Hi all and thanks for your contribution into the SFLaB “Stay Home” challenge! It was a tough decision to look at the values of each image. Some good stuff going on out there! There has to be a winner and with the help from Steve O’Nions and Emulsive.org we whittled down to top three images sent with the winner receiving a 35mm Pinhole Camera from our friends at Ranica Cameras in Belarus. Here are the three chosen from the entries and words from Em at Emulsive.org.

All images submitted are in the gallery below this page.

Winner ‘Love Song‘ by Henrique_Zorzan, Portugal

“Simply beautiful on the whole. The contrast/transition between the light and dark immediately caught my eye. The curtains almost look like stage curtains, making it feel like the girl is practicing just before a show. On the other hand, they also remind me of movement – the camera zomming in to catch the action. It’s both peaceful and catches motion. Finally, and I think this is the most important thing for me, it feels like the world has completely stopped around her – not in the sense of the photo being taken, everything” Emulsive.Org

I have to agree with Em here. The window light used with added softening of the curtain compliments, what I can imagine, is a soft tune coming from that Violin. The angle at which it was taken really draws you into the moment and the bow comes perfectly framed with the corner of the image.

2nd ‘Brassed Off‘ by Kevin_Astley

“Ok, so I’m a massive fan of photographs focusing on hands. There’s so much you can tell, infer or at least, hope is going on. The clarity, tonality, the mixed feelings of a job just started, halfway complete or nearly well done. It feels like I’m disturbing this person while he’s still heavily focused on the task but at the same time I want to ask him about them. Where did they come from? What’s their story and why does it feel like they’re so important to him?” Emulsive.org

Taking the time at home to get polishing the brass! I also like hands. I can almost smell the polish as the hands rub the brass slowly in circular motions using that well used rag. The lighting is not overkill, just very subtle and calming.

3rd ‘Unknown‘ by SergeySkopintsev

“I chose this one purely for the sake of its beauty. Something simple and quite stark on the surface but the more you look at it, the closer your brain gets to doing a backflip. What’s at the bottom of the frame? Are they seeds? Why do they look to be in flight? I love the simultaneous feeling of stillness and movement here.” Emulsive.org

I had to look at this image more carefully to understand what was happening on the surface. I think the whole scene is elegance from the tiny highlights on the berries (I think they are Berries) to the fine soft focus seed like particles on the surface. Even the glass is composed to one side, which at first looks uncomfortable but you then realise its perfectly composed in the upper third making it all come together.

And the remaining entries which were all very good making the whole elimination process tough. Thank you for taking part. I enjoyed seeing your images coming through on email and I hope you all enjoyed the challenge.

Roger

If you want to kick back and see all the images submitted on your TV, PC or Phone then here is a slideshow.

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