This image stopped the judges in their tracks. At first, it appears to be a composite, but then, as the eye adjusts to the scene, we realise we are looking at the edge of a ship's deck with the swirling sea below. The theme of movement is apparent both in the shapes created by the swabbing of the deck and the foaming waves, and the way the two echo each other is simply mesmerising. And this shot was taken with an iPhone, which just goes to show that using whatever camera you have on you at the time is better than using no camera at all!
Great timing, great framing and great light all play an important part in this amusing candid shot. Capturing the young man as he is airborne would have been no mean feat, and demonstrates excellent responses. The picture wouldn't have been the same without the strong light and shadow, either. Look closer, and you'll see the shop signs saying 'To go' add another fortuitous element to the scene.
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Brief
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Capturing moving subjects is one of the trickiest challenges for any photographer. For this round we want to see your best sports and action shots, which really show off your skills at capturing split-second moments. With no time to get it wrong, those who are successful in this genre know how to anticipate movement, pressing the shutter at the best possible moment. In essence, anything that moves is accepted in this round – from trains, planes and automobiles to sports people in action, we can’t wait to see your interpretation of movement.
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This is a very accomplished action shot, which has captured the swans webbed feet just as they hit the surface of the water. The detail in the splash is excellent. We weren't sure whether the tight crop was entirely successful, and a bit more space above might have given the scene a little more room to breathe. The highlights on the wing are rather blown, too. But overall, it's a well-timed shot that demonstrates good photographic skills.
A superb abstract that demonstrates imagination and great vision. It just goes to show that a photograph doesn't need to be a literal shot of something moving in order to depict movement. The way in which the lines appear to explode to the edges of the frame make the viewer feel as if they are being sucked into the central point, and converting the image to black & white only serves to heighten that sensation. Very well executed indeed.
