The Colour Brown (no sepia toned monochrome)

This image is all about the textures, which have been wonderfully captured and leaves the viewer in no doubt how these dried leaves would feel to the touch. A wide aperture has created a shallow depth of field, placing sharp focus only on the crisp leaves in the middle distance, with the rest falling softly out of focus, but not distractingly so. The colours look nicely natural too. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

This image was a late entry into my top ten, but one I kept coming back to, as there is so much of interest for the eye to explore. I especially like the juxtaposition between the precise symmetry and lines of the architecture, and the relaxed casualness of the posture of the two figures lounging on the steps. The inclusion of the people, although small within the frame, prevents the image looking a little too sterile. Well on brief for the contest, with varying shades of brown filling the frame, everything is well focused and softly lit to create a very pleasing image. Well done on your top ten placing.

The slightly unusual composition drew me to this image originally, and the more I look, the more I like it. Although unconventional, the composition looks to have been well considered, with the area taken up by the paler land at the bottom mirroring the misty area at the top of the frame. Colouring is lovely, especially the deep rich brown of the steep dune. The animal is walking out of the frame, but that does not matter here for me, and actually adds to the impact of the image in my view. Congratulations on your third place finish.

Chocolate can be very difficult to photograph, especially to get the colouring and white balance correct, as many cameras and editing software will often over-compensate and turn the chocolates into varying unappetising hues. Here however, the colours and white balance are spot on, and the result is a very tempting array of chocolate delights. Lighting, composition, and framing are all superb, as is the focus and depth of field, with most of the chocolates in sharp focus, and the remainder falling softly out of focus. The little details and textures captured on the surface of the chocolates are lovely. Congratulations on your second place finish.

I love this image, and it demonstrates a strong photographic eye to realize the potential for a great image from a simple subject such as a bicycle from above and some strong sunlight. The composition, with the subject positioned over to the left, works well and for me adds impact by the creation of negative space. Unfortunately what lets the image down a little for me is the addition of the digital signature logo in the negative space, which tends to draw the eye away from the main subject and risks becoming a subject in its own right. I have tried to overlook that, as otherwise I love the simplicity of the shot and the rich hues. Well done on your top ten placing.

An initial comment on the contest overall: There were a high number of entries in the contest which aside from brown contained large areas of other colours, including black, especially as a backdrop. As the brief stated the images should have brown as the dominant colour with only small areas of other colours present, they could not be included in my judging as the area taken up by colour other than brown could not be considered small. On to the winning image: This image stood out for me as soon as I saw it, and it remained the one to beat. I love the abstract nature of the shot, with the fascinating patterns formed by the action of the water, and the scale of the shot would be impossible to ascertain were it not for the tiny boat, which gives context and a sense of scale. Superbly composed, and you have done especially well to show such variation in the shades of brown which are all relatively similar but subtly different. Congratulations on your winning image.

A well captured and gentle portrait of an elderly lady. I especially like the framing of the shot, which looks neither too tightly cropped nor too distant. The varying shades of brown across the image look natural, and you have revealed some great textures in the textiles and the lady's skin and hair. The image does not look over-sharpened, which can often be a temptation when photographing aging skin. A well executed natural portrait, well done on your top ten placing.

The shabby facade of what looks to have been a previously grand building make an ideal subject for this contest, with so many shades of brown on display. I like the head-on viewpoint which puts all the focus on the facade, and allows all the details from the crumbling plasterwork, the boarded windows and the old wooden doors to be explored. Sadly a scene typical of so many towns and cities around the world as architecture starts to crumble beyond routine repair, but it makes for a great photographic subject. Well done on your top ten placing.

I always find the ripple patterns formed on sand fascinating, and your image here shows a great example of the unique shapes and lines, accentuated by some great lighting. Just enough shadow to show the form and dimension of the ridges, whilst retaining some details in the shadow and preventing them looking too dark or harsh. The inclusion of the worn wooden post adds a focal point for the shot and some different textures too. A simple subject, but well captured. Well done on your top ten placing.