Electricity Pylons

I love the mundanity of this image, with everything pointing to a rather damp and dreary day in some rather featureless remote landscape. The inclusion of the car in the frame is vital to the success of the shot as it provides a focal point and invites the viewer to create a narrative behind what the car is doing parked there. The pylons are partially obscured by the fog, but that just adds to the mood of the shot. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

It may seem an easy task to capture a great shot of an electricity pylon from close up, however anybody who has tried will no doubt have realised it is not such a straightforward task. The structure of the pylon is simple in its symmetry but complex in its structure, which leads to a lot of compositional choices. This image works for me on many levels. I love the diagonal composition which adds a dynamic to the subject, and there is just the right amount of the pylon included in the frame to both give context but also show plenty of detail. The high contrast black and white really suits the subject too. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

A striking image combining a field of ripening cereal crops, a dramatic sky, and the all-important pylon and cables. Placing the pylon centrally has worked well, as although relatively small in the frame, with the aid of the leading lines of the cables the eye is drawn to the far distance. Great black and white conversion with a full range of tones and bold contrasts. Congratulations on your third place finish.

An initial comment on the judging overall: I have been broad in my interpretation of what constitutes a pylon as I am aware this varies around the world. However I have made my best effort to avoid awarding entries that do not relate to distribution of electricity so have done my best to not award telephone poles, TV masts, mobile phone and other communication towers, but am aware some of these may have slipped through.

On to the winning image: Although relatively small in the frame, through the composition the eye is drawn to the distant objects, making them very much the subject of the photo. Several things all contribute to the fantastic composition: the power lines act as leading lines; the shape and tones of the dramatic clouds also act as a lead-in for the eye; the brighter light on the architecture in the distance attracts the eye. Conversion to black and white was a wise choice as that further adds to the drama of the scene. Congratulations on your winning image.

Although the subject is in essence unattractive and anything but natural, there is a strange beauty to this landscape image. The soft light of early morning is beautiful, coupled with the icy frost on the twiggy low vegetation. Composition works well with good separation between the three pylons, and the square crop works well with the scene to avoid an over-large expanse of plain sky. The image looks to be natural with no excessive processing. Congratulations on your second place finish.