2020 / 21 POTY 6 Lockdown Walkabout
Penultimate round of POTY 2020 / 21 saw the theme changed from Sport to Lockdown Walkabout
47 images entered
01 2M Rule – Chris Dunne Finished 46th Scored 13.56 9 19 I 4.33 C 4.5 T 4.78
Image contains a very current instruction clearly on the right hand side. Nice coloured houses in the background but not much interest in the bottom left
Probably more impact if sign was in the centre
02 Bad Hair Day – John Denny Finished 25th Scored 16.93 8 23 I 5.65 C 5.71 T 5.41
Location: Hinckley, Leicestershire Taken: 10.44am 14th Jan 2021 in lockdown 3 Camera: iPhone SE
Clarity, dodging and burning on person would improve. Better as a ‘In the Frame’ image than Lockdown Walkabout
Not sure the subject would agree it’s bad hair day! Topical though. Colourful with an interesting face mask.
lockdown aggression personified
Highlights, shadows etc in Lightroom classic, Light, door hinge and notice removed in Photoshop. Image squared up in Photoshop.
03 Blue Coat – Graham Townsend Finished 42th Scored 14.5 9 20 I 4.83 C 4.78 T 4.89
was taken 28/3/21 in fields close to my house 1/100 F 9.0 ISO 100, 24-105 Lens at 82mm.
Blue coat stands out well against the mainly brown surroundings. Like the way the dog is looking at its owner.
Too much negative space in landscape format, try cropping to a portrait format
06 Burbage Woods Snow – Ken Chesterman Finished 11th Scored 19.27 13 27 I 6.65 C 6.47 T 6.24
I like the framing of the trees over the couple but is ruined by the snow which I assumed was added and doesn’t look natural
The people make this image with their colourful jackets against the whiteness.
There are a lot of bright white spots especially in the lower part of image which look strange.
One bright rectangular area in the bottom left looks odd – can’t make out what caused it, unless it’s snow spots on the lens!
colour popping works well
07 City Lock – Andy Freeman Finished 29th Scored 16.53 10 25 I 5.71 C 5.29 T 5.65
Colourful with everything sharp. The lock gate arm takes the viewer to the left of the image which then allows them to look across the top of
the image at the street art on the brick wall, or vice versa. A few triangles created using the lock gate arm makes a pleasing composition.
Everything looks sharp except for the ‘in you face’ lock gate which gets in the way of the background detail
08 Coffee Cup – Dave Varnham Finished 47th Scored 13.38 7 19 I 4.11 C 4.5 T 4.72
Tree cropped too tight. Why a coffee cup on a tree, just take a nice tree
Unfortunately this reflects the sad reality that some people are quite happy to leave their rubbish in the countryside.
Perhaps the author placed the cup on the tree to create the image. The pattern on the cup contrasts nicely with the bark on the tree, even though that is not sharp.
good idea, simple pic
09 Corona Sunset – Graham Townsend Finished 26th Scored 16.88 8 24 I 5.83 C 5.44 T 5.5
is a pano take 7/4/20 1/40 F9.0 ISO 100, 24-105 Lens at 45 mm taken from the bottom of my garden looking across the fields.
Lovely colours in the sky and the viewer is drawn to them especially over to the right.
Nice sky but obscured by bush on right. I know it’s on a hill but I’m sure horizon could be improved
fade off to the left?
10 Dawn Snow Walk – Steve Bexon Finished 31st Scored 16.47 10 21 I 5.35 C 5.47 T 5.53
Dawn Snow Walk-Steve Bexon
Taken early morning after this years only snowfall in January,
50 yards from home on my usual Lockdown walk around my local footpaths and fields in Barwell
Simple enough image, mostly white but the warm rays of the early morning do show beyond the walker.
11 Early Morning Mist – Trish Rudin Finished 27th Scored 16.75 7 23 I 5.28 C 5.61 T 5.67
Can’t make out whether the mist was real or been added later. Was it taken locally? Perhaps extra clarity would improve some of the detail
Good atmospheric shot with just glimpses of the trees, and the silver birches on the left thirds shine through the mist to take our attention.
Good choice of timing for taking the shot. Wish i could walk somewhere like this from my house.
evocative, maybe lose foreground trees
12 Empty Playground – Paul Steans Finished 44th Scored 14.07 6 21 I 4.76 C 4.65 T 4.59
Needs less highlights, shadows opening up and more colour saturation or vibrance to improve
Obviously this playground was closed off during the first lockdown.
When this image was taken it was open for use but I have tried to replicate the situation in the first lockdown.
I have desaturated the colours to make it look as depressing as that time generally was! I tied the face mask to the railings to fix the image in a moment of time.
Very atmospheric, Nice idea
13 Finding Hope – John Denny Finished 22nd Scored 17.13 7 21 I 5.76 C 5.71 T 5.29
Location: Burbage Woods, Hinckley, Leicestershire Taken: 3.04pm 17th Jan 2021 in lockdown 3
Post processing in Lightroom classic, texture increased, luminance details lowered. Background levels adjusted in Photoshop.
The image captures the message of thanks to the NHS during this time, via a rainbow painted on a stone.
The colours contrast nicely against the generally brown background as does the smoothness against the roughness of the bark.
15 Keeping Warm – Andy Freeman Finished 21st Scored 17.6 13 26 I 6.12 C 6.06 T 5.65
Bird slightly soft and a strange blurring over the branch and down it’s tail
Image has a very narrow depth of field resulting in a softness to the blackbird. Perhaps the green area on the right hand side should be desaturated so the viewer is not drawn to that area.
too much contrast
16 Kingfisher – Peter Lawrance Finished 15th Scored 18.47 13 24 I 6.35 C 6.06 T 6.06
was taken a few weeks ago, 3 February. I could not believe it. On a walk from our house, in Nuneaton, about 50 metres from a new building site there is a run off pond for the buildings and there,
lives a kingfisher. I had to return with my 200-500 mm lens. That wasn’t powerful enough really but just put the focusing spot on the tiny spot of colour in the distance and shot away.
Couldn’t believe it when I looked at home and found he had a fish in his beak. The distance meant that the shot lacks the possibility of a closer crop but it was a dream come true.
Good colour and nicely framed
Kingfisher out of focus
Nice bright colours of the kingfisher against the background. However the bird looks rather soft and quite small in the frame.
well captured
17 Millennium Wood – John Smith Finished 38th Scored 15.25 6 24 I 5.22 C 5.17 T 4.83
Like the colouring but would have preferred trees to be vertical.
Nice capture of the quite young wood, with probably a wide angle lens considering how the trees are leaning in on the left. The colours look a bit oversaturated. The person with a red coat isn’t in the best part of the image, shame they weren’t in the left side perhaps between a couple of the close trees.
Strange colours and everything seems to be leaning including the fences and person
19 No Golf For Grandad – Steve Pears Finished 32nd Scored 16.4 9 21 I 5.41 C 5.59 T 5.24
Am assuming this was taken on a golf course, but it is only the title that suggests that. The child looks like they are enjoying the activity, even though there’s not much snow, if any, so perhaps it’s just a very frosty morning.
Darkening the background is a good idea to highlight the people but removes the natural white snow colour
good expressions
20 Orphan’s Hope – James Botterill Finished 13th Scored 18.88 0 28 I 6.06 C 5.83 T 6.44
Again a good picture but don’t think a staged image with added mist, bright lights and possibly a person meets the Lockdown Walkabout intended theme
As before, recognise the train but would have given it a much higher mark in another competition.
Clearly a well thought out set up shot trying to tell a story but doesn’t quite work for me as the train is clearly not functioning. Don’t understand why there is a bright light on the train. Does it have something to do with Hope?
Great composite, white halo around girls boot. Unless its my eyes the girl is too small again the rail track.
very attractive image
21 Pheasant – Phil Mallin Finished 12th Scored 19.2 9 26 I 6.41 C 6.06 T 6.53
Taken at Middleton lakes 5 miles away on our weekly walk. Taken on the 5/3/21 11.23am. 35mm shutter 1/500 at F4.5 ISO400 – Sony RX1R.
A very close capture of the pheasant, presumably by remotely activating the camera from a distance as pheasants are notably skittish. Looks like the
pheasant has been surprised by the shutter! Brilliant colours. Very sharp with a blurred background, probably enhanced blur in post processing but very effective.
Would benefit from increasing the vibrance or saturation on the Pheasant
well done – not easy
22 Rafer At Rest – Steve Signorelli Finished 33rd Scored 16.38 10 22 I 5.78 C 5.11 T 5.44
Cropped too tight in the image giving a Very tight composition, perhaps a bit too tight as part of a paw and its tail have been cut off. Very sharp, nice colours. Perhaps the side of the dog’s face in shadow could have been brightened a bit, especially the eye.
23 Ratcliffe – Daniel Wood Finished 42nd Scored 14.5 7 24 I 5 C 4.72 T 4.89
Dangerous to walk on the road. Walkabout?
Looks like it was taken through a car windscreen in an area which I assume isn’t local enough to be considered as a lockdown walk
Very dangerous someone walking along that road! Seriously though, I am hoping it was the passenger in the car taking the image. The power station is
rather small in the image. It could have been cropped top and bottom to correct this.
maybe lose some top?
24 Red Sky In The Morning – Al Simms Finished 34th Scored 16.07 7 21 I 5.82 C 5 T 5
Have seen skies like this but seems a little overworked and overbalances picture which is top heavy
I’m surprised with the sky colour that the snow isn’t pink. Sky looks very over saturated
What a lovely red sky, like it’s on fire. What a contrast to the cold white snow on the ground.
seems over-cooked
28 Shepherds Warning – Al Simms Finished 22nd Scored 17.13 8 21 I 6.18 C 5.53 T 5.12
Another shot of the red sky, at the same location as before but a different composition. This one is darker so the buildings and ground are not as
clear and there isn’t the contrast between hot sky and cold ground. The author is making the sky more of the subject.
Surprised the bright oversaturated sky is not reflected in the snow or on the buildings
29 Shilton On The Water – Ian Waite Finished 37th Scored 15.27 8 21 I 4.76 C 5.06 T 5.35
The author has spotted a reflection of the sign in the water, it’s a shame there were ripples in the water otherwise it would have been clearer.
I like the arrowhead formed by the cut grass and its reflection, making a triangle, which would have been improved if there had been something close to the point of it near the water, maybe a duck?
The reflection is not correct its along with the water has been added in post production.
Water needs a grad to darken with added clarity to enhance more detail and balance the image
30 Snowy Walk – Steve Pears Finished 16th Scored 18.4 8 25 I 6 C 6.29 T 5.88
Interesting that the author has mirrored part of the image, which makes it look a bit odd! Perhaps just wanted to do something a bit different?
You don’t see triangular fields very often!
Nothing in picture looks sharp perhaps over cropped. Even up image composition by taking off left hand side beyond first two trees
The two figures make this. Without them it would have no vitality.
wide crop works
31 Solitary Jogger – Paul Steans Finished 28th Scored 16.6 9 21 I 5.35 C 5.59 T 5.47
I have desaturated the greens, yellows and oranges to make the jogger stand out. This tries to reflect the situation where many joggers had to go out on their own.
Looks colour popped but still has colour beyond the fence?
32 Spring Cleaning – Ian Waite Finished 18th Scored 18.27 10 24 I 6.12 C 5.94 T 6.06
A good capture and freezing of the motion here. The background is rather dominant though, but that’s inevitable with a man made bird box and its location.
Perhaps a tight crop would be better.
Colours need enhancing on birds. Portrait format may improve composition
33 Spring – Gary Wood Finished 19th Scored 17.75 9 25 I 6.06 C 5.83 T 5.78
A nice low down shot through the daffodils capturing springtime. The main focus is the daffodils and the emptiness of the green grass contrasts well with the cluttered daffodils. The dead tree stump to the right acts as a stop so the viewer doesn’t exit the image stage right.
Colourful, probably don’t need right hand side beyond the daffodils, good depth
34 Stand Out @Market Bosworth – Steve Signorelli Finished 39th Scored 15.06 10 20 I 5 C 4.94 T 5.11
Looks like the author has purposefully composed the dead tree in line with the one in the background to make it appear living? It is central, which is ok but I think it could be cropped left and right as there isn’t any interest there.
Needs exposure and shadows lifting, or some dodging and burning
35 Sunday Stroller – Roger Leck Finished 35th Scored 15.8 9 19 I 5.12 C 5.18 T 5.29
Always include someone in a red coat! Wondering whether it would have been stronger if the person was a bit further away?
IMO better with person further down path
Probably better composition if taken when person further down path as blocking the distant view
Sky composite needs work on the trees.
36 Sutton Warf – Dave Varnham Finished 36th Scored 15.38 9 23 I 5.44 C 4.94 T 5.06
Better if signage and front of boat not cut off
Good clear colourful shot. Maybe better if the person and dogs were walking down the path rather than stopping at the waste bin.
One of my favourites but could have scored higher if the woman was walking into the shot and the writing wasn’t cropped on the edges.
fits theme well
37 The Game Keeper – Julie Holbeche-Maund Finished 41st Scored 14.73 0 26 I 4.59 C 4.71 T 5.24
Taken in our back garden on the 29/10/2020 at 19.10. 25sec, F16, 55mm ISO 100. multiple flashes whilst shutter is open.
Although could have been on a local walk this would have received a much higher mark in another competition.
Good still life composition but for me doesn’t meet the Lockdown Walkabout intended theme
Just a still life, which doesn’t fit the theme as very unlikely to exist in the garden or be found on a walkabout.
doesn’t fit theme
38 The Pollinator – Debbie Lowe Finished 14th Scored 18.87 9 23 I 6.18 C 6.29 T 6.06
Nice colourful image. Vignette is a bit too strong for me.
Sharp in the right places, head of Bee in shadow, could more detail be brought out?
good capture
40 The Woodman – Phil Mallin Finished 29th Scored 16.53 0 26 I 5.18 C 5.35 T 5.59
Done in our back garden under the Conifers on the 28/10/2020. 55mm, ISO640 shutter 1/80 at f10. using multiple flashes taken 17.27pm.
A still life but it probably exists in the author’s garden, so fits the theme. Effective lighting of the scene.
Again a good still life composition but for me doesn’t meet the Lockdown Walkabout intended theme
Similar comments to the Gamekeeper
doesn’t fit theme
41 Twisted Tree – Chris Dunne Finished 45th Scored 13.63 6 17 I 4.39 C 4.67 T 4.33
Not much of the tree is included and some is hidden by the rose border in the foreground. A step to the left might have revealed a bit more of the trunk. Right hand side of rose border has been cut off. Light border around the image works ok.
Some processing would improve and flowerbed positioned in the centre of image
nice image
42 Vaccine Centre – Daniel Wood Finished 40th Scored 14.88 7 24 I 5.17 C 4.78 T 5
Crop from right to removed red blob and light source bisecting tree
Crop off clutter on right hand side and do some alignment on left to improve
Good capture of a very relevant instance from a low viewpoint. Perhaps the red object could be cloned out or desaturated so as to be less of an attraction,
or crop slightly from the right which would also remove the van.
Good subject but crop bottom third to lose red corner and make it a letter box format.
lose the red in the corner
43 View From Upton – Peter Lawrance Finished 17th Scored 18.33 10 26 I 6.47 C 6 T 5.82
taken 23 November on a local walk in Upton. I liked the lead into the tree. Taken on Sony RX100 M7.
Good composition but sky colour looks a little strange. Perhaps increase the orange saturation colour to enhance the autumn leaves
Image has good lighting but the colour of the sky doesn’t look right, which is a shame as there is a lot of interest in the sky. Tractor lines lead viewer
straight to the tree.
The replacement sky does not match the image and the trees has bits of the old sky in it.
odd colour balance
46 Winter Trees – John Smith Finished 24th Scored 17 7 22 I 5.72 C 5.67 T 5.33
Lovely colour in the sky through the trees. Path creates a lead in at the bottom of the image which then ends almost at the horizon where the viewer then
follows the vertical line of the trees into the sky. Some interest at the bottom of the frame, but looks a bit saturated.
Strange colours. Stronger composition if path was in the middle of the frame and more space left around the trees
The sky looks patchy through the trees and there is a lack of focal point.
47 Winter – Gary Wood Finished 20th Scored 17.73 7 24 I 6 C 5.76 T 5.71
Perhaps crop in beyond the nearest tree on the right hand side
What a lovely blue sky. Not sure there is enough interest in the right hand part of the image, so perhaps could have been cropped. The road is a lead in but
unfortunately there isn’t any interest at the end.
45 Winter Night – Roger Leck Finished 10th Scored 19.93 6 27 I 6.41 C 6.29 T 6.82
Composition works well with well balanced contrast in snow and sky
Good shot of snow falling, probably taken from the author’s home. Good sky interest. Nice effect of snow falling lit by the street light.
Standard image but with lovely light capturing the snow
the replacement sky does not work as there is no snow in it plus you would not get that type of sky at night.
18 Mrs Blackbird In Burbage Woods – Ken Chesterman Finished 9th Scored 20.27 15 29 I 7.18 C 6.53 T 6.765
A simple effective composition with a dark bird against the white snow, and it is quite sharp. It is central but that seems to work well.
Good specimen image but white halo around body and legs where no brush has been applied
26 Robin In The Snow – Chantal Cooper Finished 8th Scored 20.38 11 29 I 7 C 6.61 T 6.72
A good Christmas card picture. Was it actually taken in the falling snow?
Another good example of a bird on a stick, which could easily be used for a Christmas card. Not all of the bird is sharp, probably caused by narrow
depth of field but it doesn’t detract from the image.
Not sure about the background
natural
05 Bruce In Burbage Cricket Ground – Isobel Chesterman Finished 7th Scored 20.6 16 28 I 6.59 C 7.06 T 7.12
Good action shot of dog chasing and looking at the ball, which is also in the frame.
Can see slight blur in the dog’s right foreleg indicating movement but everything else sharp. Personally I don’t like this sort of dog though!
Needs some dodging and burning on the dog and it’s coat detail enhancing more. I assume the ball was added
brilliant capture
27 Secret Squirrel – Debbie Lowe Finished 6th Scored 20.8 11 26 I 7 C 6.94 T 6.59
Good sharp framed image but I find the bright lit area on the left a big distraction
Sharp image of the squirrel’s face with the body and background out of focus. Looks like it is resting its head on the branch and posing for
the picture! Vignetting is a bit dark for me and the bright area is a bit distracting.
14 Innocence – James Botterill Finished 5th Scored 21 15 27 I 6.72 C 6.89 T 7.39
Awesome shot. horizon is not level and reflection would be blurred so I think the reflection composite needs some work. Also hotspot on the left distraciting
Good picture but don’t think a staged shot with added mist, soft focus and a bright light really meets the local Lockdown Walkabout intended theme
Great photo but in another competition this would get a much higher mark from me
Quite a simple shot with muted colours and narrow depth of field focussing the viewer on the child.
beautiful colour palette
39 The White Cottage – Steve Bexon Finished 4th Scored 21.2 15 28 I 6.82 C 7.41 T 7
Taken during last years first lockdown on my usual lockdown walk close to home. The view is across a newly ploughed potato field to a cottage on Main Street in Stapleton
Sharp throughout, great leading lines and works extremely well in B/W
Strong lead lines towards the cottage, which sits nicely on the thirds. Perhaps would benefit from making the cottage a little bit brighter. The furrows in the soil keep the viewer inside the image. Good sky interest.
great lead-in, maybe lighten cottage
04 Broughton Recreation Park Trees – Isobel Chesterman Finished 3rd Scored 21.33 16 30 I 7.18 C 7.06 T 7.29
Good effect achieved in post processing. Looks like half the image has been replicated and flipped vertically but the two parts have been blended excellently. Very hard to see the join! Quite minimal in that it’s just grass and trees.
Literally walking round and round and round!
Original take to make an ordinary scene stand out. Difficult to get the join in the central portion as good as this
Something different Well executed
25 Redwing – Chantal Cooper Finished 2nd Scored 22.31 11 30 I 7.67 C 7.28 T 7.17
Excellent capture of a bird on a stick, complete with a berry in its mouth. Background nicely blurred and plain without any distractions, although
there are a couple of lighter areas which could be toned down a little, particularly the one in the bottom right. Also like the thin black line
just in from the edge of the image.
Great shot, , not sure I like the twig coming out of frame. cut out is to sharp
Have marked this assuming it was taken on a local walkabout. Beautifully captured and presented.
Looks set-up and staged, surprised if a picture of this quality was taken on a Lockdown Walkabout as not a common bird. Black border line better nearer the edge
studio backdrop, lose the black line
44 White Haven – Julie Holbeche-Maund Finished 1st Scored 22.33 17 28 I 7.41 C 7.47 T 7.47
Taken just down the road from our house on the 24/1/2021 at 13.10. 5D mk4 ISO200 shutter 1/50 24mm lens.
Beautiful texture in the trees
Beautifully composed with the hint of colour in the fence working really well.
Good snow scene composition. Probably could be improved by bringing out more detail in foreground and lessening the sky brightness
Nice shot with good lead in of the light brown fence towards the wooded area. Bright as you would expect. well exposed