Ferris Wheels

In stark contrast to many entries in this contest, I love the small scale of this fairground and Ferris wheel. Although looking distinctly out of sesaon, despite the low-key setting, there still looks a good deal of fun to be had here. The bright colours of the rides contrast nicely against the snow, as do the lines and shapes of the structures. Well done on your second place finish.

A super high-key image, with the sky rendered white to bring a lovely light airiness to the shot. You have done especially well here to present a white object against a white backdrop, but none of the details have been lost and there is so much detail to explore with the eye. The luminosity of the black and red details has been judged just right, as whilst these markings are obvious, they do not overwhelm or draw the eye too much. Fantastic image, well done on your top ten placing.

There were a lot of entries showing a Ferris wheel set against a sunset sky, but this one was my favourite. Sunsets are often crowd-pleasing shots and can tend to be rather clichéd with the sky dominating any other subject. Here however, due to the balance of the lighting, the wheel remains the subject of the image. The reflection in the water adds to the image, but due to the water being broken up by patches of ground free of water, the reflection is not over-done. The inclusion of the two figures on the left is nice, as we see two people also enjoying the fine view on a spectacular evening. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

In selecting my top ten placings I would not generally go for an image that has had such heavy paint effect/textures and image borders applied, but I rather like this image and feel it deserves to be placed. Having not seen the original photograph I cannot know whether anything has been actually added by the post-processing treatment, but it is certainly pleasing to view. In creating a more artistic image, the original photo still needs to be well executed, and here the composition is strong with the wheel breaking the frame at exactly the same point top and bottom. Lovely creation, well done on your top ten placing.

I love this bold image of the Ferris wheel looming at the bottom of the street, giving a rather different view from the sea-view the residents of the street would have been used to. The contrasty black and white works well, and really emphasises the shape and angles within the structure of the wheel. The sunlight shining on the buildings gives some highlight interest in the otherwise darker architecture. Congratulations on your winning image.

This telephoto shot of the London Eye offers a great view of the structure, as we see pods on both sides of the wheel in a compressed perspective. I like the split of the image between the two sides; it may not sit with natural ease on the eye of the viewer, but adds an interesting dynamic. The basically monochrome capture works well, with the pops of red standing out among the whites, blacks and greys. By including the people in the image we can more easily imagine ourselves onto the wheel to experience the spectacle of the trip. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

The regimented composition we see here brings great impact to the shot, and as a result stands out from many entries as being a little different. I am sure you did not plan the weather, but I think I like the grey cloudy sky more than I would had the sky been a perfect blue of a sunny day. Everything is in sharp focus and the care taken over the placement of the uprights and the composition overall has paid off to create a fabulous image. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

Although maybe not appealing to everyone's tastes, I love this type of multiple exposure image, which allows the subject to still be obvious, but taking on a very abstract look. The decision to convert the image to black and white gives more impact to the shot. The balance of the blending of exposures seems spot-on, as the smaller central wheel establishes the subject, with the more etheral pods floating around the frame. Congratulations on your third place finish.

An unusual composition, focusing on just a section of what looks to be a gigantic wheel. The structure of the wheel and the gondolas stand out well against the sky, and although each part is small, the bright colours have been well captured. The sky has not been over-processed so does not overtake the wheel as the subject. A lovely light feel to the image too. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

What I especially like here is the dual view we get of the couple in the adjacent carriage, and the beautiful city of Nice spread out below on the other half of the frame. By being photographed from on the wheel itself, the viewer can feel part of the scene and imagine they too are on this scenic ride. There are a few unfortunate and mostly unavoidable reflections on the glass through which you are shooting, but they do not distract too much from a fabulous image. Well done on your top ten placing.