2020 / 21 POTY 5 “In the Frame” Review
01 (36) A Winter Walk – Debbie Lowe
Scores 16.65 12 21 I 5.32 3 101 C 5.89 4 112 T 5.42 3 103
This image as strong impact due to use of portrait orientation and strong verticals provided by the trees which are the framing element.
Composition is good but main subject i.e. the person is quite small would a tighter crop would be better? Looks soft. The footprints add a nice leadin element.
Technically there looks to be a blue colour cast on snow and trees so a minor adjustment to the temperature and saturation
02 (39) Ashby Canal – Debbie Lowe
Scores 15.76 9 21 I 4.95 4 94 C 5.47 4 104 T 5.26 5 100
Impact again comes from the strong framing element
But compositionally poorer as I find I first follow the canal rather then the tow path so miss the people who would have worked better if they were approaching rather than retreating.
Technical colours are a bit dull but light handled well as sky isn’t burnt out.
This has resulted in the brickwork being a bit dark. Could possibly lift shadows to get more detail in walls.
Cropped too tight to the horizonal bridge walls.
03 (20) Ashby Castle In The Frame – Ken Chesterman
Scores 18.5 12 25 I 6.06 5 109 C 6.39 4 115 T 6.06 4 109
Matches theme well but hasn’t got the impact of the previous 2
Compositionally title implies main subject is the castle but that’s cropped by the framing element
Technically this time the sky is burnt out better processing needed to improve background detail and bright areas, Could use more contrast
Frame within a frame but recession hindered by darker wall in centre perhaps lighten this and darken far wall leaving figure lighter as somewhere to lead the eye.
Multiple framed capture – good spot. Maybe lower the brightness beyond the far wall as eye drawn to upper windows though.
04 (18) Baddesley Clinton Sculpture – Isobel Chesterman
Scores 18.56 13 24 I 6.22 3 112 C 6.39 4 115 T 5.94 5 107
Impact from the bright frame but green of frame overpowers tree
Compositionally Lone trees all though small work well normally but this is spoilt by the converging frame verticals.
Technically Bright frame and dull background and its believed to be a composite image as light looks wrong and there’s a tell tale selection issue at the top
05 (37) Behind The Five Baa Gate – Peter Lawrance
Scores 16.44 10 23 I 5.44 4 98 C 5.78 5 104 T 5.22 4 94
Good framing idea but lacks impact. Compositionally good
Technical Don’t like texture and BW conversion, and spoilt by being too bright on LHS with strong shadow on right
06 (21) Bosworth Tree In The Frame – Ken Chesterman
Scores 18.38 15 23 I 6.06 2 109 C 6.17 3 111 T 6.22 3 112
Impact from colour but appears a little oversaturated,
Compositionally good framing element leads you to subject although its upstaged by the background trees. But the frame has no top
Technically has Nice pastel autumn colours and a natural frame but feels rather flat although sharp throughout and strange hazy bits at the edges
07 (34) Burbage On The Horzion – Alan Wardropper
Scores 17.13 11 22 I 5.89 4 106 C 5.56 3 100 T 5.61 4 101
Impact from Good bright colours, nicely natural frame..
Composition Road in the foreground is distracting Could have cropped the road out a bit and cloned the rest of it out.
The subject in the frame is very distant so difficult to hold interest.
Technical Looks like an imported sky. Too warm and oversaturated, strange greens hues and false sky colours
08 (6) Carla In White – Phil Mallin
09 (2) Cathedral Cove – Julie Holbeche-Maund
10 (22) Como From Varenna – Ian Waite
Scores 18.19 12 26 I 6.22 4 112 C 6.06 5 109 T 6 5 108
Impact comes from the pillars RH pillar very dominating and the lack of the top of the arch diminish impact
Compositional The frame is the subject, not “In the Frame” Three frames but none have a good view due to angle of image
Technical oversaturated
11 (8) Cromer View – John Smith
12 (4) Driving Home For Christmas – James Botterill
13 (12) Fairest Of Them All – Graham Townsend
Scores 20 12 28 I 6.89 6 124 C 6.22 6 112 T 6.89 5 124
Great idea. Good image The chair provides a second frame to the mirror and the contrasts of white against the richer leather and skin tones is excellent.
It’s an ‘In The Frame’ competition yet the main subject and composition area is not in a frame
It’s more about the part that’s not in the frame? Perhaps needed right half cropping out as legs are too dominant.
Marked down because the frames around the mirror don’t have a top.
Strange angle possibly better lower and no books showing and she has lost her feet. Also I thought the frame should be natural?
Unbalanced image
14 (16) Finely Balanced – Alan Wardropper
Scores 19.5 13 25 I 6.61 4 119 C 6.11 4 110 T 6.72 5 121
Face too close to edge, top of frame chopped off, for this competition was hoping to see a complete frame
Good image, the skin colour need to be constant,
Same comments as last outing, great pose but ideally would have had more space on left and less on right.
Sharp image but unfortunately the model isn’t framed.
Too much shadow
15 (27) Hill House – Steve Pears
Scores 17.75 9 22 I 5.89 5 106 C 5.83 4 105 T 5.78 4 104
Hill House is a unique building, interiors and collection by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh.
The Hill House is ‘dissolving like an aspirin in a glass of water’ according to the National Trust for Scotland.
To protect the Hill House, National Trust Scotland has embarked on a pioneering conservation programme.
The first stage was the construction of the Hill House Box, a protective steel frame structure covered in a chainmail mesh designed to
protect the house from the rain. This is to allow the walls to dry and prevent further damage.
Certainly a dominating frame but very busy.
IMO would have been better taken from a distance and if possible under more interesting and contrasting lighting to illuminate the house slightly.
Grey sky, frame and house a bit too much.
I’d prefer only one side of it.
Unusual! What’s going on here? What’s the story?
Well spotted but too busy and cluttered for me for ‘In the Frame’
16 (13) Icebound – John Denny
Scores 19.94 9 26 I 6.5 6 117 C 6.67 6 120 T 6.5 5 117
Nice composition, interesting image Winter shot with subtle colours. Some interest in the sky
Composition would improve with both sides of the bridge in shot yet someone else felt left side and top need cropping to make more of the framed scene
Would have liked more contrast to give depth to image.
17 (15) Ironbridge – Chantal Cooper
Scores 19.88 9 25 I 6.63 5 126 C 6.47 6 123 T 6.47 5 123
Impact from Great sky although it does look over saturated
Compositional Liked this but kept getting drawn to roof of building caught in frame of bridge. A few steps to right would possibly have improved this.
Think could have cropped off the river and removed the greenery bottom right. Or got a bit lower and to the right to get all of the house within the frame of the bridge.
Technical A bit oversaturated, scene in frame not very interesting and bottom right corner is distracting. Sky looks odd.
Good sky replacement, but reflection is the wrong way and Chromatic aberration visible in the bridge.
18 (30) Kingswear – Ian Waite
Scores 17.56 8 21 I 5.67 5 102 C 5.5 4 99 T 6.06 5 109
Image is more about the arch that the view through the arch A bit less wall and a bit more scene would improve this?
Compositional As with previous images a couple of steps to right would have put boat in the frame and improved image a great deal.
19 (1) Mesa Arch – Phil Mallin
20 (5) Mirro Lake – Julie Holbeche-Maund
21 (26) Old Climbers – Dave Varnham
Scores 17.82 13 22 I 5.84 4 111 C 6.26 4 119 T 5.68 3 108
Different type of shot and frame works well. Nice group image but Let down by subjects almost exclusively looking away from image taker.
Presumably at someone else taking the same shot. Could have lifted shadows of figures at the rear of shot.
22 (40) Old Doors In Marble Frame – Roger Leck
Scores 15.69 10 24 I 5 5 90 C 5.39 5 97 T 5.44 5 98
Door is completely framed but needs to be vertical and not the most interesting of doors
Shame the doors are closed would have worked better with someone in the door way
Would have benefitted from more dodging and burning and keeping all of top brackets in the image.
A simple shot like this needs something in the contrast and colouring work to keep the audiences interest.
23 (25) Old John In The Frame – Isobel Chesterman
Scores 18.13 13 21 I 6.17 3 111 C 6 2 108 T 5.83 3 105
A well found shot with good leading line of path towards Old John.
Good composition but Old John needs to be stronger in picture as the frame and interest is really only RH side of image.
Again the frame doesn’t seem complete?
Appreciate the interest in the branches on right but might have been better cropped into portrait.
Could be improved with some dodging and burning and saturation, especially Old John which is the framed subject
24 (13) Pigeonholed – John Denny
Scores 19.94 14 25 I 6.78 3 122 C 6.61 3 119 T 6.5 5 117
Simple but effective., The title made me smile.
Better as a square crop with cute pigeon in the centre of image
Good detail in the pigeon, Sharp head on bird and good eyes with an interesting frame.
As the Pidgeon is so shallow perhaps crop into portrait removing the out of focus rocks which appear very dominant in image.
25 (30) Ready For The Day – Steve Bexon
Scores 17.56 9 23 I 5.89 5 106 C 6.06 6 109 T 5.44 4 98
A very moody BW contrasty image captures the Atmospheric conditions of the scene which is often taken from the other side of engines.
But from this angle the bridge provides the framing element
Very sharp but IMO a little to dark but this may have been authors considered intention.
Some thought Trains too dark, sky too light
26 (9) Roach End Barns – Steve Bexon
27 (33) Snowy Out – Gary Wood
Scores 17.18 6 24 I 5.74 6 109 C 5.84 6 111 T 5.37 6 102
A bit over bright in the centre.
Brightness contrast nicely with the darker area under the bridge. Like the contrast of the colours close to camera with the mono outside.
Details lost in bricks around top half of bridge due to removing too many shadows, background sky area needs darkening a little
I didn’t spot the snow at first.
Prefer other shot of this as this image seems rather too overworked in an attempt to get colours on brickwork and undergrowth on left.
Shame sky is just big bright spot. (But snowy skies are like that)
Some cloning done to left leaving smudges and to left hand side of the bridge roof is smudge.
Twigs across distant tree are distracting
28 (41) St Just In Roseland – John Smith
Scores 15.38 6 20 I 5 4 90 C 5.17 5 93 T 4.94 5 89
Greater depth of field needed
Nicely framed by the overhanging tree leaves and the water. Green cast & Oversaturated?
Possibly a few steps to right may have included more of end of church. Whole image quite soft and over processed IMO.
The composite has issues the leaves at the front creating the frame are false.
And some greenery has been added at the back and the colouration at the front does not match the image at the front.
Too warm and oversaturated, green hues look wrong. Frame only in corners, missing at the top
29 (7) St Mary De Castro – Andy Freeman
30 (17) Stags In Waiting – Chantal Cooper
Scores 19.12 12 28 I 6.58 5 125 C 6.05 5 115 T 6.58 6 125
good capture of some good looking stags with the main three looking towards camera.
Good shot but where’s the frame?
I like the way the photographer has created his own frame or emphasised what is already their.
Maybe wrong but looks like parts of the frame has been added and not very well
Wonderful shot of the stags but if this was framed by trees it is lost in what appears to be heavy vignette.
IMO in another competition this would be a much more successful image
31 (42) Stonebridge Lake From The Hide – Andy Freeman
Scores 15.13 9 19 I 5 5 90 C 4.78 4 86 T 5.22 4 94
Different style of image which is really just hinting at the view, which is mostly hidden by the hide! Inevitable graffiti which can be read if you want to.
A very heavy frame partially obscuring what looks to be beautifully coloured setting.
Would possibly be improved by shooting slightly closer to frame and having top, bigger opening dominant and therefore including more background.
Crop away a lot of the excessive frame.
Lake too obscured by plank of wood, the graffiti distracted me a little.
This is the frame, not in the frame
This pic is all about the bar, not the view beyond
32 (24) Summer – Gary Wood
Scores 18.18 10 24 I 5.84 4 111 C 6.05 5 115 T 6.16 5 117
A better image than the snowy one?
A contrast to image Snowy Out in that this is a different time of year so now the colour is outside rather than under the bridge.
Nice colours with good sky interest.
Can see more brick detail this time but strange colours in framed part of image and fence at front blocks the view
This is same view as pic 27, what a difference the weather makes. Could still open shadows up
What’s the subject?
Works better than other image from this spot as there is now somewhere to walk out of the frame
33 (28) Sunrise From Under The Pier – Al Simms
Scores 17.69 8 22 I 5.94 5 107 C 5.67 4 102 T 5.78 5 104
Good letterbox crop nice wide frame
Nice coloured sun rays through the clouds. Could be either sunrise or sunset.
Not obvious that it’s under the pier but is still framed uniformly.
Not very interesting. nothing sharp in image, strange colours for sunrise
34 (35) Sydney Model In Window Frame – Roger Leck
Scores 17 10 20 I 5.56 4 100 C 5.61 4 101 T 5.61 3 101
Not very interesting, would be better square. Need to balance amount of brick work
would have left a bit more brick on the right or taken a bit off the left.
Pretty shot presumably lit from inside. Unbalanced frame but maybe there was a distraction to the right side of frame.
Someone else’s artwork model in a frame. Badly cropped
The frame is IMO to modern and uninteresting for the image and could have been cropped.
I appreciate that this was how figure was placed but if possible could have moved her to left in the frame increasing void on right rather than left.
35 (11) Tempting – Peter Lawrance
Scores 20.13 15 29 I 7.11 5 128 C 6.61 4 119 T 6.61 6 119
Good connection with the shopkeeper. Interesting colourful objects but not sure what relevance to products.
Maybe should have shot slightly to the right and lower to get all of the wording on the sign and included all of the shopkeepers hat?
Well spotted colourful image, hope the author bought something. Perhaps slightly wider frame at edges if available to match top
36 (22) Tower View – Graham Townsend
Scores 18.19 9 24 I 6 5 108 C 5.83 5 105 T 6.17 5 111
36 Good balance of lighting and positioning to just get all of tower within the frame.
36 Nice frame and lighting held quite well. DOF could have been deeper as the frame is now dominant factor.
A slightly different viewpoint would have included all the tower and it could then have had verticals corrected and
which is main attraction in images which is the main
Nice image but too tight in the frame
Not a bad composite but the edges of the window frames need a bit of TLC
Perhaps a little less frame would have enhanced the scene more
37 (37) Venus De Medici – Paul Steans
Scores 16.44 9 20 I 5.39 4 97 C 5.5 4 99 T 5.33 4 96
A record shot that unfortunately has wrong DOF and frame itself is only partially well lit and soft on RH. Needs better cropping and processing
38 (10) View From The Grotto – Paul Steans
39 (3) Waiting For Santa – James Botterill
40 (19) Why Cant I Come – Daniel Wood
Scores 18.53 9 30 I 6.32 7 120 C 6.26 7 119 T 6.05 7 115
Certainly looks like the dog has a sad expression. Narrow depth of field forces the viewer to look at the dog.
Eye not in focus
Less is more. The close crop and mournful eye says more than a whole head shot.
Very nice photo. Simple but effective.
41 (43) Wintery – Al Simms
Scores 15 6 24 I 4.83 6 87 C 5.28 6 95 T 4.89 6 88
Good idea using a wire fence to frame the shot. Makes the viewer feel cold, as it should, because of the impression of a windy snow shower.
Good, different idea for a frame and B/W works well. Stark frame goes well with start landscape beyond.
Greater depth of field needed, not very interesting
Not sure about this one.
42 (29) Wolf Run – Steve Pears
Scores 17.63 10 25 I 6 4 108 C 5.94 6 107 T 5.67 5 102
Nice idea of framing a competitor but the person doesn’t convey the effort that a wolf run would require.
Novel idea although main protagonist soft compared to parts of the frame.
Think I would have cropped out the Wolf Run at the top to make the photo square.
43 (32) Workmen – Dave Varnham
Scores 17.29 10 23 I 5.53 3 105 C 5.84 5 111 T 5.84 5 111
Frame is obvious but subject matter not interesting IMO. If men had been facing camera would have improved greatly.
Lucky it rained and got a reflection in the puddle.
One man to dig the hole, one to point where the post needs to go and another to make sure they are both doing it properly. Good framing of the workmen with nice contrasting colours of their work clothes against the green of the field and wood behind.
Reflection in puddle is distracting
Tunnel does take you to workmen, puddle adds extra element of interest
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38 (10) View From The Grotto – Paul Steans
Scores 20.25 14 27 I 6.83 4 123 C 6.72 4 121 T 6.72 5 121
Great detailed frame but rather dominant but good clarity to back of image and lighting handled well on rocks.
Well spotted composition, needs a bit more dodging and burning on framed scene
26 (9) Roach End Barns – Steve Bexon
Scores 20.31 15 24 I 6.78 3 122 C 6.72 3 121 T 6.72 3 121
Nice view through the window with good depth of field. Nice layering of distant hills
Good location with in keeping frame. Lighting handled well on frame.
Good tone map /HDR, fringing on the trees.
But Left barn too close to the frame
11 (8) Cromer View – John Smith
Scores 20.38 12 28 I 6.89 6 124 C 6.72 5 121 T 6.72 5 121
Impact from the very atmospheric image The sky really adds to this image. The sort of framed view you would enjoy looking at.
Compositional second framing element is distracting would prefer it if it was cropped to show the one frame with the pier end only.
Lots of interest, ice picture but better if taken from higher position as beach detail cut off.
Technical Soft over processed background but frame sharp. The muted colours of pier and sky would be enhanced by reducing saturation of bright boats in the foreground slightly IMO.
29 (7) St Mary De Castro – Andy Freeman
Scores 20.44 13 25 I 6.72 4 121 C 6.89 4 124 T 6.67 4 120
Nice composition, interesting image, Good depth of field and nice lead towards church. Like the different textures.
Good frame the arch provides excellent frame to nice receding image.
Nicely processed image and lucky to have no parked cars. Needs a distant focal point on the empty road, could clone in a person, dog or cat?
The arch perspective on the left does not feel right 🙁
Would have liked more of top of arch in shot and also some more recession in image through darkening road and church slightly.
Couls have worked on RH verticals.
08 (6) Carla In White – Phil Mallin
Scores 20.56 13 28 I 6.5 5 117 C 6.94 6 125 T 7.11 6 128
Framing element is very subtle so impact from from subjects face
Good idea but don’t like the soft skin effect which loses detail
Technical Lovely contrasts of tones and a soft rather than hard/dark frame a nice contrast to other images.
Compositional would tighter crop would have improved it ? Might have taken a bit off the bottom. Not much though.
20 (5) Mirro Lake – Julie Holbeche-Maund
Scores 21.81 13 30 I 7.22 6 130 C 7.22 6 130 T 7.33 5 132
Great natural framing with clouds, Interesting reflection
Like the different bands of colour. Clouds and branches force viewer into the centre of the image.
Lovely light and nice, natural frame. Shame there wasn’t a way, without getting wet of capturing part of tree frame in reflection.
Not much of a frame but it works for this image
12 (4) Driving Home For Christmas – James Botterill
Scores 22.94 17 29 I 7.84 3 149 C 7.53 4 143 T 7.58 5 144
Another nice staged photo which uses the frame to draw your eyes straight to central character giving impact.
Cute image. Nice idea and well taken. Atmospheric background fits the image.
Good composition, depth of field is not consistent with the car and background.
Technical Lighting has been engineered very well despite some burning out bottom RH.
Could possibly lose the moon / sun in the sky as it distracts a little?
39 (3) Waiting For Santa – James Botterill
Scores 23.18 17 29 I 7.68 4 146 C 7.68 3 146 T 7.79 5 148
A frame within a frame and a very well captured look on model looking out through frame
Another nice staged photo. Frame cut off at top, bright light on top right
Good composite, depth of field lets the image down and the fact that the girl is too sharp.
Lovely photo. Possible put together in photoshop??
Nice lighting on the hair
Nice use of frost to frame model as well as using window frame, nice light on hair
Nicely constructed image. Well thought out. Dark reflection surrounding the child emphasises her light skin. Good lighting on her hair to show off the colour.
09 (2) Cathedral Cove – Julie Holbeche-Maund
Scores 23.81 16 30 I 7.67 5 138 C 8.17 5 147 T 7.89 5 142
Impact from the string natural frame and colours. Shape of far rock mirrors the opening
Nice composition great landscape which fulfils brief very well. Epitomises ‘in the frame’ from a pure art point of view.
Technical like the long shutter? Swirling sea timed well to get just enough water in the gap. Darken the left hand cave wall slightly
19 (1) Mesa Arch – Phil Mallin
Scores 23.88 15 30 I 8 5 144 C 7.78 5 140 T 7.94 5 143
Lots of interest and nice colours, Amazing light. Well taken and processed classic Arches image
The frame is the image for me. The subject rather a large slab of rock.
Could you have move left and lower slightly to enhance gap between arch and scene
Of course this can’t be changed. Excellent clarity from edge to edge of image.
Technical Brilliant view. Excellent lighting underneath the arch.