A stunning visual example of how to meet the brief perfectly. Road signs can be complex especially if you are driving through a new destination. We have a split second to read these signs and understand what they mean. Most have a universal code whilst others are more subtle or unique to that place. This image photographically allows us to understand the relationship between sign and place perfectly. With no sign of the town close by, the actual sign showing a town really makes very little sense and with no number attached to distance it really is rather useless, but to a photographer it is like winning the lottery. The classic juxtaposition between sign and the never ending road vista is well seen in this great capture and the balance between the isolated monochromatic landscape and colorful sign work perfectly together to create this intriguing and well composed image. Very well done.
This atmospheric black and white image was so close to my top 10. The framing and juxtaposition between the signs and the two individuals walking down the road is very well positioned and timed. The misty morning adds to the suspense and drama of the scene. I would have liked the sun peeping through the mist to have been dampened down a little but its such a small element and does not take away from this classic image. Very well done. Misty days could be a great project to start? .
This really stood out for me and was so close to my top 10. The red hand symbol is universal and the tight crop with the snow covering works really well. On a visual level I cant fault it. I would have liked to see a little deeper saturation, this would have darkened the shadows which would have elevated the red further and also the sharpness is a little off. Minor points in what is a great capture. Well done and this could be the start of a really interesting project on signs and weather? Well done.
This intriguing image works on many levels and the complexity of the arrangement through the many signs and telegraph poles seemingly arranged everywhere adds to the dilemma both we the viewer and I can imagine a driver would have entering this space. We are presented with what would be an incredible vista. A stunning mountain range snow capped but that is obstructed by the vast amount of information. we are presented with roadside. The straight on camera view works well in allowing us to be present within the space as a viewer I try to untangle the information. Its a dense image and takes time to unpack, once you do it is charming and a great visual treat. Really well done.
You certainly know where you are within what is an iconic route within America. This giant floor sign leaves you in know doubt about the potent symbolism of signs and their deeper meaning. The classic drive along this famous road is a bucket list for many people and this photograph clearly shows the importance of using symbols and signs to tell drivers what they are on. It's like being a part of history along the highway. The use of a slight wide angle lens and black and white only add to the history and nostalgia people have for this sign and what it signifies. Great capture.
Great visual awareness in making this image and the color palate works really well as nothing stands out to take our eye away from the sign itself which is a fun play on words. The central positioning of the sign really draws our eye and the crop works really well allowing us to see what we need to without any distracting information. Really lovely capture. Well done.
The juxtaposition between the sign and mountain range is beautifully rendered using a shallow depth of field to really isolate the sign from the background. Al the information is still clearly visible in what is a very well controlled and made photograph. The color palate allows the sign to really glow in what is a real photographers photograph. Very appreciated. Well done.
The unmistakable visual road signs of America which have been well documented throughout the history of photography from the greats Walker Evans to Lee Friedlander are present within this stunning capture. This unique take on that visual style has been given a twist by the use of zooming through the exposure to create a complex narrative within the frame which takes our eye across the entire surface from the neon lights to the illuminated signs. Rather like driving in a new city itself which can be daunting, this image gives an idea of what that feeling is like. The dark background really enlivens the signs and the colors leap out at the viewer. A stunning capture using appropriate photographic techniques that really elevates this wonderful scene. Really very well done. A stand out image.
This image could be from a scene of an Alfred Hitchcock film. The several key elements within the frame from the bird perched on top of the sign to the crane in the background and the tight crop all add to a suspenseful ending that is yet to happen. The telephoto lens has flattened the perspective which works really well with the subject and places the focus on the sign, which given what it says in relation to the bird beautifully timed with its beak open adds to the drama and how we read this photograph. A stunning capture showing great visual and technical skill. Very well done.
1,261 Photographers
This contemporary style photograph using a long focal length lens to isolate and flatten the perspective within the frame is both bold and visually really powerful. The main color of the sign really jumps out and the blurred bars and barrier in front tell us in no uncertain manner that we will not pass. The stop sign is universal regardless of where we are in the world as is the color red within road signs. It is always a warning. This unique take really packs a punch standing out perfectly from the competition. Very well done. It would make for a really interesting series using this style and technique.
Great technique and composition elevate this image into something special. The illuminated road signs work well with the fading light in the background on the horizon as our eye is taken along the road to these wonderful colors within the sky above. The symbols on the signs are unmistakable and could only be in Australia and give us the information we need that for the next 96km, look out for these animals. The exposure is perfect and this photograph also gives us a sense of the vastness and size of the country this picture was taken in. Stunning. Well done.
The contradiction between these two signs sums up perfectly the complexities in life. For some this would be a little cheeky and fun, to others it would be deeply disrespectful. The photographer with great technique has balanced the image beautifully and the evening light works well against the roadside billboards. It's a classic that American photographers have worked on for decades. It asks us to pick a side and invest in this photograph. great capture.
2,751 Images entered
64,542 Ratings
Brief
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There's a wonderful website called Geoguessr.com. It drops you somewhere in the world on Google Maps, in Streetview mode, and you have to guess where you are. Pretty quickly, you become obsessed with street signs. What language are they in, what design are they, and do you recognise any of the place names? Street signs are one of those things we might find ourselves drawn to photographically when we visit somewhere new, embodying as they often do the reality of being somewhere far from home.
Some places are synonymous with signs and symbols everywhere, so much so that it is almost impossible to just not stare, which as a driver or pedestrian can be dangerous. This wonderfully fragmented image really could only have been taken in New York. It perfectly describes the visuals and unique flavor of that city without really showing us any landmarks which works perfectly for the competition brief. The compacted information and colors work really well together to give this scene a sense of abstraction and disorientation which is how you feel when you enter this city for the first time. Great capture. well done.
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Within the competition there was a large number of images that incorporated humor within the photograph but this one stood out in its simplicity and visual approach. The exposure is perfect as is the tight crop and framing of the sign which just perches on the bottom of the frame. The sign itself tells us what to expect is coming up on the road but the additional swimming top that echos the shape of the symbol is just fun and a little cheeky. Great capture and the colors really work well together in what is a really fun photograph. Well seen.
The high contrast and colors really jump out of the screen in what reminds me of the vivid and highly saturated colors we used to get from Transparency color film or slide film as it was more commonly known as. The deep pinks that could only be the exterior of the magnificent galleries and museums of St Petersburg are sharply photographed within the abstract nature of the image with the strong blacks perfectly framing the space whilst acting as the backdrop for the red circular sign hanging overhead. This is a real photographically controlled and rendered image. It has not been taken but constructed by a photographer with a very good eye for detail. Superb.
