Toys

This is my most favourite Photocrowd image ever. The only reason I haven't given it first place is that this lovely, imaginative image has graced Photocrowd contests for years. The image, showcases excellent technical camera work coupled with expert post production and Photoshop manipulation skills. It has been a constant winner because in addition to the above, you have applied your exceptionally fertile, astute and prolifically creative mind to realise this wonderful image that epitomises childhood play. Thank you for entering my contest

This highly stylised, painterly image exudes class, while documenting the vintage European high end toy that is the Rocking Horse. You have chosen mono to accentuate the texture and contours of the horse . This achieves a striking result. The lighter soft background works well in contrast with the darker toned horse. You have pleasingly, - skilfully - or by accident? – made the horse look back-lit. Strangely the rockers are not in the frame, yet I deduce that it is a Rocking Horse Well captured with thoughtful post production. Thank you for entering.

This is a great composition, with interesting second ‘plane’ in the background. Beautifully lit and well executed. Child looks deeply engaged with his imaginary world of planes I can almost hear him making 'vroom' noises. This candid image has impact because it is made up close, slightly below the child’s eye level. This lends him a deserved grandeur beyond his years, and with his play activity dominating the frame, all-encompassing enjoyment of his homemade toy is communicated. Well done and thank you for entering.

In your description you say this is a child of the slums. This image demands more than just a cursory glance because you have made it at eye level with the child, and all elements are relevant. The higgledy piggledy, slightly out of focus background, illustrates his busy adult workaday environment which clearly belongs to the narrative.

Happily posing for the camera, his proud expression conveys that only a few kids can do this. He is in the centre of the frame as he wants to be – he is then the centre of attention at this moment. His eyes implore you to applaud – or make a picture. I think he would love to be given a print of this image. Well captured and well executed. Thank you for entering my contest.

Somehow this image of Teddy keeps coming to life for me. The more I look the more I wonder what has startled him in this book. He looks completely mortified at the story he’s reading. We see a nicely blurred background, thoughtfully lit subject, detailing wonderfully sharp expressive eyes? Well done Thank you for entering.

There is no mistaking this flash of colour, this image imparts a sense of freedom in play – It’s just a boy with a tyre in a park – engaged in solitary play. The toy is the tyre, and the game is speed, control and total freedom. The child’s action is not frozen and the blur is what we might encounter watching his game in real time. You panned the shot perfectly to capture some detail in the more fixed elements of the figure i.e. his head and torso. This is a lovely image. Thank you for entering

Yes, I haven’t seen an image of these in ages let alone in real life. Yes, we made them all those years ago in North London and we used to call them ‘Jiggers’. (Sorry to add to the list of names). Some old pram wheels – four - a plank of wood, some wooden bits for the axles, a bolt and hole to create the steering gear, some string and a flat piece for the seat. This was definitely a toy usually made by children for themselves This ‘Bogey’ is very low and harshly lit, making it look portentous, mysterious and ominous. Casting a hefty shadow… It conjures up fear, intrigue and foreboding. Who might its driver be? The brick road surface looks like just the sort of old, mossy, car free area that kids would run the 'Bogey' around on – then with courage mustered, venture on to a hill.. . The texture is beautifully visible here. At f/11 we have quite a deep depth of field, so we see all elements in the frame doing justice to the subject. In your description you say that it is an exhibit at Birmingham back to backs museum. Well documented by them and beautifully captured by you. Thank you for entering my contest.