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In our last Shooting Challenge we gave you a simple brief; one that was open to a lot of interpretation and gave you scope for oodles of creative goodness. The task of shooting stairs or components of was the perfect opportunity to see things from another angle; and many of you rose to the challenge.
We received a good number of entries; you all took the brief and ran with it. But of course, there can be only one winner and this week’s virtual crown goes to Mark Boadey and his photograph taken at Liverpool’s One shopping complex. It’s a fantastic image full of lines, layers, angles and of course stairs.
Here’s a few words from Mark:
“These stairs are located in the Liverpool One shopping complex, it’s a mixture of escalators and zig-zag stairs. I’ve always liked the way they intersect each other. Taken with a Canon 7D and 24-105mm lens, I could have done with a wider lens as you can only get this shot from one location. I took the picture with mono in mind with a small crop and a boost to the contrast added in post.”
Again, well done Mark.
Honourable mentions must to go the following people:
Oli Johnson
Ben Millen
Errik Wong
Iain Harkiss
You can see all of this week’s entries over on our Flickr page.
Thanks once again to everyone that took the time to take their photos and submit them. There will be another Shooting Challenge next week and I’m not giving any hints (or maybe I already have).
Martin Snelling is a Hampshire-based man about town who works in the videogame industry. A keen photographer, Martin shoots on film and digital; he blogs here, and tweets here.
Shooting Challenge #9 — Stairs
Shooting Challenge #13 -- Results
Shooting Challenge #3 Results: Silhouettes
Congrats to Mark, I really like that one, and there are lots of decents photos this week.
Any chance there might be a tinker free comp – one in which photographs have to be submitted as taken with no image post-processing whatsoever?
I agree with Udimon, many of us don’t have the cool/expensive software to do decent post processing that the entries tend to have. I think it would encourage more entries.
The rules state that only basic changes – like brightness and contrast are allowed. That’s stuff you can do on free software or apps. Rules have been that way for the last 4 or 5 competitions.
I think it’d be interesting and worthwhile to do a challenge without any post processing whatsoever, but to eliminate it from every competition is a bit like eliminating DSLRs or Tripods. Post-processing is part of the… ehm… process, and it’s a part that requires as much care, skill and experience to get right, so I like the opportunity.
I think there might be scope (who am I to say?) for a second competition or even a second category of winners for people who don’t shoot on DSLR or don’t have nice post processing software, the problem is I’d like to do a long-exposure challenge or a light-painting challenge or an HDR challenge, just to boost my experience, but I know Martin likes to keep the theme inclusive.
I know many of the photo-geeks would have a coronary if all the pics had to be submitted as taken, but I think it would be nice to one just to see how well it works and see if there is a signficant difference in quality and quantity or submissions.
Plus for the non photo-geek, it is slightly off-putting when all the write-ups talk about lens kits and contrast changes, shutter speeds etc which is essentialy gibberish. I’m all for that being used for most of them as it is a photography comp, but just one without all that every now and then for those with less photo-geekiness would be nice.
Yeah, and you’re not alone (I think I’m one of the few that would like it to go the other way), so maybe there should be two categories or two comps?
As in, the winner of the maximalist category is…. and the winning shot in the minimalist category is… etc.
When we start receiving over 30 entries, THEN we may consider doing sub-comps. But currently the demand just isn’t there.
Fair enough, but you could have two categories of winners or alternate the comps between minimalist and fill-yer-boots styles.
I’m happy with them the way they are, by the way, just stirring up shite.
There will be no two categories.
Remember, aside from when we have a scrummy prize on offer, these challenges are JUST FOR FUN!
At the risk of sounding like I’m trying too hard, I took the picture of the stairwell using my iPhone as it was all I had with me at the time and I stumbled across the shot knowing I’d not get another chance to go back with a ‘better’ camera.
I think there are certain shots that are more about composition (like Mark’s) than what you do in Photoshop afterwards.
I know, my entry in a previous comp was taken on my phone. I just think it would be interesting to see a comp without any kind of tinkering.
The only way to achieve that would be to insist on film photography only. Send your negatives to PO Box…
A good idea; and one I will keep for portrait week
(maybe)
I think I’ve just found my new phone background.
Another excellent winner, really like Ben Millens shot and Anrew Hardies shopping centre escalator picture is also a bit of highlight.
Bosh. I’e got next weeks challenge! It’s layers isn’t it! Layers, loads of layers. Layers everywhere! Don’t look now or you’ll get a layer in your eye; OUCH! [layers]
Hahah, no, it isn’t layers.. Although, it could be as the subject does have more than one layer. It depends on how you take the shot.
Oh, you completely gave away the subject this time. Right, gotta get some Onion photography practice in, my best tip: wear swimming goggles.
Actually, it wasn’t an onion buy by heck you’ve given me an idea as to a future challenge…
/runs off to scribble in little black book.
Great stuff.. i agree with @Udimion about a non photoshop one, not that i dont think photoshop has its place.. I would also like a film shoot one, back to the old skool! but i know thats costly and hardly anyone has a film camera these days. (shameless plug here: http://runawaygeek.deviantart.com/)
We’ve had film entries in the past, and I for one am a big lover of film cameras (I have nearly 40).. For many people though, it just isn’t possible.
These shooting challenges are inclusive and not exclusive – that’s why they’re less about the tech/settings of a camera and more about the subject. That way, anyone can enter regardless of device (whether it be digital camera, 35mm or mobile phone).
Not sure this is the right place to write this, but here we go. What I would like to see is some sort of buyers/owners guide to 35mm cameras (SLR and/or Toy). I have been wanting to buy a DSLR recently but someone put me onto the fact that you can pick up 35mm SLR’s on eBay for next to nothing. I quite like the idea of leaning the ropes of real photography (as opposed to snapping on a compact) on an SLR and then upgrading to a DSLR when I feel I’m good enough.
Would you be able to put a few words of wisdom up on Giz/your blog about this sort of thing, especially film types (a lot of ebayers sell out of date film?!?), camera types and where is best to get film developed these days?
I like the photo challenges, they are fun, but I would like to use them as a platform to improve not only my ability to take pictures but also as a way to educate myself in the entire world and culture of photography.
I’d be more than happy to write a buyers guide of sorts on film cameras if this is something that people would find interesting.
Peeps?
Fantastic, congratulations Mark.
I’ve been meaning to ask this for a few competitions now, but feel more guilt-free with this one as I didn’t participate. The rules do say that only minimal post-processing is allowed, like global changes to levels, etc. I’ve always assumed B&W conversions are ok as well. But what about split-toning to achieve certain effects? A number of pictures in the past few competitions have used this, and I was unsure about it – perhaps it falls within the parameters of B&W conversion.
But then what about Errik’s picture above. I think its fantastic, and wish I could take one like that, but the use of PS is clearly a very important part of this photograph. A very creative and skilled use no doubt, but I think either we say clearly that post-processing to such an extent is allowed, or we say it isn’t. At the moment, the exact boundary of the no PS rule is unclear to me.
Thank you guys. I wasn’t going to enter but I just happened to be in Liverpool for the remembrance day service and I suddenly remember this comp.
I really like Errik Wong picture, I’m a big fan of long exposures that show motion.
Cracking stuff all round, especially the winning shot. I had a nice geometric thing in my head from my flat’s staircase, but couldn’t get the shot right once I had camera in hand. Will try harder next time
well chuffed to get a mention, was my 1st time using an slr in about 15yrs and i didnt use it on auto mode either