Last night was the final round of POTY 7 which was themed Environmental Portrait and saw some quite excellent images.

 

02 (40) Ben – Steve Pears Scores 15.83 9 19 I 5.21 3 7 C 5.21 T 5.14

He seems cheery, his face is well lit – maybe a tad too much considering it’s a grey sky?
Sharp everywhere except on person when zoomed in. Need to focus on face

03 (42) Bob – Dave Varnham Scores 13.38 9 17 I 4.47 3 6 C 4.33 T 4.53

Could do with more concentration on the subject as the person is small in frame, needs cropping and processing, especially on face
Also Dog is slightly cropped, Whole dog or no dog please

04 (28) Bratwurst Boys – Graham Townsend Scores 17.69 10 22 I 6.07 4 7 C 5.67 T 5.73


was taken at Birmingham Christmas Market, 28/11/16. It was really dark. 1/400 f3.2 ISO 400. Overall a bit dark, benefit from dodging and burning on faces but well captured moment expression on middle man makes it.

05 (6) Caught In The Act – Paul Steans – HELD BACK

06 (9) Caught In The Buffers – Ken Chesterman – HELD BACK

07 (9) Coffee Break – Isobel Chesterman – HELD BACK

08 (33) Emerging From The Dive – Alan Wardropper Scores 17.25 12 21 I 5.86 4 7 C 5.43 T 5.86


The divers expression makes i. A little out of focus on his right arm – the sharpness seems to be on the bottles in the front.  Nice image but not much of the subject as lots of equipment and not much portrait

09 (6) Fire Eater – Julie Holbeche-Maund – HELD BACK

10 (25) GCR Loco Driver – Steve Bexon Scores 17.83 10 23.5 I 6.04 4 8.5 C 5.57 T 6.07


Driver is too clean would have helped to see just a bit more train to give the environment

11 (25) Green Braids – Peter Lawrance Scores 17.83 14 22 I 6.5 4 8 C 5.79 T 5.57


The young lady with green hair was walking in London and as you can tell from her expression she was really pleased that I was taking loads of photos of her. Eyes need to be a little sharper and a squarer crop would have been nice.

12 (27) Haute Cuisine – Peter Lawrance Scores 17.75 13 21 I 6 4 7 C 5.86 T 5.79

The Food seller was in Camden market and decided that I must have been hungry as I had stood in the same position by his stall for so long.
Nice image although top half of face a little dark, eyes not sharp

13 (36) Just Popping Out – Gary Wood Scores 16.85 12 21 I 5.53 4 7 C 5.73 T 5.53


Needs more dodging and burning to improve tones

Street band in St Ives, Cornwall. Taken on a iPhone 4S. Drain was removed, background darkened, lamppost signs made less distracting in Photoshop also the image was squared up.

Might have looked better without the lamp post – but made me smile

15 (8) Lady In Waiting – Julie Holbeche-Maund – HELD BACK

16 (23) Latin Dance Competition – Chantal Cooper Scores 18.08 12 24 I 6.3 4 8 C 5.93 T 5.83


The dancers are beautifully clear. Difficult to crop because of background but possibly a better angle or zoom when taking photo as the adults are distracting-crop to just above their knees

17 (1) Master Mason – James Botterill – HELD BACK

18 (38) Missing Person Search Briefing – Debbie Lowe Scores 15.92 10 19 I 5.5 4 8 C 4.93 T 5.29


Too many people which causes the middle person to be obscured. Lacks eye contact from anyone

19 (14) Mr G – John Smith Scores 19.85 15 24.5 I 6.7 5 8.5 C 6.67 T 6.47


Darken to right of ice cream van

20 (4) Mr Valet – James Botterill – HELD BACK

21 (41) Persimmon Workers – Roger Leck Scores 14.46 10 19 I 5 4 7 C 4.73 T 4.73

Bloke in the centre, whatever is in his hand is very distracting, looks like a scratch. Unbalanced. They appear to posing in an ideal position so why squash them at the edge of photo

22 (35) Preparing To Launch – John Denny Scores 17.13 12 22 I 6.04 4 7.5 C 5.5 T 5.57

RNLI lifeboat crew getting ready for training launch at Tenby, Wales. Background separated and levels adjusted, background people (4) removed, some writing removed, glare on visors and highlights edited.
Can’t see faces. Fluorescent lights are too bright. Don’t need the left hand side, needs dodging and burning to get rid of bright lights and enhance people

23 (37) Protecting Richard III – Debbie Lowe Scores 16.79 12 23 I 6.07 4 8 C 5.54 T 5.29


Shame about the onlookers as figures in background are distracting – and the feet missing from the subject – otherwise very emotive. Could be sharper, person at front too dark, lighten and raise clarity. Windows overexposed

24 (16) Putting The Kettle On – Ian Waite Scores 19.67 14 30 I 6.46 4 10 C 6.86 T 6.68


Nice effect. Needs details enhancing and some work on the mono tones to give more impact

25 (21) Re-enactment Indian – Roger Leck Scores 18.73 13 23 I 6.5 4 8 C 6 T 6.13


Right side too bright either step to the right and recompose which would also help to remove distracting stick on left. Or in post production could have been improved by a squarer crop cropping from the right, tone down highlights on person.

26 (24) Rescued Baby Badger – Chantal Cooper Scores 17.88 14 21 I 5.97 4 8 C 5.93 T 5.93


Background too bright

27 (42) Return Of The Coach – Andy Freeman Scores 13.38 10 17 I 4.6 4 6 C 4.6 T 4.2


looks very blurry to me, Poor focus. Too much empty space. Nothing looks sharp, crop off left side

28 (22) Salman – Steve Pears Scores 18.42 14 23.5 I 6.14 4 8 C 6.18 T 6.14


That’s one way to cut your toe nails. Square crop may work better?

29 (39) Sausages And Bacon – Dave Varnham Scores 15.85 12 19 I 5.6 4 8 C 5.07 T 5.13


It would have been better if Carl was facing the camera. Could be improved with a little cropping and details and colours enhancing.

30 (32) Say Hi To The Peaky Blinders – Al Simms Scores 17.33 13 26 I 6.07 4 9 C 5.96 T 5.61


Love the eye contact. Needs dodging and burning. Guys face is soft so losing detail

31 (30) Spit And Polish – Andy Freeman Scores 17.38 12 22 I 6.07 4 8 C 5.53 T 5.73


His face looks out of focus (might be me), Plane in focus, person isn’t losing detail in face, Sky is too bright

32 (11) Stable Girl – Graham Townsend Scores 20.42 13 26 I 6.77 4 9 C 6.87 5 9 T 6.67 4 9


(Perhaps stretching the theme a bit here as it is really a studio portrait, but she is in a stable ?. Perhaps skin tones could be improved on face as a little flat

33 (13) The Barber – Paul Steans Scores 20.17 14 28 I 6.89 4 9 C 6.71 5 10 T 6.68 4 10


Nice image, could have a bit less of the mirror frame on the right. Personally – I’d have liked to have seen a bit more of the lower face, Lighten the shadows a little on barbers face? Shame the customers head isn’t all in the picture

34 (30) The Corner Shop – John Smith Scores 17.38 14 26 I 6.3 5 8 C 6 4 9 T 5.43 3 9


Great image, but a lot of noise.  Crop in slightly from left

35 (18) The Horse And Jockey – Phil Mallin Scores 19.33 14 25 I 6.39 5 8.5 C 6.61 4 9 T 6.36 5 8


The Horse and Jockey- Phil Mallin Taken on location whilst a friends’ son was in training to be a jockey. Crop in slightly on left

36 (18) The Last Check – Alan Wardropper Scores 19.33 14 25 I 6.61 4 8.5 C 6.75 5 8.5 T 6 4 8


3Nice image.  Portrait very small in overall picture so hard to see detail

37 (29) The Proprietor – Gary Wood Scores 17.54 13 21 I 5.9 4 7.5 C 5.77 4 7 T 5.8 4 7


Probably the processing but colours tones look a bit flat, person looking away so no eye contact, Would have like the subject to be looking at the camera. Would have like to see the full shop name

38 (15) The Stoker – Ian Waite Scores 19.71 14 23 I 6.64 5 8 C 6.43 4 8 T 6.46 5 8


Image sharp overall but face loses detail when zoomed in

39 (2) The Sweeps Work Is Done – Al Simms – HELD BACK

40 (17) Up In The Air – Ken Chesterman Scores 19.5 13 24 I 6.43 4 8 C 6.64 4 8 T 6.29 5 8


Probably more impact in colour or colour popped

41 (5) Waiting For The Whistle – Steve Bexon – HELD BACK

42 (12) Will This Do – Isobel Chesterman Scores 20.38 16 28 I 7 5 9 C 6.82 5 10 T 6.79 5 9

06 (9) Caught In The Buffers – Ken Chesterman Scores 20.46 16 25 I 6.93 5 8 C 6.79 T 6.75


A bit more of the environment would have been nice. Lost detail on top of head, benefit from dodging and burning. Is he happy he’s in the photo? Is the bottom left corner grainy or is it me?

06 07 (9) Coffee Break – Isobel Chesterman Scores 20.46 15 26 I 6.82 5 9 C 6.75 T 6.89


was taken in Coventry Town Centre. Face skin tones could be improved, darken bag but otherwise works well as a monochrome image

15 (8) Lady In Waiting – Julie Holbeche-Maund Scores 20.75 13 29 I 6.64 4 9 C 6.89 T 7.25


Taken in a Victorian style house. Lighting set to High Speed Sync so that the outside could be seen. Love the lighting. Face soft and needs dodging and burning to improve mono tones

05 (6) Caught In The Act – Paul Steans Scores 21.29 14 27 I 7.21 5 9 C 6.96 T 7

Those eyes are amazing! They jusy hold you and draw your focus. Cute picture, square crop works well. Well captured pose

09 (6) Fire Eater – Julie Holbeche-Maund Scores 21.29 12 29 I 7.07 3 10 C 6.75 T 7.36


Taken on a lake on an estate. Joel wanted to have an image of him on a burning boat. Lighting set to High Speed Sync. Just after this shot, Joel jumped into the water and forgot that he was filming himself on a GoPro at the front of the boat, which caught on fire and melted.
Well captured, reflection adds. Found the little grey flecks distracting, but really loved the power of the picture. Can’t see much face detail

41 (5) Waiting For The Whistle – Steve Bexon Scores 21.79 15 27 I 7.18 4 9 C 7.14 5 9 T 7.36 5 9


That face has a story to tell. Great image, works well in black & white

20 (4) Mr Valet – James Botterill Scores 22.31 14 26 I 7.43 5 9 C 7.27 T 7.3


Inside of van a bit dark

43 (3) Wood Maiden – Phil Mallin Scores 22.92 18 29 I 7.46 5 9 C 7.57 6 10 T 7.96 6 10


Taken in Harts Hill Hayes Nuneaton, using lighting set to High Speed Sync.

39 (2) The Sweeps Work Is Done – Al Simms Scores 23.75 15 27.5 I 7.64 5 9 C 7.71 5 9 T 8.04 5 9.5


Mono processing handled well with good tones

17 (1) Master Mason – James Botterill Scores 24 15 29 I 8.2 5 10 C 7.53 T 8


STRIKING! Perhaps crop in slightly from the right. What’s the smoke about, it doesn’t fit

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