Oil Drums and Beer Barrels

There were other photos entered of this art installation but this one stood out because of the strong regular light tones throughout the picture. The photographer had obviously thought hard about where to shoot from to get the best perspective. The achievement is a nicely balanced composition with the brightly coloured tops contrasting against the near mono angular sides. I would have cropped to straighten the uneven base but that doesn’t deter from your well-deserved top ten placing. Well done.

Zooming in on the vertical streaks of running paint on the two centred drums is the act of a photographer who is confident in knowing how to compose a good photo. The drums remind me of Jackson Pollock’s action paintings and I can imagine them being displayed in a modern art gallery. I like the tight framing of the black, blue and white canvas with the elliptical drum tops pushed all the way to the upper third of the composition. Nice.

I love that this photographer has found an interesting aspect to an otherwise plain oil drum and zoomed in for an intriguing macro shot. The graphic minimalism of the silver cap photo is enhanced by the oil-stained green background. The inclusion of the sweeping curve running across the frame echoes the curvature of the cap and serves to boldly underline the composition. Well done for your unique approach to this challenge.

The cartoon-like whimsy of these recycled oil drums befits the Disney themepark where they were photographed. The line of pastel-coloured drums with their grey spouts are reminiscent of elephant trunks drooped to drink water. Not immediate subjects for a photo so the photographer did well to spot them but I think the photo could have been lightened in post-production in order to brightened up the colours. Very well done for your top ten placing.

The rich red-brown tones of the aged drums subtly lit in a dark cellar immediately caught my attention. The leading lines work to draw you towards the mysterious silhouetted figure of the Sandeman standing in what looks like a doorway. You did well to capture this scene in such low light by fully opening your lens, cranking up the ISO and keeping a steady hand to successfully take a photo in what must have been testing conditions. Well done.

The women watching over the toddler bathing in an old oil drum is a nicely-observed documentary piece which despite the fussiness of the composition draws one’s attention towards the resourceful bath tub. I wish the photographer had provided some information about where this photo had been taken to complete the story nevertheless it’s a great snap of a moment in time. I particularly like the simple mechanical Heath-Robinson-style water delivery device.

What an original use of metal beer barrels in what looks like a pub’s urinal. Its said that one only borrows the beer that one drinks and the irony of this recycled use hasn’t been wasted on the photographer. A little straightening in post-production would have given this photo a higher placing. That said it’s a good composition enhanced by the use of the neutralising sepia tones. One can be very self-conscious taking photos in public toilets so well done for your bravura but, a little bit more courage in waiting for a man to arrive and take a pee would have made this photo exceptional.

This is one of very few submissions featuring an oil drum within a landscape. The rejected old rusty container takes centre stage in a near empty, dry wilderness. The elongated shadow of the drum neatly leads the eye in the direction of the only other inhabitants of the desolate outback. A wonderful sense of isolation has been captured by this photographer which most wouldn’t have noticed let alone stopped to commit to camera. Well done.