Living in the Past

I certainly feel as if this is an image from the 1940s. I am not a great fan of white borders but in this case it works as so many photographs in the past were processed with one. The positioning of the ladies is good and balanced with the informational board on the movies.

This picture certainly evokes the 'glorious' days of steam. The atmosphere in the photograph is helped a lot by the mist which diffuses the light well. The figures are well placed and being in black and white gives us that real sense of the past.

The reason I like this image is the expression on the 'soldier's' face as he marches along. It shows the weariness and worry he must be feeling a she heads into an uncertain future. The bokeh effect helps his face stand out.

A narrative photograph which begs lots of questions. The sepia tone helps evoke a bygone age and the costuming is very good. I imagine the lady is looking up at the building she regards as home although I am uncertain as t whether she is glad to be there. I think personally I would have waited till the woman was slightly more to the left before taking the picture but that is purely a personal thought.

A well composed and taken photograph. I like the woman looking directly at the camera as if the viewer is actually a customer entering her establishment. The brown tones are good and everything about it leans towards a past that is now long gone.

I do like narrative in photographs and this is full of it. I do wonder if it is a composite but if it is it has been well done. The brightness of the colours makes it pop although I may have toned them down a little, but that's a personal choice. The picture almost has a movie poster feel to it. Perhaps 'The Lady flies away,' an MGM movie in glorious technicolour.

Just a very pleasant image and by the way the man is dressed and the sepia toning gives us that feeling of the past. I like the way the light is shining on the water cooling down the horse and the balance of everything in the image is just right to my eyes.

A sleepy sheriff passing the time as he rests. A well taken image in which the position of the figure is just right as are the colour tones. I think it must have been tempting to have taken the image showing the man's face but the fact that he is looking down adds a little to the mystery.

A very well taken narrative image which through the angle it has been taken at gives us the real feeling of size of the bomber compared to the crew. The lighting is good as are the tones used in editing.

Although the blitz was no laughing matter to those involved there is a sense of comedy in this image. I like the colour palette used in editing and the use of something like photoshop to create a great background is very good. The comedy I suppose comes from the expression on the Air Raid warden's face which gives it a sense somewhat of 'Dad's army'.

The intense stare of the 'warrior's eyes as he looks at the camera is strong. I think the way the photographer has taken the picture showing the man more to the right with only part of the shield showing was a clever decision.

This re-enactment photograph has a feeling of authenticity about it from the building, costumes and the way it has been editing in colour toning. Each of the men tell their own story in the way they are standing and seem to show the exhaustion real soldiers would be feeling.

A photograph full of narrative and helped by being in black and white to give us the sense of the past. I like the square format, which many old pictures were and the positions of the soldiers just as the picture was taken. I like the way it shows some sort of shared horror as an American helps the captured German prisoner. My only problem which is slight and possibly couldn't be omitted is the section of leg on the extreme left of the image.

Beamish has been the source of many images in this competition but this one stands out as everything about it stands out as being set in the past including the clothes worn by the people in the image and the vintage car. The sepia tones add to the impact although I would have stood back just a little so that the car wheels are not cut off.

Another age of steam picture which has been well taken. The mist, as in the other picture in my top 10, has helped create an evocative atmosphere. The picture is well balanced with the train on the left and people on the right. I do wonder if the clock in the image was working as it's 2.35, very late or a very dreary and fog laden afternoon.

A really well taken picture and which reminds me of Tevye in Fiddler on the roof, one of my favourite musicals. The colours are warm and the intense expression on the worker's face tired yet proud. I like the positioning of the man and his pose

I have to agree with the comments made by the photographer on the image. The silhouetted figures are strong and the way the light hits the smoke adds to the atmosphere created in the image. It certainly benefits from being in black and white and all in all an authentic creation of past times.

I presume this image has been taken by the same photographer as my winner in this competition. Again full of narrative and well acted by those portrayed in the photograph. Again costuming and lighting element with the feel of a painting. My only slight problem with it is the the figure on the right and his costume with the bright white trousers of his uniform. To me it would have worked just as well with the three other figures but as I always say, that is just a personal point of view.

Just a lovely picture of these two singers entertaining a crowd somewhere, no doubt with songs from the era. Good choice to make it square in format and in black and white. I like the fact that one of the singers is looking at the camera.

This photograph could almost be a painting by the way it has been edited. and the colour tones used. As I love the style it would probably have been in my top ten but slightly let down by the lack of light on the woman on the left's face. The setting and costuming give one a feeling of being back in time and the small prop on the right background adds to the picture.

A good capture of a re-enactment scene well edited and capturing the action. I like the way the edges have been given a vignette which gives the effect of the smoke coming from the battle. There is a balance to the figures in the image although this is more likely to have been accidental due to everyone moving around the photographer.