Rain

Although some people enjoy being out in the rain, for many the experience is far from pleasant, and this image perfectly captures the sense of grim and mundane. The open shelter looks to be offering little protection from the elements to the huddled queue who seem to be focused only on protecting themselves from the cold and wet rather than interacting. The background adds to the sombre mood, as does the decision to convert the image to a fairly low contrast black and white.

The figures and buildings in this image are obscured by the rain covered window and by the shallow depth of field which has focussed on the raindrops, but they are still identifiable as people sharing an umbrella on a stroll along the seafront, with beach huts clearly showing. The muted colours help convey the drab mood created by the weather.

A great location for a photograph, with the two deteorating buildings flanked by the atmospheric bare trees. Colour contrasts between the blues and browns work well. The image has not been awarded in this contest however as there is nothing to convince the viewer that the "rain" in the shot is real and not instead added in image editing. Maybe conveying a certain mood, but sadly not awarded in a contest themed on rain. A great location and well captured scene however, with good capture of the light.

A great portrait image of a fine highland cow, captured with an almost regal pose created by the relatively low viewpoint. The image has not been awarded in this rain contest however, as the "rain" in the shot somehow does not look quite right, as it appears to be falling from one central spot and radiating outwards, rather than falling in the same general direction across the entire frame. A strong animal portrait however.

There were numerous entries of plants and flowers in this contest, and this was one of my favourites. Great bokeh created by the shallow depth of field as light catches the water drops, and the black and white converstion works well for a striking image. As with many of the nature images however, there was nothing in the shot to indicate this was rain drops rather than water sprayed onto the plants or dew drops (reading the image description confirms this was dew not rain) so could sadly not be awarded in a contest on the theme of rain. Still a great shot.

This image really conveys the mood and feeling of miserable wet weather in the city. I am unsure whether you are shooting through a window or rain spattered camera lens, but there are areas of the shot which look to be superfically obscured which instead of spoiling the shot, give a real sense of movement to the image. Good tones and contrasts help communicate the atmosphere of the moment.

A great candid moment, capturing an uncomfortable dash through the downpour, something to which I am sure most can relate. Good use of contrasts brings emphsis to the reflections in the wet street. Maybe a slightly slower shutter speed could have added a slight motion blur to the lower legs, but by capturing the figure in mid-stride it is still obviously not a static pose. From the body language you have captured, a real sense of discomfort that comes with being wet and cold is conveyed here.

A scene played out on many town and city streets, but one which few would take the opportunity to document. Perfect juxtaposition between the weather and downcast look of the gent, with the wording on the poster, offering something rather more enticing than the dreariness of the weather. Care has been taken to enable the water spots and the overall scene behind to be suitably focused, and conversion to black and white completes the mood of the shot nicely.

A slightly unusual composition creating an image of two distinct halves, with the young women sheltering under a shared umbrella in the foreground, and the traffic bustle of a wet and busy city street beyond to the left. The relatively slow shutter speed has created a real sense of movement, but you have done well to retain sharpness on the face and body of just one figure. The high contrast black and white conversion suits the subject, and the bright highlights of lights reflected on the wet road further add to the mood of the image.

By including part of the awning above, this image seems to convey a real sense that the photographer is part of the scene, themselves needing to take shelter from the torrential rain, rather than just being a casual observer to an event happening to others. Good contrasts across the image capture the force of the rain and the bright highlights on wet surfaces. From looking at this image the viewer gets a real sense of the feel and mood as everyone takes shelter, abandoning the stall on the ground to the elements.

The unusual perspective gives a point of difference which makes this image stand out. The overhead viewpoint creates a rather abstract shot. Although no obvious focal point, there is much to hold the intrest of the viewer and for the eye to explore. The bright colours of the umbrellas add contrast to the dreariness of the weather, and the processing style gives an almost painterly feel to the image.

An unusual image showing a line of (presumably) tourists snaking along a raised walkway to cross the high water in Venice. The over-exposed high key look makes the image stand out and commands attention. We can see little of the actual rainfall, but the clothing and umbrellas on display indicates that rain is falling. The contrast between the predominant white and the bright colours of the clothing and umbrellas makes the image stand out. Inclusion of the reflections complement the scene, and there is just enough information in the background by the included architecture and gondolas to give context and inform the viewer of the location of the shot.