Curtains, Blinds and Shutters

What a great image. Although captured with a very fast shutter speed to control the exposure, thereby freezing the movement, such is the angle of the blowing curtain we still get a real sense of movement and the gusty wind blowing down the street. I love the soft colours, with nothing too harsh or bright as can sometimes be seen on Burano, so it is nice to see a different perspective. The tight crop, close-in on the door and shuttered window, makes the curtain and shutter the subject of the image, rather than just presenting a general street scene. Congratulations on your second place finish.

I love the simplicity of this image. Although there are plenty of textural details on the wall surface and the shutters to hold the attention, the lines lines and shapes are simple and uncluttered. The slightly softened/muted processing style suits the subject and somehow enhances the graphic of the shot. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

There were relatively few entries in this contest that focused only on small details of curtains, so this image stood out as being a little different. The composition, generally following the 'rule of thirds' looks unforced but is effective and pleasing on the eye. Plenty of textural details throughout, from the gentle folds of the fabric, the gathers, the twisted knot and the plaited tassels. Simple subject, but proving that going for simplicity can often be the best way for an effective shot. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

A typical scene from the "streets" of Burano, a super image giving a view of some of the simple canalside dwellings. As with elsewhere in Venice, the ever-present water and moisture is not always the best friend of walls and painted surfaces, so we are treated to a little bit of shabby and weathered paint and plaster work, adding atmosphere to the image. It is great to see the contrasting shutters on each side of the shot, one looking a little worn, the other a far more modern alternative, but it is the stripy frilly curtain I like the best! The chair, although currently vacant, hints at human presence and I am sure at different times of the day it is occupied as the resident watches their little piece of the world go by. Well done on your top ten placing.

What attracted me to this image is the simplicity of the composition, just a wooden fence and window shutters upon a plain white wall. Some may overlook the shot and find it dull, but I love the mundanity, and find there is plenty of details to hold the interest, if one only looks. Well done on your top ten placing

This image stood out as the likely winner as soon as I saw it, a stunning and unique image. By having the focus set on the stationary girl in the background, the billowing curtain plus the movement and focal blur of the figure in the foreground add a real sense of dynamism to the shot. A confident move to compose and focus the image in this way, but it really works. The colours are bright and somewhat clashing, but as they are not over-saturated that only adds to the success of the photograph. Congratulations on your winning image.

Although the gentleman in the photo is the initial focal point, the symmetry of the composition also makes a feature of the shutters and curtain, which perfectly matches the brief for this contest. I love the limited colour palette, mainly soft blues and browns, which bring a lovely mood of calm to the shot. It is left up to the viewer to create a narrative as to what the man is looking out upon from his vantage point. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

There is no information given as to the specific setting of this shot, whether a hut, house, boat or train etc, but whichever, we get a great view of a rather attractive but very shabby curtain, which is so fragile it is no longer serving its purpose, instead giving us a peep into what it was intended to hide. A simple but well-seen subject, well done on your top ten placing.

Although maybe slightly shabby, I love all the different colours and styles of these individual little dwellings. Plenty of details for the eye to explore, which gives the viewer opportunity to create a narrative as to who may live behind each curtain or blind. Shot face-on to the building is often the best perspective to take in a shot such as this, as it also adds an abstract feel to the composition too. Congratulations on your third place finish.