Textures

In your comments accompanying this image you say you wanted to bring out the softness and textures in the garment, and in my view you have achieved 100% success with your aim! The extremely limited colour pallate of creamy greys adds to the success, as there is nothing to distract from the soft gentle folds of the garment and the beautiful knit of the wool. Well composed, with the little tassels appropriately placed. If I were being slightly picky, there are a few areas where some of the highlights are a little over-exposed, but this does not really take away from this beautiful image which has described the texture of your cashmere sweater to perfection. Well done on your top ten placing.

I have seen this image entered into a few contests before, and I find it quite fascinating. What a perfect choice for this "textures" contest. You have shown the difference in textures between the thickly wrinkled skin and the softer flapping ear wonderfully, and your fairly abstract shot works due to the strong composition, with the diagonal divide between the two main areas. I especially like how you have captured the veins running beneath the skin on the ear, which add to a wonderful image full of textures of elephant! Well done on your top ten placing.

This image may not be an obvious subject choice for a "textures" contest, but the more I look at it, the greater my appreciation of your choice of subject and the skill used to capture the shot. Composition is good with just the right amount of negative space in front of the little monkey, and the rather forlorn looking animal wistfully gazing across the water - the unknown object of its gaze is for me is part of the story of the image. The detail you have captured in the fur is superb, with the soft wet clumps sticking up in little spikes and gently blending into the water around its shoulders. I especially like the wonderful little hairs on the animal's chin and upper lip! Lovely well captured image, well done on your second placing.

I imagine this was taken in a place where a photographer could be content for hours to wander and capture all the varying colours, shapes, patterns and textures available to explore. Great subject choice and well composed, with the lighter section of chain on a diagonal across the image. Lots of different textures, from the rough heavy chain, to the once slimy but now bristly rope, and the smooth seaweed. Fabulous rich colours with some great details. Congratulations on your top ten finish.

If I ever wondered what a Dalmatian pelican would feel like to touch, your image does a fantastic job of describing it to me. The strong stare of the bird initially captures the attention, before my eye wanders over its gorgeously thick soft feathers, the roughened bill with the smooth tip, just breaking the gentle waters. Colouring looks very natural, with just a hint of yellow & orange on an otherwise monochrome image, and exposure has been well controlled to avoid any burn out of highlights on the white feathers. Lovely image, well done!

A great abstract image in which I am not too sure of the scale of your subject, whether tiny or quite large - but that does not matter, as it is all about the textures, which you have captured really well - no doubting here how the subject would feel to the touch! I also really like your monochrome conversion, and although the image overall has a quite dark feel, you have a full range of tones from black through to white. Great work, wonderful textures, well done.

The vibrant colours initially drew me to this image, with the boldly contrasting greens and reds which are nicely saturated, but not overly so. Superbly exposed - good highlight and shadow areas to give depth to the shot, as well as drawing attention to the details and (for this contest) the all-important textures. I like the tight crop, and the curve of the radishes across the frame. I especially like the way you have captured the soft wilting leaves and stems, which contrast nicely with the hard smoothness of the radishes. Well done on your top three placing.

I think I have reviewed this image in a previous contest, and I still love it! What a great subject for a "textures" contest. A lovely softness has been created by the shallow depth of field, and there is just enough of the image in sharp focus to show the texture of varying loose weave and bumpy knits of different sections of this throw/blanket. The colours are gorgeous, shown off by the gentle lighting you have used. I really like how you have chosen to fill the entire frame with your subject, with nothing else poking into the sides of the shot to cause a distraction. Lovely, well done!