Half Circle

First some general comments about my contest. Thanks to all the participants, I enjoyed seeing the many and varied entries. I restricted my choices to photos that showed true half circles. I ignored images that did not meet the brief, including eclipses, more than a half or less than a half circle, and half circles that were visually a full circle because of a reflection. Furthermore, I favoured images where the half circle image itself is what makes the photo great. Now to my first choice prize winner. All the photographer's choices and post-processing contribute to producing this exquisite image. I wonder if there was a temptation to convert to black and white but I am happy you used the sepia tones. The rigid geometry in the netting and clean shading in the pillars contrast well with the subtle lighting transitions from darker corners to bright inner half circle. A clear winner for me, well done!

To be honest this entry wandered in and out of my top ten list but the more I thought about it, the higher it placed. There is much to commend. First of all it’s clearly an example of half circles making the photo great. Secondly I love the contrast between the dull grey foreground and the highly coloured background. The area of the image is basically cut in half by the arch, which to my mind is the right choice. Interestingly, the image is hyper clear throughout, more like a painting than the product of a lens. There are at least 4 sight lines to engage the viewer, one goes into the photo from the foreground couple up to the top of the dome, another curves around along the water line from the closest underwater arch to the most distant, a third bisects the image along the top of the bridges below the buildings and, of course the fourth follows the inside contour of the grey arch. The overall image is reminiscent of old master paintings. Congratulations on Third Place.

I love the simplicity of the image, brought to life with perfect camera settings and processing. Among other things I love the composition. The far off centre positioning of the objects adds interest, as does the contrast in colour and texture. I like the play between the half circle serrations of the knife and the half kiwi shape which work to engage the viewer both at the conceptual and the visual levels. Congratulations on placing within the top ten.

There is lots to engage the eye and mind in this masterful image. Great lighting, subtle selective colouring, contrasting patterns, simplicity of composition and fine details all contribute. The photo is also clearly an example of the use of half circle shapes, so it fits the brief perfectly. Congratulations on a well deserved second place.

What a delightful image. Love the subject, the colours, the Bokeh, the patterns, the texture. There was some luck involved in capturing the turtle in this position. But kudos for seeing a great image and thanks for entering it into this half circle contest. Congratulations!