Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

[ax2010@eircom.net]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"



Hemlock, Rosebay Willow Herb and Montbretia on the margin of the Glen road.

[mikep]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Hi

My entry... taken at the side of road in The Elan Valley, Wednesday 17th.


Bee and flower by mikep_eos, on Flickr

All the best, Mike.

[stalker]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Jelly Baby Shark Attack!!

[Muscat]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"


Thanks to everyone who submitted pictures to thiscompetition, I have made a few notes about each image to try and explain mythoughts and decisions. These are my views and meant as constructive comments.



I feel that all entries met the main criteria of wildnature.

I amawarding in the following areas
Technical execution & exposure. (max 10 points)
Composition (max 10 points)



Ricewind

Technical execution & exposure. 7

I think that the exposure is good with nicecolours, my main concern is that it seems that the point of focus is on thewings and to the rear of the hover fly, I feel that it would have been betterif it had been focused on the eyes.
Composition 6

For me the hoverfly is too far to the left of the image, Iaccept that it is on the 1/3 line but would have preferred it to fill more ofthe frame and loose some of the dark area to te right



MarkHodson

Technical execution & exposure. 7

It is difficult to keep details in the darkplumage of the Cormorant against the bright sky, I think you have done thiswell, but I feel the focus is on the body of the bird and the head is to me quitesoft which is a shame as it would have been a great shot had the head beenreally sharp.
Composition 7

I like the way that the bird is looking out into the opensky but feel that if you had cropped 2/3 of the cliff face off on the leftbehind the bird it makes a much better balanced picture



Pinkeez

Technical execution & exposure. 7

Nice use ofDOF, the image I feel is a little flat and could do with some more punch tolift the flower from the background
Composition 7

I likethe concept and feel the square format I feel works nicely but for me it nearly works, thereis a nice diagonal formed with the flowers but with only the one flower headand hoverfly being in sharp focus I personally find that there is just too muchsoft focus to work 100%, I also find the white splodge on theleft distracting which is a shame,



Briansquibb

Technical execution & exposure. 9

Verydifficult subject to capture, well done. Somehow the actual insect looks as ifit may have been over-sharpened
Composition 9

I like the square format with what I think is a Damsel flybeing on the middle 1/3, the reflection is nice to see and I am fascinated bythe small ripples just in front of the reflections.



richysticky

Technical execution & exposure. 9

I likethe use of DOF with the main teasel being nice and sharp, the exposure looksspot on to me with colours handled well
Composition 8
I like the concept and placement of the teasel,the thing that lets it down a little for me is that you have cropped the top ofthe main teasel head which I feel detracts from the o/a picture

[Muscat]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

And jack

Technical execution & exposure. 9
Lots ofdetail retained in the fluffy white seeds and also detail in the foliage
Composition 9
I like the way that you have the seeds forming a diagonalacross the image and feel that they are logically held in place by the redleaves. The only thing that I feel would improve the picture is to crop alittle off the right hand side to remove the bright stem bottom right, if youcrop it back to just before the vertical red leaf I feel that improves theimage


Chris J
Technical execution & exposure. 8
I feelthat thia has been well handled exposure wise and the colours are natural, Idon’t know why but somehow the thistle doesn’t look 100% sharp on my monitor.
Composition 7
I find this a nice record shot but somehow for me it doesn’thave real impact.

Malgpz900
Technical execution & exposure. 8
You didwell to get this close to the hoverfly I feel the exposure is very good but forme the main point of focus looks as if it is just behind the head. It wouldhave been a real cracker if the eyes and head had been as sharp as the thorax
Composition 8
Nicecomposition, well balanced, it would have been better still if you could havemanaged to have a slightly different angle to remove the bright red line thatruns behind the hoverfly

westaur
Technical execution & exposure. 7
Theexposure has been handled well in that there is detail in the white feathersand some detail in the leg and water
Composition 6
Sorry the angle that the swan has been shot at does nothingfor me

Birdy
Technical execution & exposure. 7
I thinkthe main point of focus is on the parent Grebe’s head and back, there is enoughDOF to keep the 2 chicks behind it in focus but I am having difficulty inseeing detail in the dark feathers on the back ofth e neck and rear half of thebird.
Composition 7
It could have been a lovely picture of the Grebe family butI find that they are too small in the frame and the very diffuse OOF foliagespoils the picture.

DianaS
Technical execution & exposure. 9
Nicelyhandled with good use of contrast and separation from any background whilstretaining detail in the leave and seed
Composition 8
Love theway that you have got in close and isolated just one seed, somehow I feel thatit needs something more solid on the right hand side, the wispy prickles needsomehow to me seem not quite right, difficult to but my finger on it maybe ifthey had just a little more of the main leaf it would have been better

Ax2010@eircom.net
Technical execution & exposure. 8
Gooddetail in the main flowers, I am not sure how far back the bush in thebackground is but I would have liked this to have been OOF to make the flowersstand out more. On my monitor the image seems to lack contrast as it looks alittle flat
Composition 7
I like the blend of flowers and the arc that they make acrossthe image but with the background being in such sharp focus I feel that themain impact has been lost

Mikep
Technical execution & exposure. 9
Good detailon the bee and thistle flower with the background nicely OOF, exposure wellhandled
Composition 7
I think that there is too much to the left of the mainthistle flower which tends to drag my eye away from the bee, I think thepicture works better if you use a square crop.

Stalker
Great concept it made me laugh but unfortunately it wasposted after the competition close date - sorry

Overall placings
Andy Jack 18 points and my No. 1
briansquibb 18 points and second
richysticky 18 points and third

[Birdy]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Congratulations Andy Jack, very nice picture and very close finish! Well done to everyone.

Thanks Muscat I enjoyed that challenge, got us all out there looking!

Andrew

[mikep]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Well done all but especially the 3 finalists!

Tight finish there at the end, so well done to Andy for his shot, and well done to Muscat for an enjoyable comp, and nicely judged.

Here's anticipating the next comp... will that be the one for me?

All the best, Mike.

[Pinkeez]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Well done all, and I appreciate the feedback on the entry Muscat, very nicely judged.
Congratulations Andy, looking forward to your challenge.

[ax2010@eircom.net]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Congratulations Andy Jack; rosebay willow herb grows everywhere here and I know how tricky it is to get a good shot of it when it goes to seed.

Thanks Muscat for a very interesting competition and for the constructive comments. I know it takes time and effort to assess each entry in detail but I believe that it adds greatly to the value of the judgement for entrants. Thanks again.

[andy jack]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

WOW I was not expecting that. I honestly thought I was just making up the numbers. Well done to all those who entered. Thank you for all your kind words and thank you Muscat for a great competition and your constructive comments.

Now I have a bit of a problem. I have to set and judge a new competition and I am not even close to being experienced enough to do that any real justice.

[richysticky]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Well done to all :) really enjoyed that one :) wicked winning entry Andy, and a big thank you to muscat :)

[raymon]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Well done to all who entered especially the winning three, thanks Muscat for interesting judging.

Ray

[DeeGee]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Well done to everyone who entered.

Congratulations to the winning line up.

[jonesgj]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Well done everyone. Thanks for organising Muscat.

[DianaS]

Re: Forum Challenge 31 - "Wild Nature"

Lots of good entries - well done to the winners, and thanks for all your work on the judgiong, Muscat!