Urban abstracts
Simon Hadleigh-Sparks

Urban abstracts

January 2021

Expert
winner

The leading lines and limited colour in this image draw you to the central cross and the white light.

This symmetry of the image alongside the the vivid flame orbs almost feels like an illusion, I'm still unclear if I would be falling or flying.

This image really needs to be printed and hung centre stage, congratulations this is beautiful.

Entry 7944660
899th
85

2,199 Images entered

1,227 Photographers

Entry 7945935
206th
174
Crowd
winner
Entry 8058975
1025th
27

This simplicity is overwhelmingly delightful. This image is almost like a fallen flag or nod to the pirates of childhood tales, beautiful and well spotted.

I would've liked to have seen the long diagonal equally placed in opposite corners but that doesn't detract from the imapact.

Entry 8129649
143rd
187
Entry 8159119
546th
103
Entry 8186049
793rd
4
Entry 8200908
403rd
28
Entry 8216928
877th
1
61
Entry 8257723
406th
10
Entry 8263883
1113th
4
Entry 8268886
458th
165

Meet the expert judge

Entry 8151215
13th
55
Entry 8268889
139th
154
Entry 8289063
394th
44
Entry 8289064
86th
21
Entry 8296230
267th
14
Entry 8299695
374th
18
Entry 8310209
919th
9
Entry 8325752
587th
377

72,250 Ratings

Entry 8171670
9th
20
Entry 8310207
1259th
36
Entry 8319381
248th
14

Brief

See more contest details

An urban abstract is an image that’s removed from the context of its surroundings, focusing on part of something rather than the subject as a whole. This doesn’t mean your subject has to be unrecognisable, although sometimes it will be. As our expert judge <a href="https://www.lucyshiresphotography.co.uk/">Lucy Shires</a> shows, the key is to emphasise something in an urban environment that you may not have otherwise noticed.

Entry 7944254
34th
102
Entry 7948268
45th
161
Entry 7948269
62nd
119

This busy abstract, full of straight lines and curves, is separated by an angular zebra snake.

I love this image and I would've liked to have seen it rotated about 10 degrees to the right, so as to bring that curved barrier to the bottom left edge and to play with the angles to the top right a little more.

Entry 7958824
44th
4

This reminds me of a zoomed in view of a spiders face.

Very well spotted and great composition. A closer crop on the right would have evened up the two outside 'columns' it feels a little uneven on the left. Again well spotted, great image.

Entry 7997588
30th
90

This image would be easily commendable had it not bee such a tight crop.

The yellow into the white is glorious but too dominant with the texture also so noticeable. If the grey area could've taken up 75% less space with the yellow leading line being a corner highlight then this would've been a contender in the top 10.

Entry 8016585
25th
7
Entry 8056849
59th
35
Entry 8058999
50th
14
Entry 8246095
56th
119
Entry 8310208
54th
23
Entry 8316808
17th
64
Entry 8321746
58th
5
Entry 8322323
27th
11