral. Well balanced exposure has avoided too much harsh highlights coming in from outside, and there is detail in the shadow areas too. A great architectural image, well done on your top ten placing.

The low-to-the-ground viewpoint is what gives this image a point of difference and so stands out from the rest of similar tunnel shots. Whether the slower shutter speed was deliberate, or just a requirement of the low levels of light, it has worked well, as the nearer figure has become an anonymous shadowy blur, which for me adds to the image overall. The conversion to black and white has been well done, as there are a full range of tones, and lots of little details, such as the near ground, are clear to see. Great work, well done on your third place finish.

There were a large number of entries in this contest which showed similar scenes to this, of empty and dark old railway tunnels. This one however stood out for me and made it into the placings. Focus is clear, and we can see details along the walls, and the difficult lighting conditions has been well handled, as the 3 second shutter speed used has managed to expose the shot just right, so it is light enough to see what we are looking at, but are still able to get a sense of the gloom in the tunnel. I like the composition too, with the tunnel curving into the distance and seeing just a glimpse of what looks to be the opening to the outside. What also works well is the hint of colour in the bricks and wet stone. Well done on your top ten placing.

Firstly an overall comment on the judging: There were many interpretations of what constitutes a corridor or a tunnel, and in judging this contest, in my view many entries stretched the parameters too far, so I have not awarded those entries. For "corridors" I have not included subjects like art gallery exhibition rooms, shopping centres, open alleys between buildings, aisles between seats on buses and trains, entrance halls etc. I have included cloisters, as they are predominantly inside a building, and have doors which open off them into other rooms. For "tunnels" I have not included short bridges, arches, archways formed by trees, covered markets etc, and have tried to restrict the awards to entries showing either a man-made underground or overground enclosed passageway, which has been tunneled or constructed to bypass an obstacle, such as through a hillside, beneath a city, or crossing over major roads etc.

On to the winning image: This image has it all - technically very well executed with regard to exposure, focus, composition etc. The positioning of the camera and point of view for capturing the image is perfect, and just a few inches either way would have in effect ruined the shot. Instead, with the symmetrical converging lines, we get the sense of being sucked into the image to the end of the tunnel in the distance. The small differences between the two sides of the tunnel avoid the shot having an unreal artificial look such as with a digitally flipped image. I love the green and cream colouring, with small flashes of red in the mid-distance, and the overall tones make for a very pleasing image, nothing too harsh or contrasty, but still with plenty of pops of bold colour. Great work, congratulations on your winning image.