Spots and Dots

What stands out for me in this image is the pose of the creatures. Obviously down to luck and patience, I love the alertness of the adult as it gazes into the distance, but the central cub looking directly towards the camera. The three cheetahs are well isloated from the background as a result of a fairly wide aperture, but there is still plenty of detail in the foreground vegetation to add interest there. A gentle and beautiful family capture of these magnificent creatures, well done on your top ten placing.

There is something about this image which stood out as soon as I saw it. Quite understated, nothing flashy or gimmicky, just a classically set up arrangement of soft furnishing items which has been well photographed. It can be surprisingly difficult to arrange objects such as this for a visually pleasing effect, but the arrangement of the two spotty cushions with the contrasting tassled throw draped at an angle, is very attractive. Focusing, exposure, white balance etc are all spot on. Simple, but effective, and bang on brief for the contest theme. Congratulations on your winning image.

Another image to make my top ten of the much-photographed Selfriges building in the Birmingham Bullring shopping centre. It can be very difficult to know where the perfect shot of the large structure can be found, and there were many variations on the theme even in this contest. I like this image as the composition is a little different. I especially like the contrast in shapes between the soft curves of the main building with its rounded discs, and the harsh lines and spiky points on the lamp posts. The conversion to black and white works well as it adds to the graphic feel of the shot, and the square crop suits the subject. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

This is a beautifully delicate portrait image, making good use of cool icy tones to convey the story of the ice queen. Well composed, with the subject off centre, but the focal point importantly still on the eyes, despite them being closed. Everything is in sharp focus, including, for this contest, the spots and dots of the jewels and sparkles, and the added backdrop, whilst further conveying the wintery mood, does not distract from the main subject. A delicate and beautiful portrait, well done on your top ten placing.

This is an unusual image, and quite different to the many more classic shots of the much- photographed Selfriges building in the centre of Birmingham. The inclusion of the missing spot adds to the shot, which has been well composed. I am unsure if this particular advertising on the side of the bus was planned or a happy accident, but the two rather unnerving faces looking out work very well. The image has been well converted to black and white, with great contrasts and a full range of tones. My only query is whether the frame effect adds anything to the shot, but I am aware that is personal preference, and for me I am never a great fan of digital frames on contest entries. It is however just shallow enough to avoid becoming over-dominating. Congratulations on your third place finish.

If well captured, I always find images of this type attractive, with many objects which are at the same time similar but different, filling the frame. There is no obvious focal point, but I don't think that matters in a shot such as this, as wherever the eye settles, there is something of interest to capture the attention, then let the eye explore further. Lovely bold colours, not over-saturated, a bright and well focused image. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

The immediate draw to this image is the fabulous contrast in colours between the vivid red and the bright green backdrop. On closer inspection however, this is a well captured image of these rather unusual conifer blooms. The use of a fairly wide aperture has allowed part of the subject to be in sharp focus, with some of the blooms behind starting to fall softly out of focus. Composition works well, with the "branch" forming a gently curving diagonal across the frame, and there are plenty of little details and textures for the eye to explore. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

All too often portrait shots of young children are more along the lines of sickly-sweet family snapshots, or images of children in parts of the world which may seem exotic or disadvantaged to the photographer. Here however we see a fabulous portrait of a young girl, who looks independent and full of self- assured attitude. The decision to present the portrait against the black backdrop has worked really well, as it allows the colours of her dress, bow and fairy wings to pop, and ensures she is the full focus of attention, with no distractions. Lighting is lovely, and adds to the feel of the shot. Fantastic image, congratulations on your second place finish.

This beautiful beast certainly does not look best pleased to see you, but the head-on viewpoint and the rather menacing stare has allowed you a fantastic image. Shots such as this can never be planned, due to the unpredictable nature of wildlife, and it is all too common when faced with an opportunity such as this to "panic" and get a less than desirable capture. Here though you held your nerve, and the sharpness and detail, with focus fully on the beast, is perfect. I like the balance of the composition, with the vegetation on the left, which adds intrest and a colour contrast to the shot. Super image, well done on your top ten placing.

Quite understandably in a contest with the theme "spots and dots", there were a fair number of images of ladybirds entered, but this one stood out as my favourite. Depth of field has been well chosen, with most of the bug and the near flowers in superbly crisp focus, with the rest of the scene falling nicely out of focus, to make the subject stand out. Great colour contrasts bewteen the red and yellow, with the colours bright but not looking over-saturated. The waterdrops on the ladybird add to the appeal of the image too. Great capture, well done on your top ten placing.