Pavements and paving

My second placed image may not be an obvious crowd choice, but I feel it deserves the placing. We see these cracks in the pavement in towns and cities all over the world, but I bet few of us stop to think about the cause of the cracks and then document it in a photograph. Exposure, focus, composition, and colouring across the entire image are all good and natural. The two red dots are a little mysterious to me (presumably your little "signature"?) but they do not distract as they match the leaf colour! For me a great image, well deserving of its second place.

Many of the images entered in this contest were dark, grim and gritty. Being the entire opposite caused your shot to stand out from the rest and get a top ten placing. You have seen and captured the vivid colours wonderfully. Focusing is sharp throughout, lighting is good with no harsh shadows, and your composition works well. I can only wonder what delightfully clashing colour the house next door was painted!! Well done.

There were a fair number of entries in this contest which showed only roads (no pavements) or indoor floors, which did not match my brief, and whilst I could not be 100% certain this image was taken outdoors, it gives that impression to me, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt. A very strong image which had great appeal for me as soon as I saw it. The precise, regimented composition suits the subject perfectly. I like the darkened tones and just the hint of colour, yet the image still manages to retain brightness through the white tiles. Well lit, well focused, well deserving of a top three placing.

The excellent monochrome work and low view point make this image stand out for me. The highlights on the edges of the pavement, and the drainage channel in the centre of the alley, lead us across and through the image to the houses in the far distance. The inclusion of the drain cover is vital to the composition and interest of the shot. A superbly lit and wonderfully gritty image. Well done.

A well seen shot which has captured these stacks of vivid red chairs which brighten a dull looking day in Doncaster. I think the composition is the best you could have achieved - if you could have cleared the top right corner that would have been ideal, but I appreciate you would not have been able to reposition the objects. I like the contrast of the square paving and the circular tables. Good too that you avoided any temptation to oversaturate the colours. A pleasing, fairly abstract scene, well done.

I love this image, and during the judging it crept up the placings until it reached the top spot. It is simple, and on first glance contains little, but the longer I look, the more there is to see and appreciate. You have captured the child at the perfect moment - mid stride, mid air, with just enough blur of the front foot to convey movement. Superbly well composed, the angle of the paving and the position of the bubble and feet. The stains and cigarette butt on the paving add a gritty feel, contrasting wonderfully with the magical shiny wobbly bubble. Control of highlights on the bubble is good too. An excellent image, well deserving of my first placing.

There were many shots of similar wavy paving entered into this contest, but this was my favorite. It is the inclusion of the dog which makes the image a success, and I especially like how it is positioned right at the top of the image, leaving the rest of the space to be filled by the mesmerizing wavy lines. It almost seems to reverse reality - the dog is static, and the pavement seems to be in motion. Great image, well done.

This is a simple, but well considered shot, and one which I like a lot. Composition, exposure, focus etc are all spot on. I especially like how you have chosen to include the channel of flowing water across the central part of the image, which nicely contrasts the gentle movement of the water with the harsh solidity of the paving blocks. Colouring is subtle throughout, but saturated enough to identify the little weeds poking through the joins on the top section. Lovely image, well done.

This is a very clever shot, and very well taken whilst shooting into the light. The couple take up only a small part of the picture, but they are vital to its success. There was great skill in using the light to produce a simple outline of their backs, showing up against the dark background behind them, and it must have been difficult at the point of capture to anticipate exactly how this shot would turn out. You have captured good detail in the of the paving as it sweeps uphill. Obviously I haven't seen the colour version, but I imagine this works best in mono. An image which has broken a lot of the "rules" (eg key elements squashed into a corner, figures moving out of the frame) but you have successfully shown that rules are there to be broken! Well done.

I like this image for the story it tells - the lady smoothing over the pastels on her artwork as the crowd passes by, maybe glancing down to where she works, but maybe not. Your composition is strong, aided by your lowish viewpoint and angle of view. Focus, exposure and other technical aspects all show great quality. A well captured scene.