Locks, Keys and Keyholes

A rather unusual lock being shown here, with plenty of lines and shapes to add interest to the photo. The image looks to be a selective colour shot which I am not usually keen on, but if this is selective colour, it has retained a natural look and does not look forced or cliched. Composition is great, with focus, exposure etc all spot-on. Simple but effective, well done on your top ten placing.

A simple but very effective composition of a sturdy padlock on a weathered wooden shed. The main subject has been positioned nicely within the frame and is the clear focal point. The viewer then has plenty of other interesting little details and textures to explore. The colour contrast between the rusty orange and the vivid green algae is very attractive. Well done on your top ten placing.

As expected, there were many entries of this type of scene, with locks attached to bridges or fences etc, but this was one which stood out. I love the capture of mass of locks of all variety of shape, colour and size, and it is the perfect subject for one of those classic jig-saw puzzle pictures. Clarity and tones are great, contributing to a very successful image. Well done on your top ten placing.

A shot that is clearly all about the light, with the light from above casting a long shadow of the key, creating a great abstract image. The entire shadow and key have been captured without any part being cropped off, and leaving plently of surround for the subject to 'breathe'. I think I may have been tempted to slightly tone down the strong orangy colour, but that is just personal taste. A great image, well done on your top ten placing.

I love this shot of a cluster of padlocks, captured with a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field. By accurately focusing on the padlocks, this has allowed the metalwork to be in sharp focus, with the foreground and background falling pleasingly out of focus, making the subject stand out. The coloutring of the image overall is great, with some lovely warm golden metallic shades. Framing works well too, as we have the right amount of space surrounding the subject to prevent it looking neither cropped off or becoming lost. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

This simple but well executed image caught my attention. No gimmicks or over-processed grungy effects etc, just a good honest photo showing the subject for what it is. Well composed and framed, the verticals and horizontals are true, which makes the casually tilted padlock stand out as the subject. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

The lovely bold colours initially drew me to this image. The colours are vibrant, but do not look to have been over-done in processing. There is no clear focal point, but I don't think that matters with a subject like this, as wherever the eye falls there is plenty to explore before moving on to enjoy other interesting details. Congratulations on your third place finish.

Keys did not feature too strongly in this contest, but this is a super shot of a multitude of keys filling the frame. Well converted to black and white, there is a good range of tones which enables a great amount of detail to be visible, both in the shapes and patterns, and the textures on the metal. By filling the frame entirely with the subject, you have created a great image with a strong abstract feel. Well done on your top ten placing.

I can't quite put my finger on why this image appeals to me so much; I think it is a combination of factors. Technically well executed with regard to the diagonal composition, focus, exposure etc, and I especially like the viewpoint. We are far enough out to get a sense of the context, but at the same time are in nice and close to see all the details in the dripping wet metalwork. The limited colour palette suits the subject too. Congratulations on your second place finish.

When I first saw this imave I had to do a double-take just to establish what I was looking at. The sleek clean lines of the subject stood out from many other entries, which in the main showed rusting locks on tatty surfaces, so this was a refreshing change. Lighting has been well controlled and the processing sytle has ensured the highlights are pleasingly soft with no harsh glare. Excellent composition and framing, with everything in sharp focus too. Congratulations on your winning image.